1-2-3 Build A Log Cabin With Me!

Are you looking for something quick and easy for President’s Day on Monday?

I designed several that I think your students will enjoy.

Since counting to 100 by 10’s is a standard, I wanted to design something with skip counting in mind, that would take the “same-old, same-old” out of having students keep reciting that sequence of numbers.

I decided to build Lincoln’s log cabin and number the logs. I’ve also included a template that counts by 5’s to 100 as well.

Simply run off whichever templates suit your needs, on light and dark brown construction paper.

You can review rectangles and triangles with your students as both shapes are represented.

Students cut out their pieces and glue them to a sheet of blue or green construction paper.

To add a bit more pizzazz, give each student a penny, and have them stick it inside the doorway, so that when they open the flap, President Lincoln can greet them.

Click on the link to view/download Lincoln’s Skip Counted Log Cabin.

I hope you can pop back tomorrow for another idea for President’s Day.

Thank you for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything that you think others may find helpful.

“My life is backwards! I get up tired and I go to be wide awake!” -Unknown

1-2-3 Come Eat 100 Things With Me!

I LOVE Eric Carle, especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  I can teach all sorts of concepts with that story. 

It's a bit early to be posting butterfly "stuff" that teachers are usually working on in April here in the midwest, however, I thought I'd post it now as I had the caterpillar eating 100 things, that fits in perfect for 100-Day, which some of you still haven't celebrated.

I have 2 different "last" pages for you to choose from: 1 celebrates 100-Day, the other has an ending that fits in nicely no matter what day of the year it is.

I enjoy nailing at least 3-5 Common Core State Standards when I design a lesson.  This one covers quite a few CCSS: RF.K1a, RF.K.1c, RF.K.3a, RL.K.10, RF.K.4, L.K.2a, L.K.2b,L.K.5a, K.OA.1a, K.MD.3 K.CC.1a, K.CC.5, 1.NBT.2c, 1.NBT.5, 1.MD.3

Since the original Very Hungry Caterpillar goes through the days of the week, I decided to have this starving caterpillar eat through the hours in a day, so that I could cover telling time.

 The packet includes

• The Hungry Caterpillar Eats 100 Things easy reader, 
• 2 caterpillar craftivities,
• a food sorting idea,
• + 64 circle pictures of food

Students trace and write numbers & number words, as well as the time, drawing the appropriate hands on the clock. 

They also circle the capital letters and add end punctuation to the simple sentences.  I've used as many sight and Dolch words that I could fit in, that sounded appropriate.

Children cut and glue the groups of 10 pieces of food to their matching numbered boxes, as they count by 10's to 100.

I think you'll find this a fun addition to your day, no matter what you use it for.

Click on the link to view/download The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats 100 Things.

 Thank you for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find useful.

Do you have a caterpillar activity you could share with us?  I'd enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme.com, or post a comment here.

"All I have learned, I learned from books." -Abraham Lincoln

Ring In The New Year With ABC's and 1-2-3's

Sliders are a fun way for your students to review upper and lowercase letters, counting by 1's to 30, skip counting by 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's, plus counting backwards from 10-0 and 20-0.

Students trace the letters and numbers and make a snowman or penguin slider to insert their strips into.

I've included a colorful snowman and penguin as well as ones that are plain, so students can color their own.

You can jazz them up even more by mounting them on construction paper, as I did the snowman. 

Give students a glue bottle or for little ones, put a dollop of glue on a small paper plate and have them use a Q-tip to make X number of dots as they count, then sprinkle with silver glitter after you have finished working with the sliders and have reviewed whatever lessons you wanted to.

Students set their sliders some place safe 'til they are dry and can take them home.

How do you make a slider?

Simply run off the templates, (I use white construction paper so they are more durable) and rough cut them, so that students can practice their own cutting skills, which will exercise and strengthen hand muscles.

You may want to slit the lines in the slider's body before hand.  This is difficult for little ones to manage with safety scissors.  I use an X-acto knife.

Students trim, color and trace their slider and then insert whatever strips you want them to review.

Have students fold down their long ABC strip to manage it better and for ease of taking them home.

Encourage parents, via a newsletter to reinforce these lessons at home.

You can sing the Alphabet Song while pulling letters through the window.

You can play "I Spy" and have a student call out a letter or number.  Everyone pulls their strip through til they find it and then raise their slider, so that you see at a glance who has what so that you can whole group assess and help those who are struggling.

Laminate a set for yourself and use as a fun way to assess individuals as well.

Click on the link to view/down load the Snowman Alphabet and Number Slider or The Penguin Slider.

Thank you for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find helpful.

"Tomorrow [January 1st] is the first blank page of a 365-page book.  Write a good one!" -Brad Paisley