A "Apple": 1/2 apple print with red paint B "Blue Balloon": use the canister that a roll of flim comes in; dip solid end in blue paint; add a blue line down for string C "Corn": glue feed corn to page D "Diamonds & Dots": glue diamonds and dots on the page (dots are from hole puncher) E "Egg": cut out egg shape F "Face": students draw a face with eyes, nose, mouth G "Green glue & green glitter": Glue colored green (food coloring) & sprinkle with green glitter H "Hand": paint hand and make a print I "Ink stamps": use a variety of rubber stamps and ink J "Jewels": Tagboard J with glitter glue dots for jewels K "Key": crayon rubbing of a key L "Lavender Lace": 2" piece of lavendar lace M "Mitten": Children trace their hand in the shape of a mitten, cut out and glue to paper N "Newspaper Numbers": numbers cut from newspaper O "Orange": Orange print with 1/2 orange P "Purple Potato": potato print with purple paint Q "Quilt": squares of a variety of wall paper glued into a quilt R "Ribbon rectangles": rectangular shapes of ribbon... I also found "Ruler Ribbon" at Wal-Mart which would work as well S "Sand": With glue, form an S. Then sprinkle with sand T "Triangle": 3 toothpicks in the formation of a triangle U "Upside down": cut objects (bears, babies, toys, people, etc) from magazines. Glue them to the paper upside down V "Valentine Hearts" Hearts cut and glued to paper W "Wall paper": wall paper scraps X "Extra X's": tic tac toe board; students make more x's than o's Y "Yellow Yo-yo's": Two yellow circles with a real string Z "Zipper" crayon rubbing of a zipper *********************************************************************** •Also when studying any letters or numbers you can make numeral or letter bread: Roll bread dough into a snake, make the number or letter you like. Decorate with chocolate chips, raisins, etc. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350. *********************************************************************** • Make a Letter Log Take a spiral bound scrapbook or unlined notebook with enough paper for the entire alphabet - 2 pages min for each letter. Open the book until you have 2 blank pages together. On the left side of the paper print the letter and then give the child magazines to cut pictures from that start with that letter. As they continue to learn letters and words continue on and include drawings and stickers. *********************************************************************** • Animal ABC's A was an aadvark who loved to eat ants. B was a bear who was learning to dance. C was a cat who would purr for her milk. D was a dog whose soft fur was like silk. E was an eagle, our U. S. A. bird. F was a fox who was seen but not heard. G was a goat who could eat a man's shirt. H was a horse who fell down & got hurt. I was an ibex with horns curved back. J was a jaguar so glossy & blace. K was a kookaburra, a bird with a laugh. L was a lion who scared a giraffe. M was a mink that became a fur coat. N was a nightingale with a white throat. O was an ostrich that could never fly. P was a parrot who learned to say, "Hi". Q was a quail who ate insects & seed. R was a rabbit who hid in the weeds. S was a seal who had front & back flippers. T was a tiger who never wore slippers. U was a unicorn, not real, but fake. V was a viper, a poisionous snake. W was a walrus with tusks very long. X was the exit that ended my song. Y & Z said they would like to join you When you decide that you'll go to the zoo. Alphabet, alphabet, from A to Z Twenty-six letters for you & for me! I liked this because it explains what each one is talking about & rhymes. I think will change the "mink" verse to " that had a fur coat" rather then making a statement about killing animals for their fur. *********************************************************************** • Texture letters. Trace and Cut letters out of tagboard. Use something that represents that letter to cover it. For example. F Glue feathers on the letter A Cover it in Apple seeds. When the glue dries, the letters will be come hard and the Ss will be able to feel them, trace them, and make rubbing with them *********************************************************************** • Fence Letters We took Surveyors tape (plastic stips) and weaved it in the fence to make the alphabet on the playground. When the groups want to go inside, we say "Meet me at the letter F" or "Go to the first letter in the word Bed" If there are several groups on the playground, this helps to break the children up a bit. (The first day this was up one of my students associated the T to the T's on the cover of The Tiny Seed. *********************************************************************** • Sequence Cards I have taken 4X10 colored notecards and cut them in half long ways. Then I create a matching game using letters. There are two cards that match. One Card may say B E D or C A T . I use letter stickers to make it more colorful. ( A less advanced game would be stickers that have to do with a theme. For example a sticker of a tiger, a bear, and a Zebra for Zoo animal week.) The children love playing with the cards and they are learning so much *********************************************************************** • Letter Bags Create a Ziploc bag for each letter. Each day send the bag home with a child. Instruct the parents to search for things in their house that start with that letter. Each day the bag goes home with a different child--getting fuller every day. At the end of the week add the stuff to a letter can made from Formula Cans. This way the chilldren can always bring out the letter material *********************************************************************** •To help our children learn their nursery rhymes and the alphabet we use a song (tune of 99 bottles of beer on the wall.) Sing the alphabet first and then any nursery rhyme will fit right in. An example is Mary Mary Quite Contrary. *********************************************************************** •Whole Alphabet Tray Play Cut several pieces of construction paper into small squares. Write one letter of the alphabet on each square, making two sets of letters. Then place one set of letters aside. Cut pictures from magazines which correspond to each letter (a for apple, b for banana, etc). Glue picture to back side of the letters in the second set. Place 1st set in one shoe box, 2nd set in another. To play, have child pick letter from first set and try to match with picture from 2nd set. Child can check by turning picture over, looking at letter. *********************************************************************** • ABC Board Materials: one sheet of foam core board library pockets 3x5 card glue Glue on the library pockets any way you want. I glued them on in straight rows. With dimensional paint (purchased from the local craft store) I wrote the alphabet first in capital letters and then underneath the capital letter I wrote a lower case of the same letter. I then wrote the alphabet on the 3x5 cards. Capitals on one card and lower case on another card. If you wanted you could put them both on the same card. I found colored pockets and the same colored 3x5 cards at a local teachers store. I plan to match the color to the pocket. This is self correcting because they can match the letter to the card. And if you do different colors then they can match the letter that way also. My kids love this game. This is the second one I have made. They wore out the first one. You can also do the same type of thing with numbers. *********************************************************************** Here are a few other ideas. Variation on the alphabet book: Drop the letter page. Just make a page with a picture for each letter of the alphabet. *********************************************************************** Sign Language - Children love to try this, and it is also a great fine/small motor activity. *********************************************************************** Travel Talk - Fill a small suitcase with items from another culture. Bring the suitcase to circle time to let the children know they are about to "visit" another culture. Pull items from the bag. Discuss the use, look, feel, etc. Spend the rest of the week teaching a unit on that culture. At the end of the week, bring the suitcase out again and see if the children can tell you about each item on their own now. Good way to evaluate the lesson. *********************************************************************** Grab Bag - Also a good science activity if you make it a sensory bag. Fill a bag or pillowcase with items familiar to the children. Have them reach in and describe each item and guess what it is before pulling it out of the bag. You could also fill it with items that begin with the same letter "book, block, banana from the toy kitchen, bell, baby, etc.) You could fill it with items of the same shape. *********************************************************************** Caterpillar Story Branch - Collect sticks from outside. Wrap pipe cleaners around the branch to resemble caterpillars. Pass the branch around the room asking each child to add a part to the story. *********************************************************************** Poetry - Children love the sounds and sometimes rhyme of language as it is expressed in poetry. Take care not to recite all poetry in a sing-song pattern. Read it with the right rhythm. Present it sincerely and directly. It will appeal to the emotions and flow with ease. *********************************************************************** Child Made Picture Book - Each child will make a personal story book by drawing pictures or cutting them from magazines. You can also give them one of those disposable cameras and let them wander the yard taking pictures as desired. Let them decorate paper and add their pictures. They can tell a story using their pictures and you can write it out for them. Or variation on above idea - Lead the children in the above activity. Give them pieces of paper. For the first piece ask them to draw a picture of something that sparkles and shines. Let them use their imagination to fill in the page. (E.G. new bike, penny, clean tooth, stars in the sky, etc.) Continue, giving the child a new concept for each page. *********************************************************************** Story Methods - 1. Self - Act it out for the children. Let the children act it out with you. 2. Single Item Focus - Use one object as the focus of a story. Example: A picture, a puppet, doll, stuffed animal, car/truck, etc. 3. Recorded Story - One told on a cassette. 4. Flannel Board Story - Turn favorite and worn books into flannel board stories. School age children can help with this one. Great way to preserve favorite books. Or create your own. 5. Story Glove - Sew pieces of velcro to the finger tips of a glove. Create characters using art materials. Sew velcro to the back of each character so they will stick to the glove. 6. Child Involvement - Give each child a role to play in the story or a sound to make at a particular part of the story. (Great for reinforcing listening skills.) E.G. Suzi is the princess and makes a sighh when she hears the word princess. Jane is the frog and ribbits when she hears the word frog. Johnny is the bell and makes a ringing sound when he hears the word bell. 7. Rebus Story 8. Sing a Story *********************************************************************** •For each letter, each week I give the children and outline 9 X 11 zerox copy of a letter. We then fill the letter like a collage of things that begin with that letter. The week of A, they glue little pieces of aluminum foil inside the lines of the letter. I try to make it more "hands-on" and tactile; however sometimes we just color inside. I found at the art and teacher stores paper hole punchers that come in different shapes and that has helped tremendously. I've also found that the children enjoyed using rubber stamps with different color ink work well, too. Here are some of the things we have glued in our letters. A = aluminum foil B = color blue, buttons, bus (hole puncher shape) C = cotton balls, cars (hole puncher shape), circles, crepe paper D = dots (from hole puncher), dimes or dollars E = easter egg cutouts or drawn F = frog (hole puncher shape), fingerprints G = green, grass from outside H = hearts (hole puncher shape), hand prints I = ice-cream cones drawn J = jack-in-the-box, jack-o-lanterns drawn K = Kindergarten: draw pictures of self and friends, kites L = leaves drawn or we make leaf rubbings M = money cutouts N = numbers, nickels O = orange, ovals drawn P = purple, paper pennies Q = quilt pieces R = red, rabbits (hole puncher shape) S = string, stickers, squares T = triangles, toothpicks, tissues U = umbrellas drawn V = valentines drawn W = worms drawn X = bones (we call them x-rays) Y = yarn Z = zippers, zoo animals *********************************************************************** *Alphabet Rap I do not teach Aa, Bb, Cc. Instead I teach the letters the way they are in the Kindergarten screening tests (Cc, Oo, Gg, Aa). Just to let you know (some people don't realize this) that the letters in the slash marks (//) is to be pronounced how it is pronounced in the words. Example: C /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ (Pronounce the /c/ as k) These raps are from the resource: Alphabet Connections: Whole Language Activities from A to Z by Shirley Ross, Mary Ann Hawke, and Cindy McCord Published by Monday Morning Books. copyright 1993 *********************************************************************** Rap with Alligator Ann A is for alligator, Alligator Ann. A /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ Apples, ants, and Africa. A /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ Acrobats and animals. A /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ (repeat the first 2 lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Bobby Bear B is for bear, Bobby Bear. B /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ Busy bees and butterflies. B /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ Bumpy bubbles, bouncing balls. B /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Camel Cal C is for camel, Camel Cal. C /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ Cupcakes, cookies, and candy canes. C /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ Catching cactus carefully. C /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ /c/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Dinosaur Dawn D is for dinosaur, Dinosaur Dawn. D /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ Dancing, dollies, daffodils. D /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ Daddy, dentist, ding-dong, door. D /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ /d/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Elephant Ed E is for elephant, Elephant Ed. E /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ Every, extra, energy. E /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ Empty, echoes, exercise. E /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ /e/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Fenton Fox F is for fox, Fenton Fox. F /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ Fiddle-faddle, five fat frogs. F /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ Fancy fishes, food, and fun, F /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Gertie Goose G is for goose, Gertie Goose. G /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ Gooey garbage, giggling girls. G /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ Goosey, gander, Goldilocks. G /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ /g/ (repeat the first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rap with Hippo Hal H is for hippo, Hippo Hal. H /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ Hopping, hiccups, Hula-Hoops. H /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ Happy homes and Halloween. H /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Hh H is for hippo, Hippo Hal. H /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ Hopping, hiccups, Hula-Hoops. H /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ Happy homes and Halloween. H /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Ii I is for indri, Ichabod Indri. I /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ Icky, insects, injuries. I /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ Imitating instruments. I /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ /i/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Jj J is for jaguar, Jaguar Jan. J /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ Jingle-jangle, jumping jacks. J /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ Jam and jelly, Jack and Jill. J /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ /j/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Kk K is for kangaroo, Katy Kangaroo. K /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ Kindergarten, kids, and keys K /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ Kittens, kisses, kindly kings. K /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ /k/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Ll L is for lion, Lion Lou. L /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ Licking lemon lollipops. L /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ Letters, love, and ladybugs. L /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Mm M is for monkey, monkey Moe. M /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ Magic, mittens, marbles, me. M /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ Macaroni, mud, and milk. M /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Nn N is for narwhal, Narwhal Ned. N /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ Numbers, names, and necklaces. N /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ Never, naughty, nice, and new. N /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ /n/ (repeat the first two lines) >> *********************************************************************** Oo O is for ostrich, Oliver. O /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ Octopus and operate. O /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ Oblong, olives, off, and on. O /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ /o/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Pp P is for penguin, Penguin Pete. P /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ Puppies, popcorn, porcupines. P /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ Pitter-patter, pumpkin pie. P /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ /p/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Qq Q is for quail, Quincy Quail. Q /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ Quiet, queens, and quarterbacks. Q /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ Questions, quilts, and quarreling. Q /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ /q/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Rr R is for rhino, Rhino Ruth. R /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ Rattles, rocks, and radios. R /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ Running, races, rockets, roar. R /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ /r/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Ss S is for seal, Suzy Seal. S /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ Scissors, seesaw, sandwiches. S /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ Silly, soup, and Saturday. S /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ /s/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Tt T is for tiger, Tiger Tim. T /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ Tummies, toys, and tambourines. T /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ Talking, tables, tattletales. T /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ /t/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Uu U is for Umbrella Bird, Umbrella Bird. U /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ Upset, uncles, underwear. U /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ Up and under, ugliness. U /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ /u/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Vv V is for vulture, Vulture Vic. V /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ Velvet, voices, valentines. V /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ Vim and vigor, vitamins. V /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ /v/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Ww W is for walrus, Walrus Walt. W /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ Watermelon, wonderful. W /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ Windy weather, wiggling worms. W /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ /w/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** Xx There are no animals in English that begin with the letter "X" so, the book suggest that you and you class create an animal. The book also suggests that you show the children a xylophone and talk about the sound at the beginning of the word (/z/). *********************************************************************** Yy Y is for yak, Yolanda Yak. Y /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ Yippy, yo-yo, yummy, yam. Y /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ Yucky, yellow, yarn, and you. Y /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ /y/ (repeat the first two lines) *********************************************************************** Zz Z is for zebra, Zebra Zach. Z /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ Zooming, zombies, zinnias. Z /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ Zigzag, zippers, zero, zoo. Z /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ /z/ (repeat first two lines) *********************************************************************** * A...an Indian teepee, keep arms inside B...a stick with 1/2 a ball and l/2 a ball C...goes around and ends with a kitty cat tail E...a stick with a hat, arm and a foot F...a stick with a hat and an arm G...around and up with a sharp tooth then put G's tongue in his mouth H... looks like a bed I...a stick with a hat and foot J...down with a tail and waggle K...a stick with a bird's beak L...a stick with one foot M&N...I think you have these O...around we go, like a zero P...a stick with a 1/2 ball Q...the letter o with a thermometer in it's mouth R...a stick with 1/2 ball and a slanted leg S...1/2 circle and swing in opposite direction T...a stick with a full hat U...a large soup pot V...slant down then slant up W...2 V's holding hands