Morning Tubs - Setting the Daily Tone for Success in August!

Not only do morning tubs help set the tone for the day, but they get students excited about coming to school each and every day.  Who wouldn’t LOVE beginning the day with some play?  Students enjoy playing the activities so much that they don’t even realize that they are actually practicing needed skills to be successful in school.
Before I show you more, I'm going to stop and offer you a FREE mini-unit!!  I'm just THAT sure that you are going to fall in LOVE with these!!





Okay, now that you've grabbed your FREE one to get you started, let's continue on!

As many of you know, I recently retired after THIRTY years of teaching.  During the past year, I was blessed to continue my teaching journey in my own home as I homeschooled my grandson for kindergarten.

In doing so, it brought back memories and love for my sixteen years of teaching kindergarten at the beginning of my career.  I just LOVE hands-on teaching, don't you?  Even when I taught second and fourth grades, I tried to incorporate hands-on learning as much as possible.

I decided that second graders, third graders, and fourth graders would also enjoy morning tubs like we have this past year 




**There's not a lot of differences between the grade levels other than the math activities. 



As I designed these activities, the prevailing thought was critical practice of second-grade skills but with those same fun hands-on activities that children enjoy in pre-k and kindergarten.  After all, children of all ages enjoy play! 
 
Keep reading to see all of the activities included!

Nine ELA Activities

Sight word game with colorful roll and read sight words.
Sight Word Game

Short vowel words hands-on activity. Has a spinner that students can create real words with.
Short Vowel Words

Has story prompts for what a student should write about
Narrative Writing

These flashcards are asking students to put groups of words in order.
Alphabetical Order

The noun sort is asking students to which noun matches the photo
Noun Sort

This activity helps students make sentences.
Sentences

A short vowel puzzle shaped as a star when completed.
Short Vowel Puzzles

These cards are asking students to fix the punctuation and capitalization
Capitalization & Punctuation


A game called preposition bump
Prepositions

Nine Math Activities

*The pictures below show only the second-grade math activities.  The same activities are used in each grade, but the concepts are based on the standards for each grade.

Activity asks students to show numbers to 100 in multiple ways
Show Numbers to 100 in Multiple Ways 

Flash cards that ask students whether a statement is true or false
True or False Math Comparisons

Image of cupcake activity
Addition to 20 Fact Fluency

Activity for adding or subtracting 1 or 10
Adding and Subtracting 1 or 10

These cards ask students to use change to pay
Money

Activity asks students to tell the time with clothespins
Time to the Hour and Half Hour

Asking students to measure each item.
Nonstandard Measurement

Asks students to shade and graft
Graphing

Puzzle for numbers within 1,000
Numbers Within 1,000 puzzles

Fine Motor and Critical Thinking Activities

These mazes are great for fine motor and critical thinking activities
Mazes

Asks students to trace the shapes with a marker
Trace the Shapes

Student tracing lines in red marker
Trace the Lines

A logic puzzle to help with critical thinking skills
Logic

This activity asks students to show that they know how to follow directions
Following Directions

These activities are perfect for beginning the school year and will appeal to a wide variety of learners.  

They can be used in a variety of ways.
v Place the activities in tubs that can easily be set out each morning to begin the day in a purposeful and meaningful form of learning and play.

v Set up the activities in a permanent location for the week or month for students to use during free time, as early finishers, or as centers.

v Make multiple copies of the activities if desired so that each student or group has a copy.


If you are looking for a new way of starting your day and adding some fun and play to your morning routine, these morning tubs might just be right for you.






Try seven activities for free!  

Puzzle for second graders


(The literacy, fine motor, and critical thinking skills will
work for 3rd and 4th grades as well.)


Fun, learning, and excitement - that's just...



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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 19, 2022 at 8:50 AM

    I’m a special education teacher (3-4 grade) so in January after I got out of the hospital from COVID I didn’t have energy to get through the whole day. I sat down with my paras and decided we would use our task cards at the beginning of each group time. I loved seeing the kids pick out their own boxes and independently work. Bonus was I could collect so much more data on each student everyday! This year I will be in a different state and having 3-5 grades but I plan to use task boxes with each group and record data that is SO important in special education. Thank you for all of your great ideas 💡.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 19, 2022 at 11:25 AM

    As a first year third grade teacher, I live all of the resources and insight you share! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 19, 2022 at 1:33 PM

    I bought the year long bundle last year. I was just going through August’s activities. I can’t wait to get into school to prepare them. I’m very excited to start using them this year!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AngelaJuly 19, 2022 at 8:57 PM

    Morning tubs are a great way to start the day! They are so fun and engaging for students.

    ReplyDelete
  5. MrsThomasJuly 19, 2022 at 11:29 PM

    I can't wait to begin using morning tubs! The possibilities are endless!

    ReplyDelete
  6. ab123July 22, 2022 at 12:02 PM

    These are some great ideas! I love the trace the shapes ideas!

    ReplyDelete

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