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Simple & Fun Kindergarten Art Project for When Pencil Met Eraser

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Kindergarten Art Project for Back to School

This is one of my favorite kindergarten art projects for back-to-school. It is simple and quick to prep, and students love it! Read on to learn all about this easy pencil and eraser art activity inspired by When Pencil Met Eraser by Karen Kilpatrick. Your students will explore subtractive art, practice fine motor skills and pencil grip, and have fun creating art with their school supplies!

Read on for the full lesson plan!

Kindergarten Pencil & Eraser Art Project at a Glance

Grade: Kindergarten–2nd grade
Time: 15–20 minutes
Art technique: Subtractive art
Skills: Fine motor skills, pencil control, creativity
Book: When Pencil Met Eraser by Karen Kilpatrick
Prep: Low

Why this is a Great Back-to-School Art Project

This project is perfect for back-to-school because it gives students a chance to use their bright, shiny new school supplies. It also provides a fun opportunity to practice pencil control and fine motor skills while students are getting accustomed to using classroom materials.

Additionally, When Pencil Met Eraser is a fun story about friendship that is perfect for September. The illustrations also provide a wonderful introduction to the subtractive art technique students will use in this project.

I used this lesson with my kindergarten students, and it is easily adaptable for older elementary students.

What Materials Do You Need?

This project needs just a few simple materials.

  • “When Pencil Met Eraser” by Karen Kilpatrick
  • Card stock (I cut it in quarter sheets to keep this quick and simple for my students.)
  • Tape
  • Pencil
  • Eraser (a pink eraser is perfect for this kindergarten art project!)
  • One cotton ball for each student
  • A Work Mat to protect the table.

Students will likely work on this project for 15 – 20 minutes after you finish reading the book.

That’s it!

Prep Steps for this Kindergarten Art Project

Back-to-School Art Project

This kindergarten art project needs a few minutes of prep to make it successful for all students.

The biggest challenge with this activity is that little hands struggle to hold the paper in place while they color with their pencil and draw with their eraser.

The other challenge (especially in September) is fatigue. Students may not have the hand strength to color a large piece of paper. It is important to fill a lot of the page with pencil marks.

I cut the card stock into quarters to keep this project manageable for my kindergarten students. Then I use painter’s tape to fix the card stock to a laminated work mat (I make these in August, and we use them all year long.)

Lesson plan for this Kindergarten Art Activity

Plan for about 15 – 20 minutes of work time for this lesson in addition to the time you spend reading the book.

When Pencil Met Eraser

Start by reading the book. If you haven’t read it before, it is perfect for back-to-school in kindergarten. It does not have a lot of text, so it fits those short attention spans. The text tells the story of the day Pencil met Eraser. At first, it did not go well. But eventually, Pencil realized that he could be more creative with the help of Eraser, and they became friends!

As you read, be sure to point out the illustrations. They are a great example of subtractive art. Subtractive art is creating by removing. For example, carvers are subtractive artists. In this lesson, students will create art by removing pencil marks with their eraser. It is not important that your kindergarten students understand the term, but pointing out the illustrations will help them easily understand the concept.

Demonstrating the Pencil and Eraser Art

Gather the students so that they can see the projection from your doc camera. I model the correct way to hold a pencil, and I also model the incorrect way. The beauty of this art project is students should use the side of their pencil, not the tip. If they are holding their pencil in their fist, their lines will be too sharp.

I show students how to fill the page with pencil lines. It doesn’t have to be perfect because the next step is to use a cotton ball to smudge the lines, which will fill in any white spaces.

The turning point of the book has an illustration of Eraser “drawing” a smiley face in the pencil lines. I use that illustration to inspire my model. I show the students how to color in the page completely, and then the edge of my eraser to “draw” a silly smiley face in the pencil lines. I encourage the students to also keep their drawings simple – stars, hearts, smiley faces, flowers…. Simple drawings are the most effective.

Tips for a Successful Kindergarten Art Project

If you tape the pages to the work mats in advance, students should be able to easily gather their supplies and get to work. Be sure to prep a few extras, because many students love this project so much, they want to do more than one!

The first part of the project is for them to color all over the card stock. I encourage them to color in an organized way. However, if they scribble, it can still look great. While they work, I move around the class, encouraging them to fill in all of the white space.

Once the white is filled in, students rub a cotton ball all over the page. This smudges the pencil marks, and creates a solid, dark background.

Once the pencil lines are blended with the cotton ball, students use the edge of the eraser to “draw” a simple picture. Smiley faces, rainbows, stars, suns, hearts…. Simple shapes are effective and interesting.

As students finish, I help them peel the painter’s tape off of the work mat, and tuck it around the edges. That’s it!

A Fine Motor Activity for Kindergarten

One of the reasons I love this art activity is that it gives so many opportunities for students to practice correct pencil grip and increase their hand strength and dexterity. Holding the pencil, gripping the eraser, and smudging with the cotton ball all help students practice their pincer grip. A few ways that students will practice fine motor skills with this project include:

  • holding the pencil correctly
  • controlling the pencil using the side of the pencil
  • filling the page
  • holding the cotton ball
  • manipulating the eraser
  • using the edge of the eraser to make controlled marks

As students are having fun, they are also practicing important fine motor skills and building strength and dexterity – and they are so engaged they don’t even notice!

Want More Than Just a Fun Art Project?

This pencil and eraser activity is part of my first Knowledge Builders unit, a content-rich kindergarten curriculum designed to build the background knowledge, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension skills children need to become strong readers.

Knowledge Builders brings learning together through engaging topics, rich read-alouds, discussion, writing, art, and hands-on activities. Instead of teaching skills in isolation, students build knowledge while using those skills for meaningful purposes.

I’m currently piloting the first Knowledge Builders unit in my own kindergarten classroom, and I’m excited to share more of what we’re learning along the way!

Want More Fun Project Ideas?

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Start with this FREE Make Ten Math Center – perfect for kindergarten!

Teach Students to Explain Their Thinking: 4 Little Words

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Teaching students to explain their thinking doesn’t have to be difficult, and it doesn’t mean you need to spend hours revising your lesson plans and creating new activities. You can increase the rigor of your classroom discussions and teach students to explain their reasoning with a simple, short phrase.

Teach students to explain their thinking

Maybe you’re having a math discussion and a student says:

“I think the answer is 3/4.”

Or you’re discussing a story and a student says:

“I think the character was angry because she felt left out.”

It’s tempting to accept those responses at face value and move on. You are thinking, “Great, that is the right answer. I have a lot to cover before recess.” So you keep the discussion flowing, ask the next question, move on to the next student… But what if that means you miss the chance to teach a student to explain their thinking?

Try These 4 Words Instead

Teaching students to explain their thinking doesn’t have to take a lot of instructional time. You just have to be willing to spend a few minutes going deeper. Instead of moving on, look at the student and respond:

“Say more about that.”

Teacher waiting while a student explains their thinking

Then pause.

Keep looking at the student.

And wait.

This simple classroom discussion strategy is one of my favorite ways to get students to explain their thinking, elaborate on their ideas, and reveal their reasoning.

And there’s another benefit that I love even more:

It helps me uncover misconceptions. (For more about 8 common decimal misconceptions and how to avoid them, click here!)

Why This Is Such a Powerful Strategy for Helping Students to Explain Their Thinking

As teachers, we’re often focused on getting students to the correct answer.

But an answer doesn’t always tell us what a student understands.

  • A student might have the right answer for the wrong reason.
  • A student might have an incomplete understanding of the concept.
  • Or a student might understand the concept much more deeply than their brief answer suggests.

When we ask students to say more about their thinking, we give them an opportunity to show us what is happening in their heads.

That’s valuable formative assessment.

Instead of simply knowing what a student thinks, we get to hear why they think it. That raises the rigor of your classroom discussions and pushes students to really think things through.

Teaching Students to Explain Their Thinking Can Be Simple

When a student gives an answer or makes an observation that you want to explore further, respond with:

“Say more about that.”

Then stop talking.

Look at the student.

Wait.

That’s it.

The pause is important. It’s tempting to fill the silence. We want to rephrase the question, offer a hint, or ask another question because we’re afraid the student doesn’t know what to say.

But give them a few seconds. Students often need a little time to organize their ideas and figure out what to say.

That silence communicates something important:

“I’m interested in your thinking, and I really want to hear more.”

“Say More” Encourages Students to Explain Their Math Reasoning

Consider a math discussion. You ask:

“Which fraction is greater: 3/4 or 2/3?”

A student responds:

“3/4 is greater.”

Instead of immediately asking another question, try:

“Say more about that.”

The student might respond:

“Because 3 is bigger than 2.”

Now you’ve learned something important. The student has the correct answer but may not understand why. That’s a misconception you might have missed if you simply moved on.

But perhaps another student responds:

“I know 3/4 is greater because if I put both fractions on a number line, 3/4 is farther to the right than 2/3.”

Now you have evidence of a much deeper understanding. The original answer didn’t tell you that – the explanation did.

“Say More” Works Beautifully in Reading Discussions

This strategy isn’t just for math. It’s also powerful during reading comprehension discussions. Suppose you’re discussing a character and a student says:

“I think Maya was embarrassed.”

You might be tempted to respond, “Why do you think that?” If you’re lucky, the student will point out some text evidence that supports their thinking, and the discussion will move on to the next question.

But if you pause, and respond:

“Say more about that.”

You might hear….

“She was embarrassed because everyone laughed when she gave the wrong answer. I would feel embarrassed if everyone laughed at me, so I think she might be too.”

Now you know that student is using real world connections to make inferences about a text. You can point out that thoughtful inference, and all the sudden your student is thinking about their thinking. You are giving them the strategies to build metacognition.

The goal isn’t simply to get students talking.

The goal is to get students thinking.

“Say More” Is Different From Asking Another Question

We ask questions all day long.

  • “Why do you think that?”
  • “What makes you say that?”
  • “What evidence do you have?”
  • “How do you know?”
  • “Can you explain?”

Those are all useful questions. But sometimes, asking another specific question puts too much of the thinking back on the teacher.

“Say more about that” is wonderfully open-ended.

It puts the responsibility back on the student. The student gets to decide:

What part of my thinking should I explain?

That can lead to much richer responses and discoveries than a series of questions that you plan.

The Pause Is Part of the Strategy

If you try this strategy, don’t underestimate the importance of waiting. Imagine this:

Teacher: “Say more about that.”

Student pauses.

Teacher: “Why do you think…”

Stop.

You’ve already rescued them. You’ve already pointed them in the direction that they should go. You’ve already taught them that there is correct follow up, and that they should spend their time trying to figure out what you want to hear.

If you want to teach your students to explain THEIR thinking, put the responsibility on them.

Instead, try:

Teacher: “Say more about that.”

Pause.

Look at the student.

Wait.

You may be surprised by what happens. Students often need a few seconds to organize their thoughts before they can articulate themThat doesn’t mean they don’t know.

It means thinking takes time.

When we immediately jump in to fill the silence, we sometimes take away the opportunity for students to do that thinking.

Students Begin to Expect That Their Thinking Matters

There’s another reason I love this strategy. Over time, students begin to understand that a classroom discussion isn’t just about producing the answer the teacher wants. Their ideas are worth exploring.

When you say:

“Say more about that.”

the message isn’t:

“Your answer isn’t good enough.”

The message is:

“I’m interested in your thinking.”

That’s a subtle but important difference. Students learn that their first response doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation.

They can:

  • Explain.
  • Clarify.
  • Add evidence.
  • Change their thinking.
  • Build on an idea.
  • And listen to the thinking of their classmates.

Those are important discussion skills.

How to Use This Teaching Strategy in Your Classroom

You don’t need to redesign your lessons to use this strategy. Simply listen for opportunities to stretch student thinking during the discussions you’re already having.

During math talks

When a student shares an answer or strategy:

“Say more about that.”

Listen for the reasoning behind the strategy.

During reading discussions

When a student makes an interpretation:

“Say more about that.”

Listen for evidence from the text.

During science

When a student makes a prediction or explanation:

“Say more about that.”

Listen for the student’s understanding of the scientific concept.

During social studies

When a student makes a claim about a historical event:

“Say more about that.”

Listen for the evidence or reasoning behind the claim.

During partner or whole-group discussions

When a student shares an interesting idea:

“Say more about that.”

Give the student the opportunity to develop the idea rather than immediately moving on.

If you are genuinely curious about your students’ thinking, you will be amazed at how they begin to explain their thinking more deeply over time. Teaching your students to explain their thinking with this simple strategy will help them internalize the expectation. Eventually, you won’t even have to ask. They will just naturally elaborate because that’s the routine.

Try It Tomorrow

During your next class discussion, choose one student response that you’d like to understand better. Instead of immediately asking another question, try these four words:

“Say more about that.”

Then pause.

Look at the student.

Wait.

Listen.

You may discover a misconception you didn’t know was there.

You may discover that a student understands something more deeply than you realized.

Or you may simply give a student the experience of knowing:

My teacher is genuinely interested in what I think.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what students need to become more willing to share their thinking.

The next time a student gives you an interesting answer, don’t be so quick to move on.

Try:

“Say more about that.”

Then listen.

Want More Practical Teaching Tips?

I share simple, immediately usable teaching strategies like this in my weekly Tuesday Tips emails—one for primary teachers and one for intermediate teachers.

Click here to subscribe and receive Tuesday Tips, FREE resources, and exclusive offers.

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

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Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities: FREE Gingerbread Math Game

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Christmas kindergarten math activities
Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities

December can be a crazy time! Keep the learning going strong with Christmas kindergarten math activities like this gingerbread-themed number sense game.

This FREE download includes 2 versions – Make 5 AND Make a Ten! You also get spinners, differentiated recording sheets, and two independent practice pages. It is easy to prep, and engaging for kids! Read on and get the FREE download today to make tomorrow’s math class easy!

Keep Math Learning Strong in December (with Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities!)

December brings elves and concerts and assemblies and….. the list goes on and on! The only way to engage students during this hectic time is to grab their attention with a themed math activity. And gingerbread is ALWAYS a favorite! When your students are distracted by all the festive fun, engage them and improve their number sense at the same time. This activity feels more like a celebration than math practice!

Not only will this engage your students, it takes almost no time to prep, making life easy for you too! All you need to do is print and laminate if you want to. It’s that easy!

A Closer Look at this Gingerbread Number Sense Activity

This hands-on Christmas Kindergarten Math activity helps students build strong number sense, practice composing and decomposing numbers, and develop fluency with Make 5 and Make 10 math strategies. You get two versions of the game to meet the needs of YOUR learners!

To play the game, students spin a number, add that many buttons or gingerbread pieces to a ten-frame or five-frame, and then determine how many more they need to make 5 or 10. They record their equations on the Recording sheet. This predictable routine makes it perfect for math centers, small groups, early finishers, partner work, or holiday-themed learning days.

To make the activity accessible for all learners, this resource includes four differentiated recording sheets for each version of the game:

  • Tracing numbers for early learners
  • Plus and equal sign support
  • Tracing + symbol support
  • Challenge sheet with no supports for students ready for independence

What’s Included with this Math Activity?

This FREE download includes everything you need for both of these Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities.

✔ Gingerbread Make 5 Spinner
✔ Gingerbread Make a 10 Spinner
✔ Gingerbread-themed Five Frame
✔ Gingerbread-themed Ten Frame
✔ 4 differentiated Recording Sheets for each game
✔ Black-and-white and color versions
✔ 2 Gingerbread-themed Independent Practice Sheets
✔ Easy prep!

Are You Ready for your FREE Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities?

It will be sent right to your inbox! Be sure to check your spam folder, and try a personal email if your school email won’t work.

Do You Want MORE Gingerbread Fun?

Check out this Science of Reading-aligned companion to the book “How to Catch a Gingerbread Man.” You will love the awesome, research-backed learning, and your students will love the engaging theme and fun activities!

Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities

Curious about the Science of Reading?

Everyone is talking about the Science of Reading these days, but what does that really mean? Is it systematic phonics? Phonemic Awareness? Well, it’s that and so much more! I’ve written a lot about Science of Reading. If you want to learn more, check out some of my other blog posts.

Kindergarten Read Aloud Unit – Snowmen at Christmas

What IS Science of Reading, Anyway?

Science of Reading is MORE than Systematic Phonics

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

The first image in this post was generated using Canva AI. Additional images reflect the contents of the resource in the FREE download.

Decoding in Kindergarten- The Science of Reading

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Recently I’ve been blogging about my journey of exploration into the Science of Reading. Be sure to check out some of these other posts if you’ve missed them:

  1. Science of Reading is More than Just Systematic Phonics
  2. The Knowledge Gap – a Book Review
  3. What is Science of Reading Anyway?
  4. What is Science of Reading? – Part 2

The more I dive into the Science of Reading, the more I am using the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope to guide instruction in my classroom. In the process of evaluating my own practice, refining my teaching, and always improving, I have had so many questions about decoding. Maybe you do too! In this blog post, we will answer all of my questions, and hopefully some of yours! Read on to learn:

What is Scarborough’s Reading Rope?

As I explained in a previous post, the Simple View of Reading includes two components – Word Recognition and Language Comprehension. Scarborough’s Reading Rope takes these two components and further defines each one. There are seven strands which lead to skilled reading. Language Comprehension consists of:

  • Background Knowledge
  • Vocabulary
  • Language Structures
  • Verbal Reasoning
  • Literacy Knowledge

Word Recognition consists of:

  • Phonological Awareness
  • Decoding
  • Sight Recognition

We need to teach ALL of these components in order to help our students become skilled readers. However, because decoding is such an important skill for early readers, I’m diving into that first. I have always taught decoding, but I haven’t always looked into the research to understand WHY I should teach it, or HOW I should teach it. so, let’s do that now.

First things first. Let’s make sure we are talking about the same thing.

What is Decoding?

Decoding is more commonly referred to as sounding out. When students see letters on the page and use their knowledge of the sounds that letters make to pronounce the word, they are decoding. Encoding is the opposite of decoding. It’s easiest to think of encoding as spelling. When students use their knowledge of the sounds that letters make to write or say the letters in a word, they are encoding. Both processes are essential in developing literate students.

Decoding and encoding are opposite processes, although they work together to improve literacy for students.

Scarborough’s Reading Rope lists decoding as one of the essential strands that leads to skilled reading. Decoding unfamiliar words is essential to reading. Students must be able to sound out new words. There are approximately 220,000 words in the Oxford English Dictionary, and there is no way we can teach students to read them all. Decoding unlocks their ability to encounter a new word, and teach themselves!

What Does Research Tell Us About Decoding?

The National Reading Panel Report from 2000 makes it clear that decoding is an important component of reading instruction, especially in the early grades. They analyzed 38 studies focusing on phonics instruction. Synthetic Phonics programs and Analytic Phonics Programs focus on teaching students to use their knowledge of letter sounds to blend and pronounce words. There are other types of phonics programs, but those are the two that intentionally focus on decoding. Key findings in the Report include:

  • Decoding instruction/Synthetic Phonics was found to have an effect size of .45, which means that it has a moderate impact on reading growth.
  • Decoding intruction is most effective in kindergarten and first grade. The effect size of phonics instruction in kindergarten was .56 and in first grade was .54. The effect size in grades 2-6 was only .27. That is a clear indication that decoding instruction is a key part of the first two years of school, and is less effective after that.
  • Decoding instruction is effective in increasing text comprehension in young students (.51). However, the effect size was only .12 for students older than first grade.

These findings have been replicated in many studies since this report was first published in 2000. I’m taking two big ideas from this research to implement in my classroom this year.

  • Decoding instruction needs to be systematic.
  • Students need to master decoding by first grade.

That led me to wonder, what was the best order to teach the letters and sounds? I highly recommend that you read the Decoding Tutorial published by the Reading League. They are the group of educators leading the charge to bring research and science to our instruction. The Decoding Tutorial states:

“There is no agreed upon, evidence-based sequence for introducing sound-symbol correspondences. It makes the most sense to begin with high utility letters such as a, m, t, i, s, f, p, and r… because these high utility letters can be combined to make a large number of simple words.”

That makes perfect sense to me. I began the year with a letter/sound boot camp, introducing all of the letter names and sounds in the first month of school. Of course, very few students have mastered all of the sounds, and I didn’t expect them to. Using this research, I am now circling back to teach the sounds more deeply. In my next blog post I will share the order that I am presenting the letters and sounds.

What do Students Need to Know Before They Learn to Decode?

Students need to begin to develop phonemic awareness before learning to decode. In the Decoding Tutorial the authors suggest that children should be taught that “spoken language can be segmented into words, into syllables and into phonemes” (or sounds). That’s where phonemic awareness comes in. As students learn to hear the sounds and segments in words, they are putting in place the foundation for strong decoding skills. But it’s not necessary for students to master all of the sounds before they begin decoding instruction.

I began the year with an emphasis on rhyming and syllables. As part of our Literacy Calendar, we clap and say our names, and then identify how many syllables are in each. For example, when we clap ‘Isabella’, we clap 4 times, and then hold up 4 fingers to show 4 syllables. By now, kids are doing well with this routine and are pretty expert and clapping syllables. We are ready to move on to new words with this concept. Our Literacy Calendar also includes rhyming songs, chants and finger plays. Identifying syllables and hearing rhyming words are both early concepts in developing phonemic awareness.

What Does This Look Like in a Kindergarten Classroom?

In my last blog post, I mentioned that I was going to try a few things with my current unit on bears. Here’s what I did last week.

  1. Helped my students develop their phonemic awareness skills by clapping the syllables of key vocabulary words like hibernate and omnivore.
  2. Continued working with rhymes with the Jump Rope Chant “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”.
  3. Introduced decoding with target vocabulary like den and cub.
  4. Reinforced the sound of the letter /b/ by hearing it at the beginning and end of target vocabulary like bear and cub.
  5. Continued to develop knowledge of language structures by reading a sentence together and having the students illustrate it.
  6. Increased background knowledge by reading non-fiction text about bears and by teaching my students a song which included key concepts and vocabulary about bears.

In my next blog post, I will into specifics about what I did, and include LOTS of free printables. See you soon!

Happy Teaching!

Susan

Mastering Decimal Place Value with a FREE Game

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Mastering Decimal Place Value in 4th and 5th Grade

I love teaching math to 4th and 5th graders. It is full of those aha moments where students suddenly “get” it. This is the age where students are making the leap from concrete to abstract, and it is so exciting to be part of that. Understanding decimals and fractions is an important part of that journey towards abstract thinking. That’s why it is so important that teachers take the time to develop a deep understanding and not rely on tricks and shortcuts. If students have a solid foundation at this age, they will be ready for higher-level math and for the real-world applications. Building this foundation is not easy.

This blog post will explore strategies for developing conceptual understanding of decimals by connecting whole number place value to decimal place value. And I will include links to several FREE resources, including a game, and a video!

Read on to learn more about:

Building a Strong Foundation in Decimal Place Value

A strong understanding of decimals begins with place value. It is easy to fall into the trap set by math textbooks and assume students understand place value if they can complete tasks like writing a number in expanded form. But true understanding of place value means that students understand that the value of a digit changes depending on its place. In other words, a 2 is not always worth 2. It is sometimes worth 20 and other times worth .20.

…true understanding of place value means that students understand that the value of a digit depends on its place.

Connecting Decimal Place Value to Whole Number Place Value

To build this deep grasp of place value, begin with whole numbers. Making sure that students understand that the value of the digit changes depending on the place will be easier if they understand the concept with whole numbers first.

Start with a Game – Place Value Spin

A million years ago, when I was in college, I learned this game as Place Value Roll, so if you have heard of that, you may know what I am talking about. I call it Place Value Spin so I don’t have to find the ten-sided dice (and keep them from walking away during the lesson…..) If you want to download this FREE Recording Sheet and Spinner, click here! The resource includes student directions and 10 different recording sheets to play the game with whole number place value AND decimal place value!

The goal of the game is simple – build the biggest number. All you need for this game is paper, pencil, and a spinner with the numbers 0 – 9. Play the game as a whole class first. As you play the game, over and over and over, repeat the big idea for today – the value of a digit depends on its place.

Directions for Place Value Spin

  1. Spin the spinner and write the digit in one of the spaces on your place value chart. Once you write a number down, you MAY NOT erase it and move it to another place.
  2. Keep spinning until you have put a digit in each place on the place value chart.
  3. Write your number on the line. Did you make the largest possible number? If so, add a tally mark to your points section. If not, try again!

Why This Simple Game Works

This game works because it forces students to confront the idea that a 5 is not always worth 5. If you put it in the tens column, it’s 50. In the thousands column, it becomes 5,000. As you play with the whole class, repeat the concept over and over. You may think it’s overkill, after all, these students probably learned this in second grade…… right?

Well, if you are lucky, they did. If they didn’t, they need to understand the concept BEFORE they can really dive into decimals. Playing this simple game with your class will help you see who understands the concept, and who doesn’t. It will also force students to confront the concept head on, or keep losing the game.

Variations on Place Value Spin

This game also works well as a partner game. In that situation, students compete against each other to see who can create the biggest number. I often put a piece of butcher paper on the board and call it the Hall of Fame! Any student who wins 2 out of 3 matches with their partner gets their name on the Hall of Fame. You would be surprised how motivated they are by that!

Another variation is to see who can make the smallest number. I usually play it both ways to really bring home the concept to students.

Decimal Place Value 4th and 5th Grade Math

Connecting Whole Numbers to Decimals

After you have played Place Value Spin a few times, and you can see that your students understand the concept, ask them this question.

Do you think the same idea works with decimals? Will the value of the digit change based on its place for decimals?

I like to set this question up to get kids to move. I ask them to move to the right side of the classroom if they think decimals work the same as whole numbers, move to the left side if they think decimals work differently than whole numbers, and stay in the middle of the room if they are unsure. This works as a quick movement break if kids need one, and also a quick formative assessment. At this point in time, be curious about what your students are thinking. Don’t tell them the correct answer. Instead, probe the thinking of kids on the right, left, and center. As you probe, if a student changes their mind and wants to move – let them move! Ask them what made them change their mind. Celebrate how open-minded they are – even if they are wrong. Confusion is normal at this stage of the game, and now you know how far you need to go.

Follow Up with This Instructional Video

This video begins by explaining whole number place value, and then connects it to decimal place value, so it is perfect for this lesson.

When to Revisit Place Value Spin

Playing the game using whole numbers is powerful. But to really leverage the power of the game, you will want to play it again – with decimals. I like to wait for a week or two to revisit the game. During that time, we work on building decimal numbers on a place value chart, and plotting them on a number line. Those visual help students become more familiar with decimal numbers.

Download FREE Decimal Activities for Grades 4 and 5 – Teacher Giveaway!

The Decimal Dilemma: 8 Common Misconceptions and How to Avoid Them

3 Reasons You Will Love this Math Spiral Review Resource

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
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Download Free Decimal Activities for Grades 4–5 – Teacher Giveaway!

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A student using math manipulatives to understand decimals.
girls wearing school uniforms

Are you looking for fresh, engaging decimal activities that your students will love? We’ve got you covered! I’ve teamed up with three other upper elementary teachers to bring you four high-quality, free decimal teaching resources—all designed to save you planning time and help your students master tricky decimal concepts.

This teacher giveaway is packed with ready-to-use materials for 4th and 5th grade decimal lessons, including decimal place value, decimal addition and subtraction, rounding and comparing decimals, and real-world decimal applications. Whether you need printable worksheets, task cards, or engaging activities, you’ll find resources here that are classroom-tested and student-approved.

And the best part? Each resource is completely free when you join our email lists. That means you’ll not only get these decimal freebies today—you’ll also receive ongoing tips, lesson ideas, and exclusive resources to make teaching a whole lot easier.

Scroll down to grab your four free decimal activities, meet the teachers behind them, and start making decimal instruction your students’ new favorite part of math!

Read on for these great activities!

FREE Activity – Decimal Place Value Task Cards

These Task Cards give students practice with the foundational concepts of Decimal Place Value. You get printable Task Cards in color AND B&W, and also two formats for Google Slides. That’s 30 different word problems in 4 different formats for 120 Task Cards!

Click here to download this resource!

FREE Activity – Adding and Subtracting Decimals Mazes and Color by Code

Try these 2 maze challenges and color-by-code activity to amp up your students’ decimal skills. This resource includes 3 activities that will give your students practice with adding and subtracting decimals. These engaging activities will help your students solidify key decimal skills. Students will be so busy having fun that they won’t notice that they are learning important decimal concepts.

Click here to download this resource!

FREE Activity – Decimal Mini Practice Pack

Get ready-to-use decimal worksheets covering rounding, comparing, and writing decimals.

This comprehensive packet gives your students the practice they need with decimal concepts that matter most. This in-depth resource focuses on the essential skills of rounding decimals to various place values, comparing decimal numbers, and writing decimals in multiple forms.

Click here to download this resource!

FREE Activity – Writing and Comparing Decimals

This resource reinforces writing and comparing decimals with conceptual representations like number lines and decimal squares. Students will deepen their understanding of decimals by shading decimal squares, identifying decimals, placing decimals on a number line and comparing them, and ordering decimals. You will love how easy it is to prep and use – just print and go!

Click here to download this resource!

Meet the Teacher-Authors

We are so excited to share these resources with you and to invite you to join our email lists. Read on to learn more about us and check out our other resources on TPT.

Lindsay from Math Sparkz

I’m Lindsay Thompson, teacher author at Math Sparkz. I provide no-prep math worksheets covering every standard in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. My packets include spiral review questions. My units are based off the sequencing from IM® Math, so teachers who use this program give me feedback that they are an excellent supplement. Regardless of how you teach, I cover every CCSS and TEKS 3rd – 5th grade math standard! Click here to check out Math Sparkz on TPT!

Pam from Pam’s Place

Hi, I’m Pam, the teacher-author at Pam’s Place. I create easy-to-use math resources to help upper elementary teachers save time and keep students engaged. My materials are designed to make practice feel fresh and purposeful, especially during those in-between moments when you’re short on time but still want meaningful math practice. I’m passionate about making math feel real, doable, and a little bit magical. Dream big, one math moment at a time! Click here to check out Pam’s Place on TPT!

Laura from Fortunate in Fifth Grade

Hi! I’m Laura, teacher-author behind Fortunate in Fifth Grade. I am a dedicated teacher with a passion for empowering educators through innovative upper elementary resources. With several years of teaching experience, and the need to make additional resources for my classroom I understand the challenges teachers face in creating engaging and effective learning experiences for students. Click here to check out Fortunate in Fifth Grade on TPT!

Susan from MsCottonsCorner

Hi! I’m Susan Cotton, the teacher-author behind MsCotton’sCorner. I am passionate about creating engaging, time-saving resources for busy educators. With a focus on math, vocabulary, and reading for K–5 students, I design materials that make learning meaningful and fun. I’m excited to share this free Decimal Place Value Task Card set with you—just one of the many tools I create to support you and your students. Click here to check out MsCotton’sCorner on TPT!

If you need more teaching tips, insights, and resources, check these out!

The Decimal Dilemma – 8 Common Decimal Misconceptions and How to Avoid Them

This blog post dives into 8 common misconceptions that students have about decimals. It includes teaching tips and FREE resources to help you and your students avoid thes common misunderstandings.

The words Fixing Common Decimal Misconceptions superimposed over a receipt featuring decimals.
A math resource for fifth grade that teaches students to round decimals.

Your students will love these Mystery Number Rounding Riddles! This resource includes everything you need for an engaging math lesson that is easy to prep and teach! You get:

  • 30 Printable Task Cards in color
  • 30 Printable Task Cards in ink-saving black-and-white
  • 30 Google Slides for presentation
  • 30 Google Slides for student practice

That’s 30 Word Problems in 4 different ways. This resource provides flexibility and choices so you can make teaching decisions that match your teaching style and your students’ needs!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

The Decimal Dilemma: 8 Common Misconceptions and How to Avoid Them

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The words Fixing Common Decimal Misconceptions superimposed over a receipt featuring decimals.
A girl solving decimal problems on a blackboard.

Decimals can be a tricky concept for students. Without a solid foundation in 4th and 5th grade, students may struggle with algebra, science, and even life! I used decimals this morning when I paid for my latte and last night when I cooked dinner. Decimals are everywhere!

But decimals don’t have to trip up your students. By understanding the misconceptions your students are likely to develop, you can help your students avoid them! This blog post will explain 8 concepts that students might struggle with, and give you strategies and resources for making sure YOUR students master these key math concepts.

Read to the end to download a FREE resource to help you combat these misconceptions in YOUR classroom!

Click the links to jump to a specific section.

Misconception #1: Adding more zeros changes the value of a decimal.

When they learned about whole numbers, students were taught that 10 < 100. Putting another zero to the right shifts the value, and so it makes sense that students will try that trick with decimals as well. But, the decimal point communicates the value of the digit, so this “rule” does not hold true for decimals.

Strategy 1 – Math Talk

I like to use this Math Talk to help students understand that trailing zeros don’t change the value of the decimal number. It is the conversation and the struggle to explain that makes this powerful. You might follow up by having students write about this in their math journals.

Write this on the board, or download the free resource at the end of the post and project it.

This problem is deceptively simple. Students likely have background knowledge that tells them the two coins are not the same value. But, can students explain why the values are different? As you question students, push them to explain their thinking and tie their understanding of money to decimals. As they find the words to explain the difference in values, I like to look for a moment to pop the numbers into a place value chart and compare them. That really brings the concept home for students. It can be helpful to follow up with more comparisons to reinforce the concept.

Misconception #2: Decimal numbers can’t be between whole numbers.

This misconception probably has its roots in kindergarten math. When students learned to count, they learned the standard counting sequence: 1, 2, 3, 4…. and so on. No one mentioned all the numbers they were skipping over. So it can be difficult to go back to something that has been rock solid for half of their life, and change it now.

Strategy 2 – Number Lines

Number lines are your best friend for helping students learn that there are all kinds of decimal numbers between whole numbers. I like to start by giving students an 18-inch strip of paper to make a number line. We fold it in half 4 times, which makes 16 sections. Then, open the strip and ask students to make a mark on the fold in the exact center. Label this .5. Tell students that each fold is a tenth, and ask them to find and label 0, and then find and label 1. Then, fill in the correct tenth for each fold. This exercise helps reinforce the concept that decimals fall between whole numbers.

Note: This is an amazing time to label the negative decimals that come just before 0 and the decimals that fall just after 1. I find that briefly introducing these concepts now avoids misconceptions later!

Misconception #3: A longer decimal is always greater.

This misconception also dates back to early instruction on place value. Somewhere along a student’s education, someone told them, “423 is greater than 42 because it has more digits.”

While that rule works for whole numbers, it does not work for decimals. In my classroom, I call that a “Rule that Expires”. The rule only works for awhile, but it does not hold true for decimal numbers.

It is vital for students to understand that the decimal point determines the value, not how many digits a number has. That rule does NOT expire, and it works for decimal numbers AND whole numbers!

Strategy 3 – Place Value Blocks

To help students understand that a longer decimal might have a smaller value, I like to grab place value blocks. Early in their math career, students learned that these blocks represent 1, 10 and 100. Now, I tell them we are going to name the flat as our whole. That means the rod is 1 tenth and a unit is 1 hundredth. Set up a problem where students compare 7 rods and 25 units. Ask students to lay the blocks out on their desks and label each decimal. It will look like this. (This image is included in the FREE download!)

Using a concrete example with manipulatives clearly shows students that the larger decimal has one digit while the smaller decimal has two digits. Lead a discussion and give students additional examples to bring the concept home.

Misconception #4: The decimal point is not an important part of the number.

I think this misconception comes from students thinking that the comma that separates hundreds from thousands is optional, and so they assume the decimal point is too. 1524 = 1,524. That leads students to reason that 2.7 = 27. But of course, the decimal point has much more meaning than the comma.

Strategy 4 – Place Value Chart

Shifting decimal numbers on the place value chart helps students understand the meaning of the decimal point. Start by writing an easy number in the place value chart. This example uses 24. Then, shift the numbers one place to the right and lead students through a discussion of the change in value. Shifting to the right decreases the value by 10x. In other words, 2.4 is one tenth of the value of 24. It might look something like this (this image is also in the FREE download).

One thing to consider is your own language around decimal points. When you read a number, do you say, “two point four” or do you say the number correctly, “two and four-tenths”? I think using the correct language helps stress the value of the decimal numbers, and reinforces that they are NOT the same as whole numbers. Language matters! We know that the brain needs language to process concepts, so hold yourself accountable to using the correct terminology. Your students will learn it from you.

This FREE resource helps students solidify key decimal concepts, and is perfect for preventing misconceptions 4 and 5. Click here to get it today, along with other FREE resources, tips and insights to grow your teaching.

Misconception #5: Tenths and hundredths are the same.

Misconceptions 4 and 5 are related. If students understand that the decimal point is an important marker that separates the whole numbers from the decimal numbers, they will more easily understand that the value of a decimal is determined by its distance from the decimal point.

Strategy 5 – Math Journal

Because this misconception connects to misconception 4, I suggest that students use a place value chart to address this one too. I like to connect this to what students already know about whole number place value with a journal prompt. The concept is the same for decimal numbers as it is for whole numbers. Using this prompt for their Math Journal helps students explore the relationship between whole number digits and decimal number digits.

How does a whole number’s place in the place value chart affect its value? Do decimals change value in the same way? Use examples like 10, 1, .1, and .01 to explore this concept and explain your thinking. A place value chart might be a helpful visual in your explanation.

Misconception #6: A decimal with a large face value is larger than a whole number with a smaller face value.

This misconception is also rooted in students’ understanding of counting whole numbers. When you count, 6 comes after 5, so 6 is bigger. But what happens when you compare .6 with 5? Is .6 greater than 5?

Of course, the answer is no because the decimal means that the 6 is no longer in the ones column. It has shifted to the tenths column. And tenths are smaller than whole numbers. So, .6 < 5, even though the face value of the digits suggests otherwise.

Strategy 6 – Shopping Scenario

Because students have background knowledge about money, setting up a shopping scenario helps students easily understand this concept. Try this word problem.

Serena has $4.00. She would like to buy a glitter pencil that costs $0.80. Does she have enough money? How do you know?

Again, this problem is deceptively simple. Students will immediately say something like, “Yeah, $0.80 is less than $4.00!” Don’t let them stand on that statement. Push them to explain their thinking. Point out that 8 is larger than 4 to really make students confront the misconception and work through it. Explicitly pointing out the face value of a digit and discussing the importance of the place of that digit is really helpful in combating this misconception. Encourage students to use a place value chart or other visual to thoroughly explain their thinking.

Misconception #7: Fractions and decimals are unrelated.

Fractions and decimals are both representations of partial numbers. Understanding this, and developing the ability to choose between the two representations helps students navigate authentic situations.

Strategy 7 – Pizza Math

Pizza is a perfect way to connect decimals and fractions. Show a picture of a pizza (or better yet, buy a pizza) cut into ten pieces. Ask students to label the pizza with decimals and with fractions. The visual does the heavy lifting to help students connect fractions and decimals. You can grab this image for FREE in the download at the bottom of the post!

For students who are ready, this video helps cement the connection between fractions and decimals.

Misconception #8: Align decimals to the right when adding and subtracting.

If you have ever taught upper elementary students, you know that students often add or subtract numbers without lining up the decimal points. Instead of telling students to line up the decimal points, help students understand why you line up the decimal points. Building that conceptual understanding will cement the concept. Remind your that they need to add or subtract decimals from the same place, just as they do for whole numbers, and that the decimal point determines the place.

Strategy 8 – Problem Sequence

I like to explore this concept by starting with an equation the students can add easily, for example 3 + 4. Write that on the board, and ask students to solve the equation. Then, rewrite the equation with the same numbers, but include tenths with one of the addends. Keep going, using the same digits but including decimals. At this point, I choose numbers that do not require regrouping. Your sequence might look something like this.

FREE Decimal Misconceptions pdf

I hope that exploring these misconceptions has helped you feel ready to tackle them with your class. If you would like to project the images from this blog post, I’ve put them into this handy FREE download. Grab it today, and set your students up for decimal success!

Decimal MisconceptionsDownload

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

Simple & Fun Kindergarten Art Project for When Pencil Met Eraser

This kindergarten art project, inspired by “When Pencil Met Eraser” by Karen Kilpatrick, engages students in subtractive art while developing fine motor skills. It requires minimal prep and fosters creativity as students use pencils and erasers to create simple designs. The activity promotes collaboration and helps familiarize children with classroom materials.

by scotton23

Teach Students to Explain Their Thinking: 4 Little Words

This simple phrase can move class discussions from basic to rigorous. You don’t need to spend hours planning and creating. You can uncover misconceptions and deepen understanding easily with this teacher move. The strategy prioritizes student responsibility in discussions, and builds a safe classroom community full of curiosity.

by scotton23

Christmas Kindergarten Math Activities: FREE Gingerbread Math Game

December can be a crazy time! Keep the learning going strong with Christmas kindergarten math activities like this gingerbread-themed number sense game. This FREE download includes 2 versions – Make 5 AND Make a Ten! You also get spinners, differentiated recording sheets, and two independent practice pages. It is easy to prep, and engaging for…

by scotton23

Make Mom Smile with this FREE Mother’s Day Craft – video tutorial

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a free printable for a Mother's Day Craft
Click here to grab this FREE resource today!

You and Mom will both smile about this easy, low-prep Mother’s Day Craft. It’s perfect for elementary grades – even kindergarten! This FREE resource includes two versions – a simple low-prep option for younger students and a more in depth version for older students. Either way, it won’t take much of your time and it’s sure to be a hit with Mom!

sample of a free Mother's Day card with directions and printable

Click the links to find out more!

What Does this Mother’s Day Craft Include?

This Mother’s Day Craft includes everything you need to make a charming card with the text, “My Love for You Grows…. and Grows…. and Grows!” The text is spaced along several folds so that a flower grows as the text is revealed! I get rave reviews about this card every year, and you will too! I’ve used it with upper-grade elementary students and I’ve used it for the past several years in my kindergarten classrooms. It really is that versatile!

Detailed directions with images for this Mother's Day Craft

The FREE resource (which you can download from Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT) includes directions and templates for a simple version that I have used with my kindergarten students. It ALSO includes directions for a more difficult, and more personalized version, that I have used with my upper grade students.

With the FREE download of this Mother’s Day Craft, you get:

  • Detailed Prep Steps
  • Directions, with screen shots – perfect for showing to the kids!
  • Printable flower pots, leaves and flowers – two versions means choices for you!

Check Out this How-To Video

Check out this video to preview the lesson and learn how-to make this darling card!

Tips for Making this Mother’s Day Craft in Your Classroom

Crafts can be a time of quiet, focused productivity, or a time of great chaos! I’ve been teaching for a loooooong time, so here are a few tips that I find help me get to the calm, not the chaos.

Give Kids Structured Choices

A collage of flowers for this Mother's Day Craft

Choice is an important motivator for kids, and it’s especially important when they are making something as a gift. This is such a great moment to help kids get outside of themselves and think about others. BUT, too many choices causes chaos.

So, when I use this craft, with my kindergarten students OR with my older kids, I offer choices, but not too many. In this photo, you can see how I spread the different flower colors out on a table for my kindergarten students to choose from. I sent them to the table, three at a time, and told them to think about which flower their mom would like best. Choosing the flowers took about 2 minutes, but the choice helped the kids feel invested in the craft, and helped them think about someone besides themselves for a moment.

Never do something for a kid that they can do themselves…

Folding this Mother’s Day card correctly is what makes it so charming. Be sure to check out the video tutorial if you haven’t already! That said, I folded the cards for my kindergarteners in advance and then checked them all at the end to make sure they were folded correctly. I knew that folding the card would be a HUGE challenge for my kinders. They are not great at lining up corners or creasing, or folding with precision. And, I wanted them to put their focus and attention on gluing the card together precisely. That was enough of a challenge to keep them engaged, but not overwhelmed.

A student assembling the Mother's Day Craft

With upper-grade students, I did NOT fold the cards. I cut the paper and then showed the kids how to fold. For some, that was a good challenge. It’s all about knowing your students, and your professional judgement is what you should rely on here. Ask yourself, “Can my kids fold this without feeling frustrated? Will folding this Mother’s Day Craft engage them, or overwhelm them?” If they can do it themselves, they should. It’s not about perfection, it’s about growing. Trust me, even if the card is lopsided, Mom will love it!

Prep Steps and Materials

Once you download the FREE resource from TPT, you will want to print the pages. You will need these supplies to complete the project:

  • Half of a 12×18 piece of construction paper for each student (cut the long way)
  • Copies (I prefer bright cardstock, but any colored paper will work.)
    • Flowers – there are 4 per page, so 6-8 copies for a class.
    • Flower pots – there are 6 per page, so 4-5 copies for a class.
    • Leaves – each project needs 3 leaves, so there are enough for 5-6 students per page.
  • One 1-inch strip of green construction paper per student for the stem of the flower.
Prep steps for Mother's Day Craft

The FREE Mother’s Day Craft resouce on TPT includes linked directions. Just read through, choose the version that fits your students, and click to jump right to the pages that you need.

More Simple Solutions for Your Classroom

I am a big fan of low, or no-prep classroom options, and I’ve collected a lot of ideas over my many years of teaching. Be sure to check out these blog posts for more ideas that will save you time and help your students learn! Click the image to check them out!

Do you have 15 minutes to hook kids on books? Engage students with a simple Reading Strategy – Book Pass! This blog post gives clear directions for using this no-prep strategy.

Students gathered for a Book Pass
Header for Making a Spiral Thinking Strip

This blog post includes a video tutorial and directions for how to make a Spiral Thinking Strip – a versatile foldable that is great for summarizing, recording math facts, and more!

What’s New?

Check out these recent blog posts for more resources and insights to grow your teaching!

Decoding in Kindergarten- The Science of Reading

Recently I’ve been blogging about my journey of exploration into the Science of Reading. Be sure to check out some of these other posts if you’ve missed them: The more I dive into the Science of Reading, the more I am using the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope to guide instruction in…

by scotton23

Mastering Decimal Place Value with a FREE Game

This blog explores the importance of foundational understanding of decimal place value and whole number place value. Strategies include using games like Place Value Spin to build concepts of place value, connecting whole numbers to decimals, and a free instructional video to use with your students.

by scotton23

Download Free Decimal Activities for Grades 4–5 – Teacher Giveaway!

Download four free teaching resources tailored for 4th and 5th graders! This giveaway includes activities from four different teacher-authors on decimal place value, addition, subtraction, and rounding. These engaging activities will help your students solidify important decimal concepts while having fun! All the activities are simple to prep and use.

by scotton23

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

10 Perfect Thanksgiving Books for Read Aloud & FREE Resource

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Thanksgiving books

Pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, naps….. I really love Thanksgiving – in fact, it’s my favorite holiday of the year. Not as hectic and busy as Christmas but still plenty of tradition. I’m gearing up to bake pumpkin pies with my class this week (a tradition in my classroom since the late 90’s!), and it seems like a perfect time to share these Thaksgiving Books with you. I had some trouble, but I managed to curate the list down to 10!

Read on to learn more about how I use these Thanksgiving books in my classroom and to download a FREE resource to use in your classroom!

As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small amount if you click on these links and make a purchase at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

How to Catch a Turkey – a favorite Thanksgiving book

Thanksgiving book

by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton

This hilarious book is a hit with young students – it’s perfect for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade! I love How to Catch a Turkey because it’s a wonderful way to teach setting and sequencing – two important concepts for building comprehension skills in the primary grades. And it rhymes, so there are great opportunities to build phonemic awareness skills as well. I introduce the book by writing this excerpt on the board.

“Turkey? Stage? No way! No how!

Had I really heard that right?

I broke out of my pen and ran away

with a case of bad STAGE FRIGHT!”

There is a lot to teach with this short excerpt. We talk about the rhyming words right and fright (and how crazy it is to have a silent g in the middle!) Then we brainstorm other words that rhyme with those two words – night, knight, light, fight, sight…. There are a lot! Then we talk about what it means to have stage fright. This is often a new idea for young children, and something they will need to understand to fully comprehend the book. Finally, I tell them that the problem in the book is that the turkey has stage fright, and we will read to see how he solves the problem.

Once I’ve set the purpose for reading, we read, and enjoy, the book! In his desire to avoid the stage, the turkey runs and flaps his way through the school – making this a perfect book to reinforce the idea of setting. As I read, we talk about the different settings, and use our background knowledge about our own school to predict where he will go next! In the end, the turkey faces his fear, and as with so many things in life, facing that fear leads to a wonderful new opportunity!

Be sure to check out this resource on TPT for printables and activities to teach phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehension and writing with this Thanksgiving book!

Don’t have the book? Check out my YouTube channel for a FREE video read aloud of How to Catch a Turkey!

Click here to buy How to Catch a Turkey!

Do your students love the How to Catch series as much as mine do? If so, click here to check out all the titles – they keep writing new ones every year!

Balloons Over Broadway

Thanksgiving book

by Melissa Sweet

This book is a perfect way to expand students’ love of a tradition (the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade) and bring non-fiction to your classroom. Depending on your learners, there might be too much text for pre-k or kindergarten students. Luckily, the illustrations are absolutely marvelous – there is a reason Balloons Over Broadway was a Caldecott Honor winner! If I notice my kiddos getting antsy, I “tell” the story through the pictures.

Balloons Over Broadway is the true story of Tony Sarg, creator of the amazing balloons that float down Broadway and across our screens every Thanksgiving Day. Students who love to tinker will be inspired by Tony’s story. After we read this story, I like to give the students pipe cleaners, balloons and sharpie markers so they can design their own balloon. The draw a character on the balloon, and sometimes even tape extra details. Then they attach pipe cleaners and we parade around the room. It is sooooo much fun!

For more ideas about how to use this book to teach comprehension, phonics and sight words, be sure to check out this resource on TPT. Included in this resource is my favorite emergent reader – it is pretty heartwarming, perfect for this time of year AND perfect for teaching the sight words big and little. Grab the Balloons Over Broadway resource today!

Click here to grab Balloons Over Broadway!

The Story of the Pilgrims – a Thanksgiving book about Plymouth

Thanksgiving book

by Katharine Ross

This Thanksgiving book tells the story of the Pilgrims and the Indigenous Peoples who helped them. The simple text and charming illustrations cover all of the basics – why the Pilgrims immigrated, how difficult life was, and their early dependence on Indigenous People. I like to read this book in the morning, and on the same afternoon, I read….

Pete the Cat – The First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving book

by Kimberly and James Dean

These two Thanksgiving books are a perfect pair! Pete the Cat – The First Thanksgiving features Pete performing a Thanksgiving Day play. He plays the lead, of course. This book has similar content to The Story of the Pilgrims. Except, it is fiction, and that opens up the teaching point.

After I read both books to the students, I draw a Venn diagram on a chart paper, and we compare and contrast the books. Because they have similar content, it is easy to help students see the differences – a talking cat for example. As we list the similarities and differences on the chart, I reinforce the concepts of fiction and non-fiction.

Click here to buy The Story of the Pilgrims
Click here to buy Pete the Cat – The First Thanksgiving.

Do you love Pete the Cat? I do, and so do my students! Be sure to check out this blog post and resource about Pete the Cat – Rocking in my School Shoes. The letter cards and activities in this resource will also work for Pete the Cat – The First Thanksgiving!

Gratitude is My Superpower

Thanksgiving book

by Alicia Ortego

This is a charming Thanksgiving book with a sweet lesson about counting your blessings. Although it does not specifically mention Thanksgiving, the story follows Betsy as she learns to practice gratitude with the help of her gratitude stone. It is a perfect lesson for pre-k, kindergarten and first grade students – really, a good reminder for us all!

After I read this book to my students, I help them create their own gratitude stones to carry with them. For step by step instructions on how to do that in your class, check out this blog post from a few years ago.

Teaching Gratitude with Gratitude Stones

These are the supplies I use to make Gratitude Stones:

  1. River Rocks
  2. Mod Podge
  3. Stickers – I like these hearts, but any small stickers will work. Look for stickers about a half inch so that they don’t wrinkle when you put them on a round surface.
  4. Foam paint brushes

Click here to see step by step instructions, including photos!

Click here to buy Gratitude is My Superpower.

We Are Grateful, Otsaliheliga

Thanksgiving book

by Traci Sorell

This is a beautiful book about being grateful across the whole year – that makes it a perfect Thanksgiving book! It’s not an accident that the cover is full of medals. The illustrations are colorful and vibrant. The text is simple and powerful. The message is timeless.

As you can tell from the cover, We Are Grateful, Otsaliheliga features Indigenous People from the Cherokee tribe. Words from their language are sprinkled throughout. The book follows the People across the seasons as they express gratitude. One of the things I love the most about this book is that it depicts Indigenous People in modern life. Students often have the misconception that Indigenous People only lived in the past, and this book is a perfect counter to that idea.

When I use this book with my kindergarten students, in addition to the message of gratitude I reinforce the idea of seasons going round and round. Before reading, we do a picture walk to identify the seasons. This helps my students think like scientists and use their sense of sight to find clues for the seasons in the illustrations. By doing that picture walk BEFORE reading the book, I set the stage for students to understand the larger message. This book helps students see that gratitude is something to practice all year long, not just at Thanksgiving time.

Click here to buy We Are Grateful, Otsaligheliga.

Counting Our Blessings

Thanksgiving book

by Emma Dodd

This is another sweet, rhyming Thanksgiving book! Counting our Blessings has the extra benefit of helping students with counting order. The mother dog and the puppy count their blessings, from one to ten. I read this book to my kindergarten students this week, and they all gasped when they saw the golden illustration of the sun. You will too!

After we read this book, I ask the kids to stand in a circle. I stand in the middle of the circle, and count them, one by one. As I count, I call each one a blessing. They love to join in, and pretty soon, you can hear, “One blessing, two blessings, three blessings….” It’s a really simple response the story but it can be powerful to name the kids as blessings. Powerful for you and also for them!

Click here to get Counting Our Blessings.

10 Fat Turkeys

Thanksgiving book

by Tony Johnston

10 Fat Turkeys is a laugh out loud Thanksgiving book. Seriously. You will all giggle at the antics of these crazy birds! And, while you are chortling, your students will be counting. So, a math lesson and a giggle – what could be better!

10 Fat Turkeys is a counting backwards book, so it helps give students practice with that process – which will help them be more confident with subtraction! The book uses playful language throughout, including this phrase.

“Gobble Gobble Wibble Wobble do a noodle dance!”

When we finish reading the book, I challenge the students to a noodle dance! This is a lot like the game Simon Says. The students start by standing in their rug spot (mine are defined boxes, which is important for helping them stay in their own bubble). We count all of the students, and I write that number on the board. Then I start some music. The kids’ challenge is to show me what they think a noodle dance would look like WITHOUT leaving their rug spot. As they dance, I walk around and tap 2-3 on the head. Those students sit down. Then, I stop the music and we figure out how many students are sitting down. We count backwards on the number line to find the number of students who are still dancing. The game continues until all of the students are sitting down. This is a fun wiggle break that is also a big math problem!

Click here to grab 10 Fat Turkeys.

‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving book

by Dav Pilkey

You probably recognize the author of this Thanksgiving book. Dav Pilkey wrote the very popular Captain Underpants series. Before you turn away in disgust, I encourage you to give this sweet book a try. It is well worth reading to any pre-k or kindergarten class. The illustrations alone make this a great read.

Dav Pilkey does a superb job of keeping to the rhythm and lilt of the original The Night Before Christmas. In this version, a class of students go on a field trip to a turkey farm. While there, they encounter Farmer Mack Nugget, who looks strangely like the farmer in the famous painting, American Gothic. Farmer Nugget has a bunch of turkeys, and the kids have a great time exploring the farm, until they realize the turkeys are destined for the Thanksgiving table. When the children load the bus, they are mysteriously quite fat. As the bus wends its way home through a sky remarkably similar to The Starry Night, it is clear that love has saved the day – and the turkeys!

When I read this book to my class, we just start by enjoying the book. After we finish, I flip back through the illustrations and we discuss how they enhance the story. When we get to the page that resembles American Gothic, I project it on the screen and we talk about how the two images are the same and different. We do the same with the page the looks like The Starry Night. I love that Dav Pilkey was inspired to bring in those two great pieces of art. Showing them to my class exposes them to two amazing pieces of human culture and adds depth to this book which is both heartwarming and funny.

Click here to buy ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving.

This First Thanksgiving Day – a Counting Story and FREE resource!

Thanksgiving book

by Laura Krauss Melmed

I really love this Thanksgiving counting book for it’s delightful illustrations and beautiful, rhyming text. The book features Wampanoag and Pilgrim children – and their expressions are so charming. Your students will love finding the children on each page – and counting each one!

I introduce the book with a book walk. We simply enjoy each picture, and try to use the clues in the illustrations to predict the chores that the Pilgrim and Wampanoag children will complete on each page. We also count the children on each page. The text builds to 12, giving preK and kindergarten students practice with numbers up to 12.

After the picture walk, I go back to the first page and read the text to the students. This is our opportunity to check if our predictions were correct. As I read, I reinforce the concept that the pictures and the text should match. This is actually an important concept that helps young writers begin to organize their writing!

Once we finish reading the book, I have students respond to the book by predicting what the Pilgrim and Wampanoag children will do after the feast. Download this FREE resource to get that response sheet AND a math practice page for counting to ten.

Counting Your Blessings FREE ResourceDownload
Click here to buy This First Thanksgiving Day – a Counting Story!

How to Catch a Turkey video Read Aloud

I am always uploading new read alouds to my YouTube channel. Check out Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube for my latest video. In the meantime, share this with your class and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

Reading Activities for Room on the Broom

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Room on the Broom

Room on the Broom is the perfect book for the Halloween season in your preschool, kindergarten or first grade classroom! Julia Donaldson, the well-known author of The Gruffalo, has written another crowd pleaser. Your students will love it, and so will you! Read on to find teaching ideas to bring this book to your classroom!

Read on to learn more!

Why Read Room on the Broom?

Room on the Broom is a delightful rhyming story with a wonderful message about friendship. This is a perfect book to help your young readers master rhyming, an essential phonemic awareness skill. It also has plenty of opportunities for letter naming practice, building vocabulary, and comprehension skills like sequencing and story grammar. This book offers you a lot in a charming story that your students will love. If you’d like to know more about how these components fit into the Science of Reading, read this blog post.

I use Room on the Broom in my kindergarten classroom to teach phonics, phonemic awareness, comprehenion, and writing/vocabulary. Here are a few of my favorite ideas to use with this book. Be sure to grab the resource on TPT to get all of the lesson plans and reading activities for your classroom.

Teaching Letter Names with Room on the Broom

It’s October and my kindergarteners are working hard to learn letter names and sounds. One of their favorite lessons is Letter Friends. I use the letter cards from this resource for this activity. There are two ways to play the game.

Version 1 – If I don’t have a lot of prep time, I just give half of the students an uppercase letter and half of the students a lowercase letter. Then, I play a little music while they walk around, finding their Letter Friend. It is great practice with letter naming. You hear things like, “Oh, I have h, not n. See, h is tall. I think Phoenix has n.” The game takes just a few minutes, and then we swap cards and play again.

Version 2 – If I have a little more prep time, I “hide” the uppercase letters around the room. Then I give each student a lowercase letter and play music while they find their Letter Friend. They love to help each other, and the activity reinforces the match between uppercase and lowercase letters. I follow up the lesson with the Letter Matching Center or one of the letter learning printables, like the witch hat dot-to-dot!

Teach Letters with Room on the Broom

Phonemic Awareness Practice

“The witch had a cat
and a hat that was black,
And long ginger hair
in a braid down her back.”

First sentence from Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Isn’t that a charming rhyme? As I read the book, I ask students to listen for the rhyme. There are so many, we can’t identify them all! Then, I use the 24 Rhyming Cards from the resource. Many of the words in the Rhyming Cards come from the book, and we practice identifying which words rhyme, and which do not! I place the cards in a pocket chart, and then I pull one of the cards. Students take turns coming up to find the rhymes. They can also play that game as a pocket chart center!

The resource also includes Rhyming Center Cards that students use to find the rhyme. I like to laminate them and put sticky dots on them so that the pieces stay together. And there are also Rhyming Sorts and other Printables to help students really grow their phonemic awareness skills!

Comprehension with Room on the Broom

The goal of reading instruction is skilled readers who comprehend text. In the primary grades, teachers need to prepare students for the literary analysis they will do when they are older. And that means talking about books.

My favorite comprehension activity is the Sequencing Sticks. The Room on the Broom resource comes with color and black-and-white. I like to make several sets of the colored images. I place each set in a bin, and students work together in partners or groups of three to retell the story. They love this! They think the Sequencing Sticks are like puppets, and you can hear them talking in their dragon voice or barking like a dog as they retell the story. I use the Sequencing Printable as independent practice at the end of the lesson. It’s a great formative assessment!

My students would probably say that the Character Hats are their favorite activity. I like to give my kiddos choice, so I let them choose between the witch and the dragon. I use the word protagonist to describe the witch and antagonist to describe the dragon, and they love those big words! It is so fun to watch them at play time as they wear the hats and act out the story!

Writing and Vocabulary

If you read this blog often, you know that vocabulary development is something I write about frequently. Check out this blog post if you want to know WHY!

With kindergarten students, vocabulary instruction and writing go hand in hand. My kinders are still figuring out letters and words and sentences. I love Write Around the Room Activities because they get kids moving, and they help students connect words with pictures. That reinforces the vocabulary and builds their ability to write about their reading!

This resource includes three different types of paper so you can choose what works best for your students. The resource includes 12 Word Cards and 2 Writing Practice Pages (each with 6 words). I like to spread out all 12 Word Cards. Then, I give half the class one Writing Practice Page and the other half gets the OTHER Writing Practice Page. That means that the kids are not all trying to write the same word at the same time. And, I can swap the groups the next day and get two writing lessons!

Click to Get the Lesson Plans on TPT!

Where to Get Room on the Broom?

If you don’t already have the book, check it out from your library or grab a copy here. (As an Amazon Affiliate, if you click on the link and make a purchase, I make a small commission, at no charge to you! Thanks for supporting this teacherpreneur!)

Or, check out this video recording of the story on Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

More Great Fall Resources for Your Classroom

This Balloons Over Broadway Reading Unit has a similar focus as Room on the Broom and is perfect for kindergarten and first grade. Click to grab it on TPT!

The Leaf Thief is the perfect book for fall! The resource focuses on Science of Reading aligned content like rhyming, letter naming, and comprehension practice. And the story is so cute!

I love Clip Cards because they help students build fine motor skills AND practice important content. This bundle is growing, and will include at least 12 sets by the time it is done. Grab it today, and save money!

Let’s Connect!

You can find Ms. Cotton’s Corner in various corners of the Internet – TPT, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. See you there!

Check these places to ensure that you don’t miss a thing! And don’t forget to tell your friends! Sharing is Caring!

Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on TPT.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Instagram.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on Facebook.
Click here to follow Ms. Cotton’s Corner on YouTube.

Happy teaching!

Susan

Clip art by Kate Hadfield. Grab it here!

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