Tag Archives: Kindergarten

Name Tags

by on May 23, 2009 in Center Ideas, First Days of School, First Grade, Kindergarten, Writing tools

Here is a page for making your own Printable Name Tags. I used these when I was teaching in a summer preschool program. I printed the page off on heavy duty card stock, cut out one strip per student, and then laminated them. I used them as a writing center for little ones to practice writing their names (in this case, I also had to provide many of the kids with a card that already had their name on it). You could also introduce them during the first days of school. For example, before laminating the cards, write each child’s name using a black marker. After lamintaing, place them on the left-hand side of a pocket chart that is visible for the kids when they enter the room in the mornings. As children enter the room to start each day, have them find their name and practice writing it by tracing what you have already done for them. They can then move their cards to the right-hand side of the pocket chart to let you know they are present at school. It’s quick, easy, inexpensive, AND reusable-love it!

Turtle Art Project

by on May 23, 2009 in Art, Art Projects, First Grade, Kindergarten, Pre-K

We are really going green with this cutie of a turtle. He is made with an apple sauce cup and a plastic spoon. The best thing about this project-no need for glue!

Supplies Needed:

  • apple sauce cups (emptied and cleaned), 1 per child
  • green paint, brushes and smocks, 1 per child
  • plastic spoon, 1 per child
  • green construction paper, 1 5X8 piece per child
  • pencil, 1 per child
  • markers, 1 per child
  • tape, 5 small pieces per child

Art Project of the Week-Turtle Allow each student to paint the outside of an apple sauce container. While the paint dries, demonstrate how to make the turtle’s body parts. Using a pencil, plastic spoon, and green construction paper, trace the top of the spoon for the turtle’s head one time and the end of the spoon (trace down until you reach the middle of the spoon handle) four times. Once traced, cut out the pieces. Tape the straight end of each piece to the inside of the dry apple sauce cup. Bend the ends of each leg to make the feet. Finally, use a marker to draw a face. Don’t forget to name the little cutie!

Eric Carle Author Study

by on March 15, 2009 in First Days of School, First Grade, Kindergarten

During the first two weeks of school, I engage my first grade students in an author study. This is a great way to introduce your students to the elements of literature and your favorite author. I personally love Eric Carle and find him to be a hit with most kids because of the nature of his stories. His illustrations are also very recognizable for young readers.

How to: I begin by telling the students about the author. I show pictures of the author and give a brief history of the author’s life. Each day I read a selection from one of Eric Carle’s collection of books. After a story has been read, the story is discussed in detail (title, author, patterns in the illustrations, story plot, etc.). Using large chart paper, I make a large graph to hang during our author study. The graph is something that we fill in as we read each book. The graph allows us to see commonalities between the books the author has written. An example of the graph categories are:

Book Title     Kind of Pictures     Main Idea     Main Characters     Setting     Problem     Solved?

I then lead the class in a written activity based on what we discussed about the book. I have on hand a copy of the front cover of the book (for the kids to refer to) and an overhead projector. I use a transparency of the “Author Study Worksheet” on the overhead projector and guide the students through the completion of their own worksheet. This activity is a great way to assess your students’ handwriting and speed during those first days of school.

Extension: For each book we study, I also have the students engage in a follow-up art activity in which they can make a character or something related to the book.

An author study can be a great project for any time of the year. Complete one so children understand what an author study entails. Children can then choose their own author to study by reading from their collection.

These are the books I suggest by Eric Carle:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: board book & CD

Price: $11.51

4.6 out of 5 stars (534 customer reviews)

98 used & new available from $0.01

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Mixed-Up Chameleon

Price: $6.99

4.7 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews)

92 used & new available from $0.80

The Mixed-Up Chameleon

The Honeybee & the Robber

Price: $12.91

4.8 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

56 used & new available from $4.11

The Honeybee and the Robber

The Very Busy Spider

Price: $6.99

3.7 out of 5 stars (76 customer reviews)

103 used & new available from $0.01

The Very Busy Spider

The Foolish Tortoise (World of Eric Carle)

Price: $7.99

4.2 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

66 used & new available from $0.01

The Very Foolish Tortoise

A House for Hermit Crab (Stories to Go!)

Price: $0.01

4.2 out of 5 stars (37 customer reviews)

37 used & new available from $0.01

A House for Hermit Crab

Little Cloud (Picture Puffins)

Price: $5.99

4.4 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

93 used & new available from $1.97

Little Cloud

The Very Lonely Firefly

Price: $14.01

4.2 out of 5 stars (64 customer reviews)

120 used & new available from $2.32

The Very Lonely Firefly

Pancakes, Pancakes! (World of Eric Carle)

Price: $7.99

4.3 out of 5 stars (30 customer reviews)

84 used & new available from $0.20

Pancakes, Pancakes!


A list of additional authors for your study can be viewed here.

Birthday Sort

by on March 15, 2009 in Kindergarten, Lesson Plans, Math

Abstract:

This lesson is an interactive way to teach students how and why graphs are used. This lesson is fun for the kids and they get to learn about their classmates birthdays.

Subject(s):
Mathematics
Grade/Level:
Kindergarten
Objective:
Students will sort themselves according to birth date. Students will graph the number of birthdays within each month and determine what information the graph provides (e.g. which month has the most, which has the least, and which (if any) has the same number of birthdays).
IMPLEMENTATION
Learning Context:
Students have already been introduced to sorting and graphing. A lesson on sorting students according to hair color, eye color, and gender precedes this lesson.
Procedure:
Students will gather and sit on the carpet area. Students will be asked if they know when their birthday is. They will then be asked if they think they share the same birthday with someone else in the classroom. They will then be asked if they think they share the same month as someone else in the classroom. As a group, we will briefly discuss that it is more likely that two people will share the same birth month rather than an actual birthday. The students will then be given instructions for the acitivity. Students will write their first names on a strip of paper. Large cards will be placed on the floor in the classroom. Each card will have the name of a month (pictures could also be added to help students identify the months-ex. a clover for March). The students will be directed to find the card with the name of the month they were born in and form a line behind it. Once the students have found their particular birth month, the students will be directed to count the number of students in the line they are in. The students will then be directed to look at the number of people in other months. On the dry-erase board at the front of the classroom, a graph will be present. The “x” axis will have numbers 1-10 and the “y” axis will have the name of each month in order from January to December. Once prompted, each group will be called up to the board. With teacher assistance, each student will place their name (written on a strip of paper) in the column of their month. Once completed, the students will be asked what the graph tells us. The students should be able to recognize that the graph reveals which month(s) has the most bithdays, which month(s) has the least number of birthdays, and which months have the same number of birthdays (if any). As a group, we will check our answers by counting the number of names for each month to accurately determine which month has the most, the least or the same number of birthdays. Students will then be directed to ask members in their month to determine if any share the same birthdate. In closing, students will be asked to share what they learned about using a graph.
Collaboration:
Students will work collaboratively & individually.
Time Allotment:
1 class period. 30 Min. per class.
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Resources:
  • Materials and resources:
    Twelve large cards with the names of the months and dry-erase/chalkboard
Strips of paper
STANDARDS & ASSESSMENT
Standards:
• Subject : Mathematics
• Subject/ Grade/ Domain : KINDERGARTEN
Data Analysis, Probability, and Discrete Mathematics
Every student should understand and use all concepts and skills from the previous grade levels. The standards are designed so that new learning builds on preceding skills and are needed to learn new skills. Communication, Problem-solving, Reasoning & Proof, Connections, and Representation are the process standards that are embedded throughout the teaching and learning of mathematical strands.
Data Analysis (Statistics)
Understand and apply data collection, organization and representation to analyze and sort data.
Formulate questions based on data displayed in graphs, charts, and tables.
Assessment/Rubrics:
Students will be assessed acording to their participation, understanding of what is taking place, and their ability to follow directions throughout the group activity.