A few years ago, Teaching Heart ran a contest. Teachers submitted ideas that matched their favorite Kevin Henkes stories. Many included printables to match their ideas. You can see all the ideas by clicking here. Below is one of my favorites that was submitted… Chrysanthemum Name Activity
For BAck to School Ideas – Click here!!
We read Chrysanthemum and discuss new vocabulary words, make predictions, and discuss the different emotions expressed throughout the story. After we finish reading, I write Chrysanthemum on the board. We count how many letters are in her name, and make a stack of 13 unifix cues. I write the leader’s name on the board and count how many letters are in their name. We make a stack of unifix cubes for their name and compare it to Chrysanthemum’s name to see whose name is longer/shorter. Then I pass out their name cards and unifix cubes for them to build their own name towers. Then they compare their towers. We find the shortest, tallest, and students with the same size towers. We put the class in order from shortest to tallest towers.
Student Picture/Name Cards I put each child’s photo and first name on the front of the card. Their last name goes on the back. You can use the attachment to make name tiles. You can type in their name and delete or cut off the extra tiles. You could also just print it out and write their name with colored markers. I laminate them and the kids get to take them home at the end of the year.
Picture/Name Card Activities 1. Sort into groups boys/girls 2. Match names that begin with the same letter 3. Match names that have the same number of letters 4. Put in order shortest to tallest 5. Use letter tiles/magnetic letters/foam letters/letter cubes etc. to build names
Printable to Match the activities Above!!
Ideas is from – Renee Liles/Arkansas
