Wondering what will keep them engaged the last week before Christmas?

If you are already on vacation, congratulations for surviving! If you're still going, like I am, you'll be needing something extra special to keep those restless, overtired children engaged!

 

This week we did some STEM activities from this set: S.T.E.M. Activities for December.

The children had a great time creating face warmers for Santa!

And designing workshops for elves!

Every student was engaged, plus there was learning going on! Their reflections really showed they were learning about the Engineering Process, as well as learning to work as part of a team. I was proud of their achievements!

There's a lot going on this coming week. (Yes, we go through Friday afternoon at 3:30!) I'll be pulling out all the stops with some of my favorite holiday activities. 

We'll be painting, illustrating, and reading some of my favorite holiday stories. We'll also bring in a little Science and Social Studies with this resource: Science and Social Studies Activities for December.

They'll be reading informational text about the North Pole and about the Aurora Borealis, practicing their mapping skills with a map of the North Pole, sorting Christmas scents, and learning about laws by sorting elf laws.

 

Besides all this fun, I'll be pulled out of class on Thursday for an IEP meeting, so I'll be assigning some of the pages from this resource: Holiday No Prep Activities.

I can be sure the children will be getting fun practice on important reading, writing, and math skills with these! 

If all else fails, it's time to pull out the glitter! (Yes, I plan to!)

Of course, I hate to leave for vacation without being ready for that first week back! Here are a couple of resources I'll be pulling out at the beginning of January!

Beanie Toss to 100!

Thank You Cards

These may be going out of style for some, but grandparents still prefer a handwritten thank you card. Who doesn't want to keep grandparents happy?

 

2024 Calendar of Fun!

Here's a little something extra they can do with these calendars!

The Greatest Sum - an Addition Game with Strategy and Fun!

Here's a game my students have been playing for years called The Greatest Sum! I've put it together with lots of variations!

 

The basic game is played with two 2-digit numbers. The children choose one number square at a time, and decide where to place it on their boards. It takes them only a short time to figure out they should put the greater numbers in the tens column, and the lower numbers in the ones column. You can use the numbers included in this package, or you can use tiles, cubes, or other interesting manipulatives and write the numerals 0-9 on them, as I have done in these pictures.

Here's how to play:

1. Place the tiles (or number squares) face down between 2 "Greatest Sum" boards.

 

2. The first player takes a tile and places it in one of the squares on his board. That player should think about which square might bring them the greatest sum, since he isn't allowed to move it once he lets go!

 

3. Play continues between the two players until all squares on both boards are filled.

 

4. Which player has the greatest sum? Players may use paper & pencil, whiteboards, number grids, a calculator, or mental math to determine each round's winner. (Teacher's choice!)

As you can see in this preview, there are plenty of variations to this game!

Explore the image or explore this link: The Greatest Sum

Which player had the greatest sum?

Are You Ready to Ship Your Students Off to a New World?

Yes, the last few weeks have been very busy! 

I'm VERY tired, and so are the kids, but we've got a couple more school days to survive!

It's time to pull all the stops out! Time for high-interest activities that involve conversation and movement. Here are some ideas:

I'll be pulling out this activity from my Science and Social Studies Printables for November.

We'll also be reading informational text and learning about wild turkeys! Turkey Fact Booklet  (This is also in the Science and Social Studies Printables for November.)

 

I like to let the children work in pairs or small groups while creating these informational text booklets. This encourages conversation about the information they are learning and encourages them to use their new vocabulary.

Looking for more turkey fun? Try this Turkey Mini-Bundle, which includes that turkey informational booklet you saw above!

Finally, we'll be practicing our reading, writing, word work, and math skills with these Fun, No-Prep Activities for Thanksgiving.

 

Planning ahead? 

Check out some of these posts: (See the images for the links!)

How are you keeping the children focused during this busy time?

What would you do if you were president?

Children shouldn't have to deal with actual politics, especially since these days politics can be far too hurtful and controversial! I think it's best to go in a different direction with kids.

 

 

This year, on election day, we voted for our favorite Indoor Recess Game. Sorry won, with Battleship a close second. We graphed our votes, and drew some conclusions from the data.

A couple of days later, we had a fabulous discussion.

I asked them what they would do if they were President of the United States.  Their answers were amazing!

Here are some of my favorites:

• I would get rid of smoking.

• I would expect people to try to get along.

• I would get rid of drugs.

• I would make sure people stopped hurting each other.

• I would have people smile more.

• I would let people wear their hair however they want.

• I would have the rich people use their extra money to help the poor people.

• I would get rid of junk food.

• I would make everyone read.

• I would make sure people are healthy.

• I would make people exercise.

• I would get rid of bullies.

Honestly, I was inspired and proud! I half expected "typical" kid answers: no homework, no bedtimes, more video games... but they didn't go in that direction at all! 

They've got my vote!

Here's a little freebie with this prompt and another prompt as well:

Be Prepared for Giggles!

Here's a group game that will bring out the giggles in everyone! 

 

It can be played at Morning Meeting, indoor recess, or any time of day. It's called True or False?

One person is "it". That person makes two statements. One is a true statement, the other is a false statement. It might sound something like this:  "I have an older brother. I have a baby sister." The others have to guess which is the fallacy.  It sounds so simple, but when the kids try to make up false statements, the giggles begin!

Usually, it's pretty easy to guess the false statement, but that's not really what it's about. It's really about the giggles! After all, a good laugh is healthy!

 

This game can easily be played in the classroom OR in a virtual learning experience. 

 

For more team building games see: 

• 60 Team Building Games and Activities 
• 20 Team Building Games and Activities (A shorter version, containing many of the above games)
• 6 Team Building Games and Activities

See the image below or see  HERE for more evidence that laughter in the classroom is GOOD!

Election Day Options for Little Learners

I'm tired of watching the attack ads on TV, my phone ringing constantly, getting flyer after flyer in the mail, and the signs all over town. Luckily, this campaign season is almost over. Thank goodness!

 I also think it's important to teach the importance of the election to the little ones. But in a gentler, kinder fashion.

We vote for our favorite indoor recess game! See the above image or see HERE for this freebie for Election Day. It includes ballots, graphs, and suggestions for the day.

We've been working on common and proper nouns, so I've cooked up this matching game with an election theme. I find ANY special day makes learning more fun, doesn't it? This set has several options, including a board game. You can learn more about this set HERE, or by see the image.

Kids always need brain breaks, and squeezing in a little patriotism doesn't hurt! See the image or see HERE to download this Dollar Deal!

Here are a few books I've found with an election theme.

(These are Amazon affiliates.)

Vote 

Duck for President
Amelia Bedelia's First Vote

Don't forget the Patriotic Music!

(These are also Amazon affiliates.)

America's Favorite Patriotic Songs

Songs of America

Kid's Dance Party Express: Songs of the USA

God Bless the USA: Kids Sing Songs for America

How do you honor election day with your little ones?

Seven Strategies to Help Children Remember Spelling Words

Some children remember sight words easily, but there are others who have a hard time remembering the spelling of words that don't follow the rules. 

Here are a few strategies, based on research, that will help kiddos remember spelling words.

1.  Spell it aloud! The act of saying the letters along with hearing the letters helps the pathways form in the brain.

2. Get them moving! Studies show a connection between movement and memory. Students can bounce a basketball while spelling, jump while spelling, or even do interpretive dance while spelling the words. 

3. Integrate Music! Ever notice how you can remember song lyrics from years ago that you never even tried to memorize? Music is closely connected to memory! Make up a little tune to the spelling of the words, or have the children make it up!

4. Integrate the Arts! Have the children write the spelling words, then make up a design around them. Or, you could have them paint their words! Don't forget the performing arts: they could dance their words or act out their words!

5. Color code! Brains really connect to colors! Have the children write the words using one color for vowels, and one color for consonants. 

6. Hands-on! Use blocks, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, or other manipulatives to create the words.

7. Get social! Get the kiddos to have conversations about their words. They can talk about the letters that follow the rules, and the letters that DON'T follow the rules. (Add color coding to this one, and that doubles the chance they'll remember the spelling!)

Want more ideas?  

This is a set of task cards with 48 color and 48 black and white task cards that can be used with any spelling list!

These cards contain activities based on brain research that include integrating the arts, multi-modality, and multiple intelligences. This set of sight word practice task cards is perfect for a word work center, homework, or extra practice in any setting. 

For more information, see: Brain Friendly Spelling Task Cards.

In case you want to see how these Spelling Task Cards work, here's a sampler: Spelling Fun Task Cards Sampler

Or grab it for free by signing up for my helpful emails HERE.

How do you help children remember Spelling words?