We measure using candy hearts. We measure each of these Valentine arrows. We also measure other objects with candy hearts including our pencils, glue, crayons, and more!

We practice estimating and counting using candy hearts. We estimate how many candy hearts it would take to fill each heart on the provided printable. We then use candy hearts to actually cover the heart. We then talk about our estimates and how close or far off we were. 

We practice sorting and graphing candy hearts.

We play a game of add and cover using candy hearts. The kiddos will roll two dice, and then add the numbers. They will then cover the sum. The first person, in pairs, to cover all of the numbers is the winner.

We create candy heart patterns.

We play tic-tac-toe using candy hearts.

We practice counting and building teen numbers on ten frames using candy hearts.

We practice interpreting and building number sentences using candy hearts.

We use a balance scale to measure the weight of classroom objects using candy hearts.

As you can see, you can practice a lot of math objectives using candy. If you would like to use these printables in your classroom, you can get my candy hearts printables to use in your classroom by clicking here!

Pin this pin if you want to come back to see these activities later!

Valentine Pop-Up Cards

We will also create these Valentine pop-up cards the week of Valentine's Day. They are pretty simple to create, and the pop-up feature makes them a little more engaging. The kiddos will make the cards for family or friends. I will let them choose! I love that they will get to create a gift while they are working on their writing skills. 

Teaching sight words, along with all of the other foundational reading skills, is crucial for new readers. Throughout my years as a kindergarten teacher, I have found some effective strategies for teaching sight words successfully. Here is what has worked for me.....

Sometimes we use the same poems in our pocket chart center. The kids enjoy putting them together and "playing teacher." I love using highlighting strips to highlight the sight words we are learning.

Keep It Hands-On

Young learners need to be provided with hands-on activities to keep them engaged. Set up a sight word center that is devoted to your new sight words for the week. Provide hands-on materials that can be used with any sight words (to keep your prep minimal.) Using plastic cups to build the sight words is always a hit! You can also use play-doh, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, and magnets, just to name a few hands-on manipulatives. 

The last few years, I have been incorporating shared reading into my daily sight word routines. Shared Reading is a perfect way to teach kinders the basics of reading.... including tracking print, fluency, concepts of print and more. I love to use shared reading to teach sight words as well! Students learn their sight words in text, instead of "isolated."

 My newest set of shared reading poems are called interactive poems because the kinders do more than just read the poems. They read the poems, highlight their sight words, write the missing sight words, glue the poems in order, and write about the poems. This is a perfect way to have a sight word poem activity each day of the week. Here is what it looks like in my classroom.

Monday....I introduce the new poem. We choral read it, chant it, and highlight the sight words. I use a projector to show the poem whole group, or I write it on chart paper.

Tuesday.....The students fill in the missing sight words. We re-read the poem together, and then partner read the poem.

Wednesday.....We re-read the poem, and then we glue the poem in order using this mixed-up version of the poem.  We then go back and highlight the sight words if we have time.

Thursday.....We re-read the poem, and then we write using the provided writing prompt for each 

poem. 

Friday.....We read the poem one last time, and then either take them home for reading homework, or tuck them in our book baskets for a familiar read. Each student has their own poetry folder in the basket.

Kindergarten students are expected to know how to compose and decompose numbers from 11-19 into ten ones and some further ones (the standard word for word.) This is probably one of the most difficult objectives for young learners to grasp. I will admit, it is also one of the most difficult subjects to teach in a way that these young minds can understand. I introduce this topic early in the year (in small doses), and then more thoroughly later in the year. I created this set of place value math centers to use while I teach kinders the basics of place value, including tens and ones. These activities are all hands-on, which helps with student engagement. 

We will build teen numbers using linking cubes. We will create a set of ten, and then additional ones to create the number.

We will use these counting mats to practice creating a number using a set of ten, and additional ones. We may use play-doh for these mats if time allows.

We will practice counting place value blocks, and matching them to given teen numbers. We will then re-build the number using linking cubes or place value blocks.

We will practice creating sets of numbers using teddy bear counters. We will discuss how each teen number is a set of ten, and some additional ones.

We will use these clip-it cards to practice counting base ten blocks. The kiddos will place a clip on the correct teen number that matches the base ten blocks.

We will play this game of Place Value Find and Cover. The students will play this game with a partner. It is very simple. The kids draw a place value card out of a basket, and then cover the number that they chose on the number mat with a teddy bear counter. Their partner will then do the same after the card is placed back into the basket. The first person to have all of the numbers covered is the winner.

We will practice recognizing and counting place value blocks by matching them with numbers on these place value mats.

We will practice counting pennies, and placing them in piles of tens and ones.

We will practice counting "apples" and placing them on the apple trees by tens and ones. We will then match place value cards to the trees.

We will use these linking chains to attach base ten blocks to numbers 10-19. The kids will attach a "ten and an additional number of ones" to each number card.

You can grab this set of place value math centers by clicking here!

 I hope your kids love them. You can also get them in black and white (so that you can print them at school) if you choose.

I am always looking for new literacy center ideas! I try to switch out the centers to match the time of year, season, holiday etc. (although this often does not happen....) I created this Build a Snowman literacy center to use during the month of January. It is very simple to use. The kiddos build a snowman by matching a cvc picture, with a cvc word. After making their match, they write the cvc word on the recording sheet. Simple as that! You can grab a copy for your classroom 

here.

I also created this set using long vowels for my accelerated kinders.