In case you didn’t know, the new Microsoft Word 2013 has tons of cool templates! For all kinds of things, all kinds of occasions. I found these ABC cards completely made and ready to print. Awesome!
Click here to download: Alphabet Flash cards
I recently read a blog post on all the fun ways you can modify tic-tac-toe to make it more educational. This idea was my favorite: Cut up an egg carton (or make your own board out of paper) and create pieces of two different colors. On each piece, write a high-frequency sight word you would like your child or class to practice. Then have the kids play the standard game with these rules:
I would make a bunch of sets for my classroom using a variety of sight words so kids can play when they finish an assignment. If you use paper (pieces and boards), laminate them so they’ll last longer. Also, to keep sets together, I’d make a blue set (using light and dark blue pieces) so the kids know all the blue pieces go together.
This game can also be played with letter names and sounds if you’re working with younger kids (preschool, kindergarten, first grade).
I recently saw this photo on a blog and thought I’d make you a printable to go with it!
Here’s my free printable PDF: Q tip painting letters Use this letters page for your kids to trace with q-tips and paint, crayons or markers. To make things smoother for an entire class doing this activity, have kids write their name on the back before they start. If you’re doing this with a small group or single child, you can also help them practice fine motor skills by having them line up beads along the lines of the letters. After your tracing activity is complete, cut up the letters and place them around the room on objects that start with that letter/sound. Enjoy!
Desk name tags drive me nuts. So when I saw this idea (source) and just HAD to share it with you! Use an oil based Sharpie Paint Pen (available at craft and office supply stores) to write on the desk. It stays on just like a permanent marker, but you can see it better. Then at the end of the year when you’re ready to take it off, color over it with a whiteboard marker and it wipes off with a tissue! This same idea of erasing permanent marker with whiteboard markers also works on whiteboards, laminated posters, anchor charts, etc.
I’ve been focusing on multiplication facts with my kids lately, so, when I saw this idea I about fell over. (Yes, I’m always impressed by the creativity and pure genius I see in other educators!)! Kids shake the egg carton (above), and then multiply whatever numbers the chips land on. This can easily be switched to addition for younger kids. I love this idea and I’m excited to try it! (source)
This next genius idea (source) helps kids practice writing their letters the right size. It really helps younger students see what space should be used for lower case vs. upper case letters. This would be an awesome activity for kindergarten or first grade, even if you only did it once. You can buy pre-highlighted paper or just make your own using a highlighter. Making a bunch of these pages yourself is totally doable, but I recommend putting on a movie while you do it! 😉
This is one of my favorite games. This works for reading, math or anything you can write on a card with an answer (great for spelling words, sight words, letter sounds, math facts, states/capitals, etc).
The pictures are of our spelling words for the week. Kids get in groups of three or four. One student does not have a fly swatter, while the others each have one. The student without a fly swatter is the reader. Spread the words (or math fact cards, or whatever) on the ground. The reader reads any word. The other kids try to be the first to swat the word. Whoever swats the word first keeps the word. After the words are gone, the fly swatters get passed to the left. If you don’t have the fly swatter, you become the reader. Be sure to set up rules before the game that if someone intentionally swats another student with the fly swatter they sit out a round, or whatever your class rule would be. For a whole class experience put the words on the board and give each team one fly swatter. Kids love this game!
My friend over at Cultivating Questioners had this to say about the fly swatter game: “I divide my whiteboard into two sections and write words or numbers on the board randomly. I then divide the students into two teams. I have one person from each team step forward with the fly swatter in hand. I then call out a problem or word and the students run to the front of the room and slap the correct answer in their team’s section. They love it!”
Halloween has so many fun short A sounds, that I just couldn’t help making this worksheet. This would be great for kindergarten or first grade, where kids are spending a lot of time working on phonics. Click here to download the free printable PDF: Halloween Short A Sounds
Click here for more free Halloween stuff from Squarehead Teachers!
I never get tired of Pinterest. There are so many great ideas, and it’s just fun! Here are some of my favorite finds as of late…
Use clips to connect the letter cards to make words. Also helps develop fine motor skills… and it’s just a fun way to activity to use with spelling words! (source)
Make a salt tray and grab some alphabet cards. Easy to make and kids have fun smoothing out the salt after correctly making the letter. (source)
Craft a kite that displays contractions! Super simple, and it would make a great classroom bulletin board! (source). Click here for more activities using contractions.
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Free printable worksheet to practice matching upper and lowercase letters. This is something we practice over and over in kindergarten, but it’s critical to students’ literacy. Now letters really are delicious!
Squarehead Teachers 