Take-Home Bags Activities(Click on any image to see a larger version of that image.) I have many different Take-Home Activities that I send home with students throughout the school year. All of the blackline masters for these activities are included in my "It's In the Bag" packet. The new and revised packet is available to purchase for $10 from teachers Pay Teachers. Click Here. "It's In the Bag" is a popular workshop that I present at many SDE conferences and district inservices. Sock Bag - This bag includes our class book A Pair of Socks (See the Math Class Book that goes along with this bag.) I also include many different real socks for the kids to pair up and count. The kids can even practice counting by 2's.
Apple Bag - This activity bag includes the class book Our Class Has Apples On Top based on the book Ten Apples Up On Top by Theo LeSieg (See the Math Class Book that goes along with this bag.) Included in the bag are directions to read the class book, apple cut outs that the kids are supposed to put in order and count by 2's and additional apple books to read.
The Scissors Suitcase - Every year I am surprised at how popular this take home activity is. The kids beg to take it home next and we have to send it home at least 2 different times during the school year. The direction sheets asks the child to practice cutting at home. I include 4 cutting sheets from any cutting practice book and a pair of Fiskars for kids scissors.
The Glue Suitcase - The directions for this activity ask the child to glue 4-8 small shapes onto the piece of paper. The direction sheet gives specific directions on the correct way that we glue in our classroom. I include many different die cutouts and calendar cutouts and a bottle of glue.
The Bat Bag - The Bat Bag goes along with the BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBat Book. (see Class Books Section). I also include trade bat books for reading. On calendar cut outs I put storybook and cartoon characters that the children are familiar with. The kids are supposed to sing the Batman song with the character names. For example: PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP Poohbat!
Count and Quack Bag - This book contains the class book called Count and Quack. (see Math Class Books) I also include 12 rubber duckies, a laminated 'pond' and 1 die. The direction sheet instructs the child to practice addition by having the child roll the die and put that many ducks in the pond. The child rolls again and adds that many more ducks. The child then says the number sentence.
Octopus Take Home Bags - This bag goes with the Octopus class book (Click here for Math Class Books). The child is to read the book and then use the laminated blackline to count the number of legs on different numbers of Octopus. I write the multiplication sentence for those who can get it, but I don't expect them to. To make the counting easier, I include little stuffed animal octopi for counting.
Scientist of the Week Bag - I love this bag and so do the kids!! To prepare it I put the laminated directions sheet in a spiral binding with simple experiments that I photo copied from some teacher science books. A child takes home the bag on a Friday and by the next Friday, he/she has to prepare an experiment to demonstrate to the class. The child brings in all of the supplies. I include a little lab coat for the child to wear, as well as safety glasses. I have listed some great science books below.
Spill The Beans - This is a Math bag. The directions explain to the parents how we make math number sentences by shaking a certain number of 2-sided beans and then writing the math sentence. For example- the child shakes 5 beans and gets 2 white sides up and 3 read sides up. The child writes the number sentence 2 + 3 = 5.
Gingerbread Man Bag - For this take-home bag I include our Gingerbread Man Class Book that we made and many different versions of the story. I also include play-doh and gingerbread cookie cutters for the kids to have fun making their own cookies. I have listed some of my favorite versions of the Gingerbread man below.
Star Word Bag - I do not send this bag home until April or May. Its purpose is to help the children practice high frequency words. We call them "Star Words." The bag includes all of our Star Words written on stars. The child is supposed to lay the stars out on the floor and then the puppet, Rodney the Rocketeer, zooms from star to star. If the child can read the word, he/she picks it up. The child can review the word he/she did not know by writing the word on the little white board that I included in the bag. To add to the overall "Star" theme, I include a Star vest from Katie and Company, but it is not necessary. The place that I got the puppet at, no longer carries them. I would suggest doing a Google search for a Space man puppet.
Lost Tooth Bag - The kids get to take home this bag when they lose a tooth. The child (or parent) writes on the next blank page in the book about how they lost his/her tooth. I include many different tooth books in the bag for fun reading. I have listed some of my favorite tooth books below.
Birthday Bag - The kids take home this bag when we celebrate their birthday or half-birthday at school. The directions tell the kids to fill out the next page in the book. They write about how they celebrated their birthday. I also include many birthday books that they can read at home. I use the page for a page in the child's memory book at the end of the year.
Ladybug Bag - This bag goes along with the book The Grouchy Ladybug. I include ladybug cut-outs with clocks showing different times on the front and the backs have the answers. I found a poster and cut it up to make it easily. I also include a ladybug puppet who flies from ladybug to ladybug and tries to read the times on the ladybugs. I include a little clock for the kids to practice telling time on.
Miss Spider Bag - This is probably one of the most popular bags. I do it in the spring when the kids are better writers. I include Miss Spider (e-bay), the book Miss Spider's Tea Party, a disposable camera, plastic bugs and a tea set. The kids have a tea party and then they are supposed to write about what they did with Miss Spider on the sheet that I include in the folder. Using the disposable camera, they can take one photo of their tea party. I have made a class book with all the photos and stories, but recently I have made the stories and photos a page in each child's memory book.
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