Dr. Jean's August 2014 Activities

K.OA.5  I can add and subtract within 5.

Flippers
Cut 3” circles out of corrugated cardboard or fun foam.  Write addition and subtraction facts on the front of the circles.  Write the answer on the back.  Children place the circles on the table (with the problem facing up).  They add or subtract, say the answer, and then flip over to self-check.

Domino Addition
Place dominoes face down on a table.  Children choose one and add up the dots.  Can they write the equation? 
•Children can play this game with a friend.  The one whose sum is greater gets to keep both dominoes.

Poke and Peek
Cut a simple shape out of poster board.  Hole punch around the edge of the object.  Write addition and subtraction facts near each hole on one side.  Turn the shape over and write the answer to each problem near the appropriate hole.  Children take a golf tee or their pencil and stick it in a hole.  After they solve the equation they can turn it over and self-check.

NO.1  I can show how many 10s and how many 1s a number between 11 and 19 has.

Sticks and Bundles
Draw a line down the middle of a file folder.  Write “tens” on the left side and “ones” on the right side.  Children take craft sticks, make bundles of ten, and bind them together with a rubber band.  They place the bundles on the “tens” side and make sets of individual sticks on the right side.  Can they write the number they create?

KMD.1  I can describe attributes of an object, such as length and width. 

Mystery Object
Place an unusual object in a box.  Children shake the box and describe what it might be.  How long is it?  How heavy is it?  What color do you think it is?  How does it feel?  Ask them to draw a picture of their guess.  When they open the box they can compare their prediction with the actual size, length, color, texture, etc. of the mystery object.

K.MD.2  I can tell which is more.  I can tell which is less.

Seriate Snakes
To make “snakes” cut yarn or straws into varying lengths from 1” – 12”.  Children seriate the snakes from shortest to longest.

Play Dough
Give children play dough and ask them to make three balls - small, medium, and large.
•Can they make different sizes of pancakes or hotdogs from the play dough?

Block Measurement
Have children measure different classroom objects using unit blocks.  How many blocks tall is the table?  The chair?  The bookshelf?

Bean Counter
Place a 14” piece of clear packaging tape sticky side up on a table.  Lay ten lima beans end to end.  Fold the tape up, down, seal, and then trim off the ends.  Have a box of small items that the children can measure with a bean counter. 
•Give them an answer sheet where they have to walk around the room and find something 2 beans long, 5 beans long, 7 beans long, etc.

K.MD.3  I can sort objects into categories.

Sorts 
Fold a sheet of paper in half.  Give children old magazines and catalogs and have them cut out objects that are alike and glue them on the same side.  Can they give their sorting rule?

Nature Sorts
Put leaves, nuts, shells and other natural objects in a basket and ask the children to sort them.  Can they sort them another way?

K.G.2  I can name shapes no matter what way they are turned.

Bendables
Offer children pipe cleaners, Wikki stix, etc. and challenge them to make various shapes with the items.

Highway Shapes
Go to makinglearningfun.com and download highway shapes.  Place shapes in clear sheet protectors.  Children can take small cars and drive over the shapes.  They can also trace the shapes with a dry erase marker and then erase.

Shape Hunt
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple.  Children decorate the front of their book with shapes.  Next, they walk around the room and draw shapes that they see.  Can they label the shapes?
•This would be a good homework activity to help children be more aware of the shapes around their home.

Play Dough Book
Draw lines, curves, and geometric shapes with a marker on file folders.  Laminate.  Bind file folders with rings to make a book.  Children roll play dough and place it on top of the shapes.

Shape Monster
This is an adorable book where children can read and draw shapes. You can download a printable here.

K.G.3  I can tell which shapes are 2-D and flat or 3-D and solid.

Flat or Solid?
Place flat and solid objects in lunch bags.  Number the bags.  Children number their page for the number of bags that you are using.  They reach in each bag, feel it, and then write if it is 2-D or 3-D.

K.G.6  I can put two shapes together to make a new shape.

Pretzel Shapes
Give children pretzel sticks and pretzel twists and challenge them to make geometric shapes.  How many pretzel sticks will you need to make a hexagon?  How many pretzel sticks will you need to make a triangle?

Toothpick Sculptures
Give children toothpicks and play dough.  What flat and solid shapes can they create?

Little to Large

Make a very small shape (triangle, square, trapezoid, half-circle, etc.) in the center of a sheet of paper.  Children take different colors of crayons and trace around the shape, making it a little larger each time until it completely fills the page.