December, 2004
Here are some Christmas and patriotic (or Thanksgiving) related files that I use in my classroom during November and December. You can download and print them out in Word.

November, 2004
In case you can't tell, I think Zero the Hero is great and my Kindergarten students think he is soooooo cool!!! So, here are several Zero the Hero related ideas, activities and downloadable documents (in Word format), that I use in my classroom.  Classroom teachers may download and use the documents or artwork with their students and the students' families. However since many of the documents use artwork that we developed for use in our embroidery, it is requested that they not be directly distributed with other teachers -- instead, simply refer them to our website.  Anyone else downloading or using artwork/documents for any other reason, must have written permission from Sew What 4U Corp.

There are about thirty (30) single page stories in the four Word files (.doc) located below. Each file has several stories that can be printed out on standard size printer paper or cardstock. (I used to laminate them so they would last the whole school year, but they are so inexpensive that I don't worry about losing them -- I can always print more.) The students are allowed to take them home with them as they learn to read and family members are encouraged to get involved.

Although each story is very simple, you'd be suprised at how quickly your students will begin to read them, all on their own. However, when I notice that they are mastering these stories I begin to move them into more difficult material. Even so, my students are always asking to read the books over-and-over again, throughout the year.

There are four Word files (.doc) located below. Each file has several single page stories (flip books) that can be printed out on cardstock and then laminated. Next, I tape a notecard or other piece of cardstock over the picture at the top of the page, so it can be flipped up by the student. I use heavy 2" clear packing tape to tape the notecard to the laminated cardstock, since it doesn't wear out as quickly as other tape.

To use the flip book, the student first sounds out the word at the top of the page, checks the word against the picture under the flip card, and then reads the 2 line story at the bottom of the page. Although each story is very simple, you'd be suprised at how quickly your students will begin to read them, all on their own. I even send them home with my students so the family gets involved, and my students are always asking to read the books over-and-over again, throughout the year.

One of my favorite connections is a name game that the children can make in class and take home for use with their family. By making their own games, there is a higher probability that it will be used at home.  I use this game after I’ve introduced every student’s name through STOD activities.  It is basically a refrigerator magnet game, which includes names of classmates, basic sight words, and family members on cards, along with reading pointers.  The magnet cards can be arranged in single words or in sentences and the pointers can be used to touch-read the words.   

I’ve included a Word (.doc) file for printing this year’s game on business card stock.  You can change the names, font, words, etc. on the template to meet your needs.  You’ll notice that I leave several blank cards, so brother, sister, friend, pet or other family member names can be added at home.  I also include a note to the parents explaining how the game is used.  Links for both Word documents are provided below.

I get my business card stock from Sam’s Club for less than $6 per box.   The magnets I use are donated by parents and businesses in our local area.  We just cut the magnets into small pieces and tacky glue them to the back of each card.

To make reading pointers I use craft sticks, tongue depressors, coffee stir sticks, straws or small dowels for the stick.  For the top you can use stickers, pom poms, fun-foam shapes, wiggle eyes or just about anything you can glue on the stick.  However, because of my embroidery business, I’m able to make felt pointer tops (that can also be used as pencil toppers or stick puppets), for many of the different themes we cover in my class.  The picture at the left shows some of the pointers I’ve used.

I get my business cards and address labels from a local Sam's Club. A box costs about $6 and they are the cheapest source that I've found in my area. I use full size sheets in my injet and laserjet printers, since you get a lot of stickers or cards on a page.

You can make your own set of stickers and cards for just about any theme, topic or concept that you can imagine. I always use "Kiss Your Brain", Thumbs Up (from Tooty Ta), and Zero the Hero each year, since they are the biggest hits with my students. So, I've included copies of a full page of
1 x 2 5/8" address labels and full page of standard business cards of each in Microsoft Word format for this months resource.

Each student has thier own spaceman and I have several larger versions for our chalkboard, wipe-off board and chart writing board. The student's spacemen are made with tongue depressors and the teacher's version is made with paint stir sticks. (Walmart, Menards and Lowe's in our area have been good places to 'ask' for freebie stir sticks!) The sticks, depressors, transparent tape and some address labels are all you need to make you classes spacemen.

I print copies of spacemen on a page of address labels. I've provided a copy of what I use, but any spaceman clip art will work as long as it generally fits the width of the stick used for spacing. The address label is wrapped around the stick and a piece of transparent tape is put on top to protect it from wear, falling off or getting soiled while being used during the school year.

The files at the left are provided so you can make your own labels of various sizes, or you can use the bottom file on a sheet of 1"x2-5/8" address labels. Due to file size, the bottom file is only the first sticker for a page of lables. Please note that you can copy that label over to the other blank labels on the page, so you get the right number of labels you need. Just highlight the three spacemen in the first label, select copy and then paste them into the other labels as desired.

In our Kindergarten class we do not 'edit', but I try to work with the students each day to expand their spelling and writing abilities by writing a story or article in their tablet. I encourage them to write about something they like, have done in the past day or over the weekend, or something that happened to them. One thing I do is to encourage conventional spelling of 1 or 2 new words in each story or piece of work the students do. I have students "sound out' words and circle them if they are unsure of the spelling (just like being a newspaper editor?). Later I work with the student on those words that were circled. Some of my students are getting very creative and proficient at writing articles!

Here is an old 'special needs' spelling idea that I also use called 'Write and Check.' I write a word on our chalkboard and the students copy it 1 or 2 times in their editor tablet. I then ask them to try to write the word without peeking at the board or their copies. If they can write it that's great -- if they can't then they'll peek and keep trying, which is also great! Most will write their words within 2 to 5 tries. I try to keep a log of the words we've covered and will occassionaly review them with the class by having them write the word in their tablet (just like being a newspaper reporter?). I'll also combine this with word wall chants and encourage the use of these words in the stories they write, which results in a stress free way for each child to move and learn at their own pace and level. You'd be suprised at how soon the words begin showing up in their stories.

Here's a tip: I was able to purchase the plastic visors for 9 cents each at the end of last year's golf season. Watch for them at your local Walmart or KMart stores around September or October. In addition, our local doctor's office saves sticky pads, ink pens, pencils and clip boards for my class. They get a HUGE amount of this stuff from the drug company sale representatives that visit their office. They save them for me and I use these items for special gifts or to make 'Editor' kits for the following year. It's a no-cost way to get common supplies for your classroom.

This year, I convinced our parent organization to give each teacher $100 for book orders. Teachers then 'partnered' to increase the size of their orders and many got class sets of books and higher priced books 'free' in the process. I was able to get guided reading sets (5 book sets) for each of our classroom science units and many other books this year!

Way to go Scholastic!

Find an adult or older student to play the role of Zero. I have used 5th, 6th or 7th graders, but anyone who enjoys working with the kids will be ideal. The key is to find someone who is energetic and likes to have fun, and have him visit the class every 10 days! Our kids look forward to his visits and ask about him often.

The first time Zero visits our room he (she) brings donuts because they are in his shape of a 'zero.' Throughout the year he brings gifts or treats that are also in his shape or represent numbers, especially those ending in zero(s). For example, it can be a bag with 10 items, a pencil to write the numbers to 10 or 100, '100 Grand' or 'Zero' candy bars that get divided into pieces for snacks, a dime for 'His Coin', or other ideas that reinforce counting and number concepts.

One of the activities that we've used include counting 100 pennies on the 100th day of school and giving the kids a dollar when completed, but this year we found silver dollars and a parent donated coin purses for each student. Zero also leads counting chants, number songs and other activities that reinforce associated concepts. Another teacher I spoke with, has her kids even send Zero email between visits, and she has the 5th graders in her school respond to the email 'from Zero.' We also have some 'Zero The Hero' stickers and business cards in the August 2004 Teacher Resource listing above.

Zero The Hero has been a fun way to keep the students energized. Give him a try!

For example, for the word 'G i r l' I would have the children pretend to twirl a strand of hair and spell girl in a high pitched voice. When we spell 'B o y' we tip an imaginary hat and use a deep voice. For the word 'H o u s e' we'd make a house with our hands and sing it to the old Mickey Mouse tune using: "I can spell house, yes I can, H-o-u-s-eeee" as the words.

We followup with a writing activity. The children write the words on a wipe-off board while I write the word in a sentence on the chalkboard.

You'd be suprised with the increase in response and retention you'll see in the special needs children using this technique. Give it a try!