Cookie sheet numbers

This station is super simple!

You'll need:

• Cookie sheets (that magnets stick to)
• Puff balls
• Magnets
• Magnetic numbers
• Hot glue gun

I purchased magnetic dots from Lakeshore Learning http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca|searchResults~~p|FG206~~.jsp which made this project much easier but you could cut small pieces from magnet sheets or strips.

Even though the magnetic dots were sticky eventually the puffs pulled off so I glued them on. Hence the hot glue gun.

I found the cookie sheets at a dollar store! $1 each! Perfect!

This is a great way to get kids to practice matching numbers to amounts!

What are stations? Stations are activities that I've found/created for kids to use independently while I'm working with another set of students. The topics of the stations generally build on a topic that we've already learned about in class so there isn't a lot of new teaching that needs to be done.

Beginning sounds

I saw this idea at a learning store and knew that I could make it myself for much cheaper!

Things I took into consideration:

• I chose picture-word that I KNEW the kids would have no trouble identifying (so they wouldn't need my help all the time). 
• I also made sure that the clip art I chose CLEARLY identified what the word is. All you need are letters! These are magnetic letters but I don't have them on a magnetic surface in this station - you could adapt it though.

I make sure not to give them too many to figure out otherwise they become frustrated and want to quit. Because the kids are working on this station independently I try to make sure the activity will keep their attention.

What are stations? Stations are activities that I've found/created for kids to use independently while I'm working with another set of students. The topics of the stations generally build on a topic that we've already learned about in class so there isn't a lot of new teaching that needs to be done.

Looking for the alphabet

This idea I found on Pintrest (check out my "I tried it and they loved it!" board).

What you'll need:

• Clear water bottle, label removed, and dry on the inside
• Small, colorful alphabet beads - I luckily found some at a dollar store but Lakeshore Learning also has some http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca|searchResults~~p|2534374302174932~~.jsp
• Rice
• Funnel
• Laminated card with the alphabet printed on it, or any wipe off alphabet sheet
• Dry erase marker and eraser

Use the funnel to put about 1/4 of the rice into to the bottle then drop in some alphabet beads. Repeat until all the alphabet beads are in the bottle and submerged by the rice. Put the cap on tightly (use glue if you think necessary). Shake the bottle to see if the alphabet letters are distributed evenly throughout the bottle. One time I chose to dump some of the rice+letters out and put them back in with the funnel to better space them out.

Kids rotate the bottle the bottle and circle the letters on the sheet that they find in the bottle.

To be honest...I was surprised that they really took to it! Sometimes *I* think I have a great idea and *THEY* don't take to it - this time it was the other way around!

What are stations? Stations are activities that I've found/created for kids to use independently while I'm working with another set of students. The topics of the stations generally build on a topic that we've already learned about in class so there isn't a lot of new teaching that needs to be done

Sorting

This station uses a cheap drying rack that you could find at a dollar store. I hang it from a beam along the ceiling in my classroom so it hangs at a level that the kids can reach it easily. The topic is set (What could you find at the park?) and the kids have to decide which pictures that I provide belong in that group.

If the picture DOES belong in the group it gets clipped on to one of the laundry clips.

If it DOES NOT belong then it gets placed in a discard pile. When a kid is done they remove the pictures and place it back on the shelf for another kid to use.

This activity helps kids with sorting according to group definitions and with fine motor skills. I have 3 different groups with coordinating pictures that I pull out throughout the school year.

This is actually one of the only activities that is my own idea. I mean, sorting is a common skill in preschool and kindergarten but the drying rack is ALL MINE!

What are stations? Stations are activities that I've found/created for kids to use independently while I'm working with another set of students. The topics of the stations generally build on a topic that we've already learned about in class so there isn't a lot of new teaching that needs to be done.