BUT...people...I found the most stinkin' awesome fly swatters at Wal-mart today for ONE BUCK! I was happily rolling along with my binders, pocket files, ink...you know...boring stuff...when out of the corner of my eye these babies were screaming at me!
I love the bright colors and knew they would be a hit with my kinder kiddos right off the bat.
NOW---I had to find a REAL reason to get them, other than the fact they were cute and cheap.
So here's my plan of action:
Since they came in 2 colors, I figured we can use these to play games. Each player has a different color swatter thus there will be an ORANGE player and a TEAL player. I am thinking they will need a 3rd kid to be the "caller".
Then the possibilities are WIDE OPEN!
*Lay out sight word cards on the floor. Caller has a set of matching cards. They call out a word and the 1st kiddo to hit the correct word, "SPLAT", wins the card. The kiddo with the most cards, wins the game!
*Make 2 cards...one that says FACT and one that says FICTION. Read, or make up, a paragraph or even just a sentence that you tell the kiddos. The first one to hit (SPLAT!) whether it's fact or fiction, wins the card!
*Make 2 cards that say "Sentence" or "NOT a Sentence". Read, or make up, sentences or phrases. The first one to SPLAT the correct one wins the card.
*You get the picture...endless possibilities!
*I was thinking I would lay out my number line on the floor. Then use flash cards to play. So if I were working on number words I would give the caller a stack of words zero to twenty. They would show the 2 kiddos the word and the first one to hit the right # gets the card.
*Use it for addition and subtraction. Show addition equations and they "SPLAT" the answer!
*Tell them a number and they SPLAT the number that is "one more", "one less", "two more"...
*Endless possibilities!
I actually bought 8 swatters so I could have several kiddos playing at once. I am sure I can think of a way to use ALL of them at once, but haven't made it that far. :)
Now...do you guys have any more ideas for how we can use these AWESOME "Finds of the Day"?
Also, I was thinking I may create the cards needed to play the games just so I wouldn't have to come up with sentences/phrases or equations...off the top of my head. Or so I could leave it for a sub to do.
Would you guys be interested in something like this as a product to purchase? Or totally not necessary? Would love to get your opinion!
Those are great ideas and you are right perfect for sub plans because the kiddos would be engaged and learning. The sub could take as little or as long as she needed with the game. I think creating cards is a great idea. I have to go to Walmart later today....I am going to have pick up some of those flyswatters too! :)
ReplyDeleteAmanda
Mrs. Pauley’s Kindergarten
Hope you found some Amanda!
DeleteI have used these SPLAT swatters with small groups by taking a very large piece of paper and writing numbers or letters on it. Then I say a number, letter, sound, or word (for beginning and ending sounds) and they try to SPLAT the answer. The kids love it!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
DeleteHi There.. I have actually used fly swatters for years in my classroom and called it "SPLAT". Several years ago I found the cutest frog ones from the dollar tree and then last year I found some HUGE ones for when we play in teams. One way I use them is for "Skittle Words". I give each member in my small reading/intervention group a fly swatter and I lay out word cards (these can be from sight words, vocabulary we have been discussing within a theme, or a particular phonics skill for spelling). I lay the cards out on the table and then call the words out.. or clues for the words (like this word has an r-controlled vowel and 3 syllables, etc..) The students swat the word and receive the card. At the end of the round, they trade each word card in for a skittle.. adds a little more motivation for the hunt! I have also used them for vocabulary whole class. I divide the class into two teams and draw a line down the dry erase board. I write words on each side and then call out clues for the words (meanings, antonyms, synonyms, situations, etc.. and the teams choose the correct word then passes the swatter to the next person in line. The line who gets through everyone first wins. The team thing also works great for math. Another way I used the swatter is for Spelling Splat. I put the students in a circle and we start with a word that contains our current phonics skill as well as review skill words. I bounce the swatter over each child's head as they spell the letters in the word called out. Once the last letter of the word is called out the swatter "splats" the next student and they are out of the game. Also, if they misspell the word they are out until we have 1 winner standing. The students love all of these games with the fly swatters. I hope you find this feedback useful for your new find! I'm off to walmart to find some of these for the new school year!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for such good ideas Shelly! Skittles are DEFINITELY a motivator!!! (For me too!) ;)
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