Groundhog Day Archives - The Inspired Apple

Planning for February in Kindergarten, First Grade, & Second Grade

January 31, 2018

February is a fun month in the classroom with plenty of thematic activities to incorporate into your curriculum. There’s Black History to recognize and celebrate, Ground Hog Day, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Dental Health and the Winter Olympics this year! And, you’re supposed to cover it all in the shortest month of the year, right?! #lol

Learn more about a few fun ways to incorporate these themes into your curriculum by clicking what interests you most. And, don’t forget to grab the 27 PAGE FREEBIE offered at the end of the post! (PS. Links will not work from a blog reader or feed)

February activities and freebies found here!

Happy Teaching!

February Activities for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade

January 26, 2017

I know plans for February are well underway, so I wanted to pop in to share a few things you might find helpful as you prepare your units! I’ve elaborated on some of these in previous posts and have other posts scheduled about others, so this is simply a Cliff Notes version 😉

First up, is Groundhog Day! (Side note: Bill Murray in that movie – hilarious). Here’s a cute little groundhog craft to make with your kiddos!

This fun little Groundhog Day activity makes the perfect addition to your anchor chart or class posters about Punxsutawney Phil and his springtime predictions! Or, use the templates to let your kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students make a fun little groundhog craft peep-over to adorn their school work, your hallway, or classroom walls!

Then, of course, we have Valentine’s Day! This writing activity is SO GOOD for showing gratitude towards a special staff member and teaching letter writing.

Don’t forget Presidents’ Day on the 20th! This fact sort is a fun way to share little bits of presidential information with your little ones!

Check out this fun Presidents' Day activity perfect for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students! Your kids will love to learn fun facts about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Sort the facts as a whole class and complete the individual fact sort sheets. This is a great way to teach about the presidents in a fun and engaging way!

And, just because February isn’t thematically full enough, there’s Dental Health month after eating all the candy hearts and hoarding them in your desk drawer pre-party…or is that just me?

Celebrate Dental Health month with your kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students with this fun free activity! Students cut out the badge, fill out the pledge, and then they can proudly display them around their necks on a piece of yarn, pinned to their shirts, or on a poster in your hallway! Easy, free, and FUN!

My word, February is going to keep us twelve kinds of busy!

Here’s where you can grab the featured activities:

Groundhog Craft

Valentine’s Day Letter Writing Activity

President’s Day Fact Sort

Dental Health Free Activity

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The Inspired Apple has some great activities to use this February! From Groundhog Day to Valentine's Day to Presidents' Day to Dental Health month, you'll be inspired to add some fun activities into your curriculum or thematic units. Crafts, anchor charts, posters, and a free activity, too! Be sure to check this post out if you teach preschool, kindergarten, first grade, or second grade!

Happy teaching!

Groundhog Craft

January 26, 2017

Omigoodness, I’m relying HEAVILY on Punxsutawney Phil to NOT see his shadow this year. I NEED SPRING! We’ve just endured an eternity of germ bugs at our house, and I am ALL THE OVER IT. I need fresh air and sunshine, wagon rides around the neighborhood, and the color restored to the outside baaaaaad.

So, I hope it’s the gloomiest of days on February 2nd and that chubby little rodent doesn’t forecast six more weeks of winter. Because this quarantine can’t last much longer! Rant over 😉

Some of my favorite read-alouds during the beginning of February center around this curious creature. Your kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students will LOVE to read these fiction and non-fiction selections! Here are some of my favorites (these are affiliate links):

And, while you’re learning about this shadowy little character (see what I did there?), you can record your students’ knowledge on this fun little anchor chart!

Or, provide your students with the templates and let them create their own groundhog craft to adorn their school work, the classroom, or your hallway! Fun and EASY!

You can grab this fun little Phil as part of February Anchor Charts and Class Poster templates or the Bundle. Click the covers below for more info!

: CLICK TO SHOP

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Happy teaching!

February Science Activities

January 24, 2017

Can you believe January is already nearing an end?! So. Crazy.

Which means, thoughts of February are starting to creep into your mind. Groundhogs, hearts everything and everywhere, boxes of chocolate, and after all that sugary goodness, dental health! But, of course!

This resource is packed – literally, BRIMMING – with activities perfect for the primary classroom. The best part: you can do as much OR as little as you want! In addition to the strong emphasis on science, there are plenty of ways to cross-curriculize (totally a word). There are no restrictions here, and your kiddos will LOVE IT ALL.

Heart-melting observations? Check. Disappearing cotton candy? Check. Listening to your heartbeat? Check. Shadow studies, gumdrop structures, egg observations and SO much more? Check, check, double check! The Science of February will not disappoint!

Here’s a pacing calendar, so you can visualize the month:

We’ve placed a heavy emphasis on vocabulary, so there are plenty of activities to structure you word studies throughout the month.

I’m obsessed with this month’s science activities. While the investigations can definitely be teacher-led, it is amazing what your kiddos will discover when they’re given the freedom to explore on their own!

This month’s pack also includes two non-fictions texts that we wrote. And, while we’ve provided trade book suggestions, you don’t necessarily have to use them. You might already have something in your classroom perfect for teaching these themes!

Plus, there’s a plethora of ELA and math activities to really engage your students and extend their learning beyond the science of each theme.

There’s even some darling ELA and math craftivities and projects that your kiddos will just adore!

Also, today is a SALE day on TpT! Click on any of the pictures to check out The Science of February!

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February Anchor Charts and Class Posters

January 23, 2017

Just a quick post today (before I turn into a pumpkin when my babysitting hours expire) to let you know that February Anchor Charts and Class Posters have been uploaded and added to the bundle! Here’s a preview of what’s included in this fun-filled pack!

You can check out this resource on TpT HERE or by clicking either of the graphics below!

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Happy teaching!

Light, Heart, Candy, and Dental Health Science!

January 20, 2016

Can you believe January is already nearing an end?! So. Crazy.

After getting a lot of positive feedback from The Science of January, Cara and I decided we’d continue this series for the rest of the year! Woohoo! It’s even a Leap Year, so there’s one extra day to spice up your curriculum with some science FUN.

These resources are packed – literally, BRIMMING – with activities perfect for the primary classroom. The best part: you can do as much OR as little as you want! In addition to the strong emphasis on science, there are plenty of ways to cross-curriculize (totally a word). There are no restrictions here, and your kiddos will LOVE IT ALL.

Here’s a pacing calendar, so you can visualize the month:

We’ve placed a heavy emphasis on vocabulary, so there are plenty of activities to structure you word studies throughout the month.

Plus, there’s a plethora of ELA and math activities to really engage your students and extend their learning beyond the science of each theme.

There’s even some darling ELA and math craftivities and projects that your kiddos will just adore!

Also, today is a SALE day on TpT! Click on any of the pictures to check out The Science of February!

Happy Wednesday, friends!