Working With FIVES! + Freebie

I have been wanting to share this with you, since I started making this set of activities!! I was finding it very hard to contain myself, as the product neared completion :)  Now, it's DONE!!

I was inspired to begin working on a series of "FIVE" poems and activities.  Five is just as an important benchmark for early learners as ten.  It is that beginning benchmark that children learn, when they look at their fingers or toes.  I love "FIVES" just as much as I love "TENS"!

The whole inspiration for this project was a wonderful post from the blog "How Long Is This Hall?"  She used a Pringles can, some plastic frogs, and Velcro to create this magnificent manipulative!!! 
Please check out her froggies!  They are adorable.

If you've read my blog before, you probably know that I love sharks!  I have a love/fear relationship with them.  It borders on obsession when Shark Week rolls around, but I have passed my love (hopefully not my fear) of sharks to my children.  When we started talking about which animal we would use first, there was no question- SHARKS!!!

I created an original shark poem, based on all of the number poem where animals leave one, by one throughout the song.  I made class copies of the poem, print in B/W or color.  You can laminate or put in sheet protectors for students to find and circle letters, words, punctuation.  Below is a copy of the poem, and two types of sharks manipulatives to use with it.  In the pack, I included an ocean scene and small shark manipulatives.  I laminated both and used Velcro to attach the sharks to the Ocean.  Students can pull a shark off with each stanza of the poem. 

Using the Pringle can manipulative, students will pull one shark off and place it back into the Pringles can.  When you are done, simply put all the sharks into the can and pop on the top.  Easy storage :)

There is so much more to this set of activities than the poem and the manipulatives.  I included each sentence of the poem in sentence form.  They are too long for one sheet of paper, so I laminated and taped them together.

I use these sentences in a pocket chart, but you could as easily use them on the floor.  When using a pocket chart, I had to tape the title to the top of the pocket chart, so that the full poem would fit.

Below, is a picture of the poem on the pocket chart, as well as, the pictures that match each sentence. 

 Students can use the pictures as visual cues to read the poem.  You can also have students come up and match the pictures to the text.  This way they are referring back to the text to find the correct illustration.

I also included numerals.  Students can match the numerals to the number words in the poem, or to the pictures of the sharks.  Students will count the objects to identify the matching numeral.

I love using pocket charts, because students can really interact with the text.  I got out the number words and punctuation marks for students to match to the correct word or punctuation.  They actually placed it on top of the word, period, or exclamation mark.  You could also do this with sight words, letter, etc.

The sharks that you see above on the tongue depressors are B/W sharks included for students to create their own puppets or focus wands.  They color the shark, cut it out, and tape it to a popsicle stick.

I kept them at the center station, where students could use them to count, read the poem, act out the poem, or just for dramatic play.  Want to make your own shark focus wands click here for a freebie!

I also included a teacher set of puppets.  These I find invaluable.  I hot glue a shark and a numeral to a tongue depressor.  I then, write the matching numeral to the front of the tongue depressor.  I use these puppets to have the children act out the poem. 

I would choose 5 students to each hold a popsicle shark.  They can try and put themselves in order, starting with the largest number.  With each stanza of the poem, a "shark" will sit down.  Students who are watching can visually see the "sharks" being taken away.  They can count the sharks that are left and check themselves by looking at the numeral on front of the shark.

I also love using the sentences and word cards to have students put the sentences back in order.  I like to have them match the words and punctuation to the sentence above.  I find that this is a great group or partner activity.  It makes them work together to find a solution.

I included 3 types of books in this set.  In one, students will draw the appropriate number of sharks to match the poem.

They can use an X to demonstrate taking a shark away.

I also included a book, where students will count the sharks on the page and trace the matching numeral.

To make it a little bit harder, there is another book where students will count the sharks and write the numeral.

Now, for my favorite part!  How to make your own Pringle's shark can.  I did this two ways.  I covered the can with scrapbook paper (hot glued it) and then covered it with contact paper.  The other way, which I found to be more durable is laminate the scrapbook paper first and then hot glue to the can.

Next, I hot glued the Velcro to the can.  I hot glue to make it a little more durable.

I super glued the Velcro to the sharks.  I first tried with hot glue, but it kept popping off.

You're done!!  So easy and sure to excite your class!

Here are the affiliate links that I used for my finger puppet manipulatives!

If you would like to win a copy of "FIVES! Sharks Original Poetry: Math and Literacy Activities, Center Ideas", leave me a comment on the blog letting me know what kind of animal you would like to see next!  I would love to have a whole zoo of FIVES!!!  I will choose a winner Monday night 4/7/14.

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