By Gigi on February 2nd, 2019
This giraffe craft is an engaging extension to Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees, a beautifully illustrated rhyming tale about a giraffe named Gerald. Gerald is clumsy with spindly legs and crooked knees.
At the Jungle Dance, the warthogs start to waltz, the rhinos rock ‘n’ roll, and the lions dance a tango that is elegant and bold. As Gerald approaches the dance floor, he is teased and laughed at by the other animals. They tell him, “Giraffes can’t dance!”
Humiliated, Gerald creeps off toward home. Along the way, he meets a wise and gentle cricket who encourages him to listen to the music around him: the swaying grass and trees and the branches in the breeze. Suddenly, the giraffe begins to dance the most beautiful dance. The other animals quickly gather around him, entranced by his moves. Gerald proves that it’s okay to be different, and that anybody can dance – they just need their own sweet tune.
MATERIALS USED:
– Construction paper
– Our giraffe template
– Scissors
– Yarn
– Googly eyes
– Pipe cleaners/fuzzy sticks
– Crayons and/or markers
– Glue
Provide each child with a giraffe (older students should be encouraged to cut out there own). Learners will uses their fine motor skills to tear small pieces of brown construction paper, and to cut small pieces of yarn and pipe cleaner. Children will then practice their spatial reasoning skills by placing the torn paper within the allotted space on their giraffes. Finally, they will glue the spots, eyes, tail, and horns. Supply crayons and/or markers, so extra details may be added.
During this activity, make it a point to facilitate discussion about the book’s message, and to have some fun with rhyming (e.g. What rhymes with giraffe?).
By Gigi on December 20th, 2018
Vroom! Vroom! This Transportation Math and Literacy packet is sure to get those little brains revved up. It contains 12 worksheets and 4 learning center activities that strengthen the following skills:
– Counting
– One-to-one correspondence
– Classification
– Number recognition
– Number order
– Addition to six
– Set recognition
– Graphing
– Number formation
– Ordinal concepts
– Size comparison
– Language/dictation
– Upper and lowercase letter recognition
– Beginning sound recognition
– Ending sound recognition
– Phonological and phonemic awareness
– Fine motor
– Following directions
TRANSPORTING TOYS – SYLLABLE CLAP & COUNT (COLOR 3 SHEETS & 12 SYLLABLE CARDS/B&W 3 SHEETS & 12 SYLLABLE CARDS)
Print this activity out on cardstock (laminate for heavy use). Students will name each picture card and clap and count each word part. They will then place the card on the appropriate train, e.g., gir-affe/train #2.
DINER DASH – RACE TO THE TOP (COLOR 1 SHEET & 6 POCKET CUBE/DIE CARDS/B&W 1 SHEET & 6 POCKET CUBE/DIE CARDS)
Print this activity out on cardstock (laminate for heavy use). Cut out the cards and insert them into a pocket cube/die. Provide pom poms, vase gems, mini erasers or some other manipulative for children to use as markers. For individual use, the child will roll the cube/die, identify the picture, and place a marker in the appropriate column. Repeat until a column is full to the top; that vehicle wins. In small group, provide each child with his/her own sheet. Children will take turns rolling, marking their own roll. First person to fill a column to the top wins the Diner Dash! Encourage learners to take a good look at their graphs, and discuss which of their vehicles came in first, second, and so on.
TRANSPORTATION NUMBER PUZZLES (COLOR 3/B&W 3)
Print these out on cardstock (laminate for heavy use), and cut the puzzles into strips. Students will complete the puzzles (school bus, airplane, and submarine) by placing the pieces in numerical order.
ALPHABET TRAIN – LETTER-SOUND ASSOCIATION PUZZLES (COLOR 26/B&W 26)
Print these cards out on cardstock (laminate for heavy use). Cut the puzzles in half. Students will say the picture name and work to match it with its beginning letter.
WORKSHEETS (B&W 12)
This Transportation Math and Literacy packet also contains 12 worksheets. Included in that number is a writing prompt to go along with the book If I Built a Car
by Chris Van Dusen. You can read more about this book and activity here.
GET THIS TRANSPORTATION MATH AND LITERACY ACTIVITIES PACK HERE.
By Gigi on March 20th, 2018
Put all of your eggs in one basket and grab this Easter Math and Literacy pack! It contains 14 worksheets and 3 learning center activities that are eggcellent for strengthening the following skills:
– Counting
– One-to-one correspondence
– Number quantity
– Number formation
– Number recognition
– Set recognition
– Number order
– Measurement
– Patterning
– Graphing
– Addition
– Classification
– Fine motor
– Upper and lowercase letter recognition
– Beginning sound recognition
– ABC order
– Letter formation
– Visual discrimination
– Phonological and phonemic awareness
– Following directions
EASTER ALPHABET & BEGINNING SOUND MATCH-UP (COLOR 26 BASKETS & 52 EGGS/B&W 26 BASKETS & 52 EGGS)
Print out the baskets and eggs on cardstock (laminate for heavy use). Student will identify the lowercase letters and the beginning letter sounds of each item. They will then place the eggs on the appropriate baskets.
JELLYBEAN PATTERNING CARDS (COLOR 4/B&W 4)
Print these cards out on cardstock (laminate for heavy use). Cut the cards into strips. Provide young learners with a small amount of jellybeans. Work with children to match, extend, and describe the AB, AAB, ABB, and ABC patterns.
BUNNY TEN FRAME COUNTING CARDS (COLOR 10/B&W 10)
Print these cards out on cardstock (laminate for heavy use). Provide mini erasers, jellybeans, pom poms, vase gems, or some other small manipulative for students to use. Young learners will place a numbered group of items on its corresponding card. As children pick up and place each item, encourage them to say its number name (one, two, etc.).
WORKSHEETS (B&W 14)
With these 14 worksheets, students will graph Easter eggs, measure bunnies, practice addition and letter formation, and so much more!
GET THIS EASTER MATH AND LITERACY ACTIVITIES PACK HERE.
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by Chris Van Dusen. You can read more about this book and activity here.
