Thanks to everyone who responded to my request for end of the year
activities for kindergarten. Many folks requested a hit, so here it is.
Seems like many of you are almost finished, but we are still in school
until June 23! One politically inspired thought -- while so many are
out there beating up on teachers and school employees(at least here in
NJ), remember to tell them, it's not a vacation, it's unpaid
unemployment for 2 months. Characterize it correctly so people realize
we don't get a 2 month 'vacation'!
While not an entire lesson, you can probably use these ideas for a few
minutes each:
All students go to the easy section and point to a spine label. Inside
a baggie, I have all 26 letters of the alphabet (I use EE for E's
because calling out one E will end the game in my library), a volunteer
or the teacher reaches in the bag and calls out a letter. If the
students have this letter in the spine label, they return to their
seats. The game continues until one winner is found. Sometimes near
the end, I call out several letters at a time to speed things up.
Another game I play is SWAT: I write upper and lower case letters on my
dry erase board. I divide the class in half (sometimes boys against
girls) and then I call out letters on the board. One member from each
team is given a fly swatter. They stand up and I call out a letter.
The student who can swat the letter the fastest earns a point for their
team.
Cut some paper squares and teach a simple origami figure or two. Tell
them to look for more origami books at public library (if you know they
have them) and parents can find origami online. Cat and dog head goes
nicely with Angus and the Cat.
For little advance preparation, memory panels. They fold a piece of 9
x 12 or 12 x 18 paper horizontally and vertically and draw/color items
from favorite library books on each panel after recall review of the
year. Might want to protect tables.
I made a bingo game with sight words and letters. There are a few
websites where you can make them
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/
<http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/>
It even allows you to shuffle the words, eliminating one, to make 20
different cards. I blow them up a bit and copy onto cardstock. I have a
set for almost every grade level for review and the kids love this at
the end of the year. Of course it costs a bit to hand out candy for
prizes!
Centers -- 1. Reading corner with some of our favorite books 2. Read a
big book 3. Do a big puzzle on the floor 4. Drawing table - drawing
book, pencils and paper. 5. Memory game. I have a bunch of Lucite
blocks with bugs in them that we look at with magnifying glasses. And
I will have a poetry table for the older kids. Find a poem in a book and
copy it on nice paper to keep in your pocket. I have four tickets for
each center. Everyone can pick a ticket. Once the tickets for a certain
center are gone they have to go somewhere else.
My first graders just made book covers - they had to fill in a title and
author, and draw a picture (works with kindergarten too).
Mo Willems: http://www.pigeonpresents.com/
<http://www.pigeonpresents.com/>
Read Elephant and Piggy and Pigeon books...then go to his web site and
play the games...on your SMART board. My little ones couldn't get enough
of the Elephant and Piggy dances after reading "I am invited to a Party"
and the Top the Hot dog game after reading, "The Pigeon Finds a Hot
Dog." They also loved to yell "NO!" to each question from the Pigeon
when I read "Don't let the Pigeon stay up late" They also drew
themselves flying, after I read "Today I will fly" and they drew
themselves at the fancy, pool costume party after I read "I am invited
to a party." So many ideas and lots of giggles!
I end every year doing bubbles and paper airplanes with my
kindergarteners.
Stories, movies, websites and craft activities.
Read Kittens First Full Moon by Henkes, explained it won the Caldecott,
showed them medal. Found a kitten printable mask online, they had to
cut it out and add a popsicle stick handle, then reread book and have
them act out with their masks.
Read Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, explain it won
the 2nd place award for its pictures. I also read Don't Let the Pigeon
Stay up Late, and told them the titles of the other Pigeon books. There
is a teacher's guide online:
http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com/pigeon_drawing_instr.pdf
<http://www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com/pigeon_drawing_instr.pdf>
Show students how to draw Pigeon. Explain their pigeon can do anything
they want him to do. Then have them complete the sentence starter, the
pigeon wants to ... and add details to their picture.
Mrs. Mary Ellen Malloy, LMS
Harrison Twp School (PreK - 3)
120 N. Main Street
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
856-478-2016 X125
fax 856-478-4825
malloyme@harrisontwp.k12.nj.us <mailto:malloyme@harrisontwp.k12.nj.us>
The information contained in this e-mail is confidential, privileged, or
otherwise protected from disclosure. It is intended only for the use of
the authorized individual as indicated in the e-mail. Any unauthorized
disclosure, copying, or distribution is strictly prohibited.
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