December 2006
Christmas is the theme for my December resource this year. You will find a sensory "Touch and Feel" book that the students can make, a predictable reader and other Christmas related books in the .doc files below. A 'Special Thanks' to those Teacher Net members who gave me the idea for some of these....

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

Homework 3

+ Countdown to KG

November 2006
Homework Sheets for May through August are provided in the .doc files below. The sheets continue the resource from September.  I've also included a file that can be used for incoming students, as they prepare for start of the new school year. Feel free to modify the files to meet your own needs!

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

October 2006
Homework Sheets for January through April are provided in the .doc files below. The sheets continue the resource from last month.

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

September 2006
I like to keep my parents actively involved in helping thier child learn, while remaining abreast of thier child's progress throughout the school year. (This is beyond working on any specific academic, social or behavioral needs their child may have.) 'Take Home Bags', letters, worksheets and other resources I send home, are often aimed at also keeping the parent engaged in a student's development. In addition, I also have a series of generic monthly homework sheets that the parents can use at home.

The monthly Homework Sheets I use list 20 activites that involve reading, writing, math, Rote Memory, and higher-level thinking skills. The parents are encouraged to pick and choose any 2-3 items they want the student to do each week.  (Most are fairly quick and simple so the child can complete them within a few minutes.) In addition, I also try to include some sort of “job” for the student, to help their parents with at home.

There are 4 different Homework Sheets in the .doc files below. They cover September to December, and over the next of couple months I'll include the sheets for the remainder of the year. Because the sheets are generic, feel free to change the items to meet your own needs or reinforce your classroom studies.   (If you are covering a certain unit, you can add a few items that relate to that unit. ) So if you are studying 'farming', you could include something like "name 5 living things and 5 non-living things found on a farm", "what would be 5 jobs you have to do if you were a farmer?", or "draw a picture of your farm".  I am sure you get the idea. 

This year I also intend to have the students graph the number of homework activities they do each month. I plan on having them return the homework sheets about a week before the month ends, so they can graph the number of items each did.  There is a copy of the graph that I will use in the file below (.doc format). You can add their names and prepare a new one for each month.

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

The following link will take you to a special "Gingerbread Man Unit" web page. It contains the concepts, activities, books, and other resources for the unit. You are free to adapt any of this information for your own classroom. However if you have your own website, you are only allowed to link to the special Gingerbread Man Unit web page, and not to the individual files contained on that page.

-----> Go To The GBM Unit By Clicking Here!

You will find 8 journal pages in the files below. You can print them out and give them to the students for insertion into their journal. Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

You will find 12 graph pages in the files below. You can print them out and give them to the students for insertion into their journal. Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

(Click on the Picture
For More Examples)

You will find 11 files below, that contain several of the same "Problem of the Day" on each page. You can cut them apart and give them to the students. Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word. I intend to include more journal problems over the next couple of months.

(Click on the Picture
For A Closeup)

April 2006
I use "Math Journals" with my students to improve problem solving skills, develop thought processes, and practice math concepts. Although they may seem similiar to Math Mat's (described below), they actually involve writing equations and drawing to prove the solution.

Each student has a spiral notebook that they use for thier Math Journal. Each time we use the journal I hand out the 'Problem of the Day', and they glue it to the top of the next blank page in thier journal.  (I model 2-3 similar problems before I give them thier actual problem, that we read together as a class.) The student then writes an equation, solves it, and draws a picture to prove their work.

You will find 8 files that contain several of the same "Problem of the Day" on each page. You can cut them apart and give them to the students. Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word. I intend to include more journal problems over the next couple of months.

A Math Mat is nothing more than a fairly large single page graphic that can be used as a common setting for a story. For instance, a mat that depicts a lake with some water and waves would be ideal for a story about ducks. "Five ducks are flying along, and land on a lake--so put five plastic ducks on the lake. Count them to make sure there are five. Now, two of the ducks decide to swim to the bottom to catch some fish--so hide two of the ducks by covering them with your hands--so, how many are left on top? [Wait for answers.] So, 5 ducks, minus 2 ducks, equals 3 ducks! [Write the equation on the board, and have the students also write it on a piece of paper.] Now, one of the ducks swims to the surface for air,-- so remove your hand from one of the ducks. How many ducks are now on the surface?..." and so on, is a good example of part of a story. Use your imagination, since they really aren't that difficult to come up with, and use small props (like the plastic ducks) that you probably already have on hand. Food, or other small items from Oriental Trading or the Dollar Store would also work. To really peak classroom interest, consider using artwork or drawings from a student as the graphics, by making copies in a Xerox machine. (You can really spark a lot of creativity, if you mention you will select one of the drawings from a writing journal, for a math mat!)

There are 18 different Math Mats in the .doc files below. There are two mats on each page, so they can be cut in half.

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

I usually tell each story twice. The first time I have the students draw along on their wipe off boards, then later I will tell the story again as they draw on paper.  (This gives them a chance to "practice" before they put their final drawing on paper. )

There are 7 draw-along stories in the files below . Each file (.doc format) has a sketch of the finished draw-along at the end of the story, to give you an idea of what a completed drawing could look like. I've also included a file with basic instructions on how to use the stories.

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.

© Sew What 4U Corp.

I've included a few more of my Zero Day and 100 Day files that I use in my classroom. You'll find several games (1 to 20, 1 to 30, 1 to 50, and 1 to 100) with instructions, a 100 chart, "100 certificates", a list of Zero Day activities, and last but not least--a color Zero the Hero poster that you can print out for your students. I've also included 100 Day Collection Labels that students can put on baggies or sacks for their collection of 100 items.

The Zero the Hero stickers can be used on tongue depressors as pointers, or cut in half for use as general stickers or even a Zero the Hero writing spacer! The .doc file only contains one line of labels, so you'll have to copy additional lines to fill the page.

NOTE: You can also find more information on Zero the Hero in my classroom in our 2004 Teacher Resources. Click Here to go to our April, August and November 2004 Zero the Hero files, ideas, downloadables, etc.

Just Right Click on the file, select 'Save' to store on your computer, and open later with Word.