10 pages.

This cute little booklet covers all sorts of standards.  Students read the simple sentences; correct the capitalization and add end punctuation.  They trace, write and then color the color words and matching pictures.   A "favorite colors" graphing extension is also included, as well as a color word matching worksheet and color spinner game.

1-2-3 Come Do Some Common Core Activities With Me and Spot the Fire Safety Dog

Since the Common Core Scarecrow packet was such a popular download, I thought it would be fun to design a fire-safety themed one. Thus Spot the Common Core Fire Dog was born. 

The packet includes patterns to make 4 Dalmatian matching games for: (upper & lowercase letters, numbers, shapes and colors). Students put a fireman's hat on the Dalmatian, then find the matching bone to put in his mouth. 

For example, Sparky, the shape Dalmatian has a 2D shape on his fire hat. 

Students find the matching bone with the shape word on it, and slide it under the slit of Sparky's mouth.  For another matching game, and to cover more standards, write the shape's attributes on the back of the bones. 

To complete the CCSS shape standard, and review spatial directions, have students place the dog bone above, behind, under, beside etc. 

I've also included a spotless dog for you to program for other things, as well as a black and white spotted puppy so students can color it. (Use as a topper for writing prompts etc.)

There are also blank fire hats and blank bones for you to program with whatever.  Use them for other games, name tags, or write a fire safety rule on each bone.

For even more practice, there are 16 "I Spy" worksheets.

Use them as a fun way to quickly and easily whole group assess: upper and lowercase letters, numbers, number words, colors, color words, shapes, and shape words.

I've also included 5 trace and write worksheets to practice writing upper and lowercase letters, plus numbers from 1-100.

Since so many fire safety rules begin with a contraction like "Don't play with matches."  I've included these Dalmatian-themed contraction action activities: an alphabetical list of 72 contractions, 24 pocket cards with fire-safety sentences using contractions, plus 3 contraction worksheets.

To grab some fun, click on the link to view/download the fall FREEBIE: Common Core Fire-Safety Themed Puppy Packet.

If you'd like to make a Dalmatian sock puppet to use with these activities, or when you read some fire-safety books that feature a Dalmatian fire dog, click on the link. A little square of cardboard inside the toe of the sock, makes the "talking mouth".

I made these each year with my students.  We used them to show spatial directions and share a fire-safety fact.  My kiddos also had fun showing how to stop-drop and roll using their puppy puppet.  

I've included a copy of our Puppey Pokey song, which was a great way to get the wiggles out! There's also a puppy adoption certificate.  My Y5's enjoyed naming their puppies and then introducing them to the class. 

We really enjoy the song: Who Let The Dog's Out, so we'd finish up our fire-safety day rocking out to that tune.  Click on the link for a You Tube listen.  LOVE the variety of dogs that they use in their animation. :-)

I hope you found something that your kiddos will enjoy.  Thanks for visiting.  Time for a little fresh air. 

I love the crunching sound as I tromp through fallen leaves.  The colors are looking pretty spectacular and there's a crisp coolness to the air this morning.  Wishing you a sunshine-filled day.

"When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time." -Author Unknown

1-2-3 Do Some New Year Activities With Me

I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing New Year.  We enjoyed watching the Tournament of Roses Parade.  I made up a few interesting writing prompts that you can give your students on the day they come back.  They are nice for the writing portion of your Daily 5. 

One prompt packet is about the parade and includes a Venn diagram comparing Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to the Tournament of Roses New Year's Parade.   Click on the link to view/download the New Year Parade Writing prompts. 

The other is a Happy New Year writing prompt-craftivity. Run the balloon pattern off on a variety of colors of construction paper.  Students choose one, trim, and complete the 3 writing prompts.  Children add hands to the clock so that it reads midnight.  Gluing on a school photo adds that finishing touch.  

You can also have students write a longer prompt on the back of their balloon.  Tie with yarn or curling ribbon and dangle from the ceiling. 

I've included a pattern for this New Year (2014) as well as two with a blank for whatever number (201____ and 202____)  you need, so that you can use this craftivity each year.  Click on the link for the Happy New Year Writing-Prompt Craftivity to view/download it.

There's also a packet of New Year posters, mini-cards and bookmarks that you can print off and place in your students desks, on their tables or tuck into their backpacks.   Click on the link to view/download the Happy New Year Poster-Bookmark packet.

I had a request for a list of my favorite books for January, so I compiled one with 77 of my all-time favorites.  Click on the link to view/print it. January Bibliography 

Finally, in yesterday's blog article I promised to complete the Snowman Color Matching Game that's a great companion to the Snowman Colors packet.  Click on the links to grab them.  There are several ways to use the Snowman Color Matching Game packet. 

Students can match the scarf and hats to the appropriate color word snowman as an independent center, or children can pick a partner and take turns spinning. 

Whatever color they land on, is the snowman that they "dress" in the matching colored items. I've included a blank set, where students can draw on their own snowman faces, as well as a set that has faces on them. 

You can give each student their own snowman to complete and have them glue the hat and scarf on.  These can then be used for your winter word wall. 

Students can also make their own personal "favorite" color snowman, as I've included a snowman pattern for that too. Click on the link to view/download the Snowman Color Matching Game. 

Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN away.  I design and blog daily, so I hope you can stop by tomorrow for the newest FREEBIES.  I'm working on some adorable mitten activities, interesting stuff for Martin Luther King Day, as well as some super-fun things for Chinese New Year.   

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do, than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -H. Jackson Brown from P.S. I Love You

1-2-3 Come Do Some Snowman Activities With Me

Since the Venn diagram downloads have been so popular, I decided to make some with a snowman theme.  There are lots of wonderful winter books out there featuring snowmen. 

They are great for comparison and contrast writing prompts.  Venn diagrams are perfect to help students organize their thoughts before they write.

There's one where they draw details on the snowmen to look like the two characters they are comparing.  For the other one, they contrast two snowman books.  Click on the link to view download the Snowman Venn Diagrams.

The positive comments about the Gingerbread easy reader, which reinforced color words, were a deciding factor in designing one featuring snowmen. 

I took the snowman packet a step farther and also reinforced the days of the week. 

Students circle capital letters, add end punctuation, trace and write the color and day words, + color the hat and scarf on the snowman. (See photo for a close up.)

A worksheet, 3 graphing extensions, a bookmark and spinner game, are also included.  Click on the link to view/download Snowman Colors.

I'm also working on a matching snowman color puzzle to go along with this packet.  Students can put them together as an indendent center, or play a game with a partner.   You could also give each child one of their own to complete and then use for your winter word wall.  I'm putting the finishing touches on, and will post it with tomorrow's newest FREEBIES.

So glad you popped by today. Feel free to PIN away. 

“I love snow for the same reason I love Christmas: It brings people together while time stands still. Cozy couples lazily meander the streets and children trudge sleds and chase snowballs. No one seems to be in a rush to experience anything other than the glory of the day, with each other, whenever and however it happens.” -Rachel Cohn

Getting To The Core, With Clothing, Specifically--What She Wore!

Mary Wore A Red Dress is another of my favorite back to school books.

It’s a great book for introducing color words to students.

In my “Red Dress Packet” I’ve included 11 color-picture cards to go with the book.  You can pass them out to your students to use as manipulatives when you read the story.

Print and laminate them.  Attach a magnet or piece of Velcro to the back and have students sequence them on your white board or a flannel board to enhance story time.

After the reading, pass out the pieces again and have students retell the story using the manipulatives.  See if they can get them in the proper order.

I’ve also included 2 different class books with two different writing prompts.

One reinforces their name and what they wore to school having them incorporate a describing color word.  “My name is _______________. I wore ______________________ to school.”

The first page begins with the teacher: “I'm the teacher, _____________. I wore _______________ to school."

The other is a take off of Martin’s Brown Bear and asks: “________________ what do you see?” What makes this class book so special is that the teacher glues the students’ first day photograph on the pages and students use describing words to write the sentence.

There’s even a page for the teacher. 

You could also take pictures of the principal, secretary, lunch staff, librarian, playground assistants and anyone else you think students need to be familiar with, and include those in the book, so you can use it as a handy reference tool as well, helping your students become familiar with names as well as faces.

This 38-page packet of fun activities that reinforce color recognition, reading, writing and math skills also includes:

• 10 color-word wall word flashcards with 10 matching color cards +
• Covers to make an Itty Bitty Color-Word Book
• 5 Graphing extensions
• 8 skill sheets including "Rhyme Time" with words that rhyme with dress, shirt, pants and hat.
• "We CAN Tie Our Shoes!" Poster-Roster
• A connect the dots tennis shoe and
• 4 Certificates of Praise for shoe tying

Class book pages are great for your Daily 5 activities, or September writing prompts!

Click on the link to view/download Activities For Mary Wore A Red Dress Packet

Thanks for visiting today.

Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful.

“Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the whole world.” –Albert Einstein

123 Come Color With Me!

Color words were an important part of my word wall.

My Y5’s easily learned these because I included them in so many easy reader booklets, which really helped build their self-esteem.

This booklet Helps with Common Core State Standard: RF.K.1b

Students TRACE, WRITE, COLOR, & GLUE their way through 10 color words. (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, black, brown and white.)

It’s really a fun way to reinforce learning how to read, write and spell color words while reinforcing cutting skills as well as listening and following directions!

You can work on one page a day (perfect for Word Work for your Daily 5 activities) or one a week if you do "Color of the Week" like I did.

This is a great booklet for a portfolio as well, because it shows student improvement.

If you feel that color words are part of your "high frequency word list" then this activity would also help with Common Core State Standard: RF.K.3c

Click on the link to view/download My Color Words

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you can pop back tomorrow for more back to school ideas.

Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful.

“What comes from the heart goes to the heart.” -Samuel Taylor Coleridge