Kindergarten No Prep Emergency Sub Plans and Half Day Sub Plans Freebie

As a teacher, planning for a sub on a day off can be such a chore and added stress!  I used to dread looking for resources for the entire day while I was out and finding meaningful activities for my students.  To make this task easier for myself, I created nursery rhyme themed emergency sub plans that are great for a sub tub or stored in a sub binder. 

Children love the rhyme and repetition of nursery rhymes and they are great for teaching many skills.  I was able to create a resource to cover all content areas that can be used while you are out.  Recently, I was out of my classroom for the day to administer a test for some students and these came in handy for me!

I choose to use my Jack and Jill sub plans. and I wanted to share what is included!

All I had to do was print everything, write the times on the cover sheet and fill out a simple form with times for the sub.  It was an easy peasy task!
Whole Group Reading
I began by an introduction of the poem to the students.  Students each have a mini book emergent reader of the poem. Using these little readers are a great way to build fluency with your students!

Comprehension
We then moved on to sequencing to the poem. 

This is a great comprehension activity.  You can also use it to encourage oral language development by encouraging students to talk about what is happening in each picture.  

Phonics
Next, we move on to a labeling activity. For my class, I have my students complete this during phonics time since they are using their knowledge of letter sounds to determine the words. 

They are to attend to beginning and ending sounds using the visuals provided by the picture.

The link to these first 3 activities, the emergent reader, sequencing and labeling are avail1able as a freebie at the end of the post and are easy to prep for a free half day out of the classroom!
Vocabulary/ Sight Words
Using the vocabulary from the poem and a sight word, students can then create a flip book.  I also included a sheet for the students to copy these sentences.

Grammar
For a grammar activity, I have included a mixed up sentence.  I love using these.  It not only teaches sentence construction, but also reminds students to begin sentences with a capital letter and end their sentence with a period. Students put the words in the correct order and then copy the sentence. 

Writing

We then move onto writing.  I have included a pre-writing activity where students copy the sentences.  This is great practice to teach students proper writing conventions.
As a writing activity, students fill in a picture and a sentence.

They substitute the names of Jack and Jill with their name and the name of their friend.  It would be great to turn this sheet into a class book!

In the sub packet, I have also included a more difficult respond to a prompt writing activity.   This can be used later in the year or to challenge your students a little more.

Math
In math, we had just finished learning about teen numbers so these pages were great for reinforcing that skill.   

The math practice pages were great for reinforcing these skills. Students filled in a tens frame to show teen numbers and the sorted teen number addition sentences as true or false.

I used these sub plans later in the year, but included in the packet, there is also a simpler math activity that can be substituted for this one if the concept has not been taught yet.  With the easier version, students can practice numbers to 10 in a tens frames and also a bunch of math extras that can be used to fit your needs.

Extras
Finally, I always over prepare so I included extras to practice rhyming and a sorting activity that could be used if necessary.

All I had to do was copy everything, write times on the cover sheets that include instructions and I was all done with my sub planning!  These are also great to have copied in advance for an unexpected day off. 

Also included are editable forms that you can use to communicate with your sub.  Since they are editable, you can type in them or simply write your information in.

You can find the entire sub plans in my Jack and Jill packet on TPT.  You can check it out by clicking on the image below:

You can grab the free half day kindergarten sub plans including the emergent reader, labeling and sequencing by clicking on this link: Jack and Jill Sample

I have made these sub plans for several different nursery themes and they all have the same format.  Also available are Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet, Hey, Diddle Diddle, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Hickory, Dickory Dock.

5 of these sub plans are bundled together in a Nursery Rhyme Bundle at a discount for week long sub plans (it is like getting one day for free!).  This consistency for sub plans not only makes it easier for the sub but also for your students since the activities are the same but the content changes.

Several buyers have left feedback on them saying instead of using them as sub plans, they are used when teaching nursery rhymes, which is also a great idea!!

Composing Teen Numbers

We have been working this week on composing teen numbers in my classroom.  I was impressed with how quickly most of my students understood the concept. We had worked on identifying teen numbers back in 2nd quarter so my students had that background knowledge.
I love introducing new concepts with youtube videos.  I know that all students learn in different ways and the catchy tunes I think really stick with some students.   One of my favorites for teen numbers is Jack Hartman's Teen Numbers.  I think the visuals and tune are great!

In our classroom, we do A LOT of work using ten frames as a support for my students.  We began by showing teen numbers on double tens frames. There was a lot of discussion on how these numbers in the teens are a group of tens and some more. 

By using a double ten frame, we were able to easily transfer of knowledge of addition to create number sentences for teen numbers.  I love involving my students in the creation of our anchor charts, giving them ownership of it, so as a group we made this anchor chart together.

We also worked with partners to make teen numbers.  My students love using spinners so we also created our own number sentences using tens frames.  Students spun a spinner to show that number in a tens frame and then created a number sentence to match. 

 You can find this product in my Teen Numbers Unit in my TPT store

Teen Numbers Unit 

We worked with partners to create teen numbers.  I gave each set of partners a dry erase board and a magnetic ten frame (which my students LOVE).  One partner wrote an equation to match a teen number and the other partner made it on a ten frame. 

We checked answers and then they switched jobs.  This gave both students practice on both tasks.  

As a culminating activity, students created their own snowman teen number.   Each students rolled a teen number dice so everyone was randomly assigned a number.  They represented that number in a tens frame and showed it in a number sentence.

I then had them q tip dot that number of "snowflakes" on their paper, showing that number in yet another way.

 

 I was so happy with how the final product turned out and my students were also super proud!

You can grab this freebie by clicking on the image below:

Once my students had fluency, we played race to the board with teen numbers.  I created this race to the board game at the beginning of the year and love it because I can use it for so many things in math.  We have used it for number identification, tens frame, and now teen numbers.  For this activity, we showed 10 + ____ number sentences and students solved the answer and raced to the number

It is amazing to be how quickly the students had this number fluency.  I really think that the amount of work that we did with tens frame and students really having an understanding of number sense really contributed to this success.

CVC Words

Blending is such a difficult concept for some students to master.   I have found that many students are lacking in the phonological skill so before blending CVC words, I always make sure students have mastered that concept first.  We begin our year with a lot of blending practice without letters, just so students are hearing the sounds that make the word. During this time, we use sound boxes as move the chips or other objects for each of the sounds that we hear.  Once this is mastered, we move on to blending letters to make words.  I try and use many different approaches to teach this skill to try and reach all learners.

When we first start blending in my classroom, we begin with picture flashcards.  The picture gives the students a bit of a support to help with the sounds.  When I teach blending I teach the students to slide one sound into another.... They hold on to the first sound until they get to the second sound making it sound more like a word instead of sounds in isolation.  I found that this makes it so much easier for them to hear the word that they are blending.

We begin whole group blending once we have learned our first 5 letters (m, a, p, s and t). Usually most students are confident with these letter sounds within a couple so we begin blending without the support of pictures, using only these letters at first.  We use those letters to start making simple short a words (map, tap, sat, Sam, Pam, etc) As a whole group activity, we use large letter cards and make CVC words as a group.

We practice making words whole group for several weeks, giving students time with this new concepts.   I assess my students to see who "gets it" and who needs additional support.  Usually after the word week or so I will as a quick assessment I will give the students an exit ticket where they read the word and circle the picture to match.   They are still reading to word but have a bit of picture support to help.

I am then given quick information of students who are catching on to the concept and those who may need more support.  (You can find these CVC Word Exit Tickets Here:  CVC Word Exit Tickets

Although I know at this point that most students are not fluently decoding words, I know they have the knowledge and skills to read CVC words and at this point, only need practice.
For students who are still unable to blending sounds to read CVC words, we then move into small group blending.  I begin with the letters apart and students are able physically move the letters, moving one sound to the next, while holding onto that sound.

We do the same thing with pool noodle letters, which are such a fun way in the classroom to practice blending sounds that my students love.  
They work really well on the table. I start with the sounds spread apart.

 They slide the first sound into the second, holding the sound until they get to the new one.

And then slide those sounds into the last sound.

I will usually do this activity with a small group and then let the students practice blending the sounds individually.  My students love it since it is so hands on and fun for them and it has helped them so much blending CVC words since they are so engaged!

Individually, I have my students work with magnetic letters in small group to practice blending.  I give my students several letters, they make the word and slide their finger on the arrow as they blend the sounds.   I begin focusing on one vowel at a time and we make words with that vowel and a few consonants.  It is so easy for them to swap out a sound to make a new work. 

Another fun (and literally hands on) practice that we did was with these gloves.  I made them by cutting the fingers off a glove.  We then line the letters up in alphabetical order so we can find them quickly.  Students can slip the letters on their fingers and blend the word. 

Once they become more proficient, I love using these simple notecard books to flip through different CVC words.  I made it by cutting a notecard book into 3 sections.  I wrote consonants in the first space, vowels in the middle and a consonant at the end.  It is so easy flipping through the book, making new words and giving students the opportunity to decode words. This works as a great reading or skill group warm up, exposing students to so many different real and nonsense words.

Blending is such a skill that takes so much practice.  I also made these CVC word mats, for my students to practice this skill individually in a center or as a quick warm up with me. Depending on my child's abilities, for some students, I will give them the cards and have them turn the mat over first.  This way, they do not have the visual support of the pictures when reading.  They read through the cards one by one.  This is a great activity to have them do with partners.  They then turn the mat over and read the cards and match them to the picture.  If I know that a students may need more support, I allow them to have the picture mat showing when initially reading the CVC word cards. 

These CVC mats are available in my TPT store.  Since many teachers teach blending words focusing on one vowel at a time, included are 2 different mats for each of the vowels in isolation and then 5 mats with a mix of all vowels.  This provides students plenty of opportunities to practice blending words.  I will often assess a students and see that they may need practice with only one vowel, and then I can quickly pull out a CVC mat focusing on that vowel to provide that student with practice. 

I will often just pull the cards and have my students play a game of quiz quiz trade using the words only.  To play this game, each students is given a card.  They find a partner, "quiz them," asking them to read the word, read their partner's word and then trade cards.  It is a great game because it gets your students moving and they are able to offer each other support if needed.  

You can check out these CVC words mats in my TPT store here: CVC Word Match Mats

As the year progresses, my students continue practicing this skill and applying this knowledge in their reading.

What other ways do you use to teach students to decode and encode words in your classroom?

Exit Tickets In Kindergarten

Exit tickets or quick checks are my absolutely FAVORITE way to assess my students even in a kindergarten classroom!  They are so quick and simple to use and I am able to gain so much information from them to guide my teaching!

We use them frequently so my students are very familiar with the routine.  In our classroom we call them our "secret learning tickets."  My students know that they are used to help us learn so it is important that they keep their answers to themselves.  

We use them frequently so my students are very familiar with the routine.  In our classroom we call them our "secret learning tickets."  My students know that they are used to help us learn so it is important that they keep their answers to themselves.  

Currently we are working on subtraction so I wanted to share how we use them in my classroom.  Each student receives the question.  I know in the older grades, the students can copy the question from a board but since I teach kindergarten, I have found that it is easier just to have my questions prepped for the students.  I give each student their "secret learning ticket." 
The students quickly answer the question and then flip their paper over and write their name on the back.  I always have them write their name on the back because I do share their answers and I don't want to embarrass any of the students.  Once all of the students have answered the question, I quickly collect the exit tickets.  Depending on time, we may go through them as a group and sort by the correct and the incorrect answer or I may quickly do this on my own. 

I then have a pile of correct answers

and incorrect answers 

I have created an environment where it is okay to make mistakes and the students have their names on the back so I use these tickets as a quick teaching opportunity. 
I learned of this strategy from a gifted course that I had taken years ago where we watched this video (PS Amazing teacher!!) 

 
She is a middle school teacher but I loved this strategy so much that I had to bring it to kindergarten! I search through the incorrect answer to find "my favorite no".... my favorite wrong answer that I can use to guide the students learning. I absolutely love this strategy.  I look for an answer that the students did do something right but need a little more to guide their learning.   For this subtraction lesson, "my favorite no" that I shared with students was this particular exit ticket. The student had showed the subtraction problem but did not answer the question. 

I share this ticket with my class under our document camera so as a group we analyze the problem together.  The students find something that the student did right and what they can do better next time to help them get the right answer.  I lead the discussion but the ideas come from my students.  For this lesson the students shared how we like how the student put the cross out mark on the objects to show that we are taking away but next time, we would like them to count how many are left.  

At times, you may notice that there are too many student who just didn't "get it," then you know that to reteach the lesson.  If the majority of students understand the concept I am able to move on with my teaching and just pull small groups for more support.   

I have found this quick and simple formative assessment to be so beneficial to me as a teacher and I know it is helpful to my students as well.   

You can click on the image below to check out my kindergarten addition and subtraction exit tickets in my TPT store that are easy to print and use as a quick formative assessment in your kindergarten classroom.  It includes a variety of skill levels focusing on both addition and subtraction with and without pictures.  

You can also find a bundle of printable kindergarten exit tickets year long bundle focusing on both math and ELA in my TPT store