#1008. "T" Letter Ideas

Reading/Writing, level: Elementary
Posted Tue Apr 20 13:09:06 PDT 1999 by Early Childhood Mailring ().
Concepts Taught: "T" letter activities

T letter ideas

Letter T

I sing a song about Tiny Tim, I had a little turtle, his
name is Tiny tim-cup your hands together. I put him in the bath tub to see
if he could swim--Make motion like you are putting him in the tub. He drank
up all the water-cup hands to your mouth like you are drinking. He ate up
all the soap--play like you are eatting soap! Now he is home and sick in bed
with bubbles in his throat--put hands around throat! Don't know how to
describe the tune, The children love it though1 Hope this helps. Read about
Franklin! they love that also...

*Need a turtle puppet quick?

Paint a paper plate to resemble a turtle's top shell and paint another plate
for the bottom shell. ( I have used both the dinner plate size and the
sandwich plate size.)
Staple or glue green construction paper legs on either the top or bottom
plate.
Sandwich a green sock between the painted paper plates so that the toe
sticks out for the head and the top of the sock sticks out the back for the
tail.
Staple the two plates together on both sides, add eyes, slip your hand into
the sock and wah-lah...a turtle hand puppet to use with storytime.

Warning...all the children want to make their own!

* TURTLE COOKIES
Make rolled sugar cookie dough or buy
the refrigerated "slice and bake" dough.
Give the children green jelly beans that you have
sliced in half horizontally. Shove them into the dough
to make arms, legs and head. The children shake
green sugar on their cookie. Bake as directed.

CREATIVE TURTLE COLLAGE
Cut large turtle shapes from green construction paper.
Provide the children with scraps of paper -any kind,
many colors - the children can tear the paper
into tiny pieces and stick them on the turtle shell.

TURTLES
One lonely turtle, feeling so blue;
Along came another,
Now there are two.
Two happy turtles, on their way to the sea,
Along came another, now there are three.
Four happy turtles going for a dive,
Along came another, now there are five.

Tiny Tim

I have a little turtle
His name is Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub
to teach him how to swim.

He drank up all the water
and ate up all the soap
Now he is home, sick in bed
with bubbles in his throat.

I miss my little turtle,
whos name is Tiny Tim
I will call him on the telephone--
I would like to visit him.

Tiny Tim is better now...
his tummy doesnt hurt...
He will never eat the soap again...
he says it doesnt work.

My children love this. I sing it with a nice big green turtle puppet and alot
of expression!!!

Patchwork Turtles

Supplies needed:
paper plates or bowls (the sturdy kind)
green construction paper
glue
paint brushes
colored tissue paper

Cut the tissue paper into squares. If you have older kids have them do
it.Have the children paint glue all over the back of the paper plate. Have the
children place tissue paper square on the glue until it covers the plate,
don't worry if they are overlapping, this is the desired effect. Let dry. Cut
out a turtle shaped head, legs and tail. Have the children glue them on to the
front of the plate, so they stick out. Now have the children brush slightly
diluted glue all over the turtles back, this will hold down the overlapped
tissue paper and also give the turtle a glossy wet look.

Other Ideas
Read the book La Tortuga "The Turtle" or the Tortoise and the Hare
Have children add faces to their turtles.
Sprinkle green glitter over the top coat of glue for sparkly turtles.
Visit turtles in your local pet store or aquarium.
Ice cupcakes in green icing, use pretzles to attach a large marshmellow as a
head, and four small marshmellows for the legs, this also works with pear or
peach halves.

MY TURTLE

This is my turtle.
(Make fist, extend thumb)
He lives in a shell.
(hide thumb in fist)
He likes his home very well.
He pokes his head out when he wants to eat.
(Extend thumb)
And pulls it back when he wants to sleep.

THE TURTLE

There was a little turtle,
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle,
He climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito,
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow,
He snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow,
But he didn't catch me.

TOMMY TURTLE

Tommy Turtle, look at you go.
Tommy Turtle, you are so slow.
But when danger come, you'll stay well,
By pulling your body into your shell.

TURTLE RACES

Make three to five turtles and let the children race them. To make cut turtle
shapes out of green poster board, number or name each one. Punch a hold just
above the center of each turtle and put a five to eight foot long piece of
string through it. Get one chair for each turtle. Tie one
end of each piece of string to one of the legs of a chair. Line up the chairs
along the finish line.

Have the children who are racing their turtles stand in a row at the starting
line. Each child should hold the loose end of one of the strings. Begin the
race with the turtles near the children's hands.

When you say "Go" the children who are racing should start jiggling their
pieces of string so that the turtles bound toward the finish line. The other
children should pick a turtle and cheer for it. Which turtle made it to the
end first? Which one was last? Race Again.

I did a poem/fingerplay last year with my Kinders. I think I got it out of
the Scholastic series. Sorry-don't know the author.

This is my turtle. [put fist out with thumb sticking up]
He lives in a shell.
He likes his home very well.
He pokes his head out
When he wants to eat.
And he pulls it back [put thumb inside fist]
When he wants to sleep.

Shelly
SNejat@aol.com
***************************

My favorite turtle song is:
(If you don't know the tune just chant it like a rhyme....)
There was a little turtle.
He lived in a box. (make box with fingers)
He swam in a puddle. (make swimming motions)
He climbed on the rocks. (make climbing motions)
He snapped at a mosquito. (at this point we SNAP our
He snapped at a flea. fingers at each SNAP)
He snapped at a minnow.
And, he snapped at me!
He caught the mosquito. (At this point we CLAP our
He caught the flea. fingers at each CAUGHT)
He caught the minnow.
But, he didn't catch me! (shake finger)

ANOTHER GOOD TURTLE POEM (THAT WE MAKE UP MOTIONS AND ACT OUT) IS:

A turtle is a reptile.
Its home is on its back.
It never has to worry,
If someone will attack.
When it spies and enemy,
what does it do so well?
It simply takes its head and feet
and tucks inside its shell!! (The children enjoy this part!)

The Turtle
The turtle wears a shell on her back,
She walks so very slow. (Walk hand slowly.)
But put her in the water and watch--
She can really go! (Swim hand quickly.)

Snapping Turtle
He snaps in the morning, (Snap with hand.)
He snaps at night.
He snaps at the bugs
As he takes each bite.
He snaps so much,
He's quite a sight.
Snap! Snap! Snap!

Little Turtle
Little turtle in your shell,
Slowly you do go. (Cover right hand with left
hand.)
Slowly creeping, slowly crawling,
Slow is nice, you know! (Creep hands along slowly.)

Here is My Turtle
Here is my turle, (Form fist and extend thumb.)
He lives in a shell. (Put thumb inside fist.)
He like his home
Very well. (Nod head)
He pokes his head out (Pop out thumb.)
When he wants to eat. (Circle thumb around.)
And pulls it back in
When he wants to sleep. (Put thumb back inside fist)
*****************************
**
Turtles / (egg carton shells, facts - Sci.)
Trains (kids construct and put together)
Time (simple clock concepts / make clocks)
Teeth (hygiene/ health /Sci. facts /project with vinegar and egg.......
Top tall... (teach positional words ; use "Goin on a Bear Hunt...)
Two (reinforce numbers) or Ten
Trees(toilet paper roll slit at top - stick in a half paper plate with
leaf decos on it/ lots of boks for tree themes)
Tongue Twisters - alliteration for phonemic awareness .,...
Tea (kids cut teapot, staple bag inside for mom ....)
tents (dramatic play area)
Time to rhyme (make a rhyming word wall / you 'give ' word ; kids give
the rhyme....)good luck/check my page under ABC Curr/there may be some
there /Laurie
*********************************
turtles

Turtles
I have a little Turtle his name is Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub to see if he would swim
He drank up all the water
He ate up all the soap
He woke up in the morning with bubbles in his throat!

*Need a turtle puppet quick?

Paint a paper plate to resemble a turtle's top shell and paint another plate
for the bottom shell. ( I have used both the dinner plate size and the
sandwich plate size.)
Staple or glue green construction paper legs on either the top or bottom
plate.
Sandwich a green sock between the painted paper plates so that the toe
sticks out for the head and the top of the sock sticks out the back for the
tail.
Staple the two plates together on both sides, add eyes, slip your hand into
the sock and wah-lah...a turtle hand puppet to use with storytime.
Warning...all the children want to make their own!

* TURTLE COOKIES
Make rolled sugar cookie dough or buy
the refrigerated "slice and bake" dough.
Give the children green jelly beans that you have
sliced in half horizontally. Shove them into the dough
to make arms, legs and head. The children shake
green sugar on their cookie. Bake as directed.

CREATIVE TURTLE COLLAGE
Cut large turtle shapes from green construction paper.
Provide the children with scraps of paper -any kind,
many colors - the children can tear the paper
into tiny pieces and stick them on the turtle shell.

TURTLES
One lonely turtle, feeling so blue;
Along came another,
Now there are two.
Two happy turtles, on their way to the sea,
Along came another, now there are three.
Four happy turtles going for a dive,
Along came another, now there are five.

Tiny Tim

I have a little turtle
His name is Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub
to teach him how to swim.

He drank up all the water
and ate up all the soap
Now he is home, sick in bed
with bubbles in his throat.

I miss my little turtle,
whos name is Tiny Tim
I will call him on the telephone--
I would like to visit him.

Tiny Tim is better now...
his tummy doesnt hurt...
He will never eat the soap again...
he says it doesnt work.

My children love this. I sing it with a nice big green turtle puppet and alot
of expression!!!

Patchwork Turtles

Supplies needed:
paper plates or bowls (the sturdy kind)
green construction paper
glue
paint brushes
colored tissue paper

Cut the tissue paper into squares. If you have older kids have them do
it.Have the children paint glue all over the back of the paper plate. Have the
children place tissue paper square on the glue until it covers the plate,
don't worry if they are overlapping, this is the desired effect. Let dry. Cut
out a turtle shaped head, legs and tail. Have the children glue them on to the
front of the plate, so they stick out. Now have the children brush slightly
diluted glue all over the turtles back, this will hold down the overlapped
tissue paper and also give the turtle a glossy wet look.

Other Ideas
Read the book La Tortuga "The Turtle" or the Tortoise and the Hare
Have children add faces to their turtles.
Sprinkle green glitter over the top coat of glue for sparkly turtles.
Visit turtles in your local pet store or aquarium.
Ice cupcakes in green icing, use pretzles to attach a large marshmellow as a
head, and four small marshmellows for the legs, this also works with pear or
peach halves.

MY TURTLE

This is my turtle.
(Make fist, extend thumb)
He lives in a shell.
(hide thumb in fist)
He likes his home very well.
He pokes his head out when he wants to eat.
(Extend thumb)
And pulls it back when he wants to sleep.

THE TURTLE

There was a little turtle,
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle,
He climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito,
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow,
He snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow,
But he didn't catch me.

TOMMY TURTLE

Tommy Turtle, look at you go.
Tommy Turtle, you are so slow.
But when danger come, you'll stay well,
By pulling your body into your shell.

TURTLE RACES

Make three to five turtles and let the children race them. To make cut turtle
shapes out of green poster board, number or name each one. Punch a hold just
above the center of each turtle and put a five to eight foot long piece of
string through it. Get one chair for each turtle. Tie one
end of each piece of string to one of the legs of a chair. Line up the chairs
along the finish line.

Have the children who are racing their turtles stand in a row at the starting
line. Each child should hold the loose end of one of the strings. Begin the
race with the turtles near the children's hands.

When you say "Go" the children who are racing should start jiggling their
pieces of string so that the turtles bound toward the finish line. The other
children should pick a turtle and cheer for it. Which turtle made it to the
end first? Which one was last? Race Again.

MY TURTLE

This is my turtle.
(Make fist, extend thumb)
He lives in a shell.
(hide thumb in fist)
He likes his home very well.
He pokes his head out when he wants to eat.
(Extend thumb)
And pulls it back when he wants to sleep.

THE TURTLE

There was a little turtle,
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle,
He climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito,
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow,
He snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito.
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow,
But he didn't catch me.

TOMMY TURTLE

Tommy Turtle, look at you go.
Tommy Turtle, you are so slow.
But when danger come, you'll stay well,
By pulling your body into your shell.

TURTLE RACES

Make three to five turtles and let the children race them.
to make cut turtle shapes out of green posterboard, number
or name each one. Punch a hold just above the centre of
each turtle and put a five to eight foot long piece of tape

Letter T part 2

T: Tambourines can set the tempo to move around the room.
Tap quickly and lightly for fast small steps; loud and slow for
large slow steps.

Activity T
Telling truth time is very difficult for young children. Relative time
however, is a concept that can be fun to explore. Look through magazines and
flyers with your child and cut out pictures of things that we do at
different times of the day. Examples are eating different meals, going to
bed, getting dressed in the morning, watching TV, going to work, or going to
school. On a long sheet or roll of paper draw a morning sun on the left and
the night moon on the right. Work together with your child to arrange the
pictures from morning to night. There is no absolute right or wrong. Talk
about and reason what might be next. When your child is happy with the
order of things, one at a time, glue the pictures on the paper. Display the
paper on a wall or door where everyone can see the hard work that was done.

Torn-Paper Art
Have the children tear paper shapes to create a picture or design. They can
add to their picture by coloring with crayons or by cutting out other things
and gluing on.

Tree
Have the children make a tree by gluing toothpicks on a piece of paper. Use a
sponge and green tempera paint to add leaves to the top of the tree.

Tying
Using old shoes, ropes, string, have the children practice tying.

Toast
Help each child toast a slice of bread. Supply a choice of toppings, such as,
peanut butter, cinnamon and sugar, jelly. Have them top their bread and cut
the toast into Triangles.

Telephone Game
You need 2 play telephones for this:
Sit in a circle with the children. One child is given a phone, & you keep
the other. When the phone "rings", the child picks it up & says "Hello, this
is Sally" (They usually forget this part... just respond with "Who's
speaking?" after they say hello.) Tell child that you have a question to ask
them. This can be a "trivia" question (Who climbed up the hill with Jack?)
but it's also a great review technique (What dinosaur has 3 horns? ) The
older children enjoy asking ME the questions.


* MR. TICKLE LICKLE
hold feather in front Mr. Tickle lickle bought a feather fo a nickle

put feather on head And he stuck in in the middle of his hat
(TWEET TWEET!!)
Fly arms Now, he's singing like a bird- like abird
you never heard
pat head And he only paid a nickle! Think of that!
(some Hat111)


* Turtle> The song with I have a little turtle
I keep him in a box
He swims in the water
Climbs on the rocks
The children love this. I have a little I keep him in my
pocket.(purchase at a store, really cheap) At cirlce time I will say, I have

something in my pocket, I wonder what it is. The children know that it's
Franklin (that's what we call him). They always have to say hi and either

kiss him or give him a real good lick. They make great boxes with their
hands. They just love it. I do it every day.


* One thing that I do is make toothpick sculptures. The children put
toothpicks onto a piece of waxed paper. They use glue to connect the
toothpicks. When dry, they peel right off and make beautiful
sculptures. I stand them on styrofoam sheets. They stick in easily.
Some teachers spray paint them.

8 T is for Teapot

Materials: Construction paper, scissors, crayons, glue

The children cut out a 5 or 6 inch Circle and glue it to the center of
another sheet of construction or drawing paper. They then use crayons to add
the handle, spout, lid and to decorate it.

I always try to bring in a teapot or two ( I collect them) so that the
children can get a good look at one. Not many people use them anymore.

Be sure to sing "I'm a Little Teapot".
We also read a Sesame Street book about Ernie and the Broken Teapot.

Try making turtles out of paper plates. The children can paint them green

and add construction paper head and legs.
Glue toothpicks on the letter t.
Paint with toothbrushes.
Cover the letter T with textured material.
Color the letter Tt and glue on toothpicks
triangle Tissue paper collage
Teapot
telephone craft

Toothpick collage

White and colored toothpicks, glue, manila paper
Let each child make a collage by gluing the toothpicks to make a picture or
shape. Show them that they can break the toothpicks in halves or smaller
pieces to make different sizes and shapes. The children may add details to
the picture with crayons if desired.

* How to make a turtle:

Need :
1 paper bowl
green paint (water colors)
brown construction paper
black marker
stapler

Turn bowl upside down and paint green, let dry.
Cut out front and back feet from brown const. paper.
Staple to bowl.
Cut out head w/neck, then draw eyes and mouth.
Staple to bowl.




*THE TIRED TURTLE
( tune: "i've been working on the railroad")

I've been crawling through the mud,
All the whole day long.
I've been crawling through the mud,
Just listen to my song.
Oh, my house is getting heavy,
My legs are tired and sore.
I am moving very slowly.
I can't sing any more.


*Need a turtle puppet quick?

Paint a paper plate to resemble a turtle's top shell and paint another plate
for the bottom shell. ( I have used both the dinner plate size and the
sandwich plate size.)
Staple or glue green construction paper legs on either the top or bottom
plate.

Sandwich a green sock between the painted paper plates so that the toe
sticks out for the head and the top of the sock sticks out the back for the
tail.

Staple the two plates together on both sides, add eyes, slip your hand into
the sock and wah-lah...a turtle hand puppet to use with storytime.
Warning...all the children want to make their own!

Toothpick number designs

Graphing--What kind of toothpaste does your family use?

Projects that include teeth, trees, telephone

*turtles. I've got 3 different ways you can do this.

1. Take foil wrap and have the children crush them into a nice size ball
(about 1") then take any kind of clay that will harden. Have the children
form the dough around the foil ball leaving the bottom flat. Then take the
dough and have them make the feet, head, and tail. Wait until it's totally
hardened and then have them paint.

2. Take a foam bowl then use packing peanuts to make the head and feet.
Glue onto the underside of the ball using a good craft glue. Let the
children then take fabric scraps and glue them onto the turtle to decorate.


3. Glue paper legs and a head to a large half of a walnut shell. Put a
marble under the shell and the turtle will "roll".

* TURTLE COOKIES
Make rolled sugar cookie dough or buy
the refrigerated "slice and bake" dough.
Give the children green jelly beans that you have
sliced in half horizontally. Shove them into the dough
to make arms, legs and head. The children shake
green sugar on their cookie. Bake as directed.

CREATIVE TURTLE COLLAGE
Cut large turtle shapes from green construction paper.
Provide the children with scraps of paper -any kind,
many colors - the children can tear the paper
into tiny pieces and stick them on the turtle shell.

SENSORY TABLE Assorted vinyl turtles, damp sand,
river rocks to form a pool of water.

TURTLES
One lonely turtle, feeling so blue;
Along came another,
Now there are two.
Two happy turtles, on their way to the sea,
Along came another, now there are three.
Four happy turtles going for a dive,
Along came another, now there are five.





Tiny Tim

I have a little turtle
His name is Tiny Tim
I put him in the bathtub
to teach him how to swim.

He drank up all the water
and ate up all the soap
Now he is home, sick in bed
with bubbles in his throat.

I miss my little turtle,
whos name is Tiny Tim
I will call him on the telephone--
I would like to visit him.

Tiny Tim is better now...
his tummy doesnt hurt...
He will never eat the soap again...
he says it doesnt work.

My children love this. I sing it with a nice big green turtle puppet and
alot of expression!!!

Kim ;D
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
T is for turtles. Make them using small paper plates or bowls as the shells.
There was a little turtle,
he lived in abox,
he swam in a puddle, he climbed on the rocks,
He snapped at a mosquito,
he snapped at a flea,
he snapped at a minnow and he snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito, he caught the flea,
he caught the minnow but he couldn't catch me!!
Teach factual info for Science.
Tell the tale of the tortoise and the hare.
T is for toothbrush - make some from constr. paper (handles) and white paper.
Have kids cut in on the lines to make bristles. Give a lesson in hygiene.
Contact your area dentists ahead of time and see if any will send free
toothbrush samples etc...
T is for tea!! Make little teapots. On the front print "Tea, anyone?" Kids
cut 2 and staple a teabag inside. Set up an area for tea parties for Dramatic
Play or invite the parents for tea.
T is for top. Teach positional word concepts - top, tall, etc...
T is for two an ten. Teach number concepts.
T is for Texas - teach factual info for Social Studies.
T is for tulips - make stencils and have crayon rubbings. Talk about Spring,
bulbs and perennials. Plant!!Paint individual egg carton sections as tuilps -
add pipe cleaners as stems.
T is for TIME. Make clocks and discuss time concepts.
T is for trains and trucks. Make some from rectangle shapes. Have a unit on
transportation.
T is for telephones - teach the kids their telephone and emergency numbers.
Play the 'telephone game'.
T is for teacher. Ask the kids to draw pictures of the teacher and display in
the hall - very interesting!!
T is TREES - freestyle paint some. Laurie
Visit my site for more ABC curriculum at
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/prek1
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
T activities could include making thumbprint art pictures, and learning about
taking care of teeth.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*toast, telephone, tea, tennis balls
*color/cut out and glue a picture of a telephone onto construction paper.
The telephone should have a keypad big enough for the students to practice
using it and a place on the receiver to print their phone number. Write in
each students phone number and have them practice dialing their number until
they can do it from memory.
*make toast and drink tea
*make T with play dough
*play Letter Detective
*locate pictures in magazines that begin with /t/ and glue onto posterboard
to make a T poster
Cindy/SPED K-2
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^