Wacky Word Wednesday: Swat the Sight Words!

Language Objectives:
* To review sight words and recognize them quickly

Materials:
* large piece of construction paper or poster board
* fly swatter
* marker
* sight word printables from Unique Teaching Resources (see previous sight word post)

Procedure:

* It's time for the "Swat the Sight Words" game!  Write approximately 10-15 sight words on a large piece of paper or poster board (or even a dry erase board so you can change out the words).  Call out a word and let your child "swat" it with a fly swatter!  See how fast they can find it.  They will have a blast doing this!

( Feel free to modify this for younger kids with letter and number recognition.)



Check out Sawyer's concentration with his
tongue sticking out! :)



* You could also use a flashlight and let them shine the light on the correct word or make a special pointer to point out the words.  Use your imagination!

* After we played the game, Sawyer reviewed the sight words with the flashcards we made.  I just printed each list that we have been working on, cut them out, punched holes in the corners, and placed each set on a ring.

Totally Technical Tuesday: Highlights Website

Technical Objectives:
* To explore the Highlights Website
* To learn educational concepts through this site
* To use the fine motor skills involved with browsing with and clicking a mouse

Materials:
* Highlights Website
* Computer or iPad

Procedure:
* We love, love, love the Highlights magazine.  Sawyer's great grandmother got him a subscription to it last year for Christmas, and he looks forward to getting it in the mail each month. (Great gift idea if you're looking for one!)  The website is just as spectacular with lots of games and activities for all ages!

* Go to the Highlights Website, and let your child browse around.  Sawyer likes to go to the Highlights Kids pages and listen to stories and play games.  There are also pages for parents and teachers.  So many activities to choose from!  Have fun playing online!

Home Page

Games

Read Aloud Stories

Teacher Page with lessons and activities

Parent Page with more ideas for your kiddos

Mighty Math Monday: Candy Corn Fact Families from Primary Graffiti

Math Objectives:
* To learn what a fact family is (using the same 3 numbers to create addition and subtraction facts)
* To use addition and subtraction skills
* To use the fine motor skills involved with writing

Materials:
* Printables from Primary Graffiti
* Scissors
* Pencil

Procedure:

* Another pinterest find from Primary Graffiti!  Cut up these cute candy corns and have your child add up the numbers to find the correct sum.  Then allow them change the numbers around in the fact family.  For example, 3+1=4, 1+3=4, 4-3=1, 4-1=3.  These numbers create a fact family.  There are 50 pages in the download (first 25 are color, last 25 are black and white), so I only printed a few to do right now.  I also printed the page in which you can write out the fact families.



Using your fingers to count is a great
visual way to see each fact family.





I helped Sawyer write each fact family.



Fantastically Fun Friday: Blow It Up Science Experiment

Fun Objectives:
* To learn what a chemical reaction is
* To watch what happens when baking soda and vinegar are mixed together
* To understand that when mixed together, these ingredients create carbon dioxide
* To see this chemical reaction blow up a balloon
* To use prediction skills
* To use the fine motor skills involved with pouring

Materials:
* Baking Soda
* Vinegar
* Bottle/Jar with a small top
* Funnel (I used a small icing tip)
* Balloons

Procedure:

* Talk about what a chemical reaction is.  Ask your child to predict what will happen when the baking soda and vinegar are mixed together.  Ask them if they think the reaction will blow the balloon up or if it will stay down.

* Pour about an inch of vinegar into the bottle.

* Using the funnel, pour about a tablespoon of baking soda into the balloon.

* Carefully place the balloon over the mouth of the bottle.



* Lift the balloon up so that the baking soda will fall into the vinegar.  Watch the bubbles form at the bottom of the bottle.

* Super Cool!!!  Talk about the chemical reaction and how the baking soda and vinegar mixed together to create carbon dioxide.  This created the air to blow the balloon up.

Of course, we had to do it again! :)

Thoroughly Thoughtful Thursday: The Ten Commandments from Train Up A Child

Social Skills/Thoughtful Objectives:
* To listen to the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments
* To learn what the Ten Commandments are and why God gave them to us
* To create a visual representation of the Ten Commandments to help remember each one
* To discuss how to obey God's rules for us

Materials:
* Bible - Exodus 20:1-17
* Ten Commandments Printable from me :)

* 2 colors of construction paper
* Scissors
* Glue
* Marker

Procedure:

* I saw this idea on Train Up A Child and thought it was such a great way to teach the Ten Commandments. However, I knew that my children would not understand the biblical wording of each commandment, so I found different phrases on a children's poster and made my own printables to help them comprehend what each rule means.  You are welcome to use the others from Train Up A Child.  There is also a cute Commandment Train to make if you want to. 

* Read Exodus 20:17 from your bible or use a children's bible.  Explain to your kids what these rules mean and why God gave them to Moses and to us.  Discuss how to obey these commandments.  You can role play different situations to help them understand.

* Cut out each commandment from the printables.

* Then have your child make handprints with paint or trace and cut their handprints out of construction paper and glue them onto a second piece of construction paper.

* Glue each commandment in order onto a finger of the handprints.

* Number each finger 1-10 and write "The Ten Commandments" on the bottom.  Review each commandment and ask your child to explain what each one means.  Pray together and ask God to help you follow and obey each of these rules.

Wacky Word Wednesday: Vowel in the Middle Game from Classroom DIY

Language Objectives:
* To recall the short vowel sounds
* To sound out words
* To recognize which short vowel sound is in each word

Materials:
* Printables from Classroom DIY
* Craft Sticks
* Glue (The website says to use a glue gun, but I just used regular glue.)
* Sharpie
* Scissors (or circle punch)
* Clothespin

Procedure:
*  I found this activity on Pinterest (of course!), so I will let you follow the directions from the Classroom DIY website.  This is a great way to help your child differentiate the short vowel sounds, as well as practice sounding out words.  Have your child sound out the word of the picture and put the clothespin on the correct vowel in the words.

Totally Technical Tuesday: You Tube Learning Videos

Technology Objectives:
* To use You Tube videos in order to learn educational concepts
* To listen to and learn songs and images that help to remember these concepts

Materials:
* computer
* You Tube Links:
* I Can Count to 100
* ABC Phonics Song
* Animal Sounds Song
* The Shapes Song
* Colors for Children and Toddlers
* Five Little Ducks
* Spanish Counting 1-10
* Months of the Year
* Days of the Week

Procedure:
* It is proven that music and visual images help children, as well as adults, learn and memorize subject matter faster and more efficiently.  These videos and songs will provide an outlet for this type of learning.

* Click on any of the links above to go to a video.  I have just listed some of our favorites, but feel free to search and find ones your children enjoy.  Have your child watch and listen to the songs to help them learn the content of each one.  Help them sing along as you watch together!