Does your little one get confused when trying to read the letter C in a word? Children are so used to spelling words like c-a-t that when they come to one like c-i-t-y they pronounce it as “kitty.” The hard and soft C can be difficult to master. These hard and soft C little books help readers think about the two sounds. And the rhyme helps kids to make some sense of the differences! And speaking of little readers, hop over to check out our amazing Emergent Readers Bundle in our shop! Getting ReadyWe had already worked through hard and soft G little readers, so the kids were keen to keep going with these new books. We downloaded them (below), printed them off and posted the rhyme on our cupboard right next to the soft and hard G poster. We assembled the books using the instructions in the printable, printing the two word books in color and the hard and soft C phrase book in black and white so we could color it. Learning the Hard and Soft CWe wanted to go hunting for the letter C, so we cut Post-It notes into thin strips so we could leave one on the page wherever we saw a C. We read through Cinderella together and took our time to scan the pages as we read. Then, we picked some C words at random to decide whether they were hard or soft. We took a look at the poster, reading through the rhyme together and looking back at the words we’d highlighted from Cinderella to see if they were true. We also realized that the “rules” in the rhyme were nearly the same for C as they were for G (except that CH makes its own sound). This is how the rhyme goes: In front of i or y or e, C is soft like celery*. In front of a or u or o (or other letters, so you know), C is hard like cows or crows (unless it’s H like chews or chose). * There are exceptions to the soft rule, for example: Mc and Mac are always hard even if followed by e or i. The children all chose to look for a word with a different following letter and wrote one each on the whiteboard so we could look at them more closely. This was an effective way to double check the rhyme and make sure we understood it properly. Reading the Hard and Soft CThe children read through both word books, underlying the sound after each C with a pencil before saying the word to check how it sounded. Then, they used thin markers to trace over the words. Some children traced every word, more struggling writers did just a few words. Next, we read through the mixed reader together before they colored their own book. After a break, the children paired off and read the Hard and Soft Sounds Book together. By this time they had a fairly good grasp of the concept of hard and soft sounds and used it to help sound out some of the trickier words they were less familiar with. Grab Your DownloadReady to practice hard and soft C too?! Click the blue download button below to grab your little reader books and then hop over and pick up our Emergent Readers Bundle, too! The post Hard and Soft C Little Reader Books appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/hard-soft-c-little-reader-books/
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If I were to ask you WHY you started teaching, what would you say? You wanted to make a difference in the world? Inspire kids to love learning? Be a positive role model for students who really need one? Trust me – I’m right there with you. But, as we all know, the road to teaching is full of twists and turns. And that’s never been more true than it is today. So how can you turn teacher burnout and stress back into that motivation and excitement you started with? Here are three simple things that will help… ![]() #1 Switch One Little WordThe words we use make a big impact on our mood. Instead of saying, “I HAVE to go to school”, change it to, “I GET to go to school.” Switching the word HAVE to GET has the power to *completely* flip your mindset. Instead of looking at your day ahead as WORK, you’ll start to see it as an OPPORTUNITY to make a big, exciting impact in the world. #2 Just Say “No”Nothing will burn you out faster than doing so much for OTHER people that you stop taking care of YOURSELF. So try this… Challenge yourself to say “no” to something at least once a day. You can even make it a game! See how many days in a row you can set clear boundaries by saying:
Saying “no” even once a day will open up time for you to do something else that actually fills your bucket like taking a bath, having happy hour with a friend or reading a new book. ![]() #3 Set Work BoundariesRepeat after me: having the last car in the parking lot does NOT make you a better teacher. So decide on your work hours and stick to it! Think about the earliest and latest you’re happy working…
Set your work hours now and add them to your lesson planner so you remember to stick to them. You can even add an alert on your phone that pops up every work day to remind you it’s time to head home! With just a few simple little tweaks, you can be more motivated, excited and energized than ever before… And you can stop teacher burnout in its tracks. This is YOUR year and I’m so excited to cheer you on every step of the way! Grab a ChecklistSpeaking of simple ways to stop teacher burnout, if you’d like some help brainstorming ways to take care of yourself this school year, grab this checklist! It’s filled with 25 quick and easy self-care ideas you’ll love. The post How to Stop Teacher Burnout appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/how-to-stop-teacher-burnout/ If you’re looking for some fun, new rhyming activities to try with your kids, these quirky rhyme games are sure to do the trick. And, our best-selling Ultimate Preschool Activity Pack is a must-have if you’re looking for similar activities! Getting ReadyBefore beginning these rhyming games, some teaching prep work is involved. Teaching rhyming can be tricky. I was happy when I learned there is a rhyming teaching sequence. So you don’t have to worry about trying to teach rhyme identification and rhyme generation simultaneously. The first step is for kids to learn how to identify words that rhyme. I find pictures sorts with three options work best at this level. An example of an activity is to lay out three pictures with two that rhyme and one that doesn’t. Then, ask a question such as, “which one rhymes with cake… dog or rake?” (The activities below focus on developing this skill.) The next step is for kids to learn how to generate rhyming words on their own. So at this level, the kids can be challenged with prompts such as “think of a word that rhymes with key and bee…. tree, knee, see, me, we, etc.” I’ve been advised before that even making up nonsense words is okay, as long as they rhyme. Kids certainly seem to love it when they can make up a word to rhyme with their own name. Once kids get the hang of rhyming they will hopefully appreciate that “rhyme” and “slime” rhyme. I was stoked when I thought of that combo, so I hope your students enjoy the following activities! Rhyming GamesThe first game you can play is Rhyme Slime, which is a bit like a game of snap but with a twist. Each player is given a set of rhyming cards and they take turns putting a card face up on the rhyme slime mat. They need to say the picture out loud e.g. “tree.” If there are two cards face up that rhyme, such as “tree” and “bee”, the players needs to say “rhyme slime” and high five each other with the motion of slimy, slithery fingers! The next rhyming game is a picture sort that includes the rhyme endings of -AT, -AN, – AKE, -EE. I usually work with two sets to begin with such as -AT and -EE. I begin by laying out the headings and saying the sounds. I get the kids to take turns choosing a card and saying the name of the picture out loud. Then, they have to place it below the mat that rhymes. The activity could be tweaked for kids who are ready to generate rhymes. You can use the headings as prompts to see how many rhyming words they can come up with. The last activity is memory, also known as concentration. To play, kids randomly choose a few rhyming cards from the pile. For beginners, I’d stick to just two word families such as -AT and -EE. Then, lay the cards face down in rows. Each player turns over two cards at a time. If they rhyme, they get to keep the pair and have another turn. If they don’t rhyme, they need to turn the card back over and remember where it is. Then, the next player has a turn. The player with the most pairs wins. Tip: Printing the cards on cardstock keeps players from seeing through to the other side. Grab Your SetReady to play Rhyme Slime?! Click the download button below to grab your set and then grab our Ultimate Preschool Activity Pack in our shop! The post Rhyme Slime Games appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/rhyme-slime-games/ We all know that using math in real life makes numbers come alive for young children. With these subtraction word problems, kids can imagine the scenarios as they tackle them, making them less abstract and more concrete. The stories are brilliant for kindergarteners with a little support, and first graders who will be able to read much of the text independently. For more math practice, check out our Place Value Cover Up activity in our shop! Why Word Problems?Solving word problems is BIG at school. Teachers want to know that children not only understand the basic mechanics of math, but that they know how to apply it in a variety of situations. That’s why it’s fantastic when we chat to kids about numbers or counting while we’re in the car looking out the window, or at the shopping center or while we’re preparing dinner. The more familiar our kids are with numbers and their value in real life, rather than as a rote exercise, the better. NOTE: We talk more about the importance of word problems in this Addition Word Problems to 20 post. Getting ReadyTo prep this activity, I printed off the black and white version onto colored paper to make it nice and bright, and printed the colored version onto plain cardstock. Before laminating and cutting apart the cards, I wrote the answer on the back of each problem to make it easy for the kids to self-check. I just made sure the answer wouldn’t show through! Then, I punched holes in the top left-hand corner and added a ring to keep them all together. Subtraction Word ProblemsSince we had previously worked with the Addition Word Problems to 20 cards, the children were familiar with the format, which gave them greater confidence. The fact that it was subtraction just meant that we needed to chat about how to use the ten frames effectively. Instead of filling in the squares to each part of the question until we got the answer, we had to start with the largest number from the problem. We did a few together as a group first, reading a problem through from beginning to end, then re-reading it slowly to make sure we understood it. The children determined the biggest number at the start of the problem and used dry erase markers to put a dot or small circle in the same number of squares. Then, they continued to the next part of the question and “deleted” the dots either by drawing a cross on top or rubbing it out with a tissue. I had them go back to the question and make sure they had completed the whole problem before turning the card over to check their answer. Some problems had only two steps, while others had three or four so double- and triple- checking the problem was important. We found that having to give this attention to detail was rewarding as the more complicated the problem, the prouder the children felt when they were able to complete them. Of course, some needed additional assistance, particularly if they lacked confidence in math or when the text was a little beyond their current reading level. After completing a problem, they flipped it over to self-check the answer. If their answer wasn’t the same, they went back to the question to try and discover what step they’d missed or asked a friend to go through the steps with them. This was also a great way to emphasize the importance of taking the time to read the problem over rather than rushing through the process after a quick look! Of course, they had to erase their answer by rubbing all their markings out before they tried another question. Grab Your SetClick the blue button below to download your subtraction word problems and then hop over and grab our Place Value Cover Up in our shop! The post Subtraction Word Problems to 20 appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/subtraction-word-problems-20/ Multiplication is tricky for younger children so it helps if they can think about it in a variety of ways. These multiplication word problem cards ask questions that kids can visualize, so they can picture the scenes in their mind’s eye and map out the solutions. If you’re looking for more math practice, check out our Place Value Cover Up activity! Getting ReadyTo prepare for this activity, I downloaded the free multiplication cards (below) and printed them. (The color version was printed onto white cardstock and the black and white version onto colored copy paper for brightness.) I laminated the pages, cut them apart and then wrote the answer on the back of each card with a permanent Sharpie. This made them self-checking. Then, I asked the kids to punch holes in the top left corner of the cards so we could attach them to a ring. Solving Multiplication Word ProblemsThe most difficult part for children working on multiplication is to make sure they understand the question and what it’s asking of them. So we began this activity as a group and talked through some of the problems together. Students knew that multiplication was the same as adding groups of numbers together. For instance, 3 x 5 means 3 sets of 5. With the question pictured above, we had to decide whether we would cross off 5 squares twice, or two squares five times. Children were excited to discover that either way, we arrived at the same answer. We used dry erase markers and dry erase crayons to mark the squares on the ten frames for each problem and then erased them afterwards. Some of the children chose to draw little objects in the squares rather than just checking them off. For example, drawing little triangles when working on the pizza problem or simple chairs for one of the traveling questions. One child grabbed some recycled paper and drew larger pictures to represent the problems because it helped him understand more clearly. He then glued that page into his math notebook to keep a record of his efforts. One aspect about these multiplication word problems that made the kids more comfortable with these cards was that they had already completed the Addition Word Problems to 20 cards as well as the Subtraction Word Problems to 20 cards. Since the format was familiar, and the children had completed those tasks successfully, they did not seem too concerned about the questions because they knew if they re-read them or chatted with their friends, they’d be able to work them out. Grab Your SetLet’s start multiplying! Click the blue button below to download your free story problems and then hop over and snag our Place Value Cover Up Activity in our shop! The post Multiplication Word Problems to 20 appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/multiplication-word-problems-20/ Division is one of the more difficult math concepts to understand for early learners. While it’s closely related to multiplication, it’s trickier to grasp its meaning and to work out how to solve each problem. These division word problems are here to help! These task cards stay focused within 20 – numbers that are comfortable for children in first and second grade. They’re great to use as a math center or division activity! For more math fun, check out our Place Value Cover Up activity in our shop! Getting ReadyIt took very little effort to get ready for this activity. I downloaded the printable (below), wrote the answers on the back of each problem and then laminated and cut the pages into cards. There are both color and black and white versions, but I printed the color versions since they’re going to be reused over and over again. Then, I punched holes in the top corner of each card to attach them to a ring for safe-keeping. Revisiting MultiplicationIn order to understand division, we went back to our Multiplication Word Problem Cards for a quick review. We re-did some of the questions and then talked about how we could turn the questions around, making the largest number (the answer) part of the question. For example, if we already know that Diego played 12 games overall we might ask: If Diego played 4 games every hour and he played 12 games in total, how many hours was Diego on the plane? The children could see that there were 12 total marks in the ten frames, but there were also 3 groups of 4, which means he played for 3 hours. Another ExampleIf Thomas has 18 stamps altogether and divides them equally between 6 pages, how many stamps did he put on each page? On the ten frame, the kids saw that in the original multiplication question the answer was found by adding 3 groups of 6. Now, they have been given the numbers 18 and 6, therefore the answer must be 3. Division Word ProblemsWhen we wrapped up our quick review of multiplication, we jumped in and started tackling the division problems. I gave the kids a number of different colored dry erase markers to use in case color coding each set proved to be a helpful visual strategy for them.
Grab Your SetLet’s start dividing! Click the blue button below to download your free story problems and then hop over and snag our Place Value Cover Up in our shop, too! The post Division Word Problems within 20 appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/division-word-problems-within-20/ Brag tags are a simple tool for recognizing superstar student behavior, motivating reluctant learners and improving classroom management. Kids will love the kudos and you’ll love the easy prep! And for more classroom ideas, centers, challenge and more, join The Plato Pack! This post is sponsored by Astrobrights® Papers. The post includes Amazon affiliate links. Getting ReadyI wanted to give the brag tags a vibrant pop of color and really make them stand out so I printed them on several different Astrobrights® Papers: Planetary Purple Using Astrobrights is my secret sauce of saving MAJOR printer ink on this project (and so many others!) because the blackline brag tags already have that wow factor kids love. Plus, rainbow colors always make the classroom a happier place! You can find the colors individually or you can purchase assortment packs – the sky’s the limit with inspiring color combinations! Note: If you’ll be using the tags in a classroom, you may want to laminate them for durability. Once the brag tags were printed, I used my paper cutter to slice along the grey lines and separate them into individual pieces. Then, I picked up small stacks at a time and punched a hole in the upper left corner so that the tags would be easy for students to hang later. I grabbed my stash of book rings and we were ready to go! Using the Brag TagsI helped my daughter clip a book ring to the outside of her backpack so that she had a simple system for storing the brag tags as she accumulated them. (In a classroom, clipping the tags to backpacks would help families stay connected to their children’s positive choices, too. A major plus!) As I caught my daughter making good decisions throughout the day, I happily handed her a brag tag and invited her to add it to the ring. She was so excited to be recognized as a rockstar reader, critical thinker, hard worker, team player and awesome author. It took a little practice for her hands to get used to opening and closing the book ring but, after collecting just a couple of brag tags, she was a pro. The friendly tags were such a fun way to encourage her positive behavior! Grab Your SetReady to add some spirited brag tags to your classroom?! Click the blue download button below and then hop over and grab your favorite Astrobrights to give them an inspiring pop of color! Then, become a Plato Pack Member and join the most valuable teaching membership for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade educators! The post Astrobrights Brag Tags appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/astrobrights-brag-tags/ Teaching kids place value is a pretty big deal. Why? Because it’s the foundation for all other math they’ll learn down the road! Adding, subtracting, multiplying… It’s the difference between learning they have $7 in their pocket vs. $7,000! This place value activity is perfect for practicing just that! So, to help kids really learn the meaning behind place value, I whipped up these place value foldables for you! ![]() Getting ReadyPrep for this place value activity was super easy. I simply printed off the activity on colored paper for a fun pop! Then, I used a paper cutter to cut them into strips. I folded the dotted lines so it was easy for the kiddos to cover up the zero on the left-hand side of the foldable with a new digit (just like the picture above). I then printed one record sheet for each student. Voila! I was done! Foldable Place Value ActivityEach child picked up a foldable to begin the activity. They then folded it to make a new number and then added it to their record sheet. For example, one child picked up a foldable that read 2 0 + 3. When she folded her foldable, the number read 23. When she opened it back up, she saw 20 + 3. She then wrote it down in her record sheet and solved the equation. The play continued until their record sheet was complete. The place value activity was a great way to build number sense and addition skills! Join The Plato PackExcited to get your hands on this place value activity!? Hop over to become a Plato Pack member and join THE most valuable membership for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade teachers! The post Two Digit Foldables appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/two-digit-foldables/ We are ALL looking for those perfect back to school activities to start the fall. This Back to School Pack has EVERYTHING you need to start your school year off just right! Scroll down to take a look at all you’ll find. The amazing Back to School Pack is yours when become a VIP Plato Pack Member! ![]() ![]() Back to School Activities PackFirst up on our awesome Back to School Pack is our 7 First Week Activities! Snag some True or False questions, Getting to Know You activities and some super fun and simple Would You Rather? questions! ![]() Then, have a blast creating your Editable Name Plates for your classroom desks! ![]() And speaking of all things editable, check out our awesome Editable Pencil Box Labels, too. ![]() Ever have trouble logging in students on technology days? Never fear! These handy Login Tally Sheets are just what you (and the kids!) need for practice. ![]() Start each morning off right with these Morning Greeting Cards. ![]() And post these handy Sanitizing Schedules throughout your room! ![]() Do your kiddos need help with social distancing? These posters are great reminders. ![]() Assign important roles to your students in the tech room with these Technology Helper Badges! ![]() Also included in this AWESOME pack are a plethora of Would You Rather? questions to create and build community in your classroom! ![]() And last but not least for these back to school activities are adorable Back To School Postcards you can give your students to get them excited for a fun year ahead! ![]() Join The Plato PackExcited to get your hands on this amazing Back to School Pack!? Hop over to become a Plato Pack member and join THE most valuable membership for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade teachers! The post Back to School Pack appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/back-to-school-pack/ If you’re looking for a way to practice place value and strengthen number concept, look no further! This fun Build It! place value center has everything you need. It comes in THREE different versions so you can easily differentiate AND it includes printable place value blocks in case you’re teaching remotely. What could be better? This fun activity is yours when become a VIP Plato Pack Member! ![]() Getting ReadyPrep for this place value center was super simple. I printed the Build it! cards on colorful cardstock for a fun pop of color. If you’re using the activity in your classroom, you may want to consider laminating them for extra durability. Since this activity was in person, I used the base ten blocks I had on hand. However, if you’re using this activity while teaching remotely, send families home with the paper set of base ten blocks that is included in this download. Note: This is a great chance to differentiate! Give students who are just beginning to learn number concept the first set so they can specifically work on numbers 1-20. For students who are ready for more of a challenge, work on sets 2 or 3 instead. You can print each set on different colored paper to keep them nice and organized. Keeping them color coded also helps students to grab the appropriate one for their level while playing the center. Build It! Place Value CenterChildren grabbed one Build It! card at a time depending on their comfort level. Using their base ten blocks, they made each number while I made my way around the room, helping students who needed it. They continued until they worked their way through the entire set. Join The Plato PackExcited to get your hands on this place value center? Hop over to become a Plato Pack member and join THE most valuable membership for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade teachers! The post Build It! Place Value Center appeared first on Playdough To Plato. via Playdough To Plato https://www.playdoughtoplato.com/build-it-place-value-center/ |
ABOUT MEHi, I am Aida Turner from Brampton. I am 30 years old and I am a school teacher by profession. I love my profession. I spend mostly free time in searching different teaching methods for kids. Archives
February 2023
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