Word Family Chart

I have been working on word families for my students using paint chips, scroll down to see my previous blog.  As I am making each word family, I was going through the alphabet to make use I have each letter to correspond with the word family.  I thought, wouldn't it be easier to write it all down and reference my chart?!?!  So, that's exactly what I did and you can download the file here: Word Family Freebie.  You don't have to use all the words in the word family but all the words are there :)

Shape and Color Flash Cards

Since August is almost over, so are our shape and color month long study.  I have these adorable shape and color printable flash cards that I found on mrprintables.com!  Super cute for review, I will be using them as an exit pass or when we stand in line for lunch I always quiz my kiddies and I will be using these flash cards :).  Download here:  Color Flashcards and Shape Flashcards

Color Wheel

Ok, we just finished our color wheels!  They were a little bit harder than I expected but, that's Kindergarten!  I found that using paint brushes was making the mixing process harder, so we switched to using our fingers!  They LOVED it!!!  Instead of making yellow red and red yellow, I just had the students mix the secondary colors in those boxes, which made the mixing process easier.  The students had so much fun and I will be hanging these up on the clothes line once they dry.  Here is the color wheel template freebie: Block Color Wheel Freebie or Flower Color Wheel Freebie

Bathroom Passes

I don't know about you but after a few weeks of students' being in school, my bathroom passes get torn up, wet and soggy, or lost...even possibly flushed down the toilet!  This year, I made these cute bathroom passes and laminated them.  Then, I put them inside a name tag holder, which students must put around their necks so they don't get dropped, washed, or chewed on!  I went to FedEx Kinkos and bought heady duty name badge holders (also known as small conference credentials), which has a vinyl pocket you can put the laminated bathroom pass inside of.  I'm crossing my fingers that these passes can last me all year.  Download your set here: Bathroom Pass Freebie

Shape Review

During the month of August, students learn a new color and shape each day.  The first three days of school we teach red octagon, yellow hexagon and blue rectangle.  On Friday, we review those three shapes and colors.   In the past I just cut up strips of paper and let the students make a design but this year I saw something that trigged my creativity.  I decided to take the octagon and hexagon and turn them into birds and I made the rectangle into a telephone line.  The art project below shows the final outcome and I think they did a wonderful job!  Template can be downloaded here: Shape Template

Making 10

As you are all of aware with Common Core Standards, one of the standards that our grade level found challenging to teach was "Making 10".  Over the summer, I did a lot of research and I found a great idea to teach the concept, a rainbow!  I figured to introduce students to this concept right off the bat, so hopefully it will sink in without them even realizing.

 I've made a huge poster, 24x36 that I printed at OfficeMax and then painted it.  I used my Cricut to cut out the letters and viola!

Before

After

I also made a smaller version to put on the students' pencil boxes.  You can download the template here: Making 10 Freebie

Beginning of the Year Art Projects

Here are some of my favorite art projects we do in the beginning of the year.  My absolute FAVORITE is the paper dolls!  I use my Cricut and the Everyday Paper dolls cartridge to create the dolls.  Sorry, I don't have a downloadable file :(.

We also read Chick Chick Boom Boom and then the students use the letters in their names to "climb" up the coconut tree!  You can download the template here:  Chick Chick Boom Boom Template

Our last project is the Kissng Hand, I don't have the poem but you could copy it and re-type it and make it your own.  Then I get their hand print and stick a heart right on top of their hand!