First up, are the Letter Identification and Match centers. These include alphabet cards, and can be used either with recording sheets for the kids to color, or with laminated game mats for them to match letters. I love having the flexibility of lots of differentiation options to best match my students' needs. You could have kids match same to same (lower to lowercase/ upper to uppercase) or add a challenge and have them try matching the lowercase to the uppercase. I like to add the letter cards to a sensory tub filled with colored pasta or rainbow rice (just some rice dyed with food coloring) to add a tactile element. The kids LOVE digging around and finding all the letters. If you use it in a small group, you could even challenge kids that are ready for it to name the letter sounds as they match/record.
Here are some kiddos using the coloring sheets to record the letters they find. Note the rainbow rice tub in the corner!
Click here to check out these fun centers on my TpT store!
On the Math side, I use lots and lots of roll and cover games to start off the year. They are perfect for reinforcing numbers 1-10 and for building up the kids' flexible numeracy skills. Be sure to grab this FREEBIE on my TpT store - A set of 4 apple themed roll and cover games! Again, an easy to differentiate center depending on the board you give the kids, as well as the kinds of dice you have them use (numbered or with dots). The kids simply roll, say the number, and cover it up on their boards. I like to have kids play solo since it builds up their independence at this early stage in the year, but you could definitely set it up as a partner game - just provide two different colored sets of counters.
I love to use these red plastic counters with these games, but you could use anything you've got (unifix cubes, mini erasers, buttons) - the kids love filling in their apples!
Be sure to grab your freebie here....and happy teaching!
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