Learning Through Play
When I was a little girl, one of my favorite past-times was to get any kitchen utensils my mother would let me take, and head out to find the nearest mud puddle to become my latest restaurant. I would spend hours “cooking” up mud creations. Perhaps that is why the sensory table is a must in my classroom. The thought of kids touching, moving, squishing, rubbing, and manipulating raw materials is important to me. I know first hand the learning that is going on at that moment.
It is through play that young children make sense of the world in which they live — a time to learn, discover, and to be — spontaneous; a time to be active participants in their own learning.
In a school and/or homeschool settings, the benefits of play needs to be recognized before grabbing for that convenient worksheet. According to Professor Doris Fromberg,
We need to consider that young children learn in quite different ways [than adults]. They learn by comparing physical experiences, by interactions with other people and their own feelings. And they learn an enormous amount through their imagination.... Play is what pulls together the logical and creative parts of the brain.
In an academic setting, we need to take advantage of the natural way children learn and grow, and include play in our day! The easiest way to begin adding play into your day, is to bring in a sensory table, assemble a dramatic play station, and find a corner for a block center. These center areas are perfect to foster natural child play. In these areas, “Play gives children a chance to practice what they’re learning.” (Fred Rogers). Another easy way to incorporate play into your day is by building a science center. Build it, and they will learn! Children love to explore, touch, discover, smell, and inquire at this center. Their natural curiosity and excitement for learning is about all you need to add as curriculum.
You might enjoy our podcasts on teaching using child’s play in mind. Here are a couple to get you started.
Many of our products are based on teaching through play.. We love to get play in our day!
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
Dramatic play offers unprecedented opportunities for teaching Common Core Math concepts through authentic experiences. In fact, when asked to work on math skills in the context of a play situation, students are always able to work at a level above their normal skill. To meet the high academic demands of the 21st century, play will be critical to student success, scaffolding their learning in a way that allows them to be successful.
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
This Fireman and Other Community Helpers Thematic Unit, reaches across the curriculum to meet the common core standards! It is divided into areas of literature/media, music, art, literacy, math and science activities, creative writing, word wall, and guided reading.
The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation. Ding Ding, Let the Firemen in!
Unit Includes the Following:
Literacy Activities:
ABC Firemen: Letter Identification
Race Up the Ladder: Identifying Syllables
Help The Helpers: Beginning Sounds
Fireman Fluency Flash: Beginning Fluency
Math Activities:
Fireman Number Race: Matching Numerals to Quantity 1-6
Cop Patrol: Identifying, Creating & Extending Patterns
The Fire Station: Five Frames
Fire Truck 1-10: Ordering Numbers
Worksheets
The Fireman Race
Around the Town
Fireman Portfolio Page
Art Projects
Construct a Fire truck
Construct a Fireman
Fire Safety Arm Band
Policeman/Fireman Hat
Draw a Fireman
Writing Prompts/Word Wall
Word Wall Words
All About Fireman
What Might I be?
Guided Reading Books
The Fireman
Songs
My Neighborhood
People Who Help
Ding Ding Ding
Five Little Firemen
The Policeman
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
This Harvest unit; pumpkins, potatoes, corn, apples and more is classroom tested. The Harvest Unit is divided into areas of literature, media, music, art, literacy activities, math activities, worksheets, science activities, creative writing, word wall words, and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation.
Literacy Activities:
Pumpkin Rhymes: Producing Rhyming Words
Harvesting Spuds: Identifying Uppercase Letters
Harvest ABC Train: Letter Identification
The Country Store: Clapping Syllables
Pumpkin Letters: Writing Alphabet Letters
Math Activities:
Ordering Baskets: Ordering objects from least to greatest.
Harvest Sorting: Sorting potatoes or apples into groups
Harvest Balancing: Experimenting with a balance
Number Bingo: Identifying the numbers 0-12
Patterns Worksheet
Writing Prompts/Word Wall
Label-It: Pumpkin
Pumpkins
Photo Harvest Word Wall Words
Guided Reading Books
The Pumpkin
Science
Pumpkin Report: Recording Observations
Art Projects
Potato People
Potato Truck Portfolio Page
Construct Pumpkin
Pumpkin Puppet
Songs
One Potato
I Like Potatoes
The Pumpkin Patch
Poof
Related Products
Apple and Pumpkin Themed Guided Readers
Apple Experiment Science Guided Reader
Eating Apples Free Beginning Sound Game
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Nine great writing center activity based worksheets.
Your classroom or homeschool students will love to write using these engaging independent writing practice activities. Easy to set up, easy to use, impactful and engaging!
Activities Include:
Label The Astronaut -- Anchor Chart
Label The Astronaut Worksheets
The Astronaut: Can, Has, Is -- Anchor Chart
The Astronaut: Can, Has, Is Student Worksheet
Write About Astronauts Worksheets (Can, Has, Is)
Label-It I Can -- Anchor Chart
Label-It Student Worksheets
Make a List I Can -- Anchor ChartChart
Make a List Student Worksheet
Out In Space Word Wall
Write a Story I Can -- Anchor Chart
Write a Story Prompt Worksheets
Write The Room -- Anchor Chart
Write The Room Worksheet
Write The Room Word Cards
Alien Words -- Anchor Chart
Alien (Mirror) Words
CVC Words Anchor Chart
CVC Picture Cards
CVC Worksheet
Related Products
• Billy Goats Gruff Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Dinosaur Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Christmas Activities to Get Kids Writing
• Fall Writing and Literacy Activities for Pre Kindergarten
• Fall Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• February Get Your Kids Writing Activities
• Insect Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Jack & The Beanstalk Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Little Red Hen Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Little Red Riding Hood Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Ocean Themed Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Pond Theme Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• School Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Spider Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Thanksgiving Activities to Get Kids Writing
• Three Little Pigs Writing and Literacy Center Activities
• Winter Get Your Kids Writing Activities
• Zoo Writing Activities
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Bring guided reading to a new level by using "Partner Plays" also called "Reader's Theater." These books have simple, adorable scripts, that will increase student's ability to read with expression and fluency.
Contents:
Henny Penny
Jack and the Beanstalk
Little Red Hen
Little Red Riding Hood
The Three Little Pigs
The Three Billy Goats
Also available at Teachers Pay Teachers!
This packet includes activities to help your students understand the concept of rhyming. The lessons vary in style and format. Some lessons are scripted, others are designed for independent practice. Some lessons can be used with small groups while others can be completed with a large group. All lessons can be adapted to support struggling students or to challenge high-achieving students.
The unit is organized into 19 lessons to be spread out during 7 weeks. Many of the Teach Me To Read Units are meant to be taught in tandem, following the learning to read timeline.
Here is the link for the syllable unit: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teach-Me-To-Read-Syllables-833730
Table of Contents Week 1 Day 1: Nursery Rhyme Time
Week 1 Day 2: The Hungry Duck
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Week 2 Day 1: Buggy Rhymes
Week 2 Day 2: Apple Tree Rhymes
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Week 3 Day 1: Web Treasures
Week 3 Day 2: Roll and Rhyme Halloween (or any season)
Week 3 Day 3: Halloween Rhyme Time
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Week 4 Day 1: Picture Pairs
Week 4 Day 2: Rhyming Flags
Week 4 Day 3: Turkey Lurkey Rhymes
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Week 5 Day 1: Rhyme Me a River
Week 5 Day 2: Le Revelillon
Week 5 Day 3: To The North Pole
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Week 6 Day 1: The Lost Mitten
Week 6 Day 2: Planes Trains and Everything Else
Week 6 Day 3: Match a Rhyme
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Week 7 Day 1: Rhyming Sunglasses
Week 7 Day 2: Home Tweet Home
Week 7 Day 3: T-Shirt Twins