Leaf Rubbings

Such a great autumnal activity for any age group, because it can be extended and used in so many ways.  I do this with my preschooler just for fun and to create fall decorations, but at school, we can write leaf haikus, categorize leaves, as part of a nature study, for descriptive writing, leaf graphs- the possibilities are endless.

Materials:

leaves
paper (copy paper or scrap paper works well)
crayons (with paper peeled)

The first step is collecting leaves that are fairly freshly fallen and not too dry and brittle.  
Collect them in varying shapes and sizes (though smaller leaves are easier for smaller children). 

Place the leaves under the piece of paper and with the side of the crayon, rub over the top of the paper.  The outline of the leaf and all of the spines will appear.

Read alouds to support:

Mighty Girls Books

The website amightygirl.com offers huge amounts of resources for teachers (and parents) to empower girls.  One tool that is currently offered, is their top picks of read-alouds featuring strong women or girls.

The website itself is amazingly categorized, rich in history, contemporary women, literature and even television and movies.  Definitely worth perusing!

Below is the reading list link:

Mighty Girl reading list

Ghost Word Work Cups

An easy, low prep activity for welded sounds, blends, etc. 

Materials:  cups (plastic or small coffee cups work well), permanent markers, scissors
                  - adjust cup size to the development age/fine motor skills of child

Steps:  Pre-cut rectangular windows on each cup.

          1.  Give each child a permanent marker and have them write a blend or welded sound next to
              the rectangle.

          2.  Stack the cups.

          3.  In the window, have the child write the rest of the word.

          4.  Rotate one cup and in the next space, write the another word part.

          5.  Continue to rotate until words have been written in each space.

         6.  Draw eyes at the top of the cup and a mouth around the word rectangle.

         7.  Have the students read the words.

You can create a group of ghosts that review several sounds or have all children write the same words.

Halloween Spiders

A quick Halloween activity for kids. 

Materials:  circular objects or circles traced on oak tag, scissors, white colored pencils or crayons or googly eyes, pipe cleaners, thread or string, hole puncher

Steps:

1.  Have the kids trace a circular object on black construction paper for a head shape and a second, slightly larger circle for a body.

2.  Staple or glue the circles together.

3.  Draw eyes with a white crayon or stick googly eyes on. 
 
4.  Punch eight holes around the body circle.

5.  Cut pipe cleaners in half and feed them through the holes, twisting them near the body so that they stay in place. 

6.  Bend the legs.

7.  Punch a hole in the head and put thread through the top to hang it.

Robots

This is another speaking exercise in which students work in small groups to brainstorm ideas and then execute the illustration (or build a model if you are so inclined)!
The assignment is to design a robot that helps society in some way.  You can make the assignment broad or more specific.  The last time I gave it, it was with a group of fifteen year olds and we only had a half an hour to work with, so I left the assignment open, but with a time limit.  When they had completed their work, they had to explain it to the class and be open for questions and conversation.

A fun extension to the assignment is to have the students write a (fiction) story about some of the robots that their classmates have designed.


Materials:  chart paper, markers or crayons

one example of a robot

another example from the same group of students

Personal Timelines (Vertical format)

There are so many ways to do timelines, here is one example from an ESL summer program in which I teach.  Students chose major events from their lives (birthday, a sibling's birth, entering school, etc) and recorded them on a rectangular piece of paper.  We then hung them with ribbon and the students presented their own timeline to the class.  This was primarily a speaking exercise, but can be used for developing writing skills also.  I have used this at varying grade levels, though these students are fifteen years old.

Display of class timelines.

Close up of timeline.

Another rectangle on a student's timeline.

Character Summaries

To look at characters in a book, this activity can be tweaked for various levels and analysis of characters (events, character traits, appearances, etc).

Take a large piece of paper and fold each side in so that it meets in the middle.  Choose two characters from the story (the protagonist and antagonist are easy to work with).  On the inside, choose a scene, or the students can choose a scene, in which the two characters interact.

The example below is from fourth graders who read the Roald Dahl book The Twits.  They each drew Mr. and Mrs. Twit on the opposing cover flaps.  On the interior they choose one or two jokes that the Twits played on one another, illustrated, and described them in writing.

Letters for Geometry

To practice flips (reflections), slides (translations), and turns (rotations), I make the first letter of the children's names, and the students cut them out.  We then use these letters as manipulatives, so that they can demonstrate each movement on their desktop, as I call them out.

These letters can lead into another activity:

Activity link

Sequencing

Two literacy extension activities the we have done recently are sequencing, during and after reading books.  With older students, I give them Post It notes or index cards to keep track of major events in books.  With younger students, I keep track of the events (though we discuss them as a group), on chart paper or a sequencing map.  When we are finished reading, the students retell the events orally and in writing, and illustrate the sequence.

Examples of students' work from their respective reading groups:

A series of pictures from a second grader showing the Saguaro Cactus life cycle,
as shown in A Cactus Hotel.

After reading Abe Lincoln's Hat, a fourth grader took three major events
from the beginning, middle, and end of the story, described them
and drew illustrations.

Decimal Letters

The kids used 10 by 10 grid paper (100 squares any size) to color the first letter of their name.  They then recorded a fraction and decimal to show how many squares were colored out of one hundred.  

Puppets

Puppets are such a great way for students to practice language and literacy.  I have been working with students in various grades and making puppets lately.  One of my second grade groups read a few plays and wrote their own, another group is performing a version of Cinderella that they read, and my fourth graders just finished Greek myth plays (from Scholastic printables).

This time, I gave them paper plates, popsicle sticks, and paper.  I drew a form for the younger kids and they used it to create their puppets.  The older kids wanted the freedom to make there own.  Here are a few:

Flap books for Verbs

I use flapbooks a lot and they lend themselves to being used for a variety of instruction.

Recently, we worked on irregular (simple) past tense verbs.  The students made flap books with the present tense verb on the front and when the flap is opened, the irregular past tense verb on the inside.

To make a flap book, you fold the piece of paper in half and cut the top layer (like the cover of a book) to the fold, making as many cuts as you need.  You will probably need to model this the first few times you do it.

Finished product

Greek Mythology

After adopting the Common Core State Standards, the fourth grade curriculum changed to include aspects of Greek mythology (mostly entomology).  One lesson I used when teaching Greek and Roman myths is below.

After a series of read alouds, from mythology books available at local libraries, each of the students chose a god or goddess to research.  They then created a large scale drawing (I have seen this lesson done on butcher paper with life size figures) of their god/goddess.  They are given a graphic organizer and each limb and part of the body houses a different teaching point.  Obviously you can tailor this the ability and needs of your class.

Hints:  many resources need to be read or previewed.  Mythology can be gruesome and is not always age appropriate for fourth graders.
Some good and readily available titles were: A Child's Introduction to Greek Mythology The True Stories of the Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, Monsters, and Other Mythical Creatures, and D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths.

Organizer on chart paper

Whole class teacher model

Student work

Organizer for Research

Title:  The name of your god or goddess: 

Head:  Adjectives describing your god or goddess (at least 6).

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Torso:   Choose one myth that your god or goddess is in.  Summarize the myth below:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

1 Arm:  Write about your god or goddess' personality: 

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

1 Arm:  Write about what your god or goddesses created: 

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Feet:  Draw symbols of your god or goddess. 

Language and Geography

An interesting article about the development of language and sublingual groups based on geography and natural barriers and borders.  Working with children from around the world, it's fascinating to hear who can communicate with one another.  I had an Iranian student, Nepalese, and Pakistani student the other day in my classroom, insulting each other in Hindi.  Amazing ; )


Link to article on languages

Biodegradable Pots

In honor of Earth Day and spring, we recently planted seeds with the children.  We made biodegradable pots using newspaper.  Here are directions to print and a link to a Youtube video showing the process.  Fifth graders were able to do the folding to create the pots, though they planted with their first grade buddies.

We then used popsicle sticks and paper from the recycling bucket to create flags for the plants.


Folding pots link video.

Another, easier variation on newspaper pots:  Rolling newspaper pots step-by-step directions.

Some books (there are SO many) to connect to this activity are:  

From Seed to Plant- by Gail Gibbons

Titch- by Pat Hutchins

Plant Package- by Susan Blackaby

The Carrot Seed- by Ruth Krauss

Sunflower House- by Eve Bunting

Easter Egg Bunnies

I found this activity in Family Circle magazine.  It's quick and easy and inexpensive.

Completed bunny.

Materials needed: 

• plastic Easter eggs (the larger ones are easier to use & make sure they have holes on top and bottom)
• pipe cleaners
• a Sharpie or permanent marker
• pom poms or cotton balls for a tail
• a hot glue gun and glue stick
• (goodies for inside if you are so inclined)

Steps for making the bunny:
         
Open the egg and feed the pipe cleaner through and back through the same hole to create an ear.
Pull it back through and do the same with the other half of the pipe cleaner.
Do the same for the feet.  (You can also cut the pipe cleaner in half for the feet).
Draw a face on the front with the Sharpie.
 Glue the pom-pom on the back, with the hot glue gun, for the tail.

Some books related to this activity: 

The Bunny Who Found Easter- Charlotte Zolotow
The Easter Egg- Jan Brett
The Story of the Easter Bunny- Katerine Tegen

Multistory Construction Article

An interesting article from Language.com written on using storytelling when teaching vocabulary to ESL students.



 Link:  Multistory Construction

Fraction Flip Books

When I'm teaching fractions, we do a lot of work with fraction strips and manipulatives.  Another way I have them compare fractions is with fraction flap books.  This year we started with using them for equivalent fractions, so I had them simply glue color the strips of a printable.  (I found the printable by googling fraction strips printable).
Later, as we begin decimals and percents, we will go back to the flap books and under each flap, we'll add the decimal, percent, and a picture depicting each.
Below is the model I made.  I usually make the flap books ahead of time, especially if they have a large number of flaps, such as for this activity, which has nine flaps.  Some kids can make them easily, but for others it's frustrating and takes away from the activity we are doing.

 To make the flap books, you count the number of flaps you will need and divide by 2.  Take the first sheet of paper and fold it so that the corners are not lined up- so there is about two inches difference between one side and the other.  The next piece of paper is placed underneath that piece, and folded so that it is less than the top piece and longer than the bottom piece.  You continue doing this until you have finished all of your flaps.  If you have a long armed stapler, that works better for opening the flaps.  If not, staple the top (as I did below).

The kids colored the strips and glued them on.  Then we cut each strip on the corresponding line.  Now I can ask questions such as, "1/2 is equal to how many fourths?"  They can use the flaps to determine the answer.  Some children need a ruler to line up the 1/2 and see the equivalent fraction.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mice

Here is a fun snack to make after reading The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear, by Don and Audrey Wood.

They can be made with young children, though the decorating may need a steadier hand.  There are variations on this activity.  I have seen the mouse ears made with leaves from the strawberry (though then they're not edible).  Licorice lace is a fun variation on the tail, however, it has been hard to find in the stores lately!  

Not our best attempt but fun to make!

Ingredients and materials:

Strawberries, dipping chocolate, raisins (or candy) for ears, icing tube for decorating, wax paper, baking sheet

1. To make the mice, you can leave the strawberry intact, or cut off the top with the greens.
2. Prepare any decoration/mouse part that needs to be affixed with the chocolate.  For instance, I use raisins for ears, so I cut them in half beforehand.  
3. Melt the chocolate (I cheat and use Dolce's Dipping Chocolate found in the produce section of our local grocery stores).
4. Dip the strawberries one at a time and lay them on a baking sheet (it helps to put down wax paper or parchment paper first).
5. Affix mouse parts to wet chocolate.
6. When the chocolate is dry, use icing to decorate the rest of it.  

Butterfly Snacks

I have seen this done in a variety of ways, with cheesy snacks, popcorn, veggies, or with different baggies or a clothespin caterpillar center.  I just did a quick and easy pan of popcorn on the stovetop, put it in a snack baggie and tied a pipe cleaner around the middle.  It is looped at the top to create antennas.  These can be as detailed or simple as you want.

William Steig Author Study Overview

We worked on a  William Steig author study unit, reading a number of his books and did various activities with them.
Some of the activities were:

• Venn diagrams comparing two books
• reading information about William Steig and writing biographies
• character descriptions (both physical and character traits)
• class discussions of story elements with story charts
• a writing prompt about finding a magic object, like the pebble from Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
•  discussion of magic in books
• writing about his New Yorker covers

We collected work in folders, on which the children did water color illustrations of one of the characters from his books, which they first outlined with ink.

Books: (there are others in addition, these were readily available)
Shrek, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Amos and Boris, Doctor DeSoto, Doctor DeSoto Goes to Africa, Brave Irene, The Amazing Bone, Spinky Sulks

Valentine's Pencils

A easy Valentine's present for students, especially if you need to avoid food allergies!

Steps:

1.  Cut out a heart and trace one for each student.

2.  Draw a border.

3.  Write a message.

4.  With a single hole punch, punch a hole on the top and bottom and slide a pencil or straw through.