1-2-3 Come Do A Few More St. Patty's Day Activities With Me

I had a few special requests this week, and thought I'd combine them all in today's blog article.  I hope you enjoy them.

Kyanne, from Wisconsin, wanted a simple St. Patrick's Day word search for her young five students.  Even though there are a lot of word search generators out there, they mostly have uppercase letters. 

Further difficulties arrise,  because they share letters, show the words going backwards, as well as diagonally and vertically, so I usually make up my own.  I like to include a shape to add interest as well.

Word searches are a great way to practice spelling and build vocabulary, so that's why I think they should be in lowercase letters.  I also like them relatively easy (showing the words in forward-horizontal fashion) so that my kiddos don't get frustrated. 

If you want to do these easy ones with older elementary students, simply give them 1-minute to find as many as they can.  Speed games, help prepare children for timed tests in a non-stressful way.   Besides using them as a game, they are a nice plug-in for your Daily 5 word work activities too.  Click on the link to view/download the 2 St. Patrick's Day word searches.

Another way to work on words, is by giving students a themed-word and challenging them to create other words, using only the letters that appear in that word.  With that in mind, I created How Many Words Can You Find in Leprechaun, and another one for the word shamrock. 

Surprisingly, I made 97 words from the letters in shamrock, and found 161 words using the letters in leprechaun.  The packet includes recording sheets, as well as my answer keys.  Click on the link to view/download the How Many Can You Find St. Patrick's Day activity. 

Betty, from Texas, wrote that she's collected most of the number puzzles for center activites, for her PK students.  She wondered if I had any puzzles for St. Patrick's Day.  I didn't, but do now. 

I made 16, which includes some in color, as well as 5 in black and white, so that students can color their own. 

The puzzles help students practice counting to 10, counting backwards from 10 to 1, as well as skip counting by 10's to 100.  Click on the link to view/download the St. Patty's Day Puzzle Packet.

Gloria, from Wisconsin, collects my alphabet cards, and wanted some with shamrocks and kites, two big theme weeks for her kinders. 

I had already made shamrock alphabet ones, and am now working on the ABC kite cards, to add to our growing collection. 

All of the alphabet packets, include a tip list of what to do with the cards, including games like Kaboom, plus a separate set of upper as well as lowercase letters, so that you can play Memory Match and "I Have; Who Has?"  games.   Click on the link to view/download the shamrock alphabet cards.  The kite cards will be done and posted by Monday.

Finally, Sara from Maine, likes to change her 10 frame math center each month.  She was looking for some with shamrocks.  I spent quite a bit of time making 10 frame templates, so it's pretty easy for me to plug in appropriate clip art to make them for any theme you do. 

If you have a special request, simply shoot me an e-mail, and I'll see what I can do.  diane@teachwithme.com  Click on the link to view/download the Shamrock 10 Frames packet.  

Just a reminder, that all of the 10 frame packets, have matching 1-2-3 Count With Me 10 Frame-Based easy readers to match. Click on the link to view/download the 123 Count Shamrocks With Me.

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN away.

"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow beloings to the people who prepare for it today." -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Read AND Count With Me!

I designed the 1-2-3 Counting series of booklets to combine Common Core Math and Reading standards.

There is so much to cover in a day that I like to over lap subjects and to use an old colloquialism “Kill two birds with one stone.”

Also the consistency of these booklets helps empower students and builds their self-esteem, as it only takes one time for students to need assistance, instructions and then they can work independently on their booklet.

This makes them perfect for a Daily 5 activity or center and frees the teacher up to work one-on-one with other children to help strugglers or do assessing.

You can do one a week or month, depending on your themes or the needs of your students.

They are nice as a home-school connection if you need “homework”, something for students to do when children finish mandatory work, or perfect for a sub folder or something that can be sent home for those students who still don’t “get it.”

Read the booklet as a whole group to review concepts of print and reinforce the vocabulary.

Students read, trace and write the number and number word. They see the “themed object” in a sentence and say it.

They spy the number in a sequence and circle it.

They X-out that many boxes or use a bingo dot marker or stamp.  As an added math concept, I had my Y5’s use 2 different colored bingo dot markers and show me an ABAB pattern. (See sample page above.)

Children cut & glue the set/group to the matching numbered box. My students really enjoyed doing these booklets and they caught onto concepts quickly.

I have a nice collection of fall 1-2-3 easy readers that will hopefully add to your autumn themed lessons.

Each one includes a graphing extension, traceable word-wall word flashcards, a cover for the flashcards so students can turn them into an Itty Bitty Booklet, a “Plus one more” worksheet, and a certificate of praise.

Click on the links to view download any or all of the following: 123 Count Apples With Me,   123 Count Leaves With Me, 123 Count Footballs With Me,   123 Count Pumpkins With Me,   123 Count Fire Trucks With Me,   123 Count Scarecrows With Me. 

Click on the 123 link to view the entire collection of easy readers.

Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything from my site you think others may find helpful.                                                                                                                   

“Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open.” –Thomas Dewar

123 Count With Me booklets are based on a ten frame. They are easy readers that cover a variety of math standards, at the same time incorporating reading and helping students practice fine motor skills, as they cut and glue the appropriate group/set to the matching numbered box.

Use these little booklets for Daily 5, a math center, independent activity when students have completed their regular work, easy plug in’s for substitutes, and great school-home connections.

For March I’ve designed 123 Count Shamrocks With Me, as well as 123 Count Kites With Me.

Make these booklets part of your monthly activities and empower your students.  Once you have explained and modeled how to do the first booklet, your students get down to business, and can work independently on their booklets from then on.

This frees the teacher up to work 1-on-1 with other children.

Each booklet comes with more standard-based activities: a graphing extension, a +1 more skill sheet, traceable word and number cards and a certificate of praise.

Children enjoy using stickers, X’s, or a bingo dauber to fill in the appropriate boxes of the ten frame.

These also make great table top worksheets. Do one page a day and collect.  When students have done all 10 pages staple their booklet together and read aloud as a whole group to reinforce concepts of print.

Your students will enjoy making, collecting and sharing all of the 123 Count With Me booklets with their families.

Click on the link to view/down load 123 Count Shamrocks With Me and 123 Count Kites With Me.

If you’d like to look at the rest of the 123 Count With Me collection, click on the link and scroll down. 

There are some for each of the past months. I will be designing more for April and May when the collection will be complete.

If you don't see a counting booklet that fits your needs, or have a suggestion for a new one, feel free to contact me. diane@teachwithme.com   I design new things every day especially based upon viewers requests.

Be sure and pop in tomorrow for more teaching tips.

Do you have one you'd like to share?  I'd enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com or feel free to leave a comment here, especially if you use an idea.  Thanks in advance for your time.