#967. "M" letter ideas

Reading/Writing, level: Elementary
Posted Thu Apr 8 13:02:35 PDT 1999 by Jan k/ne and the Early Childhood Ring (jblecha@genie.esu10.k12.ne.us).
Dudley Elementary,
Concepts Taught: "M" letter activities

M letter ideas
Letter M

M
(five little monkeys song_) and
5 little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head
went to the doctor and the doctor said
no more monkeys jumping on the bed
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Here are some of the MAGNET activities that I do:

LETTER 'TRACING'
I wrote the letters of the alphabet (cap. and lower) each on seperate piece of
paper. I put out a bowl of bingo chips and a wand magnet. The children put
the chips on the letter to 'trace' it. Then clean-up was easy....just run the
wand over top and wal-lah!!

SORTING
Here you can sort two ways-
1. metal and non-metal or
2. all metal (since aluminum is not attracted)
Put out a box of items to be tested. On one side of the box put all items
that the magnet attracts and on the other side put all items that are not
attracted.
EXTENSION: we made a prediction chart at the beginning of the week and then
checked for real at the end of the week.

MAGNET PAINTING
Put a piece of paper on an aluminum tray. Dip several small items in paint
and place on top. Move a magnet around under the tray to 'paint' with the
items on top. To take this further, when the paint dries trace a stencil on
it and cut out to use as a decoration.

METAL HUNTING
(We have a sand table out right now so I used it for this activity but last
year I just took a plastic shoe box and used that.) Hide different types of
metal objects in the sand. The children use a magnet to find what is hidden!

LINING UP
Start with your line leader as the magnet. They touch one person. This
person attracts to the 'magnet' (they hold hands). The second attracts a
third and so on until everyone is attached.

HUNT
We partnered the children and gave each pair a magnet. We then went around
the school checking to see what would attract to the magnet and what would
not.
We returned to our classroom and each child told something that their magent
stuck to. We also discussed what it did not attract to.

ERASE-A-LETTER/NUMBER
(This may be too easy for your group but you could alter it to fit their
level)
On a cookie sheet place letters or numbers all over it. Then ask a child at a
time to come up a remove the item that you ask them to.

COMPASS
(I didn't do this one but I read about it)
Discuss the fact that a compass always points North because of the magnetic
pull. Make a 'compass' by rubbing a strong magnet over a straight pin in the
same direction about 25 times. Push it into a cork and place in a dish of
water. Use a real compass to check.

I hope that some of these will help you. Kids just love magnets!!

Happy Teaching!
Amanda

Here are some ideas from others on the ring:
I also collect the little magnets from the bottom of shower curtains. I
color simple mazes, mount on construction paper and laminate for centers.
If you place one round magnet on the bottom of the paper and another on
top, they will hold together through the paper. I have the children move
the lower magnet through the maze. They love being able to make the top
magnet move without touching it! This also helps develop fine motor skills
and hand-eye coordination in a round about way. Beth k/tx

Someone else suggested putting baby oil and paper clips in a soda bottle and
glueing the top on. Use the magnet to move the clips around.
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Graphing Activity

"Drink Milk"
On a large cow cut-out the children make a pink, brown, or white cup to graph
their favorite flavor.

maria
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Mystery box: mail, mirror, mouse

M & M's: We use this popular candy to sort, pattern, graph and eat for a
fantastic math lesson! Buy the miniature bags at Halloween and you won't
have to worry about how many you are giving them!

Magnets: Have two trays labeled "things magnets will pick up" and "things
magnets will not pick up". Provide an assortment for students to
investigate and let them sort into the trays.

Memory: I have many "concentration games" which actually test each child's
memory. They choose a partner and a game packet, find a quiet spot, and
play the games. Best activity I've ever used!

Monsters: Read "Where The Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. Let
students draw a picture of a "wild thing" and then have another class write
a paragraph describing the picture. Then send the paragraphs on to another
class and they draw a picture from the written description. I give mine to
fourth grade classes and they really like to check out our bulletin board
where I post all contributions.

Mice: I read lots of the Frederick books to my class and use work mats
resembling large chunks of swiss cheese and black and white plastic mice.
Really gross, but fun!

Mittens: We play a mitten match-up game. Students wear one mitten and put
the other one in a pile in the center of our floor. Students search
through the pile to find their matching mittens.

Marbles: We paint with marbles--I even use magnetic marbles and kids paint
by moving a magnet under the box in which I have placed the marbles, paint,
and paper.

Music Boxes: I collect music boxes and once a year I will bring about 20
of them to school and let the children listen to them. I DO NOT bring
expensive music boxes and I always start them myself.

Milk Mustaches: I put up a bulletin board about "Me" at the beginning of
school and my students soon pick up on my "milk mustache" collection! This
year several little girls have taken on the search and have found many that
I did not have. During Mm week, I posted all the pictures on the wall of
my room and my class had a blast checking them out! I have since added the
Milk Mustache Book to my classroom collection for students to enjoy!

Other activities include Marching to Music, magnifying glasses (we hunt
Mm's in the newspaper with our magnifying glasses), Monkeys scritch,
scritch, scratchin' while we're marching to music, Make gingerbread houses
with milk cartons, macaroni, magazines, mail carriers (have a carrier come
to visit with class), magic marker mayhem!!!!!!!! and money (I introduce
money at St. Pat's with black felt kettles for work mats and play coins to
count and combine)

Enjoy!!! ~Va/K/Mo
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Cut two very very large pieces of brown butcher paper. The
larger the better. Have children paint the giant monster.
The teacher will have to stuff and staple the very large
monster. When completed, add odd shapes to decorate our very
big and silly looking monster. We hung the monster from the
ceiling in our hallway. It was cute, not scary. Monster
week is fun.

Go on a Monster Hunt (like the Bear Hunt - but you find a
friend at the end)
We're going on a monster hunt
We're going to find a big one!
We're not scared, but...

What if he's under the bed? Better go over it. Squoosh,
squoosh, squoosh.
What is he's in the closet? Beter close it. Slam, slam,
slam.
What is he's behind the curtains? Beter open them. Swish,
swish, swish.
What if he's in the hallway? Better tiptoe down it. Titoe,
tiptoe.
What if he's in the garage? Beter stomp through it. Stomp,
stomp, stomp.

Aahh! It's a monster!
What's that you said?
You're big, but you're friendly, and you want to go to bed?

Now we're not afraid of monsters, so..
Stomp through the garage,
Walk through the hallway,
Close the curtains,
Open the closet,
Jump into bed,
And turn out the lights!. Click!

I made 10 different monsters out of felt and a big felt
bed and we sang/chanted the 10 in the bed song..... using
the word monster obviously....
"ten monsters in the bed and the little on said 'i'm crowded
roll over'... so they all rolled over and the big blue one
(or the green striped one, or the hairy red one) fell out
and there were nine monsters in the bed. nine monsters in
the bed and the little one said....
eight.....
one little monster in the bed and he said "snore
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

MONSTERS

I am a monster
Through and through.
But please don't scream.
I would not hurt you.

I do not want
To make you cry.
That is the truth.
And I never lie.

I would not give you
A nasty stare.
Or wake you with
A strange nightmare.

So why am I here
This very day?
The answer is easy.
I just want to play.

MONSTERS GALORE

Monsters galore,
Can you roar?
(Roar)

Monsters galore,
Can you soar?
(Making a flying motion.)

Monsters galore,
Please shut the door!
(Pretend to shut the door)

Monsters galore,
Fall on the floor!
(Fall down)

SEVEN LITTLE MONSTERS

One little monster is very tall.
(Reach toward ceiling, standing on toes.)

Two little monsters are very small.
(Squat)

Three little monsters like to creep.
(Creep on the floor)

Four little monsters like to leap.
(Leap into the air)

Five little monsters dance on the rug.
(Dance)

Six little monsters like to hug.
(Hug each other)

Seven little monsters in a row.
(Line up)

All bend down to touch a toe.
(Touch a toe)

WHAT DO MONSTERS DO?

What do monsters do?
They stretch and touch their toes.

What do monsters do?
They comb their purple hair.

What do monsters do?
They stick out their green tongues.

What do monsters do?
They brush their teeth with a broom.

What do monsters do?
They rub their yellow eyes.

What do monsters do?
They wiggle their orange ears.

Boy, am I glad I am not a monster!!

TEN LITTLE MONSTERS
(Tune: Ten Little Indians)

One little, two little, three little monsters,
Four little, five little, six little monsters,
Seven little, eight little, nine little monsters,
Ten little happy monsters.

YOUR ARE MY MONSTER
(Tune: You Are My Sunshine)

You are my monster,
My only monster.
You make me happy,
When I am sad.
You never know dear,
How much I love you.
Please do not take
My monster away

IF YOU ARE A MONSTER
(Tune: If You Are Happy and You Know It)

If you are a monster and you know it,
wave your arms.
If you are a monster and you know it,
wave your arms.
If your are a monster and you know it,
your arms will surely show it.
If you are a monster and you know it,
wave your arms.

2 - show your claws.
3 - gnash your teeth
4 - stomp your feet

TEN LITTLE MONSTERS

(Tune: Ten Little Indians)

One little, two little, three little monsters,
Big wild eyes and skin with fuzzy furs.
Climbing on the stairs
when no one know they are there.
Heigh-ho, monsters are here.

One little, two, three little trolls,
Playing in the woods
where fern and moss grow.
Running through the trees
and having lots of fun.
Heigh-ho, monsters are here

Letter M part 2

FIVE LITTLE MONSTERS

This little monster has a big red nose.
This little monster has purple toes.
This little monster plays all night.
This little monster is such a fright.
And this little monster goes.
Tee-hee-hee.
I am not scary. I am just silly me.

THE MONSTERS ARE SO LOUD
(Tune: When Johnny comes Marching Home)

The monsters stomp around the house,
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The monsters stomp around the house,
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The monsters stomp around the house,
Their brothers and sister send them out
And they stomp some more
outside around the house.

The monsters yell around the house
Yeah! Yeah!
The monsters yell around the house,
Yeah! Yeah!
The monsters yell around the house,
Their brothers and sisters send them out
And they yell some more
outside around the house..

MONSTER STORIES

There's A Monster Under My Bed by James Owe
There's Something In My Attic by Mercer Mayor
There's A Nightmare In My Closet by Mercer Mayor
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sneak
Harry and The Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach
I Hear A Noise by Diane Goode
The Very Worst Monster by Pat Hutchins
Molly's Monsters by Mary Morgan
Beast In The Bathtub by Kathleen Stevens
What's Under My Bed? by James Stevenson
Little Monsters by Jan Pienkowski

MONSTER ART

1)Cut out large monster feet out of cardboard and let the
children paint
or color
them. Attach to their feet with wool. March around like
monsters.

2) Fingerpaint on large monster shapes.

We'll all be great big monsters
And everyone we'll scare
With great big claws
And great big eyes
And long stringy hair

Along will come our Mommys
And who we are they'll know
They'll walk right up and kiss us
SMACK
and say opps where did that monster go?
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Did you see the idea of using rubber gloves or plastic
gloves and fill with corn starch or flour etc. to be used as
a sensory experience aka monster hands. I like to take
clear gloves like the kind food handlers use and have the
children drop candy corns (1 in each finger) and then fill
with pop corn. Tie it off and they have yummy monster hand
snacks.

After reading There's A Nightmare In My Closet I split the kids into 2
groups
and have them paint
2 large monsters using purple+green paint, glitter, and cool collage
materials. They work
cooperatively to paint these.

We also read Happy Monster-Sad Monster I think by Emberly and the kids act
out
the different
emotions. We then make a class big book about the things that make them
happy,
sad,mad etc.

Decorate paper plate monster masks

clay monsters using feathers, beads etc.

cut a monster type hand and foot the size of the children's. Let them paint
or
color and glue on
yarn for fur. Attach these to the children's hands and the tops of their
feet
with elastics. The
kids can sing and act out being monsters.

Have the kids try to build a cage out of blocks to keep a monster safe
inside.

Hide different colored pre-cut monsters throughout the room and have the
kids
go on a monster
hunt. when they bring them back, graph the different colors.

Sandy (collected from different sources)
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Marble Painting
Monkey Mobiles
Money
Myself
Matchstick Models
Monsters- make monster masks
Mermaids
Man in the Moon
Magic tricks
Mistakes- discuss; Luckily mistakes often help us to learn
Mom
Mix up
Moth
Milk - make milkshakes
Minute - how many times can you hop in a minute
Metal - make a metal collection and use a magnet to sort the metal from
alumimium

*Masks
Give each child a paper bag to fit over their head. Help them to cut out
openings for eyes, nose and mouth. Supply a variety of materials for them to
decorate their masks.

*"Me" Book
Have each of the children bring 4 or 5 snap shot sized pictures from home.
Use Zip Lock baggies for the children to insert 2 pictures front to back.
You
can insert a cardboard between the pictures to make it more sturdy. Add 2
binders on the zipper end and the children can flip through their own book.

*Marching
Pretend you are in a marching band and have everyone play an imaginary
instrument. March around the room to music or make your own.

*Monster Mash
Give each child a bowl and a fork. Have them mix and mash 1/2 banana, 1/4 C.
Applesauce, 1/2 Tsp. Honey and 1 Tsp. peanut butter. Have them sprinkle the
top of their Monster Mash with Cinnamon and eat.

*Itsy Bitsy Monkey
A piggyback song, to the tune of I.B. Spider...the kids love this one!
The Isty Bitsy monkey climbed up the coconut tree.
("Climb" up the tree, by alternating cupped hands one on top of the other
in
the air.)
Down came a coconut & hit him on his knee---OWWW!!!!
(Make a double fist above head & hit your knee on "ow!")
Out came a lion a-shakin' his mighty mane---ANNND---
(Frame your face with your hands, fanning fingers out for mane. Shake head
&
hands. Slow down tempo on "And")
The Itsy Bitsy monkey climbed up the tree again!
(Incrased the tempo & climb back up the tree)

*I give the children marshmallows and toothpicks. They come up with the most
incredible marshmallow sculptures! I always take a picture of them before
they get eaten.

*MEASURING- Which weighs more-
a cup of macaroni or a cup of mini-marshmallows; a cup of macaroni or a
cup of m&m's

*Many-Any Berry Milk Shake:
For eight small servings, mix in a blender 1 cup plain yogurt, and 4 cups
fresh or frozen berries.

*Mr. M is a blow up huggable that the children get to interact with. He
has a munching mouth which is his wonderful characteristic. We will talk
about foods that are safe to munch. We will also look at lots of real food
products from the grocery store and we'll try to figure out the ones that
begin with m. We'll try doing that by saying Munching Mouth __________
fill in the blank with muffins, marshmallows, margarine etc.

*Make magic wand with straws and any type of streamers, ribbon etc.
Decorate it any way you like, tape on the ends.

* Sing No more monkeys jumping on the bed. Use how many children you have
in your class and sing the song to have them fall of the bed (roll to
the floor).

* Mime time: Be a mime ; Act out what ever you want but do not talk !

* M Mountains: Pre draw M's on a long piece of butcher paper, have the
children go over the m's with markers.

* Bake muffins with your class.

* Sing : Do you know the muffin man? And little miss muffet.

* Make some silly masks

* use some magnifing glasses or magnets

* Read from Mother goose

* Dance to some Music

* Make Macaroni Necklaces

* Have the children draw a monster.

* Count the M & M's

Sandy ( compiled from different sources)
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M is for mouse - my favorite unit!!
BOOKS and stories:
Country Mouse and City Mouse
Seven Blind Mice
Samantha
The Busy Year
A Tale of two bad mice
Mouse paint (Walsh)
Mouse Count(Walsh)
Frederick
Alexander and the wind up mouse
If you Give a Mouse a cookie
Use these books which lend themselves well to all kinds of activities, Seven
Blind Mice re-inforces colrs, days of the week. You don't have to be an
artist to EASILY duplicate these mice in felt and do on the felt board for
sequencing. Copy each to constr. paper and laminate - play a # matching game
with Swiss cheese that has the corresponding # of paper punched holes / EZ to
make file folder game. Alexander : Make purple mice.
Teach mouse facts. Make little mice from ink pad stamped thumbs - add tiny
ears and tails. Add yarn tails to your mouse projects.
M is for moose - "If you give a moose a Mufin" - Make a paper bag puppet with
a moose face. Lift face and kids 'give ' it a muffin cup. At Circle 'web' the
story with yarn as it is a great one for sequencing. laurie
M is for Mickey or Minnie - kids add a bow to Minnies hair or as a bow tie
for Mickey.
M is for macaroni necklaces
M is for money / make the copier and use in adramatic play store.
M is for magnets : use for Science.
M is for microphones and megaphones and microscopes - all interesting at a
Sci. center.
m is for masks / make some / order some from Oriental Trading Co. for
Dramatic Play.
All I can think of for now!Laurie
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M&M's

Use book "The M&M Counting Book" by Barbara Barbieri McGrath. Lots of fun!

Have children open individual packages of M&M's (or hand out to each from a
big bag) have them do sorting by color, graphing, patterning, simple
addition or subtraction.

Have a monster party.......read "Where the Wild Things Are" (or other
monster book), let the students make monster masks (use die-cut shapes for
recognition skills), serve monster "food" (gummi worms, huge cookies, etc.),
make monster punch (fruit juice with with lemon-lime soda for
bubbles)....make class book about pet monsters.

Kathy Hill
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M: MAGNET
SHOW:
Line up some paper clips. How many paper clips can your magnet pull?
IDEAS:
The number of paper clips that a magnet can pull gives a measure of the
strength of the magnet. The stronger, the magnet, the longer the train of
clips the magnet can haul.

Sandy
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Read 5 Little monkeys jumping on the bed and do a monkey activity which
could be a pattern using a paper plate or sack puppet.
I do mitten activities and have done a graphic organizer to the story The
Mitten by Jan Brett.
Graph mittens
Do mice activities such as Hickory Dickory Dock
3Blind Mice and make mice characters
Mickey Mouse can be a symbol

From: mmayes@mail.derby.k12.ks.us
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Activity M
"M" is for mountain. Choose a fun kind of paper. Construction paper is a
good choice, but do not limit yourself. You and your child may want to pick
neon colored or textured paper. Pick two colors, one for the sky and one for
the mountains. On the paper for the mountains tell your child he will draw
two tall mountain peaks that will make the letter "M". Demonstrate the
shape. As you show your child how to make the monstrous mountainous "M" say
"One line up. One line down. Then another line up and another line down."
That makes the letter "M". Your "M" should be almost as wide as the paper.
When your child has his "M" cut out, glue it to the bottom of the sky paper.
Spend a few minutes running fingers up and down and up and down the "M". Run
your fingers in the direction that you would write a "M". As fingers are ran
over
the "M", make the "M" sound. Try nut to stutter the "M" sound. Instead, make
the sound a constant humming "M" sound.

M: March!! Make homemade maracas and march to Mozart music!

•Masks
Give each child a paper bag to fit over their head. Help them to cut out
openings for
eyes, nose and mouth.
Supply a variety of materials for them to decorate their masks.

•"Me" Book
Have each of the children bring 4 or 5 snap shot sized pictures from
home. Use Zip Lock
baggies for the
children to insert 2 pictures front to back. You can insert a cardboard
between the
pictures to make it more
sturdy. Add 2 binders on the zipper end and the children can flip
through their own
book.

•Marching
Pretend you are in a marching band and have everyone play an imaginary
instrument. March
around the
room to music or make your own.

•Monster Mash
Give each child a bowl and a fork. Have them mix and mash 1/2 banana,
1/4 C. Applesauce,
1/2 Tsp.
Honey and 1 Tsp. peanut butter. Have them sprinkle the top of their
Monster Mash with
Cinnamon and
eat.

•Itsy Bitsy Monkey
A piggyback song, to the tune of I.B. Spider...the kids love this one!
The Isty Bitsy monkey climbed up the coconut tree. ("Climb" up the
tree, by
alternating cupped hands
one on top of the other in the air.)
Down came a coconut & hit him on his knee---OWWW!!!! (Make a double
fist above head &
hit your
knee on "ow!")
Out came a lion a-shakin' his mighty mane---ANNND--- (Frame your face
with your hands,
fanning
fingers out for mane. Shake head & hands. Slow down tempo on "And")
The Itsy Bitsy monkey climbed up the tree again! (Increased the tempo &
climb back up
the tree)

•Give the children marshmallows and toothpicks. They come up with the
most incredible
marshmallow
sculptures! I always take a picture of them before they get eaten.

•MEASURING- Which weighs more- a cup of macaroni or a cup of
mini-marshmallows; a cup
of
macaroni or a cup of m&m's

•Many-Any Berry Milk Shake:
For eight small servings, mix in a blender 1 cup plain yogurt, and 4
cups fresh or
frozen berries.

•Make magic wand with straws and any type of streamers, ribbon etc.
Decorate it any
way you like, tape
on the ends.

• Sing No more monkeys jumping on the bed. Use how many children you
have in your
class and sing
the song to have them fall of the bed (roll to the floor).

• Mime time: Be a mime ; Act out what ever you want but do not talk !

• M Mountains: Pre draw M's on a long piece of butcher paper, have the
children go
over the m's with
markers.

• Bake muffins with your class.

• Sing : Do you know the muffin man? And little miss muffet.

• Make some silly masks

• use some magnifying glasses or magnets

• Read from Mother Goose

• Dance to some Music

• Make Macaroni Necklaces

• Have the children draw a monster.

• Count the M & M's

Kim ;D
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*read If You Give a Moose a Muffin
*make/eat muffins
*make Moose puppets; trace the hands of each student on brown construction
paper. Have them cut them out and glue them onto the "flat" side of a brown
lunch bag as antlers. Add the face to the side with the flap. You can cut a
face from brown construction paper in the shape of ( U with a line on top
...) then add black eyes and nostrils cut from black paper.
*allow students to retell If You Give a Moose a Muffin using their puppet
*graph favorite types of mufffins
*use M&Ms as counters
*give each student a snack bag with M&Ms and graph the colors
*introduce Hickory Dickory Dock; make mice and a clock to retell the rhyme
*Madeline ~ Ludwig Bemelmans
*Martha Blah Blah ~ Susan Meddaugh
*Maxie the Mutt ~ Sharon Peters
*McDuff Moves In ~ Rosemary Wells & Susan Jeffers
*Monkey See, Monkey Do ~ Marc Gave
*Moongame ~ Frank Asch
*make Monsters
*read Caps for Sale; make monkey puppets on craft sticks to retell story

Cindy/SPED K-2
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