Shower Curtain/Tablecloth Games

I don't know about you but my bag of tricks is getting pretty low on ideas by this point in the school year. One of my last ditch efforts to refocus students on learning is by tricking them into it of course. I'm talking about Shower Curtain/Tablecloth Games!

I am here from K's Classroom Kreations to share with you a simple and inexpensive way to get learners up and engaged. Shower curtain games work great all year long, regardless if you are introducing new skills or reviewing some that were previously taught. I purchase plastic tablecloths or shower curtains during end of season sales and at my local Dollar Store.

I like to create generic game boards that can be used for many different games. For example, this round tablecloth was cut in half and turned into two matching garden themed centers. First I hand drew a few flowers onto the mat using a permanent marker. I used a die-cut machine to punch out some circles and laminated them. I also traced the petal shape onto construction paper and laminated those too. Now I just use a dry erase marker to write on the pieces. When the center is complete I can wipe off the pieces and use it all again later.

*Ideas to try:

- Number Representation- Write the numeral in the center. Have 1 different way to represent the number on each petal (tally marks, tens frames, addition, etc.). Students sort the pieces like a puzzle and put them on the flower they belong to.
- Word Families- Write a different word family on each center piece (-ap, -ing, -en). Write words or attach pictures to each petal. Students will sort and match pieces.

Here is a simple Blends Board. I have played this game several ways. The first way is to have students stand around the edges and throw a koosh ball onto the board. They then need to come up with a word containing the blend they land on. An alternative is for the teacher to call out a word and to have students move to the correct circle after listening carefully for a blend. Young readers could also search books for words with the pattern, record on sticky notes or index cards, and set word cards in the correct circle. The options are endless!

Another generic game board is in a Hopscotch format. I suggest using the tablecloths with backing for these games and also taping the board to the floor to prevent slipping and sliding. I like using this game board with phoneme or syllable segmentation. I call out a word and have students hop to show the correct number of sounds or syllables. They love it! For a math twist have students skip count by a certain number as they hop along the board.

Lastly, here is a little piggy game. Let me start by saying I AM NOT an artist (although my firsties think I am). I hang the curtain on my smartboard and trace out whatever image I would like in the center. It's a simple way to make custom boards without your little ones learning your true art abilities ;) Have students answer trivia, math facts, comprehension questions, etc. and move along the board from start to finish. This blank board can be used in any way that you choose.

I hope you were able to find a new game idea to help get through the next few weeks!! If you like what you read please be sure to stop by my blog or Instagram page to see the ideas in action.

Have you used shower curtains or tablecloths before to create games? What are the favorites in your class?

Want to put this idea in your bag of tricks for later? Pin here:

Keeping Kids Active

Hey friends, it Brittany again from Tickled Pink in Primary. Are you looking for ways to get your kids moving AND keep their brain working? I've created many games called Fluency & Fitness that help your students review needed skills, gives them a brain break, and get in a little exercise. My students have so much fun with this and even ask me if we can do it!

To play Fluency & Fitness you simply project one of the slideshows onto a big screen and flip through the slides as fast or slow as you think your students can do the skill. When they see an exercise slide, they have to do that exercise until you click to the next screen. I like to tease my students and stay on the exercise screen for a while. ;) 

One of my first grade colleagues videoed her class doing the number version. It's funny to see how excited they are for the push-ups.

Here's an example of the Missing Numbers version which would be great practice for mClass math assessments. 

Below is an example of my Dolch Words bundle. I have all the Dolch words in this packet from pre-primer to 3rd grade, or you can visit my store to buy just the sight word sets you need.

Fluency & Fitness doesn't just have to be a slideshow for whole group practice! I printed multiple pages per sheet to make these cards smaller. Put them in a cute container and voila, you have a great literacy center activity!

Click here to see all the different versions of Fluency & Fitness that I have.  I'm getting many requests for games, so keep an eye on my store for new activities!

Place Value Fun

At the beginning of the year I usually start with teaching my students place value. Place value is a concept that show up again and again throughout the year so it is essential that students have a solid understanding of it. 

As part of my unit students become very familiar with the hundreds chart. At one of my math centers I have students put together a variety of hundreds chart puzzles.

You can get a copy of your very own for free here!!!! I recommend printing each set on a different color piece of card stock so they are easier to gather into sets if they get mixed up.

Cheers,

Calling All Campers!

     

     Oh, a-camping we will go, a-camping we will go!  A great way to end or begin the school year or for some Summer School fun is to use a Camping theme.  The weather is usually warm (in some places it’s always warm!) and the children are anxious to learn about the outdoors.  We enjoy using a camping theme in our Kindergarten summer school program.  

     We start each morning with a rousing, “Gooooood morning, campers!” followed by a bugle call of revelry!  (Click here to link to a Youtube video with a wide variety of bugle calls.)  Next we make a circle and salute the flag which starts our day.  Then we sing a few camping songs like “She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”, “The Bear Went Over the Mountain” and “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”.  (We’ve also created several Camping-themed songs so we use those too!) 

      On the first day the children get a name tag that will be used again and again to graph questions on the pocket chart each day.  A morning activity includes asking a question such as, “Have you ever gone fishing?”   A short discussion takes place about the topic.  Then each student answers the question by placing their name tag under the words "Yes" or "No" in a pocket chart.  We talk about the results first and then color a graphing recording sheet to show the class responses.  

Click here to download the Free graphing packet   

        Food fest!  Everyone loves making s’mores when camping!  Since we really can’t have a campfire in the classroom, the next best thing is to use a microwave.  Each child builds their s’more by placing the bottom graham cracker square on a paper plate, topping it with half a bar of Hershey’s chocolate, and 1 marshmallow.  Place it in the microwave for 18 seconds, then take it out and smash the top graham cracker.  Squish!  Be prepared for sticky fingers, sticky tables, and SMILING faces covered in chocolate and marshmallow. 

   

     Now that we've made and enjoyed our s'mores, it's easy to tie that into our camping Math center activities.  This 10-frame math center gives them plenty of practice in adding 2 numbers together.  They just never want to stop pulling those S'more 10- frames out to build problems and find their sums! 

Click here to download the FREE S'more Math Packet

     Another favorite camping activity is “gazing at the stars".  We turn off all the lights and the campers lie down of the floor facing the ceiling under some sight words stars.  (Before doing this activity you have to attach Sight Word stars to the ceiling!) Using a flashlight, they take turns shining the light on the stars and reading the words.  (If you have access to a lot of flashlights, more students can hold them but they should take turns shining them on the words!)  They may write them using clipboards with the recording sheets attached.  Another variation is to have students take turns reading a word and using it in a complete sentence.  At another time, the teacher can shine the light on a word and all students can say the starry sight word together. 

Click here to download the FREE file

      When all their daily work is completed, the campers play board games and puzzles or read books, etc.  We set up a tent in the corner and 5-6 children take in their selected activity.   Since we have a pretty large number of students attending, we rotate the children using the tent so they each get a turn about every 3-4 days.  

     We always plan a field trip to the local library and since it is within walking distance of our school, we tell the kids we’re taking a hike….another camping reference!   In fact, any time we leave the classroom in a line, we “take a hike”.... and sing a song, of course.  Here is an example of a simple hiking song:

March and Sing

(Author unknown, Tune: “The Mulberry Bush”)                                         

Along the trail we march and sing,
March and sing, march and sing.
Along the trail we march and sing,
Along the trail today.

We hope you try a Camping Theme sometime in your classroom.  
It's LOTS of fun!

Click HERE to link to our TPT "store".