Snow Much Fun! Centers & Freebies!

Brrr...it's cold outside! The real feel actually dropped BELOW zero last week! We even had some snow! Maybe I'm crazy, but I really don't mind it. I love the snow...and the kids do, too! Check out some of the snowy fun we've been having in kindergarten...

Snowball Sums

We had a snowball fight during math workshop to practice decomposing the number 10. Two students at a time had a "snowball fight" as I timed them for 30 seconds. When time was up, we lined up the snowballs and counted how many landed on each side of the tape line. Then the kids wrote the equation on their white boards. We learned lots of different ways to decompose the number 10! 

We also played a new game to decompose the number 10. I don't have a picture of them doing this one, but here is a copy of the activity (the recording sheet is editable so you can change the numbers). I modeled this game during our whole group lesson, then they worked with their partners at their tables. To play, they shake and spill the cup of "snowballs" onto the mat, count how many landed on each side, and write the equation. Click HERE to download your Snowball Fight FREEBIE!

Math & Literacy Centers

These centers are SNOW much fun! I just posted my brand new Snow Much Fun Centers pack on TpT today! This is my biggest pack yet at over 200 pages! There are 22 math centers and 17 literacy centers. Yes, you read that right! These activities will keep my kiddos busy all month long! My favorite part of this pack is the new "I Can" cards I made for each activity with visual instructions that the kids can actually read and follow independently! The related Common Core standards are also listen on the I Can card for each center. We started these centers this week and the kids absolutely love them! Check some of them out below!

Shoveling Snow - When I told my kids they'd be shoveling snow at this new center, they actually squealed in delight! Oh, the joy of being a child :) Anyhow, they're not actually shoveling snow, but they do shovel up some white pompoms and count them on the ten frames. Then they write the number and dot the ten frame. 

Add & Cover - This is an old favorite in our class. We just roll the dice, add the dots, and cover the sum with a snowflake. You could also use numeral dice instead of dots.

Snowball Sequencing - We put the snowballs in order (they stick to the mat with velcro). Then we pick a card and figure out the missing number. We write the number sequence on the recording sheet.

Snowman Match - We build the snowman by matching the numerals and ten frames. Then we write the number and dot the ten frame.

Penguin Subtraction - We pick a card and use fish to subtract. The fish that are taken away are placed into the cup. Then we write the equation.

Snowy Subtraction - Same game as above. We pick a card and use snowballs to subtract. The snowballs that are taken away are placed into the cup. Then we write the equation.

Race to 10 - We roll the die, add snowballs to our mat, and say how many more we need to get to 10. First to 10 wins! This game also includes the option to race to 20.

Arctic Addition - We pick a card, solve the equation, and clip the correct sum. Then we write the equation. Disclaimer: I know that penguins don't actually live in the Arctic, but the name sounded catchy! :)

More or less - We play this game like "War." We practice using words like greater, less, and equal using the talk card. The person whose card is greater keeps both.

Mitten Skip Count - We clip the mittens in order on the clothesline. Then we cut and paste our mittens in order on a sentence strip.  

Snowball Fight - We shake and spill a cup of 5 snowballs onto the mat. Then we count how many landed on each side and write the equation. This activity can be used to decompose any number, since the recording sheet is editable.

 Snowy Sums - We roll two dice, use snowballs to add, and write the equation.

Ice Fishing - We go fishing for sight words in the ice hole and write the sight words we catch!

Spin a Sound - We spin the spinner, say the word, and write the beginning sound.

 Polar Digraphs - We sort the snowballs by digraph and write the words.

 Mitten Match Up - We match the rhyming words and draw the pictures.

Mitten Mix Up - We pick a mitten, unscramble the letters, and write the sight word. I found these adorable mitten purses at Dollar Tree!

Snowman Sounds - We pick an object and dot the beginning sound. You could also have the kids stamp middle or ending sounds.

Frosty Family - We match the word families and write the words.

Snowy Sight Words - We pick a snowball and write the sight word.

Middle Sound Sort - We sort the pictures by middle vowel sounds, then we write the words under the correct penguin. 

CVC Snowball Stamp - We pick a card, say the word, and stamp the word on the sheet.

Snowy Syllables - We clap the syllables, sort the pictures, and stamp the number of syllables.

  New Years Resolutions

This week, I also had my kids make New Years resolutions. I found this cute idea on Pinterest and just had to try it! They turned out adorable! Click HERE for my free template.

That's all for now! Have a great week!

Pumpkins and Apples and Leaves! Oh my!

Aah! Fall is here...the leaves are changing, the air is crisp. It's my favorite season! As soon as the first leaf falls, I'm ready for some hot apple cider and pumpkin pie! My kids have really been enjoying the season, too! We've been having a blast studying pumpkins, apples, and leaves in kindergarten!

Pumpkins

We observed the outside and inside of a pumpkin. We wrote words to describe the pumpkin and made a pumpkin diagram. Then we each got our own mini-pumpkin and wrote nonfiction books about our pumpkins in writing workshop.

Apples

We studied apples and came up with lots of words to describe our apples. Then we made a diagram of an apple. We used these charts to help us with our writing during writing workshop.

 We observed lots of different apples, read books about apples, and wrote nonfiction books about apples in writing workshop! We practiced labeling and writing pattern sentences.

 

We turned the letter A into an apple at the art center!

We tasted different apples and graphed our favorites. Red had the most votes and yellow had the least!

Finally, we read Ten Apples Up On Top and modeled different combinations of 10 on our giant ten frame. Then we each made a different combination of apples on top of our heads!

Leaves

We had so much fun being scientists and observing leaves! We also read books about leaves and then wrote our own nonfiction books about our leaves during writing workshop. We practiced adding details to our drawings and writing labels.

I made some resources to keep in the children's writing folders during our leaf writing. I included a mini word wall and diagram. You can download the leaf resources HERE.

We also made leaf rubbings! (I didn't get a photo of those yet.)

Math Centers

 Race to Ten - Roll the die and put the correct number of leaves on the ten frame. First to reach 10 wins! I found the plastic leaves in the Target Dollar Spot!
Click here for the free Race to Ten template.

Stacking Apples - Roll the die, stack the cubes, and place them on the correct numeral.

More or Less - We roll the die and add leaves to our tree. Then we figure out who has more and who has less. Click here for the More or Less work mats. This activity was inspired by Mrs. Lee! 

Race to 10 - We roll the die and put the correct number of spiders in our "ten frame." The ten frames are pumpkin ice cube trays from Dollar Tree! 

Race to Trace - Roll the cube and trace the correct number.
 

Spider Spin & Count - Spin the spinner, count the spiders using the ten frame, then draw and write the amount on the sheet.

Five Frame Spin & Color - spin the spinner, say the number, color in the correct apple.

Spider Facts - We practiced the number 8 by making spiders with 8 eyes and 8 legs!

Here is the writing template for the Spider Facts activity.

Literacy Centers

Syllable Sort & Stamp - we sort pictures by syllables, then stamp the syllables with a dot marker.

 Trace Stamp Write - We pick an apple, then trace, stamp, and write the word.

Pumpkin Letter Hunt - We go fishing for letters inside the pumpkin, then say the letter and color in the matching letter on our sheet.

Roll a Word - Roll the cube, read the word, write it on the graph.

And just for fun, we turned paper plates into Jack-O-Lanterns!

  

 

Most of these math and literacy center activities are included in my Fall Centers Pack!

And be sure to check out these FREEBIES if you don't already have them! I know it's late for these now, but you might want them for next year!

P.S. I recently updated my fall pack to include a couple of new activities, but I had a hard drive mishap this week! My drive died and I haven't backed it up in a few months (not smart)! So, it's at the repair shop now and I'm hoping they can recover most of the data. It's going to cost a ton, but my entire life is on that drive! Once I get it back, I will upload the updated version of the pack! 

HAPPY FALL!