Making Borax Crystals
Winter, is my favorite season inside of the classroom (But not outside for sure)! There are so many fun winter things to do that are engaging, bring cross-curricular learning opportunities, and simply put -- winter fun! Last week, as part of our Winter Thematic Learning, making crystals was a major focus.
Making Borax Crystals
It was now time for each student to be able to make his/her own crystal using Borax.
Borax, a cleaning product found on the laundry aisle, makes (almost) no-fail crystals.
On the first day, we made our solution of hot water and borax, heating it on our classroom hotplate.
The kids wrote their names on craft sticks and made designs with pipe cleaners. Some of them were pretty simple, but some students created elaborate creations! I provided plenty of pipe cleaners to provide for optimum creativity.
After pouring the borax solution into cups, we added the pipe cleaners deep into the solution with the craft stick balancing across the top. Next, we set the cups aside. Although instructed not to touch the crystals brewing in the cups, students were given opportunity to take a peek at their creations and talk with each other about their crystal. This is a great time to see the scientific processes at work in a natural way. It is also a time for students to develop oral language as they talk back-and-forth about the process of making crystals.
The next day the kids poured the water off and examined their crystals! They pulled out their stick to reveal the newly formed crystals.
We wrote about the experiment during our writing time, then bagged everything up for the trip home.
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Make teaching this winter stress-free and enjoyable! This fun unit is great if you live in a snowy area or if you simply want to immerse your students in a winter-like atmosphere. This Winter Thematic Unit is packed with engaging activities!
It is easy to teach core standards, using methods of latest research, in fun and active ways by using this complete cross curricular 168 page thematic unit, White Wonderful Winter.
This Developmentally Appropriate Winter Themed Thematic Unit will thrill the students in your classroom or homeschool. Learning can be fun, playful, and engaging!
Table of Contents:
Literacy
Abominable Snow Monster: Fluent Reading Alphabet Letters or Sight Words
Snowball Sounds: Naming Alphabet Letter Sounds Fluently
Sound Blizzard: Connecting Sounds to Letters
Snowflake ABC: Putting Letters in Alphabetical Order
Snowflake Hunt: Writing Alphabet Letters
Cocoa Words: Writing CVC Words
Letter Whirl: Matching and Writing Alphabet Letters
Hat Colors: Tracing Color Words
Math
Bundle Up: Using a 10 Frame to Make Number Combinations
Blizzard: Plus 1
Skating Lessons: Counting Objects for Two Numbers in Succession
Snowball Fights at School: Counting by 10's
Snowflake Numbers: Composing 10 + a Given Number.
Snowballs: Representing Quantity using a 10 Frame
Snowstorm 10-Frame Write the Room: Writing Numerals Representing a Set
Science
Scripted Science Lessons
Snow Dough:Combining Ingredients to Make a New Substance
Crystal Creations: Growing Crystals
Writing Prompts/Word Wall
Winter Word Wall
Prompts:
Winter Sports
What I like About Winter
Independent Reading Books
Winter
Winter (Differentiated)
Kitchen Cafe
Make a Snowflake, Then Eat!
Art Projects
Snowflake: Following Directions to Make a Snowflake
Snowy Day Kid: Constructing a Snow Kid Using Geometric Shapes
Music
Snowflakes Falling Down
Bundle Me Up
Winter Time
“I use this alot!”
“Wonderful as always!”
“You saved me many hours of work!”
“I love winter and am so excited about this unit! I have a feeling the cocoa cups activity will be well used in my room this winter! Thanks!”
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Kindergarten Homework Packet January
Teachers and parents are partners in education. This parent involvement resource will help strengthen the home-school connection as students practice essential Kindergarten skills, and strengthen distance learning between teacher and student. Please look at the preview above.
This January packet consists of Winter themed games and activities that are fun and easy for the parent and child to complete together, with nothing to return but a signed check off sheet, if you wish.
Parents and children alike love these fun, exciting. and time-tested NO-PREP home connection packets. BONUS a version of the packet is included with Spanish instructions for Spanish speaking parents!
Table of Contents
The Snowman A book to read together
Snowy Lotto An alphabet game
Winter Delivery A sight word activity
Color Match Snowmen A color word activity
A Winter Wonderland A blending game
Snowflake Swirl A counting on activity
Snowman Clock A telling time activity
January Calendar A number handwriting activity
© Kathy Crane
For your convenience, each activity is strategically linked to Core Standards.
This is also great product for parents looking to enrich learning, or homeschool parents that maintain a year round schedule
This No-Prep Developmentally Appropriate homework packet allows students opportunity to practice early learning skills in the winter months of the school year.
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Three levels are available for all 12 months of the year
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Snowman Thematic Unit
The Snowman cross-curricular unit is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy, math, science, independent practice, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation. Your students will think learning is "snow fun!"
This complete Snowman Unit is filled with games and activities that your classroom or homeschool students will love, and will offer you numerous curriculum options that will tie academic learning to a snowman theme.
Table of Contents
Literacy Activities:
Snowman Spill: Automaticy of Lowercase Letter Sounds
Snowman Match-up: Matching Letters and Sounds
Build a Snowman: Blending and Segmenting Words
Snowman Melt: Reading High Frequency Words
Snowman Melt: Identifying Alphabet letters
Draw a Snowman: Reviewing Early Phonics and Phonological Skills
My Favorite Things: Identifying Medial Sounds
Beginning Sounds: Identifying and Writing Beginning Sounds
A-Z: Fluently Connecting Dots From a-z.
Writing the Alphabet A-Z and a-z: Practicing Alphabet Letter Formation
Math Activities:
Snowball Fight: Comparing Numbers
The Snowman's Buttons: Decomposing Numbers
Snowman Sets: Joining Sets Using a 10 Frame Strategy
Snowman Sums: Making a Sum of 10 Using an Unknown and a KnowN Addend With Visual Representation.
Symmetry Snowman: Symmetry Activity
Snowman Puzzles: Using Geometric Shapes to Construct a Snowman
The Tallest Snowman: Measurement
Snowman Number Hunt: Matching Quantity and Numerals
Math Journal Prompt (Labels): Joining Sets
Guided Reading Books
The Snowmen (Level B)
The Snowmen (Level C)
Writing Prompts/Word Wall
My Snowman
How To Build a Snowman
Snowman Word Wall
Snowman Label-it (3 Levels)
Science
The Melting Snowman: Observing States of Matter
Science Journal Page: Why does the sun melt the snowman?
Art Projects
Snowman Gallery Art Show
Marshmallow Snowman
Shape Snowman
Painted Snowman Portfolio Sample
Songs
Five Little Snowmen
I'm a Little Snowman
Drawing a Snowman
© Kathy Crane Kindergarten Kiosk
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These are not your typical worksheets, they are made for adult/child interaction and teaching to complete. These higher-level thinking pages will challenge students and deepen mathematical understanding.
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Product Description
Parent Teacher Conference Reporting Forms and Intervention Homework Winter
Are you looking for a way to have a stress free parent conference?
Is is time for your Winter parent teacher conferences in Kindergarten? You will love these easy forms that will make reporting to parents practical, authentic and a breeze! Three choices are available.
Bonus! This packet includes our Fall Homework Intervention Packets in both English and Spanish, a $5.00 value. Send these packets home with parents to offer additional support for their child's academic learning.
This is wonderful and will absolutely use for my conferences/parent education meetings.
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English Language Arts Assessments For Kindergarten
Math Assessments For Kindergarten
Kindergarten Reading Benchmark Assessments and Checklist
Parent Teacher Conference Report Form and Intervention - FALL
Parent Teacher Conference Report Form and Intervention - WINTER
Parent Teacher Conference Report Form and Intervention - SPRING
Preschool Language Arts Assessment Pack
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Writing Center Resources for Winter
Are you looking for engaging writing activities that can be set up in your permanent writing, phonics, word work, literacy center, writing work station, or literacy centers by any name? You will be so excited about this time-saving easy to differentiate resource!
Simply set up your space, and change monthly or thematically to meet your needs. Click on the preview above to see the anchor cards included and idea for classroom set up. Find out more about setting up a writing center here.Contents Include:
Can Have Are Labels & Worksheets
Write a Story Task Card
Write a Story Worksheets
Label-It Task Card
Label-It Student Worksheets
Make a List Task Card
Make a List Student Worksheet
Make a List Word Wall
Write The Room Task Card- Sight Words
Write the Room Word Cards
Write the Room Task Card- Alphabet
Write the Room Word Cards
Write the Room Worksheets
Backwards Words Task Card
Backwards Words Worksheets
Backwards Word Word Cards
QR Words/Letters Task Card
QR Words/Letters Worksheets
QR Sight Words
QR Alphabet Letters
Writing CVC Words
© Kathy Crane Kindergarten Kiosk
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Writing Center Christmas Themed Writing Activities
Writing Center Fall Themed Writing Activities
Writing Center Dinosaur Themed Writing Activities
Writing Center Jack and the Beanstalk Themed Writing Activities
Writing Center Little Red Riding Hood Themed Writing Activities
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Subtraction is a crucial math skill. It is important that students understand that subtraction involves taking away or pulling sets apart. As they grasp the underlying concept of subtraction, students can solve problems and begin to learn the subtraction facts.
These worksheets will allow independent practice in counting objects, taking away, and identifying differences.
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Are you looking for some great homework that is Developmentally Appropriate and Child Centered? You will love this NO-PREP option.
Extend the learning in January by sending home this early skills homework packet! You could also use this packet as curriculum for your preschool, preparation for your own child, or many other uses. This packet can also be used with kindergarten students needing targeted instruction.
Contents Include:
Mitten Match: Rhyming
The Alphabet MNOP
Numbers 6 and 7: Numbers
Ten Frame Melt-Away: Exploring Subtraction
The Mitten: Comprehension Activity
Triangles: Geometry
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Are you looking for some great homework that is Developmentally Appropriate and Child Centered? You will love this NO-PREP option.
This packet is intended to be copied and sent home
with students as a monthly homework packet during the month of January of first grade (or for advanced kindergarten students). However, these great activities can be used in the classroom in a number of ways.
Contents Include
The Snowman
A book to read
Snowy Lotto
Identifying short and long vowel sounds
Winter Delivery
A sight word activity
Silent e Snowmen
Reading words with and without the silent e.
A Winter Wonderland
Decoding Words
Snowflake Swirl
A counting on activity
Snowman Clock
A math activity
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Product Description
Winter Sports Thematic Unit! Are you and your classroom or homeschool students fans of Winter Sports? This Thematic Unit is packed with fun, engaging activities that are strategically linked to academic Core Standards. Let the Winter Sports begin!
Contents Include:
Literacy Games
Bobsled Raceway: Reading Sight Word Sentences (or Alphabet Letters)
At the Sports Event: Naming Sounds or Reading Nonsense Words
Hockey Shot: Segmenting Words into Phonemes
Winter Sports: Writing Sight Words (or Alphabet Letters)
Literacy Worksheets
Winter Sports: Reading and Matching Color Words
Winter Sports Medal Match: Distinguishing Between Two Similar Words
Math Games
Ski Jump Addition: Adding Two Numbers
Medal Count: Graphing Medals
Winter Sports: Decomposing Numbers
Going For the Gold: Teen Numbers
Math Worksheets
Roll To Color: Creating Sums
Half Pipe Hype: Comparing Two Written Numerals
Writing
Winter Sports Word Wall
Writing Prompts: Winter Sports
Label the Sports
My List of Winter Sports
Guided Reading Book
Winter Sports (Level B and Level D versions)
Art Activities
Winter Sports Windsock
Winter Sports Medal
Winter Sports Torch
Gym or PE Activity
Winter Sports Challenge
Winter Indépendant Writing Center Activities
Winter Sport Reading Intervention Games
Winter Guided Sight Word Readers Set 1
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Product Description
Differentiated Books for your emergent readers! Make the teaching of reading authentic and engaging.
Offering students a paper book that can be colored and taken home offers students authentic purpose for the reading instruction and opportunity to practice techniques at home. Students love these delightful stories that are ready to read on their level. The clip art is delightful!
Set Includes 9 Books
Winter Fun
Winter (two levels)
Snow
The Mitten (two levels)
Happy New Year
How To Build A Snowman
My Snowmobile
Cocoa
Ice Skating
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Product Description
The Mitten Thematic Unit is academically challenging and developmentally appropriate, and features the traditional story, "The Mitten." Expand on great literature, reach across the curriculum, and strategically teach core standards as you enjoy bringing Mitten Mania into your classroom.
Table of Contents:
Shared Reading Activities
The Mitten: Retell a Story
Mitten Poetry Activity: Group Reading Activity
Literacy Activities:
Little Lost Mittens: Reviewing Early Phonics and Phonological Skills.
Shake and Fill Mittens: Reading and Writing CVC Words
Warm Mittens: Naming Sounds or Reading Nonsense Words
The Kittens’ Mittens: Naming Alphabet Sounds
Kittens’ Mittens Words: Reading CVC Words
QR Mittens: Writing Sight Words
Makin’ Mittens: Reading Sight Words
The Lost Mitten: Producing Rhymes
Mitten Colors: Reading Color Words
Math Activities:
Mitten Spots: Naming Numbers Fluently
The Mitten Shop: Counting by Tens
Mitten Bingo: Identifying Numbers 11-30
Mitten Problems: Decomposing Numbers
Mitten Sort: Sorting Mittens by Shape
Mitten Pairs: Understand Number, Quantity Relationships
Mitten Numbers: Writing Numbers from 0-20.
Dice Mitten Throw: Adding Dice
Writing Prompts/Word Wall
Write a Story
My Mittens
Who Will Crawl Into My Mitten?
Mitten Word Wall
Make a List of Mitten Words
Class Book
Millions of Mittens
Guided Reading Books
The Mitten: Level A
The Mitten Level C
Art Projects
Mitten Art
Mitten Wreath
The Mitten Retelling Puppets
Songs
Oh Where, Oh Where
Fuzzy Mittens
The Mitten
Winter Indépendant Writing Center Activities
Winter Sport Reading Intervention Games
Winter Guided Sight Word Readers Set 1