02 scholastic skills (february)

8/19/2019 02 Scholastic Skills (February)

1/144

a creative idea book

for the

elementary teacher

written and illustrated

by

Karen Sevaly

© Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company February Monthly Idea Boo


2/144

Reproduction of these materials for commercial resale or

distribution to an entire school or school district is strictly

prohibited. Pages may be duplicated for one individual

classroom set only. Material may not be reproduced for

other purposes without the prior written permission of the

publisher.

Copyright © Teacher’s Friend,

a Scholastic Company

All rights reserved.

Printed in China.

ISBN-13 978-0-439-50371-6

ISBN-10 0-439-50371-X



3/144

This book is dedicated

to teachers and children

everywhere.



4/144


5/1445

Abe’s Whiskers! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45The Gettysburg Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46Abraham Lincoln Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Lincoln’s Beard and Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Lincoln Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Abraham Lincoln Activity Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Lincoln’s Cabin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52“Abe” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53My Report About Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

GEORGE WASHINGTON! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

George Washington-February 22, 1732! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56Washington Word Find! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57Lincoln and Washington Finger Puppets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57Washington Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58Three-Cornered Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

George Washington Activity Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60George Washington Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62“George” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63My Report About Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

St. Valentine’s Day-February 14th! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66Valentine Crossword! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67Valentine Activities! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68Love Knot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Valentine Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Message Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72Valentine Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73Valentine Delivery Truck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74Valentine Rhyming Words! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75Cupid Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76Cupid Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78Valentine Mail Carrier Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79Heart Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80Opening Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81Valentine Crafts! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

TEETH FOR KEEPS! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Dental Health! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84Toothy Puppet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86Lost Tooth Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87Tooth Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Dental Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89Parts of a Tooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company February Monthly Idea Boo


6/1446

My Smile Book! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91My Brushing Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92How Many Teeth? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93Learn to Brush Correctly! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94My Brushing Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95Learn to Floss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

My Smile! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97Teeth for Keeps Visor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

AFRICAN-AMERICAN ACHIEVERS! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Great African-Americans! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Trophy Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101African-American Achievers Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102Stamp of Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107My Report on An Accomplished African-American . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

HEART SMART! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

The Heart! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110Healthy Heart Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Parts of the Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112Heart Smart Mobile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114Mr. Heartbeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117

DOGS AND CATS! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Dog and Cat Activities! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120Cat and Dog Paper Bag Puppet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Be Kind to Animals! Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124Dog and Cat Finger Puppets! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124Accordion Doxie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125Cat Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Dog Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127A Pet of My Own! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

BULLETIN BOARDS AND MORE! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Bulletin Boards and More! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130Cookie Jar Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Cookie Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134Tooth Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135House Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136Teacher’s Friend Alphabet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138Teacher’s Friend Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

ANSWER KEY! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143



7/1447

MM a a k k i i n n g g t t h h e e

m m o o s s t t o o f f i i t t ! !



8/1448

W H AT IS INTHIS BOOK:

You will find the following in each monthly idea book fromTeacher’s Friend Publications:

1. A calendar listing every day of the month with a classroomidea and mention of special holidays and events.

2. At least four student awards to be sent home to parents.

3. Three or more bookmarks that can be used in your schoollibrary or given to students by you as “Super Student Award

4. Numerous bulletin board ideas and patterns pertaining to theparticular month and seasonal activity.

5. Easy-to-make craft ideas related to the monthly holidays andspecial days.

6. Dozens of activities emphasizing not only the obvious holidabut also the often forgotten celebrations such as Ground HogDay and Dental Health Month.

7. Creative writing pages, crossword puzzles, word finds, booklcovers, games, paper bag puppets, literature lists and muchmore!

8. Scores of classroom management techniques and methodsproven to motivate your students to improve behavior andclassroom work.

HOW TO USETHIS BOOK:

Every page of this book may be duplicated for individualclassroom use.

Some pages are meant to be copied or used as duplicatingmasters. Other pages may be transferred onto constructionpaper or used as they are.

If you have access to a print shop, you will find that manypages work well when printed on index paper. This type ofpaper takes crayons and felt markers well and is sturdy enough

to last. (Bookmarks work particularly well on index paper.)

Lastly, some pages are meant to be enlarged with an overheador opaque projector. When we say enlarge, we mean it! ThinkBIG! Three, four or even five feet is great! Try using coloredbutcher paper or poster board so you don’t spend all your timecoloring.



9/1449

MONTHLY ORG ANIZ ERS:

Staying organized month after month, year after year can be areal challenge. Try this simple idea:

After using the loose pages from this book, file them in theirown file folder labeled with the month's name. This will alsoprovide a place to save pages from other reproducible booksalong with craft ideas, recipes and articles you find in magazinesand periodicals. (Essential Pocket Folders by Teacher's Friend

provide a perfect way to store your monthly ideas andreproducibles. Each Monthly Essential Pocket Folder comeswith a sixteen-page booklet of essential patterns andorganizational ideas. There are even special folders for Back toSchool , The Substitute Teacher and Parent-Teacher Conferences .)

You might also like to dedicate a file box for every month of theschool year. A covered box will provide room to store largepatterns, sample art projects, certificates and awards, monthlystickers, monthly idea books and much more.

BUL L ETINBOA R DIDE A S:

Creating clever bulletin boards for your classroom need not takefantastic amounts of time and money. With a little preparationand know-how, you can have different boards each month withvery little effort. Try some of these ideas:

1. Background paper should be put up only once a year. Chooscolors that can go with many themes and holidays. The blacbutcher paper background you used as a spooky display inOctober will have a special dramatic effect in April withstudent-made, paper-cut butterflies.

2. Butcher paper is not the only thing that can be used to covethe back of your board. You might also try fabric from acolorful bed sheet or gingham material. Just fold it up at theend of the year to reuse again. Wallpaper is another greatbackground cover. Discontinued rolls can be purchased for small amount at discount hardware stores. Most can be wipclean and will not fade like construction paper. (Do not gluewallpaper directly to the board; just staple or pin in place.)

3. Store your bulletin board pieces in large, flat envelopes mad

from two large sheets of tagboard or cardboard. Simplystaple three sides together and slip the pieces inside. (Smallpieces can be stored in zip-lock, plastic bags.) Label yourlarge envelopes with the name of the bulletin board and themonth and year you displayed it. Take a picture of eachbulletin board display. Staple the picture to your storageenvelope. Next year when you want to create the samedisplay, you will know right where everything goes. Kids caneven follow your directions when you give them a picture tolook at.



10/14410

A DDING THECOLOR:

Putting the color to finished items can be a real bother to teachein a rush. Try these ideas:

1. On small areas, watercolor markers work great. If yourarea is rather large, switch to crayons or even colored chalkor pastels.

(Don’t worry, lamination or a spray fixative will keep color o

the work and off of you. No laminator or fixative? That’sokay, a little hair spray will do the trick.)

2. The quickest method of coloring large items is to start withcolored paper. (Poster board, butcher paper or largeconstruction paper work well.) Add a few dashes of acontrasting colored marker or crayon and you will have itmade.

3. Try cutting character eyes, teeth, etc. from white typing papeand gluing them in place. These features will really stand ouand make your bulletin boards come alive.

For special effects, add real buttons or lace. Metallic paperlooks great on stars and belt buckles, too.

L A MINATION: If you have access to a roll laminator, then you already knowhow fortunate you are. They are priceless when it comes tosaving time and money. Try these ideas:

1. You can laminate more than just classroom posters and

construction paper. Try various kinds of fabric, wallpaperand gift wrapping. You’ll be surprised at the greatcombinations you come up with.

Laminated classified ads can be used to cut headings forcurrent events bulletin boards. Colorful gingham fabricmakes terrific cut letters or bulletin board trim. You mighteven try burlap! Bright foil gift wrapping paper will add afestive feeling to any bulletin board.

(You can even make professional looking bookmarks with

laminated fabric or burlap. They are great holiday gift ideasfor Mom or Dad!)

2. Felt markers and laminated paper or fabric can work as ateam. Just make sure the markers you use are permanentand not water-based. Oops, make a mistake! That’s okay.Put a little ditto fluid on a tissue, rub across the mark andpresto, it’s gone! Also, dry transfer markers work great onlamination and can easily be wiped off.



11/14411

3. Laminating cut-out characters can be tricky. If you haveenlarged an illustration onto poster board, simply laminate firand then cut it out with scissors or an art knife. (Just makesure the laminator is hot enough to create a good seal.)

One problem may arise when you paste an illustration ontoposter board and laminate the finished product. If your pasteup is not 100% complete, your illustration and posterboard

may separate after laminating. To avoid this problem, pasteyour illustration onto poster board that measures slightlylarger than the illustration. This way, the lamination will helphold down your paste-up.

4. When pasting up your illustration, always try to use eitherrubber cement, artist’s spray adhesive or a glue stick. Whiteglue, tape or paste does not laminate well because it can oftebe seen under your artwork.

5. Have you ever laminated student-made place mats, crayonshavings, tissue paper collages, or dried flowers? You’ll beamazed at the variety of creative things that can be laminatedand used in the classroom or as take-home gifts.

L A MINATION:(c ont inued)

PHOTOCOPIES ANDDITTO MASTERS:

Many of the pages in this book can be copied for use in theclassroom. Try some of these ideas for best results:

1. If the print from the back side of your original comes through

the front when making a photocopy or ditto master, slip asheet of black construction paper behind the sheet. This willmask the unwanted shadows and create a much better copy.

2. Several potential masters in this book contain instructions forthe teacher. Simply cover the type with correction fluid or asmall slip of paper before duplicating.

3. When using a new ditto master, turn down the pressure onthe duplicating machine. As the copies become light,increase the pressure. This will get longer wear out of both

the master and the machine.

4. Trying to squeeze one more run out of that worn ditto mastercan be frustrating. Try lightly spraying the inked side of themaster with hair spray. For some reason, this helps themaster put out those few extra copies.



12/14412

Not every school has a letter machine that produces perfect 4”letters. The rest of us will just have to use the old stencil-and-scissor method. But wait, there is an easier way!

1. Don’t cut individual letters as they are difficult to pin upstraight, anyway. Instead, hand print bulletin board titles anheadings onto strips of colored paper. When it is time for thboard to come down, simply roll it up to use again next year

If you buy your own pre-cut lettering, save yourself some timand hassle by pasting the desired statements onto long stripsof colored paper. Laminate if possible. These can be rolledup and stored the same way!

Use your imagination! Try cloud shapes and cartoon bubbleThey will all look great.

2. Hand lettering is not that difficult, even if your printing is noup to penmanship standards. Print block letters with a feltmarker. Draw big dots at the end of each letter. This will

hide any mistakes and add a charming touch to the overalleffect.

If you are still afraid to freehand it, try this nifty idea: Cut astrip of poster board about 28” X 6”. Down the center of thstrip, cut a window with an art knife measuring 20” X 2”.There you have it: a perfect stencil for any lettering job. Allyou need to do is write capital letters with a felt marker withthe window slot. Don’t worry about uniformity. Just fill upthe entire window height with your letters. Move yourposter-board strip along as you go. The letters will always

remain straight and even because the poster board window istraight.

3. If you must cut individual letters, use construction papersquares measuring 4 1/2” X 6”. (Laminate first if you can.)Cut the capital letters as shown. No need to measure;irregular letters will look creative and not messy.

L ETTER ING A NDHEA DINGS:



13/14413

C C a a l l e e n n d d a a

r r

FFeebbr r uuaar r y y !!



14/144

1ST

2ND

3RD

4TH

5TH

6TH

7TH

8TH

9TH

10TH

LANGSTON HUGHES, famous American black poet, was born on this day in 1902

(Find one of his poems in the school library and read it to your class.)

Today is GROUNDHOG DAY! (Tell your class the legend of the groundhog and its

shadow. Ask students to bring in newspaper articles about the event.)

Famous American artist NORMAN ROCKWELL was born on this day in 1894. (Find

a print of one of Mr. Rockwell's well-known paintings and have your students write acreative story about it.)

CHARLES LINDBERGH, the first person to make a solo non-stop flight across the

Atlantic Ocean, was born on this day in 1902. (Ask your students to find out the

name of Mr. Lindbergh's plane.)

"Home Run King" HANK AARON was born on this day in 1934. (Ask baseball fans

to find out how many home runs he hit during his career.)

Today marks the birthdate of American President RONALD REAGAN in 1911. (Ask

students to find out how old he is today.)

LAURA INGALLS WILDER, author of the “Little House” books, was born on this da

in 1867. (Suggest these wonderful books to your students on your next library visit.

The BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA were incorporated on this day in 1910. (Ask

someone from the local Boy Scout office to visit your class and tell about the many

programs offered for both boys and girls.)

The United States government established the NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE on

this day in 1870. (Ask a group of students to research how weather forecasting has

changed in the last one-hundred years.)

The first SINGING TELEGRAM was delivered in New York City on this day in 1933.

(Ask students to write a funny singing telegram to the tune of a familiar song and

sing if to the class.)

14© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company February Monthly Idea Boo


15/14415

11TH

12TH

13TH

14TH

15TH

16TH

17TH

18TH

19TH

20TH

21ST

22ND

THOMAS ALVA EDISON, American inventor, was born on this day in 1847. (Have

students research at least ten of his more than 1,100 inventions!)

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 16th president of the United States, was born on this day in

1809. (Have students make “Penny Medallions” in celebration of this great man’s

birthday.)

“THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE,” the first magazine in the United States, waspublished on this day in 1741. (Set up a magazine corner in your classroom that will

appeal to a variety of interests.)

Today is ST. VALENTINE’S DAY! (Give someone a very special valentine by doing

something especially nice for him or her.)

Today marks the birthdate of SUSAN B. ANTHONY, early women’s rights leader, in

1820. (Pass a Susan B. Anthony dollar around the class as you tell about this heroic

woman.)

The first television news program was broadcast on this day in 1948. (Ask several

students to role-play being “television newscasters.” Have them research current

events and report their findings to the class.)

The Parent Teacher Association, P.T.A., was established on this day in 1897. (Your

students might like to write a note to your school’s PTA board, thanking them for all

their good work.)

The planet PLUTO was seen for the first time by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh in

1930. (Ask students to find out how far Pluto is from the sun.)

Polish astronomer NICHOLAUS COPERNICUS was born on this day in 1473. (Ask

students to find out what he discovered about our solar system.)

United States astronaut JOHN GLENN became the first person to orbit the earth on

this day in 1962. (Ask students to find out the name of his spacecraft.)

Today marks the birthdate of CESAR CHAVEZ, noted Mexican-American socialactivist who led the organization of the National Farm Workers Union. (Older

students may wish to participate in a discussion about unions in the United States.)

GEORGE WASHINGTON, the first president of the United States was born on this

day in 1732. (Have each child make a three-cornered hat to wear in celebration.)



16/14416

German-English composer GEORGE FREDERICK HANDEL was born on this day in

1685. (Find a recording of one of his great compositions and play it during silent

reading time.)

Today is MEXICAN FLAG DAY! (Find a picture of the Mexican flag to display in your

classroom today!)

The RANGER, the first United States aircraft carrier, was launched on this day in 193

(Ask students to find out how large most aircraft carriers are and compare them to th

size of your school's playground.)

Congress designated the GRAND CANYON as a National Park on this day in 1919.

(Ask students to locate the Grand Canyon on the classroom map.)

Today marks the birthdate of HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW, author of “The

Song of Hiawatha” and “Paul Revere's Ride.” (Read one of these famous works to yo

class.)

The first gold-seekers arrived in San Francisco, California, marking the beginning of t

GOLDRUSH in 1849. (Ask a student to locate San Francisco on the classroom map.)

Today is “LEAP YEAR,” which occurs only every four years. (Ask students if they wou

like to have been born on February 29th.)

Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) - Begins on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent, a forty daperiod of abstinence before Easter Sunday.

23RD

24TH

25TH

26TH

27TH

28TH

29TH

© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company

FEBRUARY IS ALSO.....

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MONTH

NATIONAL HEART MONTH

CHILDREN’S DENTAL MONTH

NATIONAL PATRIOTISM WEEK (Third Week of February)

BROTHERHOOD-SISTERHOOD WEEK (Third Week of February)

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP WEEK (Fourth Week of February)

February Monthly Idea Boo


17/14417

F F e e b b r r u u a a r r y y

C C a a l l e e n n d d a a r r

H H e e a a d d e e r r



18/144

FFeebbr r uuaar r y y CCaalleennddaar r

SS y y mmbboollss



19/14419© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company February Monthly Idea Boo


20/14420

S u n d a y

M

o n d a y

T u e s d a y

W e d n e s d a y

T h u r s d a y

S a t u r d a y

F F e e b b

r r u u a a r r y y

F r i d a y



21/144


22/144

FFeebbr r uuaar r y y A A cc t t i i v v i i t t i ieess!!

22

DOWN

1. What you give on February 14th.

2. The 16th President of the U.S.

3. He looks for his shadow on February 2nd.

4. A muscle that pumps blood.

ACROSS1. The “Father of Our Country.”

2. The weather in February is usually ________.

3. Baby birds live in a ________.

4. What you brush every morning.

5. The opposite of “hate.”

6. The doctor that checks your teeth.

The month of February offers a wide variety of special days and celebrations. The holidays ofGround Hog Day, Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day can all be used to motivate creativityand reinforce basic concepts in the classroom. This is a good thing, considering that Februaryoften has the worst weather of the year! So take advantage of the many special days inFebruary and prepare for a colorful month of fun activities!

February Crossword ACTIVITY 1



23/144

FFeebbr r uuaar r y y W W oor r dd FF i inndd!!

23

This game offers a fun way to cheer up a gloomy day in February. Give each child a copy of th

bingo words listed below or write the words on the chalkboard. Ask students to write any 24

words on his or her bingo card. Use the same directions you might use for regular bingo.

FEBRUARY BINGO WORDS

VALENTINE WASHINGTON LINCOLN GROUND HOGHEART GEORGE ABRAHAM SHADOWFEBRUARY CHERRY TREE LOG CABIN AFRAIDCUPID PRESIDENT ILLINOIS WINTERLOVE MARTHA MARY TODD SPRINGCANDY GENERAL HONEST LEAP YEARFLOWERS HERO CIVIL WAR MONTHLACE INDEPENDENCE FREEDOM SHORT

FFeebbr r uuaar r y y BB i innggoo!!

FIND THESE FEBRUARY WORDS IN THE PUZZLE BELOW:

VALENTINE, FEBRUARY, WASHINGTON, LINCOLN, GROUNDHOG

HEART, CUPID, SHADOW, LOVE, CHERRY, WINTER, AND SNOW.

ACTIVITY 2



25/14425

Pencil

Toppers

Reproducethese “Pencil Toppers”

onto construction or indexpaper. Color and cut out.

Use an art knife to cutthrough the Xs.

Slide a pencilthrough bothXs, asshown.

Give them as classroomawards or birthday treats.



27/14427

Student’s Name

was a “sweetheart” in

class today!

Date

Teacher

Student’s Name

earned my

praise

today!

Teacher

For:

Date

Student’s Name

was extra good today!

Teacher

Date

I was all smilesbecause...

Teacher Date



28/14428

N

A M E

S C H O O L

T E A C H E R

D A T E



29/14429

p

r e s e n t e d t o

i n

r e c o g n i t i o n

o f

T E A C H E R

D

A T E

N A M E



30/14430

h

a s d e m o n s t r

a t e d g o o d c i t

i z e n s h i p b y

T E A C H E R

D A T E

N A M E



31/144

February Paper Toppers

31

Here’s a cute was to display students’ work!

Cut these Paper Toppers from colored paper or studentscan use crayons or markers to add the color.

Fold along the dotted lines, tape the backtogether and insert over the corner ofa students’s good work paper!Display the papers with the

topper on the classboard.



32/14432

CCr r eeaa t t i i v vee W W r r i i t t i inngg P P aaggee



34/14434

The legend of the groundhog has been traced back many years to the folkstories of England and Germany. It was believed that hibernating animalswould wake on this day, check the weather and then decide whether to goback to sleep for the rest of the winter or stay up for the coming of spring.

According to the legend, if the weather is cloudy and the groundhog cannotsee its shadow, it will stay above ground. This signifies the early coming ofspring. If it’s sunny outside and the groundhog sees its shadow, it will bestartled and quickly retreat to its burrow below ground, staying there sixmore weeks. This means that spring is a long way away and at least sixmore weeks of winter will remain.

The custom of groundhog watching on February 2nd was brought to theUnited States by immigrants. These immigrants settled in Punxsutawney,Pennsylvania. In recent years, the town of Punxsutawney has been crowdedwith tourists and news reporters waiting the news of whether or notPunxsutawney Phil (the world's most famous groundhog) will see his shadow.

If you wish to find out more about the Groundhog Day tradition andPunxsutawney Phil, write to his fan club. You can also subscribe to his fanclub newsletter.

Your students can also investigate PunxsutawneyPhil's web site at http//www.groundhog.org

Phil’s Fan ClubPunxsutawney Groundhog ClubChamber of Commerce124 W. Mahoning StreetPunxsutawney, PA 15767

On February 2nd, ask your students to record the weather. Would thefamous groundhog be able to see his shadow? Take a vote and record theresults on the class board noting the students’ guess of whether spring willcome early or if there will be six more weeks of winter. Now, assign studentsto record the weather for the next six weeks. How did your students fare?Was Punxsutawney Phil prediction correct?

GGr r oouunndd h hoogg DDaa y y -- FFeebbr r uuaar r y y 22nndd!!



35/144

Groundhog Paper Bag Puppet



36/144

MM y y GGr r oouunndd h hoogg DDaa y y

P P r r eedd i icc t t i ioonn

36

GroundhogPattern

Name



37/144

GROUNDHOG DAY

BULLETIN BOARDCreate a cute and informativebulletin board usinghe groundhog pattern onthe previous page.

Cover the class bulletinboard with green butcherpaper. Carefully cut slits inthe paper using an artknife. After the students

have completed writing their predictions on the groundhog patterns, have theminsert their groundhogs into the slits on the board. Students can add grass andflowers using colored chalk or crayons. Post a class weather chart on the boardand record each day's weather for six weeks after Groundhog Day. At the end ofthe six weeks, determine whether spring came early or late. Lift the groundhogcharacters from their holes to see which students predicted correctly.

37

GROUNDHOG POP-UP CRAFT

Students will love making this adorable groundhog puppet!

Glue a fringed strip of green constructionpaper to the outside of a small

styro-foam drinking cup. Cutthe groundhog from brownpaper and glue it to an icecream stick. Place the stick

through the slit in the bottomof the cup.

Children will love to hold the cupand slide the stick up and down to

make the groundhog come out ofits hole.

GGr r oouunndd h hoogg A A cc t t i i v v i i t t i ieess!!Our Groundhog P redict ions!



38/14438

TEACHERS:Two, three or fourchildren can play thisgame. Make your owntask cards or write mathproblems, that must besolved, on each space.



39/144


40/144

Groundhog Maze

40

ACTIVITY 3



41/144

I am feet and inches tall. A friend helped me measure my shadow at different

times during the day. This is what I found out.

MMee aanndd MM y y

SSHH A A DDOO W W !!

41

Time Length of my shadow

My shadow was longest at .

My shadow was shortest at .

Here is a poem about my shadow:

Student’s Name

Date



42/14442

S u n n y C l o u d y R a i n y S n o w y W i n d y

D a t e

MMyy WWeeaatthheerr RReeccoorrddTemperature

High Low

Name



44/14444

Abraham Lincoln is thought by most Americans to be one of our greatestpresidents. He was born on February 12, 1809, in a rural area now knownas the state of Kentucky. Lincoln had a special love for reading and spentmany evenings by the fire with his favorite books. He taught himself many

things, including law, using the books he read. As a young man, Lincolnsplit rails and worked as a clerk in a general store. His kind nature andhonesty gained him the respect of local townspeople.

In 1834, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives and latersenator from the state of Illinois. In 1860, Americans voted in AbrahamLincoln as our 16th president.

Lincoln was an impressive man, standing six feet and four inches. He had a

high-pitched voice and deep-set eyes. When he stood to speak, people wereastonished by his grand appearance.

Abraham Lincoln was a man of great insight, intelligence and wit. He wasable, quite easily, to bring his ideas to the people through his speeches. Oneof his best known speeches is the Gettysburg Address.

Abraham Lincoln was shot by an assassin on April 14, 1865. It isunfortunate that he did not live to see the fulfillment of his dream: theabolition of slavery.

AAbbrraahhaamm LLiinnccoollnn -- FFeebbrruuaarryy 1122,, 11880099!!

LINCOLN PENNY MEDALLIONS

Have each child cut this pattern fromred or blue construction paper.Give each child a new penny andask them to glue it, Lincoln sideup, to the center. Punch a hole

at the top of each medallionand thread with yarn.

Children will love wearingthese easy to makemedallions to celebrateLincoln’s birthday.



45/144


46/14446

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on thiscontinent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the

proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nationor any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. Weare met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicatea portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gavetheir lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting andproper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate--we can not consecrate--we can not hallow--this ground. The brave men, living and dead, whostruggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to addor detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we sayhere, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living,rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they whofought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be

here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from thesehonored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which theygave the last full measure of devotion--that we highly resolve thatthese dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God,shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the peopleby the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania



47/14447

A A bbr r aa h haamm

L L i innccoollnn

Name F O L D



48/14448

Make a top hat from black construction papermeasuring 22” x 8” and tape to form acylinder. Cut a large circle from paper about14” in diameter. Cut a smaller circle inside.

Cut the notches around the inner circle andfold upward to fit inside the cylinder. Use tapeto hold in place.

Children will love dressingup like Lincoln, especiallyon February 12th.

Cutthis beard

pattern fromblack constructiopaper. Curl theends around youears to hold inplace.

Lincoln’s Beard and Hat



49/14449

LINCOLN PENNIESEveryone has seen Lincoln’s face on shiny new pennies.

Cut several large circles from light-brown construction paper.Use this pattern to trace Lincoln's profile in the center of each

circle. Display the pennies on the class bulletin board.

LINCOLN SILHOUETTECut Lincoln's silhouette from colored construction paper. Now, cut the

silhouette into several puzzle pieces. Put the pieces in an envelope. Asstudents complete their class work, give them the puzzle to reassemble at

their desks.

LOG CABINSMake clever Lincoln Log Cabins with small milk cartons and an ample supply ofstick pretzels. Ask each child to glue the pretzels to the four sides of their milkcarton. Have them break the pretzels the proper length to fit the sides. Add brightred construction paper roofs to the finished cabins.

READING LIKE LINCOLNAs a child and young man, Lincoln loved to sit by the fire and read various storiesand books. Some of his favorite stories were from Aesop’s Fables . Read one or two ofthese fables to your class and discuss how these stories may have inspired Lincoln inthe way he viewed his fellow man and life in general.

FAMOUS QUOTESLincoln was famous for his wit and insight. Write several of his quotations onthe class chalkboard and ask students to write their feelings about whatLincoln meant and perhaps what significance it might have for the world today.

Here are a few of Lincoln's quotes:

“No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out andremove all doubt.”

“Killing the dog does not cure the bite.”

“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be amaster.”

“It is true that you may fool all the people some of the

time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time;but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.”

“Those who deny freedom to others deserve itnot for themselves.”

Lincoln Activities© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company February Monthly Idea Boo


50/14450

Teachers: Discuss with your students the history and facts about both GeorgeWashington and Abraham Lincoln. Provide these cards for an informativecenter activity about the two presidents.

Cut out each activity card and mount on colored posterboard. Ask individualstudents to take the cards to their desks and match the fact cards to theappropriate president card. Two students might like to time one another to seewho can match all the cards correctly in the least amount of time.

(Washington cards can be found on pages 60 and 61.)

A A bbr r aa h haamm

L L i innc c oollnn

Activity

Cards

Washingtonor

Lincoln?

This president was born near Hodgenville,Kentucky on February 12, 1809.

Washingtonor

Lincoln?

This president moved with his family tothe state of Illinois in 1831.



51/144


52/14452

Lincoln’s CabinCut “Lincoln’s Cabin” out and assemble it on a sheet of construction paper. Cut the windowout and fold back along the dotted lines. Glue a shiny new “Lincoln” penny to the center ofthe window. Students may like to glue stick pretzels to the cabin to make it resemble a real“log” cabin.

Display dozens oflog cabins on theclass bulletinboard tocreate anentirevillage!

Paste the chimneyto the side o

the cabin



53/14453

“Abe”

Display “Abe” onthe class bulletinboard or have

each student maketheir own “Abe”

character.



54/14454

MM y y R R eeppoor r t t A A bboouu t t

L L i innc c oollnn

Abraham Lincoln was born on

in a rural area now known as the

state of .

As a young man, he loved to

by firelight. He taught himself many things

including .

He was elected to the

in 1834 and later to Congress from .

Lincoln was elected in and

became the 16th President of the United States.

His most famous speech was the

. His most famous accomplishment

was the Proclamation. This

Proclamation helped .

Just a few days after the end of the War,President Lincoln was .

My thoughts about President Lincoln:

Student’s Name

Date



55/144© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company 55 February Monthly Idea Boo


56/144© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company 56

George Washington is known throughout American history as “The Father ofOur Country.” He was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County,Virginia. As a young man, Washington had a great interest in military historyand geography. He became a surveyor at the age of seventeen. Washington

played an important role during the French and Indian War. This experiencelater gave him the knowledge and insight to assist the fight for freedomduring the American Revolution. Washington served as Commander in Chiefof the Continental Armies. America won its independence from England withthe signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

George Washington was elected and served as the first president of theUnited States. His birthday was celebrated throughout our young country,even during his own lifetime. Today, we pay tribute to this great man on the

third Monday in February.

The story of George Washington and his greatness is known throughout theworld. The capital of the United States is honored with his name. InWashington, D.C., an inspiring monument stands, the symbol of reverenceand affection for our first president. Washingtonis remembered in the hearts of allAmericans as a man of honesty, strengthand leadership.

“I CANNOT TELL A LIE!”Tell your class the story ofGeorge Washington and hisfather’s cherry tree. Stress theimportance of George's refusalto tell a lie about what he had

done.

Each child will enjoy wearingthe “I cannot tell a lie!” buttonafter taking a pledge to alwaystell the truth. This is awonderful way to celebrateWashington’s birthday.

GGeeoorrggee WWaasshhiinnggttoonn -- FFeebbrruuaarryy 2222,,11773322!!

Name

LikeGeorge

Washington...I cannot tella lie!




W W aass h h i inngg t toonn W W oor r dd FF i inndd!!

LLiinnccoollnn

aannddWWaasshhiinnggttoonn

FFiinnggeerr

PPuuppppeettss !!

CutOut

CutOut

CutOut

CutOut

ACTIVITY 4

FIND THESE WORDS ABOUT WASHINGTON: GEORGE, WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY,VIRGINIA, FREEDOM, INDEPENDENCE, DECLARATION, SURVEYOR, PRESIDENT,COUNTRY, LEADER, FATHER, AMERICA




PRESIDENT'S DAY Until recently, Washington's birthdaywas observed on February 22 and

Lincoln's birthday on February 12. In 1971,these holidays were replaced by President's Day,

the third Monday in February. Ask students to discusstheir opinions of this change. What benefits might therebe? What disadvantages?

PATRIOTIC SONGSLocate a recording of popular patriotic tunes such as “YankeeDoodle,” “America the Beautiful,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,”“America,” and “The Star Spangled Banner.” Play these songs for

your class and ask them to find out how the songs came to be written.

WASHINGTON'S SILHOUETTETrace Washington's silhouette onto colored construction paper. Fill in the

silhouette with small squares of contrasting tissue paper. First place one squarearound the end of a pencil. Dip into white glue and place on the silhouette.

Continue until the entire silhouette is complete. Display on the class bulletin board.

W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-NWrite the letters W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N down the side of a sheet of linedpaper. Ask children to write a sentence about George Washington, using theletters of his name.

WASHINGTON VOCABULARY Ask students to locate vocabulary words about Washington in the

class dictionary. Write the words and definitions on strips ofcolored paper and display them around Washington’s

silhouette on the class bulletin board. Here are afew words that your students might wish to use:

CONSTITUTION SURVEYOR DIPLOMAT

INDEPENDENCE REVOLUTION DECLARATION

MONUMENT STATESMAN PRESIDENT

DEDICATION GENERAL HONESTY MILITARY FREEDOM

Washington Activities




Glue a yellowpaper star to

each corner of thehat for decorations.

Three-Cornered CapCut three hat patterns from blue or black constructionpaper. Staple the corners together to form a three-cornered hat, much like the one worn by GeorgeWashington.



60/14460

Teachers: Discuss with your students the history and facts about both GeorgeWashington and Abraham Lincoln. Provide these cards for an informativecenter activity about the two presidents.

Cut out each activity card and mount on colored posterboard. Ask individualstudents to take the cards to their desks” and match the fact cards to theappropriate president card. Two students might like to time one another to seewho can match all the cards correctly in the least amount of time.

(Lincoln cards can be found on pages 50 and 51.)

Activity

Cards

Washingtonor

Lincoln?

This president is known as“The Father of Our Country.”

Washingtonor

Lincoln?

This president was born in Virginia, onFebruary 22, 1732.



61/14461

Washington

or

Lincoln?

This president signed theConstitution of the United States.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

This president was Commander andChief of the Continental Armiesduring the Revolutionary War.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

This president lived on a beautifulplantation called Mount Vernon.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

This president spent the winter of1777 with his troops at Valley Forge.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

This president marriedMartha Curtis in 1759.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

This president was the firstpresident of the United States.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

As a young boy, this president refused to lieabout cutting down his father’s cherry tree.

Washington

or

Lincoln?

As a young man, this president studiedgeography and mathematics. He became

a surveyor at the age of 17



62/14462

GGEEOORRGGEE

WWAASSHHIINNGGTTOONN

Name

F O L D



63/14463

“George”

Enlarge “George”onto posterboard.Cut out and color.Display him, as

illustrated, on theclass bulletin board.

Students might liketo make a smallerversion of “George”of their very own.



64/144


66/14466

Many legends surround the history of St. Valentine's Day. One of the mostfascinating is that of Saint Valentine himself.

In 269 A.D., a young priest named Valentinus was arrested by the Romans for hisChristian beliefs. The Roman Emperor, Claudius II, was a harsh leader andimprisoned Valentinus in a dark dungeon.

A jailer named Asterius took pity on the prisoner and provided him with thecompany of his blind daughter. The daughter and Valentinus soon became closefriends. Their friendship helped sustain Valentinus during his time in prison.

After Valentinus had spent a year in the dungeon, Claudius II summoned him toappear before his court. Claudius was so impressed by the priest's character that he

promised to grant him his freedom if he would only denounce Christianity.However, Valentinus refused to give up his belief in God. The Emperor was furiousat Valentinus and his stubbornness. He ordered Valentinus to be beaten with stonesand executed.

In the last days of his life, St. Valentine is said to have healed Asterius’ daughter ofblindness and was responsible for converting both of them to Christianity, adecision that later brought on their own deaths, as well.

According to legend, St. Valentine wrote a farewell message to Asterius’ daughter

the evening of his execution. He signed the note, “From Your Valentine.” He wasput to death on February 14th, 270 A.D., outside the gates of Rome.

As years went by, the phrase “From Your Valentine” became known as a symbol oflove, friendship and affection. St. Valentine is remembered by young and old alikefor his devotion and giving nature each year on February 14th.

“LOVE IS PATIENT,LOVE IS KIND...LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS,BELIEVES ALL THINGS,HOPES ALL THINGS,ENDURES ALL THINGS.LOVE NEVER FAILS.”

I Corinthians 13:4, 7, 8

SStt .. VVaalleenntt iinnee’’ss DDaayy -- FFeebbrruuaarryy 1144tthh!!




V V aalleenn t t i innee CCr r oossss w w oor r dd!!

ACTIVITY 5

DOWN1. We all have a _ _ _ _ _ that beats.2. Roses are _ _ _ , Violets are blue.3. The opposite of out.4. The second month of the year.5. A flower with many petals.6. Cupid shoots _ _ _ _ _ _ from a bow.

ACROSS4. What blooms in the spring?7. A sweetheart on February 14th8. The opposite of false.9. The Valentine cherub.10. Something sweet to eat.11. Cupid carries a _ _ _ .12. “I _ _ _ You!”



68/144



V V aalleenn t t i innee A A c c t t i i v v i i t t i ieess!!

FAMOUS

VALENTINES

Ask your

students tothink of afamous person

from which theywould most like

to receive avalentine. Would

they like to send this person a

valentine?

Provide a variety of colorful paperand pens, paper doilies, glitter, etc.and ask the students to make avalentine for their famous person.The valentines can then be displayedon the class board complete with a

paper written by each student on thereasons they chose this particular

person to be their valentine.

FRUITY VALENTINES

Encourage your students to stayaway from candy by making fruit

leather hearts.

Place fresh or canned fruit in ablender and puree. Place the

mixture in a sauce pan andsimmer until thick. Cover acookie sheet with plasticwrap and spread on the

mixture about 1/4 inch thick.Place it in a 130 degree ovenfor 4 to 8 hours. When leathery,cut it into heart shapes and enjoy!

“LOVELY” SYMBOLS

Brainstorm with your students on alist of Valentine Day’s symbols. Askthem each to choose a symbol toresearch and tell why it istraditionally used to represent theholiday. Here are some suggestions

Hearts FlowersCupid BirdsLace Candy

You may also like to have thestudents research the legend of

Saint Valentine or find out howValentine’s Day is celebrated inother countries.

VALENTINE BUTTON COVERS

Have students make valentines theycan wear home or give away! Cuthearts from colorful pieces of feltabout two inches square. Cut a slit

in the center of each heart the sizeof a button hole. Students can drawfaces or write valentine messages othe hearts with colored markers.Googly eyes can be glued in place

for a truly goofy faced buttoncover.

VALENTINE TELEGRAM

Ask students to comprisea valentine by using theletters, V-A-L-E¬N-T-I-N-EGive them a few minutes

to write the message andthen ask them to read their

telegrams aloud.



70/144

A long forgotten symbol of Valentine’s Day is the “Love Knot.” The Love Knot consists

of graceful loops and bends that have no beginning and no end. Centuries ago, people

would write loving messages on the endless loops and then give the knot to their

sweetheart. The recipient would turn the knot to read the message.

Ask your students to write original valentine messages within the loops of this Love Knot

or have them design their own Love Knot.

Love

K not

© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company 70 February Monthly Idea Boo


71/144


72/14472

Encourage students to writeclever valentine poems or

riddles on this valentine

heart pattern.

Cut the heart fromred or pinkconstructionpaper anddisplay themon the class

bulletin

board.

Message Hear t

C u t

O u t

F o l d



73/144

Valent ine Bird

73

Wing

Body

FOLD

Cut thesepatterns

from redand pinkconstructionpaper.Assembleand gluetogether asshown.

Tail

FOLD



74/14474

Make a “Valentine Delivery Truck” envelope from a

folded sheet of construction paper.

Display the trucks on

the board

and have

students

placeValentines

inside.

F O L D

N a m e



75/14475

blue

sweet

day

red

love

see

mine

V V aalleenn t t i innee R R h h y y mm i inngg W W oor r ddss!!

Write as many rhyming words as possible tothese Valentine words. Choose several

rhyming words and use them in aValentine’s Day poem to a friend.



76/14476

Cupid

W heel

CutOut

CutOut

Copy the “CupiWheel” onto heavy

index paper. Color, cutout and assemble with brass

fasteners. Cut out the twoboxes, as shown.



77/14477

Add your own mathproblems or word

contractions tothe wheel.

Move cupid’swing to

reveal thecorrectanswer.

wing



78/144



Valentine Mail

Carrier CapAttach this cap pattern to apaper headband and awardit to students for goodbehavior or completedassignments.

N a m e

V V a a l l e e n n t t i i n n e e

M M a a i i l l

C C

a a r r r r i i e e r r

Fold the billupward along thedotted line. Studentscan wear the caps whiledistributing valentines onValentine’s Day!

F O L D




Heart Pattern

Review math facts, contractions orwrite secret valentine messages using

the patterns on these pages.




Opening HeartCut the two heart halves and theheart on the previous page fromconstruction paper. Assemble asshown with a brass fastener.



82/144

ANIMAL LETTER BOXES

Children can make cute animal letter boxes tohold their valentines from discounted tissueboxes. Cover the boxes with construction paperand use paper plates for the animals’ heads.Cut ears and tails from paper and glue in place.Pipe cleaner whiskers can also be added.

© Teacher’s Friend, a Scholastic Company 82

“BE MY VALENTINE” CROWN

Cut several two-inch strips of red, white and pinkconstruction paper. Staple one strip together to fitaround a child’s head. Staple either four or six stripsof paper to the inside of the headband. Gather thestrips together at the top and pull them toward

the center, stapling them in place. Add a cutpaper heart to the top of the crown.

(Valentine sayings can be written on the strips ofpaper before making the crown.)

Children will love parading their colorful crownsthrough the school halls.

V V aalleenn t t i innee CCr r aaf f t tss!!




February is Dental Health Month! Use this opportunity to instruct and encourageyour students on the importance of taking care of their teeth.

In some cases, you may wish to set up a schedule. for your students to brush their

teeth at school. A local dentist may donate toothbrushes and toothpaste for thestudents’ use. Provide each student with a daily brushing log for them to recordthose times they brush their teeth.

Here are a few suggested dental health activities to promote and inspireyoungsters to brush regularly.

TEETH, TEETH, TEETHAs a home assignment, ask eachstudent to stand in front of thebathroom mirror and counttheir exact number of teeth.Have them write the numberon a slip of paper. Duringclass the next day, tally thenumber of teeth in thewhole class and keep secretthe number of teeth for theclass members. The person

with the closest guess couldwin a new toothbrush!

THE TOOTH FAIRY Encourage students to writeimaginative stories usingthe tooth fairy as the maincharacter. Students mightlike to speculate on whatshe does with all the teeth

she finds, or where shelives.

Children may also like to writeletters to the tooth fairy. Collectall the letters and then distributethem to older students who willwrite back creative responses.

TOOTH SCIENCEDemonstrate to your students howacids eat away the enamel on ourteeth with this simple experiment.Place a raw egg in a clear glassof vinegar overnight. Askstudents to speculate on what wilhappen. In the morning, you will

see that the vinegar has slowlysoftened the shell in the same way

acid softens tooth enamel. Explain tothe children that when the enamel on

our teeth is weakened, we get atoothache and a cavity.

HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTEInspire your students to brush theirteeth by making your own toothpaste.It’s easy to make!

For every child in class, mix 1tablespoon baking soda and a drop of

peppermint flavoring. Add more dropsif the mixture fails to make a paste.Spoon the paste onto each student’stooth brush. Hold a discussion as towhich tastes better, homemade orstore-bought toothpaste.

DDeenn t taall HHeeaall t t h h!!



85/144

DDeenn t taall HHeeaall t t h h!!

85

PARTS OF THE TEETHTeeth provide three basic functions for the

human body; Chewing provides the

starting point of digestion, They help us

speak properly and, finally, teeth add toour personal appearance.

It is also important that students know the

different parts of their teeth. Ask your

students to review the following:

CROWN - The part of teeth that we see.

ENAMEL - The hard, white outer covering

of each tooth.

ROOT - The part of the tooth that is

anchored in the gum.

DENTIN - A bone-like tissue inside the

tooth.

PULP - The soft center of each tooth that

houses the nerves and blood vessels

LOST TEETHDisplay a large paper tooth on the class

board. As children lose their teeth, write

their names on the tooth. Keep a supply o

small plastic bags for children to carryhome the teeth they lose at school.

TOOTH POEMSHave children write short poems about

brushing their teeth. Ask them to copy

their poems onto a paper tooth. The

poems can then be taken home and

mounted on the bathroom mirror as a

reminder to brush first thing in the

morning and last thingat night.

TYPES OF TEETHThere are four differenttypes of teeth that helpperform different jobs.They are:

INCISORS - Located inthe front of the mouth,these eight teeth havesharp, chisel-shaped crownsthat cut food.

CUSPIDS - There is one cuspidnext to each lateral incisor.Cuspids are pointed to help tearfood.

BICUSPIDS - There are four pairsof bicuspids located next to thecuspids. They tear and crush ourfood.

MOLARS - There are four sets ofthree molars located at the back ofour mouths. They help us by grindingour food.

Ask the students to try to locate thevarious teeth in their own mouths. By age13 or so, children should have a full set ofpermanent teeth.

TEETH IMPRINTSChildren will love this activity that allowsthem to thoroughly inspect their own teethalignments.

Give each student a slice of American

Cheese. Ask them to place the slicebetween their teeth and bite down gently.(Make sure you instruct them not to bitethrough the cheese.) Now, have theminspect their bite.

Do all of their teeth seem straight? Do theupper teeth fit inside the lower teeth? Doesthe imprint show any missing teeth? Askthem to measure the width of the arch.



86/14486

Toothy

Puppet Cut this toothpuppet fromwhite

constructionpaper.

Glue both pieces to asmall paper lunch bag.



87/144

Lost Tooth Envelope

87

Cut thisenvelopepattern from

white paper.Let the childcolor theillustrationand write hisor her name.

Fold thetooth into atissue and

place it inthe envelopefor the childto takehome!

Date

II ’’ v vee L L ooss t t

A A

TToooo t t h h!!HHeer r ee i i t t i iss!!

Name

Fold alongthe lines

and tape opaste theenvelopeclosed.



88/144


89/14489

I ’m a member

of the

Lost ToothClub

Terrific Teeth Award

Teacher Date

Name

Name

Teacher

Date

has demonstratedgood brushing techniques!



90/14490

Par ts of a Tooth

Label this

tooth with thecorrect names.

ENAMEL CROWN NECK DENTIN ROOT NERVESBLOOD VESSELS




Name



92/144

MM y y BBr r uuss h h i inngg SSuuppppll i ieess


The first thing I need to do is check my supplies!

❑ Toothbrush is in good shape andready to use!

❑ Toothbrush is worn out!(Ask your parent to buy you a new one.)

❑ I have fluoride toothpaste!

❑ I need to ask a parent tobuy me some fluoride toothpaste!

❑ I have dental floss!

❑ I need to get some dental floss!



93/144

Most small children have 20 teeth. When these teeth

are lost, they are replaced with 32 permanent teeth.

HHoo w w MMaann y y TTeeee t t h h??


Check off any teeth

you have

lost!

Incisors

Cuspids

Second Molars

Second Molars

First Molars

Cuspids

Incisors

First Molars

I have this many teeth:

I have lost this many teeth:

It’s important to have regular dental visits!

My last dental visit was

My next dental visit will be

Date

Date



94/144

It’s probably best to use fluoride toothpaste to help prevent tooth decay.

Here are some other things I can do to prevent tooth decay.

1.

2.

3.

4.


L L eeaar r nn t too BBr r uuss h h CCoor r r r eecc t tll y y !!

Brush your teeth at a 45°angle with the bristles of

the tooth brush toward thegums. Gently massage thegums and roll the brush

toward the edge of each tooth.

Don’t forget to brush theback of your teeth. Use the

same stroke, making sure the bristles go between

each tooth.




MM y y BBr r uuss h h i inngg R R eeccoor r dd

Sun. Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat.

Brush Floss Brush Floss Brush Floss Brush Floss Brush Floss Brush Floss Brush Floss





I will brush at these

times each day:

Color in each area of the chart

when you brush and/or floss

your teeth.



96/144


97/144

MM y y SSmm i i llee!!

97

Here’s a picture of myself and my smile!

This is what I’ve

learned about caring

for my teeth!

I completed my booklet on



98/144

Teeth for

Keeps Visor

98

N a m e

C o p y t h i s “ T e e t h f o r

K e e p s ” v i s o r o n t o s t u r d y i n d e x o r

c o n s t r u c t i o n p a p e r . C h i l d r e n c a n d o t h e c o l o r i n

g .

P u n c h h o l e s a t b o t h

e n d s a n d a t t a c h s t r i n g e l a s t i c o r

m a i l i n g s t r i n g .

( W i t h

e l a s t i c ,

t h e s t u d e n t s c a n e a s i l y

r e m o v e t h e v i s o r s w i t h o u t r e t y i n g . )



99/144


100/144100

GGr r eeaa t t A A f f r r i iccaann-- A A mmeer r i iccaannss!!

February is African-American Month in honor of the contributions and achievements made byAfrican-Americans. Enlighten your students to the many cultural and historic contributions

made by these great people. Assign each student one achiever to research. They may like touse these suggestions in their study.

QUESTIONS TO ASK!1. Is your African-American Achiever a hero? Why or why not?2. What inspired your achiever to succeed?3. How did your achiever’s childhood differ from that of other children?4. Did your achiever receive support or help from anyone? Who?5. If you could interview your achiever, what would he or she say is their greatest

accomplishment?

TIME LINESAsk students to create a time line noting the special events of a chosen African-Americanachiever’s life. Have them begin with the date the achiever was born. Significant childhoodevents that helped form the achiever’s character should also be noted. Make sure they alsorecord the achiever's education, if they married and whether she or he had children. Havestudents continue the time line showing the various accomplishments their great personachieved throughout his or her life.

IT’S ALL IN A NAME!Instruct students to write poems or statements of fact using the letters in the name of a

famous African-American. Tell them to make sure that each line accurately portrays theirachiever's life. Here is an example using the name of Rosa Parks.P Picked crops on a plantation as a child A Appreciated and excelled in schoolR Refused to sit at the back of the busK Ku Klux Klan could not defeat herS Segregation was stopped with the help of Rosa Parks

EARNED AWARDSHave students select a specific African-American achiever that has been recognized by earninga specific award. Ask them to research the award and the organization that gives it. Tell thestudents to find out how the recipients are selected and to list other persons that havereceived the honor.

LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTSHave students select one great African-American achiever and comprise a list of his or heraccomplishments and facts without mentioning the achiever’s name. Post the lists on the classboard and have all students guess the identities. Award those students with the most correctanswers with a special treat.



101/144101

For the grand accomplishment of

Trophy

Pattern



102/144102

Cut thiswheel fromcolored paperand paste it to thecenter of a largesheet of construction paper.

A f rican-A mer ican Ac h ievers W heelCreate an informative game by matching the famous African Americans to their culturalcontribution and/or achievement.

You may want to use these patterns to create a bulletin board display. Have children select

one person to research. When completed, mount papers around the contribution wheel.Students can pin their famous person’s name around the appropriate area of the wheel.




A A f f r r i iccaann-- A A mmeer r i iccaann A A cc h h i iee v veer r ss

SPORTS

Jessie Owens

Jackie Robinson

Evelyn Ashford

Michael Jordan

Wilma Rudolph

Arthur Ashe

HISTORY

Frederick Douglass

Mary McLeoud Bethune

Harriet Tubman

Crispus Attucks

Booker T. Washington

Matthew Hensen

CIVIL RIGHTS

Coretta Scott King

Ralph Abernathy

Sojourner Truth

Malcolm X

Rosa Parks

Martin Luther King, Jr.

LITERATURE

Maya Angelou

Alex Haley

Alice Walker

James Baldwin

Mildred Taylor

Langston Hughes

SCIENCE/BUSINESS

Barry Gordy, Jr.

Oprah Winfrey

George Washington Carver

Daniel Hale Williams

Garrett Morgan

Benjamin Banneker

MUSIC

Ray Charles

Louis Armstrong

Nat King Cole

Whitney Houston

Ella Fitzgerald

Duke Ellington

ENTERTAINMENT

Bill Cosby

Spike Lee

Whoopi Goldberg

Sidney Poitier

James Earl Jones

Josephine Baker

GOVERNMENT

Colin Powell

Thurgood Marshal

Shirley Chisholm

Ron Brown

L. Douglas Wilder

Carol Mosely-Braun




Cut

these namesections apartand glue them tothe outside of theAfrican-AmericanAchievers Wheel.




Stamp of ExcellenceThe first U.S. postage stamp to commemorate an African-American wasissued in 1940 to honor Booker T. Washington. Have Students select afamous person to honor with a commemorative stamp. Ask them to draw apicture of their honored person on this stamp pattern. Encourage them to

write reports about his or her contributions. Display the stamps and reportson the class board.

Name



108/144

MM y y R R eeppoor r t t OOnn A A nn A A ccccoommppll i iss h heedd A A f f r r i iccaann-- A A mmeer r i iccaann


Name

Birthdate Birth Place

Early Years:

Overcoming Obstacles:

Major Accomplishments:

Why this person is important!

Student’s Name



110/144110

The heart is a powerful muscle which expands andcontracts to pump blood to every part of the body.Everyone's heart is pear-shaped and about the sizeof a closed fist. As we grow, it will also grow in size.The heart is located in the middle of the chest, justbehind the breastbone.

The heart is divided into two chambers. The leftchamber, which is larger, pumps blood to the entirebody. The right chamber, which is smaller, pumps bloodonly to the lungs.

Each of these chambers is divided into two smallerchambers. The upper sections are called auricles and thelower sections are called ventricles .

Blood vessels, called arteries carry the blood away from the heart. They expand and contractwith the heart as the blood is pumped through the body.

From the arteries, the blood flows into capillaries , which are tiny tubes throughout the body.Anytime you have scraped your knee or pricked your finger, you have punctured a capillary.

The capillaries are then joined with tiny tubes called veins which unite with larger veins in thebody to return the blood to the heart. This starts the blood flow all over again.

An adult’s heart beats about 70 to 80 times a minute. It pumps over 2,500 gallons of bloodeach day.

Teach your kids to take their pulse. Show them how their pulse will increase with exerciseand decrease with rest. Ask students to do the following:

1. Using the tips of your fingers, locate your pulse on either your wrist or neck.

2. Ask a friend to time you for 20 seconds while you count the number of times your heartbeats.

3. How many times did your heart beat in 20 seconds? (Multiply this number by three tofind out how many times your heart beats in a minute.)

4. Now, jog in place for a few minutes. This will speed up your heart rate.

5. Ask your friend to time you again. How many times did your heart beat in 20 seconds,this time? How many beats per minute?

Exercise makes your heart work faster and harder. It also helps your heart to becomestronger and mo

02 scholastic skills (february)

Documents