¿Flotan o no flotan?

Last year at ACTFL I attended a session titled "Implementing Content Based Instruction: A Tool for Teachers" presented by Heather Hendry and it really changed the way I teach. I came back from ACTFL and observed four different classroom teachers to see how they were doing math, reading, and social studies to see where I could start incorporating more content.

The lesson that Heather presented during her session was all about school supplies and if they floated or not. I did that specific lesson with my kindergartners as part of our Me and My Classroom unit at the beginning of this year. And? It was a huge hit!

Target Vocabulary:

Scissors
Glue
Paper
Pencil
Crayons
Floats/Doesn't float
Colors
Numbers to 5

I just started by introducing the supplies at the beginning of class and having students repeat the names after me. It was the beginning of the year so we were also working on greetings and introductions at the time.

After a few classes, I got a tote with water and made an anchor chart that said ¿Flotan o no flotan? I handed out pieces of paper that said the same thing so that students could make their predictions. I would hope up an item, ask them to identify it, and then predict if it would float or not. 

In the next class I had six totes with water on tables. We quickly reviewed what we had observed in the last class and then we did all over again but this time taking turns with a partner to put the different items in the water. To make it an interpretive listening activity, students had to listen for which supply to put in the water. No putting things in willy-nilly.

I was more than a little worried about letting kindergartners loose with water so early in the school year but I told them they wouldn't get to play if they didn't follow directions. I had a few who had to sit out but no one got soaked so I count it as a win!

We finished up our water project with a cut and paste activity where we got to use all of our different school supplies! We weren't finished though. Because next we weighed them to see which weighed more and which weighed less - my way of introducing the words more and less. The procedure went the same way. We did it as a group with an anchor chart. Then we weighed them in small groups. And then a cut and paste.

The students really enjoyed themselves and so did I. And they got to play and learn some science at the same time. How do you teach school supplies with younger students? Share in the comments below. Get a copy of the worksheets I used as well as flashcards to use with an anchor chart at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!