Showing posts with label Back to School. Show all posts

Back to School Organization with Picture Name Tags

9:19 PM

The first week of pre-k and kinder is all about establishing routine. So many of my little friends come in and have no connection to their written name. I have started using picture symbols with student names to help all students identify their names, places and spaces in the classroom. This works with all children including non-English speakers and our ESE students as pictures are universal!

The most obvious use of symbols and pictures is with student name tags. I actually put our name tags in a pocket chart so my pre-kinders are able to use this card during small groups and center time- no matter where they are sitting in the classroom.

Cubby tags are another great place to use symbols and names together... unless you don't have cubbies! You guessed it, I don't have cubbies in my classroom, so we put our backpacks over out chairs sideways so they don't fall off. I used the cubby tags on the back of their chairs so everyone has a home base in the classroom and a place to park their bags!

I then printed the cubby tags with several on a sheet to reduce their size

and make them more versatile in the classroom.

These are the perfect size for folder labels, lanyard necklaces, graphing cards, and even cafeteria cards with bar codes to scan on the back!

And last but certainly not least, I use the symbol cards on colored bins for easy water bottle storage! These would also be great for storing individual supplies at tables!

The picture name tags help my kiddos connect to their names in a meaningful way while helping me organize our room and develop routines especially during the first few weeks of school. The possibilities are endless with Picture Name Tags! You can find them HERE in TpT.

Be sure to pin this post for easy, back to school organization!

Mrs. Wathen

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Alphabet Back to School FREEBIE freebies home-school connection names pre-k preschool TpT

5 Ways to Practice Student Names

10:05 AM

With back to school right around the corner,

preschool and kindergarten teachers are looking for

engaging ways for students to practice their names!

"Why?" you ask.

Students have a strong will to learn their name and

it makes learning letters more personal to each student.

When my students come to Meet the Teacher the week before school starts, pictures of various objects are out on a board and each student is allowed to pick one "symbol" to be attached to their name.
This practice allows children to identify their name and space easily. Students quickly learn each others' symbols and names as well and they LOVE this!

The Pre-K Name Tags set includes 40 stand alone symbols, Set A and Set B class lists for am and pm classes, EDITABLE name tags and EDITABLE cubby labels. Students quickly learn their name as it is always connected to their symbol!

At the beginning of the year, my pre-kinders may have no idea what their name looks like or even that it has letters.
Our focus in August is to introduce the FIRST letter of their names! We start by introducing the first letter of their name with some fine motor fun. Later in September, we use it for a model for some dry erase board practice.

Providing multiple opportunities for name writing is key! Provide a model for the student with his or her name and model rainbow writing (writing name several times with a different color each time), tracing the name with bingo dabbers or watercolor paints, or even model paper tearing to cover the child's full name similar to the letter J above.

Bottle Cap Letters or other letter manipulatives let children manipulate the letters in his or her name to order them correctly.
By using Bottle Cap Letters, you are able to customize each child's name, use different colors for each child so they don't mix up their letters and teachers can send an extra set home for additional practice.
Parents always ask what they can do and Bottle Cap Letters provide an activity that is easy to use. This is an inexpensive way to provide a home-school connection!

If you are interested in Bottle Cap Letters,

you can download it from my TpT store for FREE!

Salt trays and shaving cream are a go to sensory activity for name practice. It works best one on one at the beginning of the year and then small group. Both activities have a dual purpose as they help with letter formation as well as letter/sound identification when working with a teacher.

Children have different learning styles and this activity will help your tactile learners connect with letters.
Don't forget to grab your FREE copy of Bottle Cap Letters if you have not already done so and for future products, be sure to follow my Teachers Pay Teachers store HERE.

Mrs. Wathen

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Back to School FREEBIE freebies graphing math TpT

Picture Graphs and FREEBIE

9:52 PM

Graphing in the primary grades can be so much fun! Picture graphs give my students time to think about their responses while using a little creativity. There are so many ways to incorporate graphing into monthly activities, themes, science and social studies and special interests. Just in the past three weeks, we have done a graphing mini unit and the topics are limitless. We started with Our Favorite Color graph. Colored hand prints are always fun and would also be great at the beginning of the school year.

I hand wrote a title to get us through the week, but soon realized I would love to have cuter go to titles.

We then moved on to a Fairy Tale unit in Language Arts and spent two weeks reading different versions on The Three Little Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff and Jack and the Bean Stalk. That naturally lead to the discussion of our favorite story and another graph.

I love using authentic drawings to create the graph. It gives the children more buy in as they are creating their card as a part of the graph. There is a sense of pride and more of a connection.

And once again, I was in need of a title card. I finally realized that I may NOT be the only teacher who could use a collection of graph titles.

Another great graph that could be used now or at the beginning of the year is More Boys or Girls? Let's just say I have WAY more girls than boys this year! In the morning class of nineteen students, I have 5 boys and 14 girls! In pre-k, we have REALLY been working on body parts and adding details. Some of getting it and others are a work in progress:)

So I created another title and decided I LOVE the print and go easibility of these titles. I print them on card stock and decided NOT to laminate them to avoid the glare.

I have put these three graph titles in a little bundle and even added a fourth as a sampling of what is to come! You can download them for FREE here.

I can't wait to read you feedback to see what you think! Feel free to leave suggestions for upcoming graph titles. post signature

Mrs. Wathen

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Alphabet Back to School Classroom decor pre-k TpT

Interactive Alphabet Anchor Charts

12:33 AM

As I am preparing my classroom for back to school, I have scoured TpT for the perfect alphabet for my new pre-k class. I have seen so many amazing alphabets, but none were exactly what I was looking for. I really want my students to interact with the letters, pictures and words. Hence, the birth of interactive anchor charts!

As I formally introduce each letter and sound, I will model how to match the beginning picture sound to the letter. The alphabet anchor chart activity will then be available for my pre-k friends to manipulate during centers. The alphabet anchor charts will be backed with magnets and find a home on my metal cabinet for students to use for review. You could easily use Velcro or sticky-tack to make your interactive alphabet anchor charts too or leave it all off and just use it as a table top center.

I love the storing this activity in the plastic pockets that I ordered from Amazon. You can find them HERE. I store the alphabet letters in the large pocket and the picture cards in the smaller one. I am planning on ordering more as I want store all my pre-k centers in these. Did I mention that the slide at the top of the folders are different colors for even more organization!

All of the letter and picture combinations are also available in a pocket chart size for whole group lessons and additional review! These are great for sorting activities during centers and small group instruction as well. You can view the pocket chart cards in the product preview HERE on TpT.

Both the interactive alphabet anchor charts and the pocket chart cards are available in Interactive Alphabet Activities. This unit was also featured in the Teachers Pay Teachers Back to School E-Book.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Grades-PreK-and-Kindergarten-Back-to-School-eBook-2015-2016-2020245

This resource is full of fabulous back to school tips, freebies and product resources to get your year started on the right foot! Just click on the picture above for the pre-k & kindergarten edition. Other grade level links can be found there as well.

I hope this helps out as you head back to school in the coming weeks!

Mrs. Wathen

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