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Name Bar Graph
Pre-K - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: pre-k - 1st grade / 4 - 6 years This activity helps students to feel proud of their names…and familiarizes them with the names of their classmates. It even provides an opportunity to practice essential math skills with a colorful bar graph! Begin by asking students to think about their names. What’s special about their name? Were they named after a family member or a close family friend? Ask them how they would feel if someone called them by the wrong name. After you’ve discussed a little bit about why everybody’s name is special to them, read the story Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. Ask students to describe how Chrysanthemum’s feelings changed throughout the story. How does she feel about her name at the beginning of the story? What about the middle? How does she feel at the end? Why did her feelings change? Then ask students to count the number of letters in Chrysanthemum’s name. On a piece of posterboard, make a classroom bar graph of the number of letters in each student’s name. Who has the most letters in her name? Who has the least?
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The Name Game
Kindergarten - 3rd Grade
This activity is appropriate for: kindergarten - 3rd grade / 5 - 8 years This popular game helps familiarize students with the names of their classmates. Have students sit in a circle. Ask each of the students to think of an adjective that describes them. The adjective must start with the same letter as their name (for example, Happy Holly, Fun Felix, Silly Sarah, etc.). Brainstorm adjectives for each letter, if needed. Have the student sitting to your left begin. Ask her to say the word she chose along with her name (Happy Holly). The student sitting to the left of Holly goes next. He will begin with Holly’s descriptive word and name, and then follow with his own (Happy Holly, Fun Felix). Keep going until you get back to Holly—now she has to name the entire group! If students get stuck along the way, others can offer to help. If Felix or some of the other students who followed him want to try to name the entire group, let them give it a try!
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Name That Sound
Preschool - Kindergarten
This activity is appropriate for: preschool - kindergarten / 3 - 5 years Point out an object you see in the classroom or on the playground and say the word aloud. Then, ask students what letter makes the beginning sound of the word. (For example, if you call out “fish,” students should say the beginning sound is the letter “f.”) Give each student or team a point for every question they answer correctly. The first team to get to 5 or 10 points—wins!
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Printing Practice: Thank-You Notes
Preschool - 5th Grade
This activity is appropriate for: preschool - 5th grade / 3 - 10 years No doubt students will receive a few gifts over the holiday season. What better way to reinforce the concept of gratitude—and practice handwriting and language skills—than to have them write thank-you notes! Distribute some fun and decorative stationery along with a whimsical holiday pen or pencil that students will look forward to using. Encourage them to write notes of appreciation as they receive gifts from friends or relatives. Note: For younger students, you may want to have parents write the majority of the note as their child dictates it to them, and then have the child print his name at the bottom of the note. As they get more practice, you can have them write more, such as the recipient’s name or the name of the gift item for which he is writing the thank-you note.
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Spring Learning Centers
Kindergarten - 3rd Grade
This activity is appropriate for: kindergarten - 3rd grade / 5 - 8 years This month, set up some fun learning centers with these creative ideas for spring! Read & Learn Comprehension Center Encourage children to sharpen their comprehension skills with these engaging, spring-themed reading passages! Print out several copies of the Comprehension Cards and place them in a file folder. Have students read the passages silently or with a partner and answer the questions. Kite Scenes Geometry Center Place light blue construction paper and pattern blocks in a center. (If you don’t have pattern blocks, simply download this pattern blocks template and reproduce it for students to use.) On separate index cards, write the name of each pattern block shape, such as triangle, square, trapezoid, parallelogram, rhombus and hexagon. (Be sure to review the name of each shape before having students work independently!) Invite students to choose two or three cards, find the corresponding pattern blocks, and trace the blocks onto a 9" x 12" sheet of blue construction paper. If using the template, have students cut out the shapes and glue them onto the paper. Encourage them to use colored pencils or crayons to add details to the picture so that the shapes look like kites flying in the sky. They can draw the kites’ tails and strings, grass, flowers, clouds and more. After students have completed their pictures, have them describe the shapes they used in their pictures. Or, for older students, provide copies of the Pattern Block Kites reproducible and have them fill it out to describe their picture. Display the pictures with the students’ descriptions on a spring bulletin board titled “Pattern Block Kites.” Nature Detectives Science Center Take your students on a nature walk around the school grounds, and help them collect plant samples to bring back to the classroom for observation. (Or you can have them bring plants from home.) Provide each student with a magnifier and a Plants & Flowers Observation Sheet. Encourage them to examine their specimens and record their observations. After students are finished, invite them to tape their specimens to the top portion of a sheet of construction paper and attach the observation sheet to the bottom portion. Collect the pages, bind them together in a class book and place them in a science center for students to enjoy! For younger students, collect several specimens from plants common in your area, such as a fern, flower, branch and magnolia leaf. Attach each specimen to an index card and label it for added literacy exposure. Then place the cards at a center with magnifiers. Have students choose a specimen, observe it with the magnifier and draw it on a piece of paper. For additional writing practice, challenge students to label the picture by copying the name of the specimen. Little Ladybugs Counting Center Reproduce the ladybugs template onto red construction paper. Cut out the number tiles and ladybug counters, and place them at a center. (You can also laminate the pieces to make them more durable.) For young students, have them choose a number tile and count out the corresponding number of ladybugs. For older students, create additional tiles with math symbols such as an addition sign, a subtraction sign and an equal sign. Then prompt students to create math problems and use the ladybugs to find the answers! Write About It! Spring Language Center Reproduce these Spring-Themed Writing Prompts and place them at a center with pencils and crayons. Invite students to let their creativity flow as they write and illustrate their own stories!
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“A Festive Feast” Brain Teaser Game
Kindergarten - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: kindergarten - 1st grade / 5 - 6 years Students will love cracking the riddle behind this mystery word game! The Set-Up: Announce to students that you are having a Festive Feast for Thanksgiving and they are all invited! Then explain that there is only one rule: Each student must bring something to the party, but it must be something that is appropriate for the Festive Feast. Then give examples such as, “Tara is bringing turkey, Susie is bringing salad,
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Alphabet Hopscotch
Pre-K - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: pre-k - 1st grade / 4 - 6 years Use sidewalk chalk to draw a hopscotch court with 26 spaces. Beginning with the space nearest to the starting point, write one letter of the alphabet—from A to Z—in each space. Have students take turns rolling a small rock or pebble onto the court and hopping to the space on which the rock has landed. Once a student has hopped to the space, encourage her to name three words that begin with the letter that is written in the space. Variation: As a challenge for older students, have them name words that end with the letter written in the space.
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Summertime Graphing
Preschool - 2nd Grade
This activity is appropriate for: preschool - 2nd grade / 3 - 7 years Create fun graphs of students’ summertime favorites! (It’s a great way to show kids how much they have in common.) Make blank bar graphs using butcher paper or tagboard. Give sticky notes to the students, and have them write their name on each note. As you ask each question, have children place their sticky note in the correct graph column. Some possible questions might be: Do you like hot weather? (yes/no) Have you ever been to the beach? (yes/no) Do you like to play outside or inside when it is sunny? (outside/inside) Do you miss school during the summer? (yes/no) What is your favorite summer activity? (swimming/camping/picnics) What is your favorite ice cream flavor? (chocolate/strawberry/vanilla) What is your favorite book? (Give 3-4 choices of books you’ve read to the children.) What is your favorite game to play outside? (hide and seek/tag/hopscotch) What do you wear to protect yourself when you are outside? (sunscreen/hat/sunglasses/nothing) After each question is graphed, ask questions such as: Which choice had the most picks? Which choice had the fewest picks? How many more children picked _______ over _______?
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Pin the Tail on the Turkey
Pre-K - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: pre-k - 1st grade / 4 - 6 years Print out this turkey template. As a variation of a familiar classic, have students take turns pinning the “tail” on the turkey. First, cut out the feather portion of the turkey template and trace it onto different colors of construction paper. Cut out each feather. Then cut out the turkey’s body and attach it to a wall or door. Give each student a tail feather and have each child print his name on a feather. Loop a piece of tape, sticky side out, and attach it to the backside of the feather. One at a time, blindfold the students and have them spin around once or twice, then instruct them to walk toward the wall and pin their “tails” on the turkey! The student who pins his “tail” closest to the correct spot on the turkey wins.
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Student of the Week
Preschool - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: preschool - 1st grade / 3 - 6 years Spotlight the individuality of your students by giving each child a week to shine! Try a few of these creative ideas to make your Student of the Week feel extra special. Create a bulletin-board display featuring the Student of the Week. Send home this parent letter and Star of the Week reproducible. Invite the student to fill out the form and bring it to class along with a few favorite photos. Showcase the items on the board so everyone can learn about her unique interests and hobbies! Encourage the students in your class to identify characteristics they admire about the Student of the Week. Assemble written notes in a folder that the student can take home to share with his family at the end of the week. Or have students write their sentiments on star templates and display the stars on the Student of the Week bulletin board. Tip: Have younger children dictate a few kind adjectives or a brief compliment for you to write on the star template. (For example, “She shares toys with me,” or “He is nice.”) Be sure to include the student’s name so that the recipient will know who said the kind words. Throughout the week, offer the Student of the Week fun privileges, such as serving as line leader, running special errands, or selecting music or games for free time. Send home a letter at the beginning of the week and invite parents to share things about their child that make them proud. At the end of the week, read the comments aloud to the class and watch the student beam with pride! Select a day for a Student of the Week lunch. As a special treat, invite the honored student and two classmates of her choosing to join you for lunch in the classroom. Encourage your Student of the Week to select a favorite storybook to share with the class. One afternoon during the week, you or the student can read the story aloud. Invite your Student of the Week to create a Special Sharing Sack! Ask him to bring three items from home that tell about people, interests or activities that are important to him. Throughout the week, invite him to reveal each item to the class and share one or two sentences about it.
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Alphabet Activity Game
Pre-K - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: pre-k - 1st grade / 4 - 6 years Pair this versatile Alphabet Activity Game Board with these handy ideas for tons of alphabet fun. Send students on an “Alphabet Hunt.” For each letter on the game board, have them find small items around the classroom that begin with that letter and place the items on the mat. Have students take turns flipping a coin onto the game board. They must name a word that begins or ends with the letter the coin lands on. Print out a copy of the game board for each student. Give them a pencil and have them trace each letter on the game board for added letter-writing practice.
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Shopping for Sounds
Kindergarten - 1st Grade
This activity is appropriate for: kindergarten - 1st grade / 5 - 6 years Reinforce beginning letter sounds with this fun-to-play shopping game! Copy a page in a catalog or a store sale flyer and distribute a copy to each student. Choose an item pictured on that page without revealing your choice to the students. If you chose a “hat,” say, “I want to buy an item that starts with ‘h’!” Then invite students to search the page and guess which item you’re thinking of. When they guess correctly, write the name of the item on the board, so students can visualize the word. Tip: To eliminate confusion, go over the pictures on the page together, so that you agree on the names of the items (e.g., “hat” instead of “cap” or “box” instead of “carton,” etc.).
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Getting to Know You Scavenger Hunt
2nd Grade - 6th Grade
This activity is appropriate for: 2nd - 6th grade / 7 - 11 years Children can learn a lot about their new classmates with this fast-paced activity for 2nd–5th grade classrooms. Start by printing a copy of the Getting to Know You Scavenger Hunt list for each student. Pass out the lists, and let students know that they will have fifteen to twenty minutes to approach each other in hopes of filling in the entire list. Some of the items on the list are physical traits such as finding the tallest person in the class, but others will require that students ask each other questions. For example, students must find “someone who went camping this summer.” When students find a match, they fill that person’s name in the blank. The first student to fill in all the blanks “wins,” but you may want to continue the game until many students have completed their scavenger hunt lists. For preschool and kindergarten classrooms, write these questions on butcher paper or chart paper. Meet together on the rug and fill in the scavenger hunt together as a whole class.
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End-Of-The-Year Olympic Games
Kindergarten - 5th Grade
This activity is appropriate for: kindergarten - 5th grade / 5 - 10 years Celebrate the end of another great year by staging your own classroom Olympic Games! Divide the class into a few groups, and let them choose a name and make a flag for their group. Start the games with an opening ceremony, letting kids march around the playground or classroom, waving their group flags. Next, have the teams compete in a series of events. Below are some possible events you might stage. Balloon Race: Kids put a balloon between their knees and run or hop to the finish line. Children can compete as individuals or as relay teams. (Note: Don’t inflate the balloon all the way. Leave some room so that the balloons can be held comfortably between kids’ knees.) Balloon Hug Relay: Place a balloon between two kids’ bellies. Have the kids move sideways to the finish line without dropping the balloon. The first team across the finish line wins! Drinking Straw Race: Have each child hold a drinking straw, balanced on her upper lip. Show kids how to curl their lips to hold the straw in place. Then have a race to see who can run to the finish line without letting their straw slip. Feather-In-My-Toes Race: Have racers take off one shoe and sock, and fit a feather in between two toes. They then race, trying to cross the finish line without losing their feathers. (If they do, they have to go back to the start.) Egg-On-A-Spoon Race: Have children try to balance a plastic egg on a spoon while walking to the finish line. This can also be done as a team relay race. In a relay, children have to transfer the eggs from their spoons to the next child’s spoon before the race continues. Backwards Race: Have children walk backwards to the finish line. Make sure that kids don’t try to run—they are likely to fall if they try to go too fast! After the games are over, have a closing ceremony. Let everyone march around with their teams and flags again. You may want to encourage kids to sing songs or chants to help make things festive! Healthy snacks can also be served at the closing ceremony.
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Gumdrop Graphing
Pre-K - 2nd Grade
This activity is appropriate for: pre-k - 2nd grade / 4 - 7 years What better way to practice essential math skills, while celebrating the flavors of the holiday season, than to conduct a graphing activity…with gumdrops! Begin by purchasing several bags of gumdrops from your local supermarket or drugstore. Divide the bags into individual cups of about 15–20 gumdrops each. (You will need one cup of gumdrops for each student in your class, or one cup for every two students if you have them work in pairs.) Download the Gumdrop Graphing chart and make a copy for each student or pair of students. Have students write the names of the gumdrop colors across the bottom of the chart. Give students the cups of gumdrops and have them place their gumdrops in vertical columns by color to fill in the graph on the sheet. Next, guide students in answering questions about their graphs. For example, you might ask: What is the total number of gumdrops on your graph? Do you have more black gumdrops or more red gumdrops? Which column has the least number of gumdrops? The most? Are any of the columns the same height? If so, which ones? And what does this mean? How many more/fewer yellow gumdrops are there than green gumdrops? Once you have used the graphs to make mathematical comparisons, invite students to eat the gumdrops as a special holiday treat!
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End-Of-The-Year Celebration
1st Grade - 6th Grade
This activity is appropriate for: 1st - 6th grade / 6 - 11 years As the school year comes to a close, try a few of these culminating activities to get your students reflecting on their progress! Grade-Level Graduation Encourage students to celebrate the end of a successful school year by hosting a graduation party! Purchase inexpensive graduation-themed paper plates and cups from a local party store and order a cake from a supermarket bakery. Then invite students to take turns sharing the accomplishments they are most proud of from the past year. Print out the End-Of-The-Year Diploma and present one to each student. Student Reflections Give a copy of the student memory book to each student, and encourage students to record their favorite memories and proudest moments from the past school year. Then have students take them home as keepsakes to share with their parents! Mixed Math Review Help students recall the many math concepts they learned this year with a fun-filled quiz game they create! Divide the class into small teams and distribute several copies of the Mixed Math Review! cards to each team. Then assign each team a chapter or section of their math textbook, and have them write down a question or problem on the back of each card. (Be sure to have each group create an answer key for their cards.) Simply place the cards in a pocket chart to create a quiz game that’s played just like a TV game show—and let students take turns answering questions for their teams! Tip: No time to create your own game? Check out our ready-made Math Quiz Game Shows for Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6—each with over 200 level-appropriate question cards covering tons of essential math concepts!
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Classmates Word Search
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
This activity is appropriate for: kindergarten - 2nd grade / 5 - 7 years This kid-pleasing activity has students hunting for their own names—and those of their classmates—as they complete a word search created just for them! Just take a list of all the students in your class and put the names into a word search. Try using grid paper to properly line up the letters. You can even provide an extra message within your word search, such as “Have a great school year!” Making word searches can be tricky, so use our word search maker for assistance.
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