{Note: the last step would be for the child to add the labeled words on the blank lines}
The prep is just to cut 2 6x6 squares for each child....one green and one black... or whatever colors you like. You will also need a little yarn on the side ready to go and googly eyes {or not...crayon can make a beautiful eye}
The kids cut the squares diagonally to make two triangles...good little geometry mini lesson right there for them. Of the 4 triangles, one will be extra {In fact you could cut less squares and when they cut the green one in half they can share with a neighbor} Either way, they need 3 triangles to make the witch.
I give them a full 12x18 piece of construction paper...and I fold it about 1/4 of the way up. I do this to protect where the writing will go ... and if I fold them I can get it done in 10 seconds vs writing a line on each one.... which takes 10 minutes. Right?
Ok so let me back up... I hand each cutie the white, folded paper, the 6x6 squares and first thing is we make and glue down the witch. I have them just put glue in the middle of her hat so it is easy to lift and add that yarn hair later.
Once our triangles are down- it's time to do the rest of the picture... I've done this two ways... open ended and they just draw any setting for the witch that they like, etc... OR I do it as a directed draw. This year... directed draw.
I guess this isn't the traditional "directed draw," but it is in the family of it. We go through step by step and we talk about it as we go. They can choose to put the cat or bat or whatever it may be anywhere on the paper, but I am guiding them with how to draw the item. I draw mine straight on the whiteboard - not on the same scene. If I were to draw a bat in the top right corner then every single one of theirs would be there too {boring}
Then they color on their own.....
Day Two we will cut up the labels and place them on our pictures. On the samples in this post you just see my handwriting instead.
If you want to do cut and past labels....here ya go... just click on the image, or right here!
Story time....
After reading many witch stories we are ready to write our own. I take dictation for this one. I find dictation is a dying art form these days. And yes, it is a bit more time consuming but if you look at our Common Core standards our cuties need to be able to write stories and when they are writing them on their own it is limited - and that is AWESOME too... and to be honest, what we do more often. BUT once in a while I like to take their dictation and let them go wild.
Their stories will be longer and their imagination will impress you. It will be a bit more than they may have written in other settings.
You can type up the whole thing.... or leave blanks where the labeled words are for them to fill in later. This year was a full dictation.... like these:
One risk to leaving blank lines is that sometimes neither me or the child is sure which word belongs on a particular line- so although this isn't ideal and maybe not something I should share... I use this as a mini lesson to use clues in a text to figure something out.
If you are thinking there is no way I can pull all those kids to the computer to write a story- then don't.
Either just make the witch and call it a labeling lesson on it's own. Or have them them use a frame writing style. "I see the ______" and they can insert broom, moon, cat, etc on each line.
Whether it is just following directions and drawing, story telling or a labeling lesson. The triangle witch may become one of those EASY things you look forward to each year.
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