Portable Word Wall Center

Portable Word Wall Station 

Portable word walls are fantastic. They help make words accessible to students in so many ways. Kids are able to physically hold and the words or word lists and the words can travel with them. Many of the children that I have worked with over the years, have difficulty copying words from the board or across the room. By using portable word walls, children bring the words right to their work space. I wanted to create a portable word wall station that is quick and easy to make. While also being space saving and user-friendly in the classroom. 

What is a Portable Word Wall?

A portable word wall is a set of words that is available for students to use right at their work space. Portable word walls can take many forms, but the main benefit is that it brings the words to the student! Check out this post with some of the portable word walls that I use with my kids.

Why Use Portable Word Walls?

There are many reasons to use portable word walls, but my primary reason for using them is that students are able to physically interact with the words. Allowing students to use some type of portable word wall brings the words right to their work space. Some children have great difficulty in copying words from a distance, so this eliminates the stress and error of copying from across the room. It is easier for students to focus on the specific words when they are right in front of them.

DIY: Portable Word Wall Station

Now for the DIY! This word wall station was inspired by the science fair. Every year, I can’t wait for science fair season. I love exploring hands-on science with my kids and (I confess) helping them create the display for the science fair. I do dread discarding the tri-fold board after the fair is over, so I had to come up with an idea to reuse the tri-fold science fair. Since I am crazy for thematic word walls (and my husband is tired of seeing me ruin the walls), I decided to make a portable word wall station. Check out this easy DIY: Tri fold Portable Word Wall Station!

This DIY is very simple.  All you need is a tri fold presentation board, word walls on metal rings, and some plastic hooks with adhesive. I used 3M Command Hooks.

1. Gather all your materials.
2. Lay out the portable word walls on top of the tri-fold board.
3. After the word wall rings are spaced evenly along the board, simply attach the plastic hooks to the board.
4. Place a title on the board. Get mine for free here.
5. You are ready to use your word wall station!

Word Walls for Your New Station

Thematic word walls are engaging and will boost student vocabulary AND can come in a variety of forms. Check out some of the word walls that I use with my new portable word wall station. My collection of word walls includes both word lists and word cards. Use my word walls with your new station, or create your own- Just make sure to get your kids’ hands on a portable word wall!

Thematic Word Lists

Check out a post about my thematic word lists here. Get them from my TeachersPayTeachers store here.

Want to make a Mini Anchor Chart Stand to hold word wall lists? Check out this post with clear directions on how to create a tabletop anchor chart stand.

Thematic Word Cards

Check out a blog post that shows the word cards in action. Get a free sample to try out here.

  

And get a free sample to try out here!

Free Leprechaun Activities

February 24, 2017 by lauraschachter@gmail.com (Edit)

These free leprechaun activities are sure to make your St. Patrick’s Day a magical time! Prep them now and you will be all set for some St. Patrick’s Day learning fun. What is more magical than leprechauns, pots of gold, & rainbows? Use these free leprechaun activities to get kids excited about learning math with leprechauns!

Free Leprechaun Activities

 I have two freebies to share with you! These free leprechaun activities are great for young kids, because they involve lots of interaction and hands-on learning. Kids learn best through “doing”, so these activities are sure to be a hit! Get your free leprechaun activities here.

Leaping Leprechauns Subtraction Poem

Close your eyes and picture a leaping leprechaun. The picture that comes to my mind is a joyful, mischievous being- not unlike both of my spirited kids! Poetry is the perfect medium to convey the whimsical nature of the leaping leprechaun.

“Five” as a Benchmark

I love using addition and subtraction poems based around the number five and number ten. Five and ten are the perfect benchmarks for young children, because they correspond to the number of fingers on one and both hands. Children easily pick up that they have 5 fingers on one hand and 10 fingers included on both hands.  It is a natural and real-world way to get kids comfortable with 5 and 10. By consistently working with fives and tens, you are helping kids create a solid mathematical base.  Through the years, I’ve created a ton of “FIVES” based poetry that you can use with your kids.  See more blog posts with “Fives” poetry in action here.  You can get the “Fives” poetry packs here.

The poem begins with 5 leaping leprechauns. In each stanza of the poem, the leprechauns encounter St. Patrick’s Day themed items. At the end of each stanza, one leprechaun leaves the poem.  It’s a really fun way to explore the theme of leprechauns and reinforce counting backwards and beginning subtraction.

Interactive Poetry

The poem comes in both color and black & white, along with pictures to use as visual cues. Write the poem on sentence strips and use in a pocket chart, display with a document camera, or just read it aloud.  Use the pictures to sequence the poem, identify matching words in the poem, to retell the story, or put on a ring for a quick and easy St. Patrick’s Day word wall.

Leaping Leprechauns Number Line Activities

The next free leprechaun activity is one of my absolute favorites! Kids need to move. This math game is perfect for getting them up and moving, while they are involved in meaningful learning activities.  This pack includes numerals to create a large “walkable” number line, as well as, small number lines to use at their seats.

Build Number Sense With Movement

Kids are able to actually move up and down the number line by moving their bodies. It is a great activity for kinesthetic learners and young children, because they are able to experience the placement of number lines by moving up and down the number line. They are building number sense by physically interacting with the number line. Priceless.

 Focus Wands

Leprechauns are all about magic, so use it! This pack also includes large and small focus wands. Focus wands are really great for directing focus to a specific numeral. The hole in the wand directs the student’s eye to the targeted numeral. It is especially useful with children who have difficulty focusing their attention.

The large and small focus wands fit the numerals on the large and small number lines. One student can demonstrate on the large number line, while the rest of the class completes the same activity on the personal number lines.  It is a great way to keep the class engaged! This blog post explains exactly how I use this set.

More St. Patrick’s Day Learning Activities

Leprechauns are so much fun! Hope you found some ideas that you can use with your own kids. Looking for more St. Patrick’s Day ideas?  Check out some other St. Patrick’s Day resources here.

St. Patrick’s Day Portable Word Walls

Portable word walls are a great way to explore themes! Grab this set of March word walls to enhance your home or classroom.

March Portable Word Walls

Sight Word Fluency Fun

Practice sight words with this set of editable games!

Editable Sight Word Fluency Games

St. Patrick’s Day Math Scavenger Hunts

There are so many uses for the cards in this set- use for memory, “WAR”, scavenger hunts, or anything else you dream up!  Save some egg cartons to use as ten frames and kids can draw a card and build the number on the ten frame.   See the egg cartons in action here.  It’s a great way to make ten frames concrete.

St. Patrick’s Day Math Scavenger Hunts

Alphabet Scavenger Hunts

You can use these cards for a letter hunt, memory, matching upper and lower case letters, and so many other ways.  Check out the different ways I use these cards here.

St. Patrick’s Day Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

Free Focus Wands

As a last treat, head over and pick up a variety of free focus wands here!

 

 

DIY: Frog and Toad Long & Short Vowel Center

DIY: Frog and Toad Miniatures

February 16, 2017 by lauraschachter@gmail.com (Edit)

Frog and Toad Container Creations

Create your own set of Frog and Toad containers to use with a FREE set of long and short vowel activities. This DIY post includes easy directions to create your own set of containers. Head over to this post to grab your own set of free long and short vowel printables and hands-on activities.

Creating Frog and Toad Phonics Manipulatives

You will need:

• Hot glue gun & hot glue
• Foam, construction paper, or felt
• Googly eyes
• Pipe cleaners
• X-acto knife or sharp scissors

DIY: Frog and Toad Directions:

1.  Use the X-acto knife or sharp scissors to cut a u-shape on the top of the icing containers.
2. Hot glue foam or paper around the icing container. I used green foam for frog and scrapbook paper for toad.
3.  Hot glue the same foam or paper onto the icing container top. 
4.  Cut out the shape to cover the cut out on the top. Cut a small slit in the middle of the shape.
5. Insert the pipe cleaner into the hole.
   
6.  Hot glue the mouth onto the icing container top and roll the pipe cleaner into a tongue.
   
7.  Cut out shapes for the eyes. Hot glue the shapes together and hot glue the googly eyes on top of the shapes.
8. Hot glue the eyes to the back of the icing container top. Glue a strip of foam or paper around the edge of the top.
9.  Add the labels to the front of the frog and toad.
   

 

 

 

10.  You are ready to use Frog and Toad!

 

 

Now that you have your new Frog and Toad Container Creations, head over to my TeachersPayTeachers shop and download the free set of printables, activity, and sorts! Check it out here and have fun with all the long and short vowel fun!!

Free Storytelling Resources

January 20, 2017 by lauraschachter@gmail.com (Edit)

Storytelling gloves are amazing! You can check out my DIY blog post on how to make your own set of storytelling gloves- AND it’s cheap and easy. Since I am such a fan, I want to share free storytelling glove resources with you! Now, you will be able to experience the joy of storytelling with your own kids for FREE! What could be better?

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Want to find out more about storytelling gloves?

Check out my blog post here with an explanation of storytelling gloves, why you should use them, and a detailed description of how to make them yourself. The DIY is quick and easy, too!

Ready to make your own storytelling gloves or magnetic storyboard?

You can grab a set of FREE storytelling glove resources to try out with your kids!  This free pack includes storytelling pieces to use with a set of storytelling gloves or a magnetic storyboard. (There are quick DIY directions included in the resource, or you can head over to my blog post for more detailed instructions.)

The free set also includes a set of finger puppets that children can create and use to tell and retell the story. 

Tons of “Five Little Monkey” Fun

Most kids love the story of the “Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed”. I remember begging my parents to read it over and over…. and over. When my kids were really little, I came up with a variety of fun and hands-on activities that we used to act out the story. Check out some of our favorites.

Learning Toy from a Clementine Box

Create an easy learning manipulative out of a clementine box, felt, and ribbon. Easy DIY directions in this blog post.

Learning Toy from a Shoe-box

Don’t have a clementine box lying around? No problem! Grab a shoe box and make the bed. Velcro the monkeys to blocks and you have sturdy, child-friendly story props. Check out the blog post here.

Free Storytelling Glove Resources

Grab the free set of storytelling glove resources and get started creating your own set of storytelling gloves. Use adult sized or kid-sized gloves to create the set that is right for you. Attach Velcro to the fingertips and start telling the story of the “Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed”.

Free Magnetic Storyboard Resources

Use some of the same story pieces on a magnetic story board. A magnetic storyboard is quick, easy, and cheap! I use a cookie sheet from the dollar store. See exactly how to set it up in the free resource pack.

Free Finger Puppets

Don’t forget the finger puppets! Head over and scoop up the free resource, so your kids can make their own set of monkey finger puppets. Then, they can continue all the storytelling fun at home!

Enjoy all the monkeying around! If you would like to continue the storytelling fun with more quick and easy resources to use in your classroom, head over to my shop and check it out!

More Storytelling Fun!

Click on the pictures below to see more storytelling fun…

Fairy Tale Edition