1-2-3 Come Do Some Thanksgiving Shape Activities With Me

One of the most common symbols of Thanksgiving is the Pilgrim hat. When I was doing research about the Pilgrims for several of the packets, I was surprised to learn that they did not really sport the large brass buckles on their hats and shoes, despite belief to the contrary.

In search of a "buckled up" pilgrim picture, I came across a costume company that sells this "authentic" Pilgrim garb.  It is because most of the 17th-century artists also depicted couples this way, that we have come to believe that they all wore buckles.

Buckles didn’t come into fashion until decades after the Pilgrims left England, and were used as a status symbol, since they were more expensive than other fastening solutions. 

The Pilgrims did wear the conical hats, which I discovered were called capotains, but they didn’t have buckles, nor did their belts. 

Pilgrim boys and men, held up their pants with leather laces tied to their shirts and doublets. These facts have been gleaned from historical records, passenger lists, wills, diaries, and letters that included descriptions of clothing.  Buckles later became very popular in England because they were an expensive fashion statement, however, they were not part of Pilgrim dress.

I thought you'd enjoy learning this bit of trivia, which you can share with your students when they do the Shapely Buckle craftivity.  Years ago I made a Pilgrim buckle shape booklet, and thought I'd up-date that idea with a new packet.

This one includes a pattern for the Pilgrim's hat, which I cut out of black construction paper.  A mini-buckle booklet is stapled together and then glued to the center of the hat. 

Children flip the pages to reveal the different shaped buckles.  Adding a bit of gold glitter glue to the cover, really adds that finishing touch.

A graphing extension is also included, showing which shaped buckle your students thought would be the best.  The large shape cards that feature traceable shape-words, can be uses as pocket or flashcards to review and assess.   Make an extra set; laminate, trim and cut into puzzles. 

Students can also make an Itty Bitty booklet, as a cover is included.  Children trace and color the shape buckles, as well as trace and write the shape words.

I've also included smaller buckle shape cards along with shape word cards to play Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games.  Children can match shape to shape or shape to word. 

Click on the link to view/download the Shapely Buckles packet.  I've shared quite a few Thanksgiving/Pilgrim links in other blog articles and found another one today that you might also enjoy. This link contains 6 short video clips that include interesting Thanksgiving/Pilgrim information from the History Channel.

Since the Penguin Shape packet I & II as well as the Shapely Owls continue to be three of the most downloaded items on my site, I thought it would be fun to make one featuring turkeys. 

Teachers can make the large shape-head turkeys for display or review, and then have students choose their favorite shape and make a shape body - turkey bird of their own. 

A turkey version of the 4-Corners game can also be played with the large turkey heads.  Directions are included in the packet.

There are some turkey shape word cards you can use for pocket or flashcards. 

Make extra sets to play Memory Match or "I Have; Who Has?" games, or cut them apart and make puzzles.  Click on the link to view/download the The Shape Of My Turkeys packet.

Finally, Susan over in Texas, asked if I could make the Pilgrim Shape Spinner game featuring turkeys.  No problem.  If you'd like a set too, click on the link to grab it.  Turkey Spinner Shape game.

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you can stop by tomorrow for a few more FREEBIES hot off the press.

"What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?" - Eleabor Roosevelt

1-2-3 Come Make a Pumpkin Slider With Me!

Making a hands-on craftivity, is a fun way for students to learn about, and review the basic 2D shapes and the shape words associated with them.  I tried to do at least one shape activity a week with my Y5's. The more exposure they had to shapes, the better the chances of their light bulb going on, in an interesting and non-stressful way.

My "sliders" have always been extremely popular, so I wanted to make a pumpkin one with shapes.  They are called sliders, because students pull(slide) their strip through slits, to reveal whatever I want to teach.  Sliders are a quick and easy way to whole-group assess.  Simply call out a shape and have students find it on their slider and then hold it up.  You can also individually assess with a slider; the game-like activity, lessens a child's apprehension when being tested.

Here's how to make the Pumpkin Shape Slider:

• Run off the sliders on white construction paper and the pumpkin on orange.
• For younger kiddo's, you may want to pre-slit the lines on the pumpkins, where the sliders will be pulled through. I use an exacto knife.
• Students trace and color the eyes. Encourage them to use different colors, so you can also review that standard. For a bit more pizzazz, have students add some color to the stem, nose and mouth sections.
• Teacher asks students to make their pumpkin’s eyes triangles. Children pull their “slider” ‘til they have located the triangle eyes, and then pull the mouth strip ‘til it says the word triangles.  
• Everyone “reads” their pumpkin together as a whole group.
• There’s a teachable moment for fractions (cut and glue 1/2 the strip) as well as plurals: The pumpkin has 2 eyes so the shape word needs to have the letter s on the end.

Click on the link to view/download the Pumpkin Shape Slider. I also made a Pumpkin ABC-123 Slider that has different strips, so you can review: upper and lowercase letters, numbers from 0-30, skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's, as well as counting backwards from 10 to 0 and 20 to 0. Run off whatever strips you want your students to work on.  Make a laminated one yourself to use as a demonstration, review, or assessment sample. 

So that the strip is easily managed, students can fold the ends up. Have children TRACE the letters/numbers with two different colored highlighters in an ABAB pattern. Click on the link to view/download the ABC-123 Pumpkin Slider. There are 3 pumpkin templates to choose from: students can draw on their own face, add wiggle eyes, or use the pumpkin that has a face on it. TIP: Decorate the pumpkin on both sides and glue 2 slider strips back-to-back for double duty.

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything from my site. To ensure that "pinners" return to THIS blog article, click on the green title at the top of the page; it will turn black, now click on the "Pin it" button located on my menu bar.  If you'd like to take a look at all of the wonderful items I pin, click on the heart button to the right of the blog.

"The only place success comes before work, is in the dictionary!" -Vidal Sassoon

A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words

I continue to have a great time making word art with Tagxedo.

I had written an article about this wonderful site last month and I’m once again happily fooling around with it today, making anchor chart shape posters.

I figure if we expect students to learn the shapes, as well as recognize the words for them, why not make a word shape poster!

If they see the words written right in the shape, that should help right?

I made the time to do this so you wouldn’t have to! Woo hoo!

I chose different colors for the various shapes and included the star, crescent, diamond, heart  to the mix of standard flat shapes.

I’ve noticed on chat rings, that some poor teachers actually have to teach the hexagon as well as the pentagon shapes!

What rocket scientist decided a 5-year-old could wrap their head around those shapes?

Honestly, at least when they threw the octagon our way we could explain it with the stop sign! I’ve included them + the octagon, in case you need the help.

I’ve also made posters for the 3-D shapes, since  the same ivory tower fella’s felt those shapes would be age-appropriate for Y5’s and Kindergarten kiddo’s too.

What next the Einstein theory?  I think it’s time they asked some teachers to be part of the committees.  What say you?

Any hoo, hopefully this will help turn a few light bulbs on! 

Since the 3D shapes are a bit harder to distinguish in word art, I've also included a picture of a "real" 3D object on the poster.

I feel when you're teaching shapes it is easier for students to understand them if you can put them in real world context and have children spy the shapes they see around them.

i.e. This is a rectangle.  A door is a rectangle.

Besides using them as anchor charts to help students remember the shapes and associate that particular shape with that word, you can also use them as jumbo flashcards; or shrink them to make Concentration Memory Match games for students.

Another way to help children remember shapes is to show how they are different. Put 2 posters next to each other and have students compare and contrast them.

I like doing this with a Venn diagram and often use hula hoops to start.

Play what's the shape?  Each day put one of the shape posters face down on the board. 

Give clues about the shape and have the students guess which one is the mystery shape of the day that is "hiding". 

Make a shape bulletin board and display all of them there. Take one away and ask students which one is missing.

Pass the posters out to students and play I have; Who has? "I have the circle shape.  Who has the triangle shape?"

Play "I'm Thinking Of A Shape." Start giving clues and have students guess which shape you are describing. 

Finally, reveal which one it is by showing them the poster.

Click on the link to view/download Word Art Shape Posters

For those of you who are still in school, I hope things are really shaping up with your little ones, and that you are having a great end-of-the-year winding down time.

Feel free to PIN anything you think might be interesting or helpful to someone else.

Hope you can visit tomorrow for an adorable summer writing prompt to see how to make a quick and easy creative writing "craftivity"kid.