Author: Jess

The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond

The sweetest story about Cornelia Augusta who catches the hearts as it rains. She notices that each one is different and creates a unique valentine for each one of her friends . One of my favorites to read in class.

The Little Blue Truck’s Valentine

Little Blue Truck is a forever favorite in our classroom! Now he’s back and one an adventure to deliver his valentines. Look for all your familiar farm friends in this sweet rhyming story.

The Big Umbrella

There is room for everyone under the big umbrella. A beautiful story about inclusion for all.

Love Monster by Rachel Bright

Monster doesn’t feel very lovable so he sets out to look for someone to love him just the way he is.

Love Grows Everywhere by Barry Timms and Tisha Lee

Love is all around us and shown is so many different ways, big and small.

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli

A great story for 4-5 year old preschoolers about kindness and showing others you care about them. Mr. Hatch is lonely and lives an ordinary life when an unexpected valentine’s day gift shows up to his house. He joyfully goes out looking for his secret admirer and makes friends with people in him community. When it turns out to be a mistaken delivery, Mr. Hatch is sad again. His new friends cheer him up and show him he is loved! Excellent book to pair with little acts of kindness activities.

Whenever I buy or create something for TPT, I always think about multiple ways I can use it. If I am going to spend a bit of my classroom budget or $$$ out of my own pocket (which I really try not to do!!), I want to make sure I squeeze out every ounce of value.

I created these printable phonics mini coloring books for my classroom. Here are some ways you can use them!

Morning work or table time activity

Print and set out crayons. Done! The easiest morning work. No prep activities save me when I am running late

Send home for families to work on and read together

Families are always asking for things they can do at home. Here is a simple one. Send home crayons and scissors too if needed!

Students practice “reading” their book

Such a simple way to build confidence and try out those book handling skills.

Use as a quick fine-motor assessment

• which hand do they use?
• what grip do they use?
• what prewriting stage are they in?
• how are their cutting skills?

Build phonics and phonemic awareness in your classroom

Word Wall

post them up on your word wall. students can add my drawing more things that beginning with that sound on notecards

Letter Sort

Use 2 – 4 of the books at a time. Cut them apart and have children sort them by letter

Alphabetical Order

Cut the cover page from each book and hid them around the room. Children search for the cards and work together to put them in alphabetical order.

To grab this resource for $3.00, check it out in my TPT store here

Indoor scavenger hunt: Create a list of items for the children to find around the classroom, such as a red apple, a button, or a book with a blue cover. Check out my Scavenger Hunt Printables here.

Winter Colors Painting: Use different shades of blue, white, and purple watercolors or washable tempera paint to make a chilly painting. “Paint” glue ever the top. Add glitter or foam snowflakes.

Sensory bin: Fill a bin with materials like snow, fake snow, or rice and hide small toys or objects for the children to find.

“Cook” in the classroom: Make snow dough out of hair conditioner and corn starch This is a great opportunity for them to practice measuring and following instructions.

Indoor obstacle course: Set up a course using pillows, blankets, and cardboard boxes for the children to crawl through and around.

Indoor Snowman: wrap boxes in white paper (or paint them!) Cut out eyes, mouth, and a carrot nose. Use tape or Velco to attach pieces.

Have a “snowball” fight with wadded-up pieces of paper, or have them make a “snowman” with balls of play dough or marshmallows

Keep in mind that these are just a few suggestions, and it’s important to consider the interests and abilities of the individual children in your care.

Visuals!

Place visuals for core words and phrases students can use around the classroom. They serve as prompts for what to say. Students who are non-speaking can point or hand over the sentence to request or comment.

Do you have a student who uses an AAC device? Print a large version of their homepage so everyone can access it. I’m lucky enough to have a poster printer at school but you could also have this done at a local print shop.

Talk about different ways people communicate

Read books and discuss! Here are a few favorites!

Sesame street has some great videos about communicating in different ways

Buddy Device

Have a student that uses an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device? If you can, get another device with the same communication system that can be used by a buddy!

Model

We often use the buddy device to model language for the student. I can sit next to the student with the device and model language. There is no pressure for them to copy what I said. They can just look and listen or they can try it too! It’s so important that children feel ownership over their own device and it is respected as their words – no one else’s. Getting a buddy device means that I don’t have to borrow theirs to model langauge. I know this is definitely easier said than done. You can also print out the home screen of the device (take a screenshot or a photo) and use that to model.

Peers

Peers can use the buddy device too! Depending on age and familiarity with the device, they may also use it to model. In our preschool classroom, we allow other students to explore the device. Why keep it a secret! All students can use it to communicate (again, the student with the dedicated device never needs to share) It also makes them a natural part of the classroom.

MODEL, MODEL, MODEL

Model language!

Honor all attempts at communication

One of my biggest pet peeves is when a student communicates by pointing to something they want or approximating a word and we say, “Tell me on your device” or “say ____”. That student expressed their needs and we’re asking them to do it again even though we know what they want. I have most definitely been guilty of this but I cringe every time I think of it! How exhausting to have to repeat yourself again and again. Allow students to communicate through gestures, pointing, bringing you to somethings, approximating words, using sounds, using visuals, and on and on. Honor their communication and model, model, model. When a student points to their cup, you could instead say, “You want the cup.” “want cup”

Teach peers to also look for and honor other kinds of communication. “I see Connor pointing at that block. It looks like he’d like to play with it.” Kids will often jump in and bring over the blocks so everyone can play. A fun circle time game is practicing communication in other ways.

Visuals for the Adults in the Room

We can all use daily reminders to use core words in the classroom. Sometimes it works to remind us to jump in with modeling and other times it gives ideas of what to say! For new staff members and visitors it can be easy to fall into questions mode….What color is it? How many do you have? or focus on the fringe words instead of core. Having visuals of phrases to use takes the guess work out of it. The more our staff practices using core words and phrases, the more it will become a natural part of the classroom language. Lots of times we have family visitors and substitutes in our classrooms too. It is a learning tool for them too!