I put together a very last minute freebie. Click on the image below to snag it at my TpT store. Speaking of resolutions, I think I need to add to mine..... not to be so last minute!
This craft helps to teach right and left. I was reading through the Common Core standards and teaching right and left isn't in there.... If I am wrong, please comment below and let me know (again referring to my resolutions... one is to learn the Common Core inside and out!) In Print Concepts for kindergarten it does read that students should "follow words from left to right, top to bottom and page by page." But one can argue that a child can know where to start reading on a page, but have no idea if that is the left or right.
Left and right is such a tricky concept for our little guys and something you do need in the real world!
When I was little I remember my teacher saying, "The hand you write with is your right...except for you Christy." That's me, I'm Christy and as you have probably guessed, I'm left handed. And that didn't really bother me, but I have heard others say that you shouldn't single kids out like that. Yes, of course we all know that is true. But in my case it seemed to work without any damage.
I teach my little ones a poem (which is included in the freebie above) I don't know who the author of this poem is. I have just been teaching it for many a years that I have no idea where it came from! I googled it because I want to give credit, but didn't find an author. However, I did find it with a different ending. Instead of "touch the ground" some people say "pound, pound, pound" and they pound their fists together.
The movements are self explanatory and be sure you mirror it for your little ones. And I will say it will make you respect your work out/dance coach a little more. You know, the lady screaming in her little headset in those gym classes. I am just impressed she can workout and have time to yell out directions. Did you ever factor in that she is saying them backwards. Because in this poem all you are doing is raising up each hand...easy peasy... but you still have to think about raising the wrong hand...OK maybe it's just my left-handed brain, but I always have to concentrate.
I went to the Handwriting Without Tears workshop a few years ago and on their CD "Get Set for School" is the "Hello Song" which is about learning to shake hands. In the training (which was great by the way) they explain, no matter what hand you write with, we all shake with our right hand. And to be honest, this is a fun little song and good to use in the beginning of the year as I have them shake hands with all their new classmates as a way to get to know one another.
Another tip the presenter taught was to get some nice smelling lotion (check with parents about possible allergies first!) and put a small dab on the top of each child's right hand only before you work on any right or left hand activities. If they get stuck - they just need to smell!
What do you do to help your little friends learn their right and left hand?!
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