Stress-Free Valentine Fun Stations

 

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Fivesies, a Quick and Easy Math Game

This is a fast-paced game that reinforces counting and instant recognition of numbers up to 6. More than that, it's a ton of fun. Plus, if you're needing a filler for your centers, or a way to pass the time when the weather is too bad to go outside, this fits the bill.

It's called "Fivesies", and you can play it in four different ways.
Also, it's important that each student needs their own set of 5 dice.

Basically, to begin, each child rolls all five dice at once (or dump from a cup). They look to see what number repeated. Ex: if they have 3 threes. Then that's the number they aim for. Their goal is to be the first person to end up with 5 of the same number. Or in this case, 5 threes.

The first child rolls, puts aside those repeated dice, and the next child rolls. When it's Child #1's turn again, he rolls only the dice that didn't turn up the repeated number. So if he got 3 threes the first time around, he only rolls the 2 dice that weren't a three. If he gets another three, he puts that die aside, and next time he rolls the single leftover die.

Each child gets one roll per turn. The winner is the student who is first to get all their dice with the same number.

Variation #2
Give them a specific number to aim for. Ex: the number six. Again, each child rolls their dice, saving the ones that show a six and re-rolling the dice that didn't. Winner is the first one to get 5 sixes.

Variation #3
Play 1-6. In other words, they have to end up with their dice in numeric order, showing the numbers one through six to win.

Variation #4
This is a quickie game. Each child gets One Roll of the dice. The winner is the student with the most repeated number. In case of a tie, just those students re-roll their dice to determine the winner.

Bowling For Words

This is a representation of a bowling game I created for one of my centers. I call it BOWLING FOR WORDS. I used the following letters for the ten pins: A, E, R, M, C, P, N, D, B, T

* Each student in the group gets a piece of paper and writes their name on it.
* They get to roll the ball two times.
* Using the pins they knock down, they try to write down all the words they can make using the letters on the knocked-down pins.
* When everyone has had a turn, the person with the most words wins!

For a variation, they can work in teams (ex: 2 teams of 2 students in each).

Ping Pong Alphabet Game

I bought a box of ping pong balls, which were relatively cheap. Using a Sharpie, I marked each of them with an alphabetical letter, then put them in a tub, along with a fish net.

The object is to scoop them up in the net in alphabetical order, and drop each ball into the egg carton in the slot with the corresponding letter. (Ex: I put upper case on the balls, and lower case in the cartons.) Note: They could not touch the ball with their fingers at any time. Net only!

What made this exciting for the children is they would time each other (using my timer) to see who could do it the fastest.

Some Great Summer Finds

Found at Target: 

First, this Draw & Write Roll. It would make a great class project, or station.

Some more dry erase boards are always needed.

Can never have too many Happy Birthday certificates.

The Fishing Pole Game

1. Go to the dollar store.
2. Buy enough of those fishing pole games for one center/station, and several sets of magnetic letters.


How to Play:

*Dump letters into a box or bin.
*Altogether, every child has to "fish" for letters.
*You set the rules. Such as, first child to spell a word with their letters wins! (note that all words must be CVC or at least 3 letters long - but you may start earlier in the year with 2-letter words such as at, me, my)
*Children can also practice "catching" the letters in their names
*To make it harder, have them draw a card with a word on it, and they must catch it

Note: To use this at the beginning of school, have them try to put the letters in alphabetical order. Ex: Someone has to catch the A, then someone has to catch the B. But they're all fishing at the same time!

My Math Stations for the Weeks of 5/19 and 5/26

These are the last math stations for the school year.

Station #1 - Watermelon Bump
You can get this freebie here.

Station #2 - Put together a floor puzzle.
In this case, it's four separate puzzles.

 

Station #3 - Lucky 7
I made several copies of the word SEVEN on index cards. To play, the students roll 2 dice. If the total is seven, they get to pick one letter. First person to spell out the word SEVEN wins!

Station #4 - Calendar Math
We're working on the month of May.

Station #5 - Number Line Race
I marked off a sentence strip in inches. Each child picks a token. They shake a penny cup.
Heads = +1 space forward
Tails = -1 space back
First person to reach the end wins!

My Language Arts Stations for the Weeks of 5/19 and 5/26

These are the last language arts stations for the school year.

Station #1 - Guided Reading and Sight Word Flash Cards

Station #2 - Listening Station and Computers
On the computers, we're working on typing our sight words.

And at our listening center, we're reading...

 

Station #3 - Highlight-a-Letter
We're finishing up with the year with Y and Z.

Station #4 - Ladybug Words (Short u sounds)
I found a ladybug picture on the web, which I blew up and printed off 2 to a page. I then found a bunch of pictures with short vowel sounds. To play the game, the children pull a card from the box and name the picture. They then decide if the word has a short u sound. If it does, they get to cover a dot on the ladybug. If it doesn't, they put the card back in the box, and the next child takes a turn. First person to cover their ladybug wins!

Station #5 - Make a Sentence
Using these word-like unifix cubes, the children are challenged to make as many complete sentences they can in the time allotted, and write the sentences on their paper.

My Language Arts Stations for the Weeks of 5/5 and 5/12

Station #1 - Guided Reading and sight word flash cards

Station #2 - Highlight-a-Letter
These two weeks we'll be working on the letter W and X

Station #3 - Computers and Listening Stations
Our book and CD these two weeks is

Station #4 - POP for Sight Words Game
Link here.

Station #5 - Match It! Spelling puzzles

My Math Stations for the Weeks of 5/5 and 5/12, With a Freebie

Station #1 - Race to Draw It
I made a simple worksheet, and a die with six basic 2D shapes. They throw the die, draw the shape, and first person to fill in 4 in a row wins!

Get your own copy of the sheet below!

(Click the jpeg image for a larger version you can save and print.)

Station #2 - Doubles Aren't Trouble!
You can get this freebie here.

Station #3 - Capture 4
You can get this freebie here!

Station #4 - Popsicle Puzzles!
I took popsicle sticks and wrote the alphabet, numbers, and shapes on them. (Two sticks per.)

Station #5 - Addition Chart
I couldn't remember is this game used dice or not, so I did a little adapting by making the 0s into 6s. (Sorry, but I dug this out of my filing cabinet, and I can't find where I got the original.)

Now what they do is throw 2 dice and cover the "intersection". It's very similar to the TENS AND ONES game I created. (And where you can get a freebie copy of that board.)

My Math Stations for the Weeks of 4/21 and 4/28, With a Freebie!

Station #1 - Calendar Math
Working on the month of April.

Station #2 - Putting Together a Giant Floor Puzzle...of Bob the Builder

Station #3 - 3-D Bounce
I took this freebie and adapted it. The students draw one of the cards, then put their colored chip on the corresponding picture on the placard. As they go through the cards, they're allowed to "bump" anyone on a shape they need. When all the cards have been played, the person with the most colored chips left on the placard wins!

Station #4 - Easter Bunny Roll-a-Puzzle
I took this Easter freebie an turned it into a roll-a-puzzle. They roll the number word die, then find a corresponding piece with that number die on the piece. (Note: One piece is blank. I just added six dots to it.) First person to roll all the pieces they need to complete the puzzle wins!

Station #5 - Tens and Ones
It's simple. They children roll 2 dice. Ex: If they roll a 1 and  4, they can either cover up a 14 or a 41 with their particular marker, depending on what's "open". If they roll a combination, and both possibilities are already covered, they lose that turn. This game can be played until all numbers are covered, or until the teacher calls time. Person who covered the most numbers wins!

You can click the play card below to get a full-sized jpg you can save and print.

My Language Arts Stations for the Weeks of 4/21 and 4/28

Station #1 - Guided Reading and Sight Word Flash Cards

Station #2 - Highlight-a-Letter
These next two weeks, we'll be working on U and V.

Station #3 - Computers and Listening Center
Our book and CD these next two weeks is:

 

Station #4 - Find 10 Words in "Easter Bunny"
I put the letters to the words EASTER BUNNY on index cards, so the children could manipulate them to make words.

Station #5 - Ping Pong Ball Alphabet Fishing
I put the alphabet inside empty egg cartons. Then I wrote the alphabet on ping pong balls. The children take turns "fishing out" the balls in alphabetical order, and they can't touch the balls or they lose their turn. It's a lot more difficult than it looks, but the kids love it!

My Math Stations for the Weeks of 4/7 and 4/14 - With a Freebie!

Station #1 - Pom Pom Count and Color
Fill up the trays with the correct number and color of pom poms using the tweezers.

Station #2 - Match It Mathematics

Got this game with my school funds.

Station #3 - Bunny Grid Game
We're using the number word die, and using some cute springtime erasers to cover what we roll.
You can get the freebie game here.

Station #4 - Tangram Puzzles
I found this oldie but goodie in the math coordinator's closet. The kids love matching the shapes.

Station #5 - How Much Is Your Name?

Using some old scrabble tiles, the students lay their names down and add up the "points" to see who has the most. We also did our surnames.

You can get this freebie worksheet here!