Ladybug Pattern

from Kathleen A. Carpenter

Can be used as a craft, or to program with learning center activities...unlimited possibilities!

Copy onto oaktag/cardstock paper.

Color the head black, wings red with black spots. Leave body below neck uncolored if using for learning game.

Cut out the body and the two wings. Use a brass brad fastener to poke a hole through the black dot on each piece.

Position the wings on the body with the straight edges along the "neck" and the rounded edges along the curve of the body. The 3 black dots should line up on top of each other so one brad fastener will go through and fasten all three parts together. Insert the brad and fasten beneath the ladybug. This allows the wings to swing open, exposing the ladybug body beneath.

Possible uses:
Program a wing on each ladybug with a numeral 0-10 or higher. Draw the corresponding number of dots on the body under the wings. Children read the numeral, then check their answer by swinging open the wings to count the dots.

Program with upper and lower case letters of the alphabet for drill. Put one case on outside wing, other case under wings.

Program with letter of alphabet and picture of object with corresponding letter sound.

Write a cloze activity on the wing, with the missing answer/word hidden under the wing. (sight words, vocabulary, math, etc.)

Write riddle or curriculum related question on the wing, write the answer under the wings.

Older children could write (copy or compose) a short poem under the wings. Or they could write a short response to a prompt fitting your current Spring or insect theme.

An End of the School Year Test for First Grade

from Claire Dietsche

Writing Checklist

from Claire Dietsche

A writing checklist for kids to use during their writing time.

Word Family House

from Helen/NC

The word family is inserted in the text box in the attic. The new words that we make as a class are written in the sections.

Poem Form

from Cathy-Dee Brand

I created this common poem form for my unit on needs of plants and animals for Grade 1.

It's a fun poem to introduce describing words to students and they love writing about animals.

What I do to teach the lesson;

1. We begin by brainstorming animals (I also have animal cards (information cards) that I put out as the children can use the name for spelling and see the picture to help them decide on describing words).
2. Then I make a list of words on the board or on chart paper that the children give me for describing words. I number each word as that makes it easier when a student asks me which word says growling I can glance at the list and say # 14 and they can copy it for spelling.
3. For lower students I will put a light x in pencil on the lines where they need to write their animal name. For all other students I show them first on a form on the overhead and I leave it up so they can see the form for the first while. I tell them to write the name of their animal first on all the lines where it needs to be. Then they go back and start filling in the blank lines.
4. Many students make 2 or 3 poems and for an extended lesson you can have them type their own poems and add a clip art picture of their animal. If I don't have time for this I type the poems and they draw a picture of the animal instead.