A Tasty Counting Lesson

When it is time to teach my 4 and 5 years old to count money, I set up a candy store with all the candy having price tags. I then put coins in a bowl and they have to correctly count out the money for each item. After they count correctly they get to choice a piece of candy from the candy store. Needless to say this was a very popular area for my math center!
Submitted by: Lorria Hjelle

"Sight Word" Wear

A quick way to review sight words is to write the words on small pieces of paper and insert them into a name-tag type badge ( the necklace kind or the ones with the pins). Wear the badge as it fits into your daily routine. When children get on the bus, leave for specials, or whenever a child asks you a question or for favor, ask the child to read the word in the badge before you answer. Soon your children will be able to read the words in a text as well as around your neck!
Submitted by: Nadine Snyder

A Room with a U

When teaching vowel sounds, I put a card with each of the first four vowels in a corner of my room. The "u" goes up on the ceiling. As we practice listening for the sounds my students point to the correct vowel. Also, as we find words with a specific vowel sound in it, we put these words around the vowel as sort of a vowel-word wall.
Submitted by: Holly F. Thompson

Number Game

While waiting in line to go anywhere, I keep my students' attention by playing the secret number game. I stand so that everyone can see me from their spot in line, then I hold up 2 fingers, open and closing them, until I reach a pre-selected number. I ask them to count silently "in their minds" until I lower my hand. After my hand is lowered they can volunteer to tell me what number I silently counted out. You can vary the number once they have learned how to count by 1's, 2's, 5's 10's for kindergartners.
Submitted by: Mrs. Mona Suchocki

Calendar Tip

I like the children to see the whole calendar so at the beginning of the month I use plain calendar number pieces. I add the color/shape calendar dates over the plain ones. That way we can still do our pattern but the children can see the whole calendar all month. I attach the plain calendar dates with velcro and use tape for the colored ones.
Submitted by: Deb Agne

Type and Spell

Very young students can type their spelling words on the computer. My first graders type their spelling words each week, change the font, font size, highlight the "chunk", and add pictures. They can do it!
Submitted by: Shelly Cummings

Walk Chalk

Lately I have been using sidewalk chalk on my classroom chalkboard. I like the variety of colors these chalks provide but most of all, my little first graders can easily hold onto the chalk when it is their turn at the board. No more hard times trying to form letters/numbers at the chalk board with that skinny white chalk!
Submitted by: Beth Smith

Traveling Bookbags

In order to promote a home/school connection our classroom has compiled a library of traveling bookbags. At the beginning of the month we usually have a bookbag relating to that month's author, along with an activity for the children and parents to do together. We include a brief biography about our author along with some "fun facts." We add easy activities that the parents can do in minimal time (since time is always such a big problem with families.) Additionally, we ask parents to go to the library and bring in a book written by our author of the month. I have a classroom full of three to five year olds who talk about what an author is and what an illustrator does. It's incredible! We always try to show the children how the illustrator creates the illustrations for the book. There are so many ways: tissue paper collage, paper pulp, wet watercolors, etc. The children are expanding their vocabulary and learning about different art media. They are always in suspense at the end of the month, eagerly awaiting our next author. Our parents and children love it and parent participation has gone up immensely.
Submitted by: A teacher