Literacy Activities
- Family Coat of Arms: Make a family coat of arms like families did in medieval times. You can do this as a family homework project or as a project in class. Draw or print out the coat of arms printable from below. In each section of the coat of arms, add the following information:
Top - Write child's family/last name
Left side - Draw a picture of family
Right side - Draw a picture of favorite food
Bottom - Draw a picture of favorite place to visit
- Family Coat of Arms - (.pdf format)
- Special Traits Poster: I got this idea from Mailbox Magazine. Make handprints using tempera paint in the middle of a 9x12 piece of construction paper. Ask the child to write his/her name on top of the paper. Ask the child to think of at least 5 words that describe him/her. As the child thinks of the words, help him/her to type them on the computer (change the fonts around for more variety). After typing, print out the words and have the child cut and glue them onto the poster. You can also add a picture of the child if you have some!
- Self Portrait: At the beginning of the year, I have my students draw a self portrait. We display these in the classroom for a time and I keep them until the end of the year. At the end of the year, I show my students their old self portraits and have them draw another. By the end of the year, most of the children have significantly improved in their drawing/coloring skills and developmental abilities. The children love to see their old work and try to outdo themselves. In addition to the self portrait, I also have my children design a t-shirt.
Click on the links to download printables.
Here is our bulletin board with the self portraits and designer t-shirts.
Writing
- Independent Writing:
- Students can complete individual "All About Me" books. You may need to assist the children in filling out the information in their books. This is a great activity that reinforces knowledge of personal information. After the books are complete, I let each student share his/her book with the class. Click below to download a printable "All About Me" book.
Songs and Poems
At the Top of My Voice
by Felice Holman
When I stomp
The ground thunders,
When I shout
The world rings,
When I sing
The air wonders
How I do such things
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Gad to Meet You
(tune: "Bicycle Built for Two")
by Lucia Kemp Henry
Hello _______,
We're glad to meet you now.
You are special. You are unique, and how!
You're wonderful. Yes, it's true.
You're absolutely you.
We're glad to meet you
A friend so neat!
Hello _______. Hello to you!
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Family Actions
(tune: "The Wheels on the Bus")
The fathers in the house go clean your room,
clean your room, clean your room.
The fathers in the house go clean your room.
All around the house.
*Fill in the blanks with the names of family member and their actions.
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I'm Me
In the mirror, what do I see?
Someone is special, that is me!
My eyes, my ears,
My lips, my nose.
No one's looks are just like those!
All my favorite things to do
Are not all the same for you.
What I like to eat and drink,
What I like to say and think.
How I laugh, how I talk,
How I run, how I walk.
In the mirror, what do I see?
Someone special, that is me!
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I Can Do Anything
(tune: "Three Blind Mice")
I can do anything.
I can do anything.
If I try.
If I try.
I've got all the power.
I've got all the strength
To do and be what I want
If I just try.
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Special Activities
- Baby Picture Bulletin Board: Ask children and parents to bring in a baby picture of themselves. Display pictures on a bulletin board and see if classmates can guess who's who. Have a discussion with the children about which features helped them make their guess.
Family Homework Project
- All About Me Family Homework Project: I got this idea from Hubbard's Cupboard. For this project, students will fill in a blackline pattern of a person with things that tell about them. The children can draw, decorate, collage, etc. to make their project tell about them. Family members are encouraged to work together. When the children return the project, they share it will the class. Click below to download the project (similar downloads are also available from Hubbards Cupboard).
Here our some examples of the completed homework project.
Some families ran out of room so they pasted the pattern onto posterboard.
This family really enjoyed working on the project together.
They took the blackline master, copied it, laminated the two, laced them together,
and stuffed it to make a doll completed with a dress.
They also made a little book and attached it to the dolls hand.
AWESOME project - I was amazed to see the involvement.
Related Units
Resource Links
All About Me Family Homework Project - from Hubbard's Cupboard
All About Me Lessons - from Scholastic
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