Assembly: Elmo and I Know It dance

 

Cutest.song.ever. 

Great for a Brain Break, a reward at the end of the day, or - a hugely successful assembly item!

The kids sang and moved to a choreographed dance, and it was so well receieved at the K-2 assembly, that we were asked to do an encore presentation at the whole school assembly the following week.

Guarenteed to be a classroom favourite K-6!

Magnetic Games

My students had to design and make a magnetic games as part of our Science unit of investigation on magnetic forces. They were to bring in materials from home, draw a design and make the game at school. Here are some of their creations:

Board games: magnets were used as counters on a tray

 

Fishing Game: paper clips tied to the end of string were used to pick up magnetic fish in the tank

Puppet Theatre: magnetic people stood on the metal base of the puppet theatre

Dress-Up Dolls: clothing and accessories were magnetised using magnetic tape

 

                       

Mazes: two magnetic balls placed on either side of the cardboard maze were rolled around to find the way out of the maze

2D Shape Pictures

 

Here are some Kindergarten and Year 1 2D shape picture samples.

Year 1: students cut shapes to size to create their pictures - anything from cats, to houses and rockets! The activity reinforced their creative side, fine motor skills (cutting and pasting) and 2D shape recognition in the environment.

Kindergarten: students created pictures using 2D shape stickers (found at most junk shops). This also helped strengthen their 2D shape recognition skills, as well as their fine motor skills (peeling and sticking).

Comprehension Strategies

These posters are designed to strengthen student's comprehension skills. They are based on the Spalding method's 5 Mental Actions:

1. Making Predictions

2. Monitoring Comprehension

3. Making Connections

4. Mentally Summarising

5. Reformatting

They are useful for classroom display or quick IWB reference during lessons.

Maths: Pattern Making

 

Junk shops sell beads for very cheap, and the kids used spaghetti string to thread the beads onto. 

Making patterns using beads not only helps develop the concept of patterns, but strengthens fine motor skills. Students can show their understanding of patterns by making simple and more complex patterns.

The kids also love making bracelets and necklaces for their mothers for Mother's Day using beads.

Literacy: Reading Quilt

 

 

 

My students are encouraged to read a variety of books, not just self-interest, and a Reading Quilt helps to encourage this.

This is my Year 2 Reading Quilt. I make the booklets for my students and they complete it over one term of the year.

The kids keep in mind the different types of books they need to read and write about when they are borrowing from the library, and I also use it during Literacy Groups on occasion as a follow up or independent comprehension activity after reading together.

Online Behaviour Management System: Class Dojo

 

Class Dojo: an online behaviour management system.

This has truly changed my class’s behaviour, focus and attitude.

Students are assigned an avatar and awarded points for good behaviour (point can also be taken away). Teachers can select behaviour goals and merit cards and reports can be printed off for reporting or parent feedback.

This system is great as other teachers can access it when teaching my class. I can also award points via iPhone/iPads outside of the classroom (on excursions or during Assembly).

At the end of the term, the students with the most points are given a special lunch.

Click here to visit the Class Dojo website.

Rainbow Hands

These rainbow helping hands are helpful in reminding students that we are all friends. This particular rainbow was from my Prep class, but I have also done this with Kindergarten. The students had to trace each other's hands and then cut them out before they were arranged to resemble a rainbow.

Tracing each other’s hands encourages cooperation, and cutting them out helps strengthen student's fine motor skills.

Personalised Stickers

 

I LOVE 'My Stickers 4 U' stickers! They offer a huge range personalized stickers for educators for super cheap, the kids love them as do teachers. They are also a brilliant end of year gift for colleagues as well!

Click  here to access their website.

Maths: Subtraction Poem

LOVE this cute subtraction poem for 3rd graders! It helps students understand the elements of double-digit subtraction through visual and rhyming prompts. It also makes a great poster display or reference in the student's workbook.

Homework: Spelling Tic Tac Toe

Literacy Extension Homework: Tic Tac Toe

Twice a term I have the students take home a new spelling Tic Tac Toe sheet as an extension activity. This is elective for those who want to challenge or extend themselves. 

The activities are based around Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences, so that all learning types are catered for. These are:

• Spatial
• Linguistic
• Logical-mathematical
• Bodily-kinesthetic
• Musical
• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
• Naturalistic

The worksheet is also a great activity during daily differentiated Literacy Groups.

Convenient Whiteboard Markers

 

 

Here's a little trick I picked up from Pinterest: hot glue-gun pompoms to the ends of whiteboard markers and voila - you have an instant eraser! 

No more wasting tissues to wipe down the whitebaords after literacy groups.

Thinking Skills: Alphabet Key

 

Alphabet Key

The Alphabet Thinking Key involves learners having to think of certain topic words beginning with each letter of the alphabet. 

We turn this into a game much like Scattegories where the students are awarded points only if they have a unique answer ie. in an 'Animals' alphabet key, most students would immediately think of 'dog', and the student with a different to answer to his/her peers (such as 'dragonfly') would be awarded a point. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins!

The worksheet can be modified for a variety of  topics and units of work, and is an excellent fast finisher activity.