Author: TCR Staff

Mitten Match Vocabulary Activity

Teacher Created Resources Vocabulary Activity

This mitten match vocabulary activity is a great winter-themed lesson that will help students identify vocabulary words and will teach them about pairing opposites.  This activity is based on The Mitten by Jan Brett.

Mitten Match Activity by Teacher Created Resources Mitten Activity Teacher Created Resources Materials Needed:
Mitten Accents
Glitter Clothespins
Lime Chevron Border Trim
Marker

Vocabulary Word List

List 1
Glinty
Quickly
Warm
Drowsy
Plump
Swelled
Enormous

List 2
Shrank
Dull
Tiny
Flat
Wakeful
Loose
Cold
Slowly

Instructions:

  1. Write a vocabulary word from List 1 on a left mitten accent.
  2. Write down the opposite vocabulary words from List 2 on the right mitten accent.
  3. Hang border trim up on a bulletin board or lay flat on a table. Set aside clothespins.  Students will need the clothespins to hang the mitten accents.
  4. Mix up all the mitten word accents and have the students identify two vocabulary words that are opposites.
  5. Have the students hang the two opposite mitten word accents on the border trim using clothespins.

Download the free Sample Pages of A Guide for Using The Mitten in the Classroom here. See more winter activity ideas here.

5 Clever Ways to Use Magnetics in the Classroom

Teacher Created Resources Magnetics

Teachers know how important it is to stay organized. Bulletin Boards and centers are essential to keeping organization in the classroom, but sometimes there may not be enough bulletin board or wall space in your classroom. Using magnetics in your classroom saves space and time so you can efficiently manage your classroom. Take a look at these 5 clever ways to use magnetics in the classroom.

Chalkboard Brights Magnetics - Teacher Created Resources1. Where We Are Center

Create a Where We Are Center in the classroom to keep track of class whereabouts. Use Magnetic Letters to list common locations where the class may be. Have a student move a Magnetic Arrow Accent to the new location prior to leaving the classroom. This way, if a student is late or another teacher is looking for the class, they will be able to locate where the class is. To make the center stand out, you could add bright yellow bulletin board paper and Chalkboard Brights Magnetic Strips. The photo above shows the Where We Are Center on the side of a metal file cabinet. The great thing about Magnetic Letters, Accents, and Strips is that you can use them on old furniture or any unused metal space in your classroom.

Superhero Magnetic Teacher Created Resources

2. Super Sentences

Super Sentences is a great whiteboard activity that the whole class can participate in. Create an area on your whiteboard for this activity by using Magnetic Border Trim. Write 4-5 sentences with grammatical errors. Have a student use Magnetic  Punctuation Marks Magnetic Accents to correct the sentences.
Teacher Created Resources Magnetic Labels

3. Class Poll

Need to do a class poll? Use Magnetic Letters to ask students a question or put up a topic on the whiteboard. Write down the possible answers below it, leaving space for student names. Write each name on a Magnetic Label and have each student add the Magnetic Label with their name on it to their answer. In the example above, the teacher asked students to help decide what sport they would play outside. She created a Favorite Sport Poll on the whiteboard.

Magnetic Numbers Teacher Created Resources

4. Attendance Board

Help your student learn responsibility by having them track attendance. This will not only give students the pride of handling their own task but also helps manage the start of the school day. Arrange a I’m Here and Absent column using Magnetic Letters and Magnetic Border Trim. Place Polka Dot Number Magnetic Accents representing each student in the Absent column. Every morning as the student comes in, have them  move their number from the Absent column to the I’m Here Column.

Lunch Count Magnetic Board

5. Lunch Count Board

Keep track of lunches by creating a Lunch Count area. We used the side of metal book case in the photo above.  First, write each student’s name on Plastic Craft Sticks and set aside. Use Magnetic Strips to designate your space. Write Lunch Count, Hot Lunch, Brought Lunch & Salad Bar on Large Polka Dots Label Magnetic Accents. Place the Polka Dots Magnetic Accents in your space, leaving room for three library pockets. Add one library pocket under hot lunch, brought lunch, and salad bar, and secure with Colorful Bling Magnetic Jewels.  Have students place the craft stick with their name on it in their designated lunch pocket.

How to Create the Ultimate Student Work Bulletin Board

Superhero Student Work Bulletin Board

On this Superhero-themed student work bulletin board we showcased student drawings. Students used Smart Start Story Paper to draw a photo and write a story about the things they like to do. Here are the materials you’ll need to create this amazing Superhero-themed student work board.

Materials Needed:

First, staple the blue butcher paper on your bulletin board. Take the red, blue, and yellow border trim and layer them on top of each other using double-sided tape. Staple the border to all 4 sides of your bulletin board. Punch out “Amazing Work” from your set Yellow Gold Classic 4” Letters Uppercase Pack, and staple the letters to the top center of the bulletin board. Take your piece of yellow gold ribbon; align it horizontally across the bulletin board and staple. Take the Polka Dot Clothespins and clip the student work on it. Continue to add student work, and more ribbon and clothespins if necessary. Decorate with accents from the Superhero Bulletin Board Set.  Your students will feel proud of their amazing work hanging up on this student work bulletin board.

Want to see more bulletin board ideas?
How Do We Go Home Bulletin Board
We Were Born to Sparkle Bulletin Board
Happy Campers Bulletin Board

3 Apps Every Teacher Should Know About

3 Apps Every Teacher Should Know About

Integrating technology is essential in today’s classroom, but going through thousands of apps can be overwhelming. Here we’ve listed apps that promote reading, writing, and math skills. Here are 3 apps every teacher should know about:

Writing Prompts for Kids: Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and Fables App

When you’re stumped for writing topics, this app is a quick way to come up with creative writing topics. Teachers or students can simply choose a situation, character, setting, and object, and the app automatically generates your writing prompt. Students can write their stories on paper or directly in the app and e-mail it to the teacher. Kids love including their favorite characters, like Aladdin or Goldilocks in their stories. This app also enhances writing and vocabulary skills by offering dynamic alternatives to overused words. Recommended for ages 6+. Available on iTunes for $1.99.

Class Responder App

Class Responder is a powerful student response system that enables busy teachers to create and assign student activities and view student responses in real time. Teachers can assign quizzes, polls, classwork, and homework all from a tablet, personal computer, or smartphone. Teachers can create their own lessons or assign pre-made lessons that meet state and national standards. Students read a passage and then answer questions. They can see results and grades on a student or class level. For grades 1-6. Class Responder includes free lessons. Teachers can buy additional activities and quizzes from a library of standard-based apps. Available on iTunes and Google Play.

Ready Set Learn App

Ready Set Learn is the perfect app for teaching primary students beginning math and language arts skills. Each app includes grade-specific activities like sorting, matching, connecting-the-dots, identifying patterns, telling time, and more. Students can complete up to 35 levels of activities and teachers can track their progress. Teachers can also recommend this app to parents, since it’s a fun way to practice skills at home. Recommended for grades pre-k-3. Available on iTunes.

View more teacher apps here.