Ideas for pre-k through grade 8: Your green pages--69 specific skill-building activities you can use right now!

Teaching Pre K-8, Feb 2001

ON SHORT LEGS

1. SCIENCE: Read this poem to the children:

Is It Spring Yet?

Will Winter last for six more weeks, Or will Spring warm the ground? Who knows except the weatherman? But he can't make a sound. He is just a furry groundhog Who forecasts his own way. Like, should he not see his shadow, Then, Winter will not stay.

by Martin Shaw

Display a picture of a groundhog. Help the children describe it. Present facts about the animal. After reading the poem again, repeat the idea about the groundhog and winter.

SAFE RIDE

2. SOCIAL STUDIEs: Display pictures of cars, vans and bicycles. Help the children identify and describe the vehicles. Guide them in identifying and describing vehicular safety measures (wearing seat belts and helmets; not disturbing the driver; etc.) Show pictures of seat belts and helmets and ask the children to explain how the items and measures keep them safe.

GROUNDHOG STORIES

3. LANGUAGE ARTs: Display and identify a picture of a groundhog (see Activity 1). Repeat the idea about the animal and its shadow. Then, help volunteers tell stories about a groundhog. Write the child's story on chart paper and help him or her read his or her story to the class. The children sign their stories and take them home.

BOUNCE & CATCH

4. MOTOR COORDINATION: Demonstrate bouncing and catching a rubber ball. Repeat the action with the children clapping on each bounce. Then, they take turns bouncing and catching while others clap with each bounce. ExTRA: Do the activity, substituting counting instead of clapping to the bounces.

SETS TOGETHER

5. MATH: Make set strips like the one shown. Fold back the one large strip. Show the children the other part of the strip. Help them identify the number of apples in each of the two sets. Ask how many apples would there be if all the apples were put in one set. Show the large set, and the children count and tell how many. Continue the activity with other set strips.

WORK PLACES

6. Read Mommy Works, Daddy Works by Marika Pedersen and Mikele Hall (Annick Press, 2000). Show the book cover and point to and read the title. After reading the story, help your child recall the story parents' work places. Identify and describe the work places of family members. Ask your child where he or she would like to work.

PUPPY'S TREAT

7. MATH: Read and show Where's That Bone? bv Lucille Recht Penner (The Kane Press, 2000). On a table, place 12 cardboard bone shapes. The children choose a name for an imaginary puppy. Help them count the bones. Then, they say, "(dog's name) has 12 bones." The children close their eyes. Remove four of the bones; put them under the table. Then, with eyes open, the children count and tell the number of bones now on the table. Guide them in figuring how many of the 12 bones are missing and noting the missing number of bones under the table.

VALENTINE LETTERS

8. LANGUAGE ARTs: Read this poem to the children:

Hearts and Words

There's nothing like a valentine To make a smile appear, A heart-shaped card filled with kind words Sent from someone who's dear. A friend or even relative Who takes the time to say, "I like you just because you're you." That's what's done on this day

by Martin Shaw

Give each child small cards containing the letters that spell valentine. On displayed paper, write valentine as you spell it. Name each letter while each child places that letter card in order on his or her table. Help the children "spell" valentine while pointing to their letters, and help them "read" the word.

BY TOUCH

9. PERCEPTION: Have available two paint brushes of different sizes, two cardboard cylinders of different sizes, two books of different sizes, etc. Place the pairs of items in separate bags. Without looking in the bag, a child feels the items inside and identifies them. Then, designate one item to be removed (e.g., the longest brush). Without looking in the bag, the child feels the two items and removes the one he or she thinks you've described. If the wrong item is removed, expose both objects and help the child consider how to determine the described item.

WITH LOVE

10. ART: Challenge the children to make valentines for their parents.

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT

11. SOCIAL STUDIES: Introduce Presidents' Day, February 19 and show pictures of our President. Help the children identify him and some of his President's duties. Ask them what they wish they could ask the President and why. EXTRA: Send the President a letter containing the children's questions.

BOOK NAMES

12. LANGUAGE ARTS: Show the children the covers of two storybooks. Read one of the titles to them. Ask them which book belongs to the title read. If the correct answer is given, ask how the child or children knew the answer (e.g., the picture helped). Then, point to and read the title with the children. Continue the activity with other books.

Grade 1.0 Through

Grade 2.6

LIKE FAMILY

13. SOCIAL STUDIES: Show and read four or five valentine cards. Help the children brainstorm why valentines are sent to friends. Ask why they like to send valentines to their friends. With the children, explore why they, their families, and others need friends. Invite each child to name a best friend. Ask why that friend is special. Ask how the child and the friend help each other.