Items filtered by date: March 2012

It's A Match!

Since Catching Contractions with a butterfly theme, has been so popular, I wanted to make up another activity to go with that packet.

An easy and fun way to teach contractions is to have students match up the words to the shortened contraction form or vice versa.

Instead of doing this via the “same old-same old” worksheet, add some pizzazz with puzzles.

The butterfly’s symmetric body lends itself to the perfect matching puzzle piece.

To make this review game, simply run off the contractions on one color of construction paper, and the words that make up the contractions, on a DIFFERENT color.

Laminate the sheets and then send them home with a room helper to be cut out and slit down the middle.

Students can individually match up the pairs as an independent center, or sprinkle them on the floor, set the timer and see who can find the most wings and then make the most sets.

Toss the pieces in a butterfly net and have students choose 2 wings and play “I Have; Who Has?”  i.e.,  “I have aren’t.  Who has are not?” The child with are not gives that student their matching wing and then reads their remaining wing to keep the game going ,‘til all of the butterflies have been put together.

This packet also includes a blank set of wings, so that you can design your own pieces or use a blank half for students to write in the answer to the programed half, making a great assessment tool.

Use dry erase markers to write with, or a Mr. Clean eraser to remove the answers.

There’s also a certificate of praise and directions for more ways to use the butterfly puzzles.

Click on the link to view/download Butterfly Contraction Puzzles

While I was designing these, I also thought it would be fun to make a traceable set where students match uppercase letters to lowercase letters, as well as numbers to a specific amount of dots.

These are especially useful in the spring, for ESL students or young children who may still be struggling.

Since there are only 2 pages to each set, it’s an easy thing to send home for parents to work one-on-one with their child to get them over the hump.

Click on the link for ABC-I23 Butterfly Puzzles.

I hope these puzzles help you put together a few fun activities for your students.

Be sure and meander on over tomorrow for more interesting tidbits.   Feel free to PIN anything you think others might enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

2 pages. These two alphabet posters can be used as a friendly assessment for: Common Core State Standard RI.K1d and L.1.1a Simply have students point to the upper and lowercase letter that you ask for. Circle the ones they get incorrect & jot down what letter they said it was. This FREEBIE is part of my big Paperclip Pals Alphabet Packet on TpT.

8 pages. Common Core State Standard RF:K1d and L.1.1a These butterfly puzzles are a different way to assess students as well as a fun way for them to practice one-to-one correspondence and matching upper and lowercase numbers with each other.

Fluttering Through The Life Cycle Of A Butterfly

Looking for a few more ways to review or teach the life cycle of a butterfly?

I designed several with a bit of a different twist, that I think you and your students will enjoy.

My Many Colored Butterflies is an easy reader, that reviews color words at the same time sneaking in the life cycle.

Students trace and write the color words, as well as those new, rather impressive butterfly life cycle science terms.

Students color them in the matching color along with the picture.

I’ve also included a graphing extension and color word flashcards with this packet, as well as caterpillar and butterfly color cards.

Students can make an Itty Bitty color book, as well as play a Memory Matching game, where they match the color word to the corresponding caterpillar AND butterfly.

Click on the link to view/download My Many Colored Butterflies.

In the 49-page Catching On To Contractions, I’ve used a butterfly and caterpillar theme.  I think your students will enjoy learning or reviewing contractions as they flutter through these skill sheets.

Click on the link to view/download Catching On To Contractions.

I’ve designed 3 Butterfly Life Cycle Posters to help reinforce the order of the butterfly’s life cycle.

You can simply color and hang up the poster to use as an anchor chart, or run it off and have younger students color their own.

Older students can color and label a chart, or color, cut and glue a chart, depending on what skill you want students to work on.

Click on the link to view/download Butterfly Life Cycle Charts

Finally, the traceable butterfly life cycle cards are a quick and easy way for students to review this science concept.

Children can color, cut and sequence the cycle independently, making an Itty Bitty booklet, or have them play “Speed” against a partner, and see who can sequence the cycle the quickest, as they say the names of the process out loud.

Print off the cards on two different colors and turn them into Memory Match games or play “I Have; Who Has?” with them.

Click on the link to view/download the traceable butterfly life cycle cards.

I hope your students enjoy these activities, and that they always have the opportunity to fly through learning in an interesting way!

Be sure and flutter back tomorrow for still more tidbits and feel free to PIN anything on my site that you feel others might enjoy as well.

Thanks for stopping.