Big Stuff Learning Activities for Kids

Mailed Off My National Board Renewal Box Today!

2011-04-26T15:26:00.000-04:00

Click to see the Wordle that I created using all my components!
Wow...I can start blogging again.

Five Minute Workout for Class Breaks!

2011-04-10T12:20:00.001-04:00

A bit cheesy but could do the trick when a little action is needed in the classroom!

Donate to Donors Choose Jimmy Fallon / StephenColbert Project

2011-03-31T11:43:00.000-04:00

These funny guys love Donor's Choose !

Cat in the Hat Writing Paper Free on Teachers Pay Teachers

2011-03-01T18:01:00.005-05:00

Cat in the Hat Writing Paper Free on Teachers Pay Teachers. Click on the post title.

Time for Dr. Seuss-Read Across America Day

2011-02-28T21:41:00.002-05:00

Click on the Post Title to visit Seussville for games and activities.
Today we had a great time practicing a choral reading that we will read over the intercom for Read Across America Day on March. I divided the kids into five groups and each group has a four line stanza. After getting them into groups I asked them to circle three words in their stanza that they wanted to put emphasis on. It was an interesting discussion as I walked about the classroom. Some groups picked their words quickly others took a while to decide. I was really pleased to hear them read chorally and out loud with great expression. Just shows you can't underestimate first graders. Tomorrow I'll provide you the link to the poem written by a fellow NEA member.

We have a winner! Allyson Cates is the winner of the book drawing!

2011-02-08T18:37:00.002-05:00

Allyson please email me with your address and I will be happy to send you your book!
Sarah

It's Almost Time for a Free Book to Come Your Way!

2011-02-03T18:46:00.003-05:00

On Saturday I will be drawing for the first free book giveaway of many by Big Stuff Learning Activities! Please make sure you are a follower and your name will be entered in the drawing!
Sarah

Penguin Handprints after Reading "Tacky the Penguin" by Helen Lester

2011-01-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

We traced our hands on black paper and cut the handprint out. Then we used white rectangles, small white squares, small orange squares and yellow paper to design our penguins. We love the book "Tacky the Penguin". Tacky has many crazy adventures. He certainly isn't your average penguin. We are comparing penguins in fiction and non-fiction.

Customize your own free slideshow

Try Wordle Make Designs with the Words You Love~Great Technology and Literacy Integration Activity

2011-01-27T15:47:00.008-05:00

http://www.wordle.net/
Use this address to get to Wordle.net if you are having difficulty. The title link should work now. Share some of your school or family related wordles with us.

Smilebox of my First Graders Work in Technology

2011-01-25T19:59:00.006-05:00

Make your own slideshow

First Free Book Give Away-Become a Follower to Participate in the Drawing to win this Book!

2011-01-24T19:37:00.000-05:00

Craft: Origami Heart Valentines

2011-01-24T19:11:00.001-05:00

I love these Origami Heart Valentines. This is a good activity for fine motor skills and also good for spatial relationships. Folding paper is a wonderful skill for children to learn. If children learn to fold paper they can make books, graphic organizers and art. Most of all with this activity they can share their love for someone else is a special way!

Write a Letter to A Lion through Letter for Lion by National Geographic

2011-01-22T10:31:00.005-05:00

This is an excellent activity that integrates literacy and science. The children would love to create these letters in a literacy center. Mail your letters to:
National Geographic
Digital Media - Kids
M-4430
1145 17th St., NW
Washington, DC 20036

It is the year of the Rabbit on the Chinese Zodiac!

2011-01-18T18:01:00.000-05:00

You will love these bunnies made out of marshmallows featured on Cute Food for Kids!
If you make some share your pictures with us. Cute Food for Kids has a lot of creative ways to make the plainest food look cute.

A Great Idea for Feeding the Birds

2011-01-18T08:16:00.001-05:00

I feel it is our responsibility and our joy to get children off the couch and outside to experience the natural world. Sometimes the weather does not cooperate with us but we can continue to enjoy what nature has to offer by feeding the birds. This is an absolutely adorable (had to say it) and wonderful way to feed the birds. It is easy for kids to make and the materials are easy to find. I found this on the The Magic Onions Blog.

2011-01-17T08:40:00.000-05:00

Link for Valentine Addition Sheet

Super Heros-Batman loves Readers, Writers and Mathematicians

2011-01-16T20:52:00.002-05:00

Let's face it boys and a lot of girls love Superheros! It my job to teach them all. I found this dry erase board in the Target Dollar Bin. I plan to use it for sentence writing and word sorts. It will also work well in math centers. Superheros love great readers and writers! Kablamo.....I can't wait to see the kids reactions when they find this in a literacy or math center.

Target Dollar Bin Hearts and Erasers for Reading and Math

2011-01-14T19:42:00.002-05:00

I am really excited about these foam hearts from the dollar section of my local Target in Greensboro, NC.
I plan to use them for a math center but they could easily be used for literacy centers as well. Since I may want to "program" them for several different activities I plan to use small labels for the questions and answers I will put on the back of them. I will use them first for an addition concentration game with math sentences on half of the hearts and the answers on the other half. You could also use them for subtraction, multiplication or division facts. The children in my classroom love the concentration format for game playing. They could also be used for opposites or matching sight words. The options are endless. I also had to get a couple of packs of the small erasers for math manipulatives. I use dice quite a bit in my math centers. I am planning to use these as counters for math problems that the children roll with the dice. One child may roll a four and then get four erasers then roll a six and six erasers. They will record their rolls and then count all of the erasers to get the total. Link for recording sheet for this activity: it is free
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-Febuary-Addition-Math-Center-Recording-Sheet

Welcome to Big Stuff Learning Activities!

2011-01-12T19:37:00.001-05:00

I'm Sarah Tharpe-Winchell and I teach first grade in Greensboro, North Carolina at General Greene School of Science and Technology. I have taught kindergarten and first grade for 25 years and I love it. I have enjoyed working with many student teachers, interns, teachers and children over the years. Even though I have many years of experience I continue to enjoy coming up with new ideas and activities for the classroom!
This week I will be sharing a lot of great things I found at the dollar section of my local Target for math and literacy centers! Enjoy!