November Morning Work Stations coming at you. Here are some quick and dirty pictures so you have an idea of what is included in this month’s stations. Remember, there are so many stations so that you have so many choices. I actually only use between 12-15 of these ideas, the others I can slip into math or literacy stations as needed. But you can pick and choose. Also, if you don’t have all the materials needed for each station is is NOT A BIG DEAL. If you can’t find the exact same manipulatives, use what you have . . . buttons, pompoms, erasers. Your students are still going to love it. So without further delay . . .
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1. Trace and Cut Lines
I don’t knoow about you but my class needs LOTS of cutting practice and these are a nice quick exercise for them.
Materials you’ll need:
Child-size scissors
Crayons or highlighters
Tracing and cutting sheets -available in the packet.
2. Dry Erase Tracer Pages
Tracing provides some great hand-eye practice as well.
Materials you’ll need:
Laminated tracing cards
Dry erase markers
Magic eraser (optional)
3. Linking Leafy Words
This station is edtiable so you can use the words YOU want. It’s a fun way for you littles to practice sight words that doesn’t involved writing. I always find it so frustrating for those students who struggle with writing to practice sight words so activities like these allow them to practice and still feel successful.
Materials needed:
Another way to use links that students love. You can kick it up a notch by placing your cards in a sensory bin or tub to make it more engaging.
Materials needed:
Acorn number cards and quantity cards provided in the pack
Sensory bin with thematic/seasonal items
artificial leaves
acorns
acrylic leaves and fall items
dried beans
5. Feathery Sight Words In Sand
Sight word practice with a sensory twist. You don’t have to use feathers, a finger is just as effective, but man is it engaging for students.
Materials you’ll need:
Quills or turkey feathers (I got mine in the woods of Northern Michigan but you can order them off from Amazon or use any feather really)
If you really want to do it like they did in the old days, dilute some black paint and have them use the feathers to write on paper. It’s a great ‘now and then’ reference as well. Of course the sight word cards are editable so you can use your own list of words.
Materials needed:
Editable feathery sight word cards available in the packet
Feathery sight word response sheet available in the packet
Quill or turkey feather
Diluted black paint to use as ‘ink’
7. Playdoh Acorn Counting Math Mats
Playdoh is a MUST for morning work. These dough mats will help with number sense.
Materials needed:
Playdoh or homemade dough
Laminated number mats available in the packet
8. Playdoh Acorn Counting Making Ten
For students who need a little bit more of a challenge but still use play-doh, these making ten cards are perfect.
Materials:
Playdoh or homemade dough
Laminated number mats
Dry erase markers
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (optional)
9. Playdoh Turkey and Fill Your Plate Mats
More open ended and appealing to your artistic learners, these mats give students an idea of what to build with playdoh. I think sometimes students just need to have a little push to get their creative juices moving and these mats work great for that.
Materials:
Build a Turkey and Fill Your Plate mats available in the packet
10. Fall Q-tip Pictures
Q-tips are a pretty amazing tool to use for building fine motor. These pictures are perfect for November and your students will love using paint to trace the picture.
Qtip picture sheets printed on white paper
Qtips
Washable tempera paint
11. Autumn Leaves Finger Painting
A great gift for families, this finger painting activity is super each and because it’s only a finger, clean up is a breeze.
Autumn leaves picture printed on white cardstock
Various washable tempera paint in leaf colors
Baby wipes for clean up
12. Hidden Acorns
Therapy putty is always an activity I include in morning work because my students LOVE LOVE LOVE searching for hidden treasures. I can easily differntiate it so some students just sort the colors while others might sort and count.
Materials Needed:
Small acrylic acorns in green, brown and orange. (I got mine at Hobby Lobby.) You can also use pony beads or buttons in these colors
Laminated sorting and counting mat found in this packet
15. Feed the Bird
I mean, how cute are these little turkeys. This activity is great counting game for little ones. Just roll the dice and add that many kernals or pompoms or buttons, whatever you can find, to your turkey.
I dice (use different types to differentiate this activity)
Dry kernels of corn or you may substitute pompoms or pony beads from your local craft store
2 tongs
2 turkey containers
small planter with googly eyes and a beak that I made
16. Leafy Ten Frame Self-correcting Cards
More math work with leaves and ten frames, this activity is also easily differentiated. You can offer this simple counting set or the next set which has students identifying before and after numbers. The self-correcting part of this activity makes it so independent! Just make the number . . .
Then open up the card to see the answer!
Self-correcting cards printed on cardstock and laminated
Clothes Pins
Tongs
17. Leafy Ten Frame Self-correcting Cards Counting Before and After
This set will challenge your students to write the number and identify the numbers that come before and after.
Just make the number and write the answers . . .
Then open it up to find the answer.
Self-correcting cards printed on cardstock and laminated
Clothes Pins
Tongs
Dry erase marker
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
18. Acorn Grab, Spin, and Win
Everybody loves a spinner! This activity has students spinning and using tongs to identify great and less than numbers.
Real or Artifical Acorns with numbers written on them using a paint pen or sharpie
Tongs
Spinner Card (include in this set)
Transparent spinner
19. Self-Correcting Sunflower Seed Count
Independent and engaging especially for your naturalist learners. Sunflower seeds are nice and small and great for fine motor.
Sunflower self-correcting cards printed on cardstock and included in this packet
Sunflower playing mat included in this packet
Tongs
Sunflower seeds (in a shell)
Clothespins
20. Self-correcting Acorn Count (0-20)
And for your students who are working on numbers beyond 10, this self-correcting acorn counting activity is perfect. And working with tongs makes it ideal for fine motor practice.
Stickers make a great fine motor tool and when you combine it with counting, students get an added bonus. Add some fall themed stickers and this station is a hit.
Sticker recording sheet printed on paper
Various thematic small stickers
22. Gel Bead Sort
Gel beads make a great sensory addition to morning work. You need to set the expectations and rules early, but once your students understand what is acceptable and what isn’t, this station is such a great addition to your mornings.
If you want to make it a bit more challenging, add a dice and make it a game. Differentiate it by changing up the various dice used. In my classroom, we play that you roll the dice, count that many gel beads out and put them into your cookie cutter. The first students to fill the bottom (or fill the cookie cutter entirely) is the winner. You make up the rules that fit your needs.
It’s always fun to find new ways to practice letters and words. This activity is fun for your students and if you can combine it with your light table, it takes it to another level of . . . “so cool.” The word cards are editable so you can add the words you need your students to practice.
Transparent Fall Scatter (pumpkins, leaves, whatever you can find)
These small cups from the Dollar Tree are perfect for counting cups. To make them a little ‘fun,’ I draw different thematic pictures on the lids and label them with a number. Add different quantities and it’s a fun counting activity,
I know that many teachers don’t teach patterns anymore, but I believe they are vital. Students need to see patterns . . . in math . . . in literacy . . . so these simple self-correcting pattern cards are perfect to get their minds thinking about patterns.
Colored acrylic, foam or wooden fall leaves (You could also use pony beads, pompoms or buttons if you needed.)
Playing mat included in this packet printed on cardstock and laminated
Self-correcting cards included in this packet
Clothespins
Tongs or tweezers
32. Shucking Corn
Do yourself a favor. Get to a farm market and purchase a bag of feed corn on the cob. This is the most addictive fine motor/sensory activity ever. Of course, check for allergies first, but I promise, your students will love this.
Dry corn on the cob
33. I Spy a Leaf Letter Match Up
Another use for those acylic leaves, this match up game is great for letters. It’s editable so you can choose the letters you want to practice.
35. Story of Thanksgiving Bracelet (and Easy Reader)
I added this activity as a curtesy to readers who have asked for it over and over again. It’s great for fine motor and helps students remember key parts of the story of Thanksgiving.
Various pony beads (see chart in the packet for specific colors
Pipe cleaners cut down to bracelet size
Thanksgiving Storybook Easy Reader included in this set.
If you’d like to grab these activities for your own, just click HERE or on the picture below.
And remember, there are ‘I Can’ cards for each of these activities to support independence.
Gobble Gobble.
Enjoy
With nearly 20 years of experience as a full-time kindergarten teacher, I’m committed to creating a classroom where learning is joyful, engaging, challenging, and fun. Each day, I work to ensure that my students feel successful through instruction that considers their unique interests, learning profiles, and readiness levels. I believe that students should be excited to come to class and enjoy a myriad of hands-on activities that encourage exploration and discovery.
While I continue to teach full-time, I find so much joy in connecting and building friendships with teachers worldwide. It’s why I started this blog back in 2012. My hope has become a reality as I have been able to forge relationships with teachers, sharing ideas and building friendships beyond my little neck of the woods through professional development sessions and this blog.
So by all means, take some time to look around and explore A Differentiated Kindergarten. Gather some new ideas, fun tips, and most importantly, don’t forget to reach out and say, ‘Hi!’
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