Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
100's Number Line Games––Children learn to use the 100’s Number Line to understand
numbers 20-100; observe patterns on the number line and practice counting by 10’s, 5’s,
2’s and 3’s and use the number line in the Independent Number Line Activities math
center to practice counting. AY
Attention Focusing––Fingerplays, songs, and clapping games are used as attention
focusing activities to capture and regain children’s attention prior to starting a Tools
activity. AY
Attention Refocusing––The teacher uses short attention refocusing activities like ‘smell
the flower; blow out the candle’ to capture and refocus children’s attention. AY
Key:
AY: All Year: Activity occurs across
the year beginning in the first several
months of school
Semester I: Activity is introduced and
used in the first half of the year
Semester II: Activity is introduced
and used in the second half of the year
Block Construction— One of eight math centers, Block Construction activities include
exploration of open-ended construction materials such as Legos, Unit Blocks and selected Mystery Math activities.
Broad Jump I-IV—Math measurement activities (see section Venger Measurement Problems) Semester II
Buddy Reading––Children practice concepts of print, book handling skills and comprehension building as well as turn-­‐taking roles of reader and listener in this daily activity. Children also read their own writing to their ‘buddy’ several times/week. Semester I
Buddy Reading²––Children read leveled texts in dyads or 1:1 with direct teacher and peer support, using 3 reading strategies and Individual Memory Banks for sight words. Semester II
Building Background Knowledge––In the first week of the 3-week Magic Tree House cycle for each book, children learn facts
related to the upcoming story, including the life and times of the story setting. Children draw and write about these facts (Write About),
use dramatization to bring them to life, and use this information to create setting and props for dramatic play. AY
Calling Base Camp––Working with a partner, children use mental visualization and language as a memory tool to develop fluency in
letter names and letter recognition using a “supply” list of words related to the theme in this Fluency Center activity. Semester II
Center Planning–– Children draw and write a plan for their dramatization using Scaffolded Writing. Planning includes the role the
child will play and role actions and speech. Center planning takes place early in the year as part of the Fairy Tale cycle. Semester I
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Chapter Summaries––Children use drawing and Scaffolded Writing to summarize Magic Tree House story events in one-two
chapters read aloud by the teacher. Chapter Summaries increase in length and complexity as children gain mastery of writing skills. AY
Classroom Practices––– The following practices are used by teachers in Tools and are reflective of the Tools of the Mind classroom
experience. AY
Participation Styles–––Teachers are deliberate in their choice of participation styles to keep all children mentally engaged in.
They include: Turn & talk–– children turn to peer seated next to them and share; Double Talk: children turn and talk with two
peers; Choral Response––children respond chorally to questions that have a single answer. AY
Study Buddies–––Children are paired as Study Buddies for a week. Buddies are expected to help one another and check each
other’s work, engaging in the Vygotskian practice of “other-regulation”. Children are paired with all members of the classroom
over time, supporting the development of positive relationships with every member of the group. AY
Daily Schedule–– Teachers post icons representing the daily schedule and review with children each day during Opening
Group. AY
Center Chart & Team Organization––Children are organized into small group ‘teams’ each week with a Team Captain;
over time they work on Teams with every other member of the class, supporting the development of positive relationships with
every member of the group. Children use the Center chart in the classroom to independently identify their team, Team Captain,
Study Buddy and the center(s) they will go to each day. AY
Learning Plans & Learning Goals––Children use Learning Plans to write to remember the Must Do activity in each of two
centers they will visit for Literacy and Math. They also record, review and discuss weekly Learning Goals on their Learning
Plans. Semester II
Must Dos and Can Dos––Center Activities are designed as ‘Must Dos’ and ‘Can Dos’; children complete Must Do activities
before choosing from available Can Do activities. AY
Classroom Rules –––The teacher and children collaborate to create a set of 3-4 classroom rules for all to follow. Rules are written
and accompanied by an icon. Teachers are intentional in previewing relevant rules before activities and creatively eliciting children’s
use of language to remember and say the rules. AY
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Classroom Rules II: Center Rules–––The teacher leads children in the creation of rules and icons to follow in Learning Centers.
Semester II
Comprehension & Vocabulary Building Center Activities––These Literacy Center activities are designed to build vocabulary and
comprehension skills. Activities in this center include; Exploring Collections, Story Timeline Mix-up, and Who Am I? Game.
Children document their learning at the end of activities by writing and drawing on a Learning Record. See individual activities for
more information. Semester II
Counting Activities––Activities designed to practice counting specific number of objects with accuracy and develop an
understanding of self-checking and correction. The game is played in pairs, with a role for the “Hand” who counts, and the “Checker”
who checks her buddy’s counting. Roles are switched until play ends. Counting activities include Numerals Game, Numerals Game
II, Market Farm, and Exploring Concept of Ten. See individual activities for more information. AY
Counting Games— One of eight math centers in which children practice counting with Numerals Game, Numerals Game w/Ten’s
Triangle, Market Farm I & II and Exploring Concept of Ten. Semester II
Creative Penmanship Projects––Children create a draft and final copy of a piece of writing in this Publishing & Penmanship Center
activity. Children internalize a standard of legibility, practicing handwriting for rereading and sharing with others. Semester II
Creative Writing Center––Literacy center designed to engage children in creative writing activities. Children draw, write, and then
read their writing to a peer. Activities in this center include: Make a Book and What I Know, Think and Wonder…Semester II
CVC Concentration–––Children use mental visualization and language as a memory tool to become fluent in recognizing CVC
words in this Fluency Center activity, turning cards to make matches.
Decoding Center Activities––Literacy Center activities designed to provide children practice decoding unfamiliar words and honing
strategies used to decode in leveled readers. Children document learning in a written learning record for each activity to demonstrate
learning and understanding. Activities include Decoding Game, Peanut Mix-up, Silly Sentences and Turn & Read. See individual
activities for more information. Semester II
Decoding Detectives––A Literacy Skill Building Block activity designed to build decoding skills, fluency and integrate background
knowledge of the theme associated with the current Magic Tree House theme. Semester II There are two variations:
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Teacher Scaffolded Detectives––The teacher works with children to support the use of strategies in decoding familiar Jack &
Annie’s Secret Messages. Children then identify which Magic Tree House book the message is associated with.
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Independent Detectives––In the independent version, children at higher reading levels work in pairs to practice decoding the
messages and decide which of several Magic Tree House stories each message is associated with.
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Decoding Game––Children work in pairs practice symbol-to-sound correspondence using game cards and a “sleeve” to reveal the
sounds in simple CVC words and words with word patterns in this Decoding Center activity. Semester II
Dispute Bag––Designed for children to use independently to solve simple disputes e.g. who goes first. Children agree on a strategy
like throwing dice, coin toss or other strategies to settle their disputes. Semester II
Dramatization–––Dramatization has two goals: to help support children’s literacy and self-regulation development. Through
dramatization, children strengthen comprehension by using background knowledge and understanding of the story characters and
events. Dramatization takes place 5 days a week in Semester 1 and, 1 day a week as a Literacy Center in Semester II. AY
Editor's Eyes–––In this activity, Peanut the Mouse leaves a Secret Message for the children containing a planned set of errors in
capitalization, punctuation and spelling of common sight words. The teacher guides the group to find and correct the errors. Semester
II
Elkonin Boxes I-IV–––This is a series of games designed for practicing phonemic awareness. There are four different versions in
which children learn to segment and blend words by phonemes. Children learn in small teacher-led groups Semester I before the
activity becomes part of an independent Literacy Center. Semester II
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Elkonin Boxes I- Jump the Boxes–– Children use gesture, jumping and language to break apart and recombine words into
individual phonemes
Elkonin Boxes II- The Token Game –– Children work in pairs to push tokens into boxes for each phoneme on selected
Elkonin picture cards using gesture and language
Elkonin Boxes III-How Many Sounds? –– Children work in small groups to practice sorting Elkonin cards by their number
of phonemes. Children tap out the number of phonemes and sort by number: 2,3, or 4 phonemes.
Elkonin Boxes IV- Word Models–– Children work in pairs to match phonemes on Elkonin cards with the sounds on the
Sound Map for both consonants and vowels
Exploring Collections–– A literacy activity designed to elicit and practice descriptive vocabulary in this Comprehension &
Vocabulary Literacy Center activity. Children work in pairs to explore collections of objects. Teachers prepare children with a series
of associated vocabulary words that are associated with the objects. Semester II
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Exploring Place Value & Number Penmanship––– Children practice writing 2 digit numerals correctly on paper designed to show
the placement of ten’s and one’s in this Math Penmanship Center activity. Semester II
Exploring the Concept of 10––– Children learn and understand that 10 can be represented as a unit. Children learn to use a frame for
conceptualizing 10 (a Ten’s Triangle). When representing numbers greater than 10, children learn that it can be written 10+ a number
or with a Ten’s Triangle + a number. Children, working with their Buddies, are able to learn to self -correct counting errors in the
Counting Games math center. Semester I
Find Peanut––– Children play a 20-Questions-like game to locate Peanut the Mouse, who is hidden under a shape. Children isolate
specific attributes such as shape, color, size and number of sides to think logically in order to eliminate different options. This activity
strengthens memory skills, math vocabulary, attribute vocabulary and provides practice in logical thinking. This game is practiced in
the Geometry, Measurement & Data math center. Semester II
Fluency Activities—One of eight math centers, children gain automaticity by playing I Have Who Has? Counting by 1s.10s.5s.2s.3s
and I Have Who Has? Shapes. Semester II
Fluency Center Activities––– Children engage in motivating games designed to develop automaticity for sound-symbol connections
in CVC words, blends, digraphs, word patterns and sight words. Children produce a written Learning Record following play of these
activities to demonstrate their learning and the skills practiced. Activities include: Calling Base Camp, CVC Concentration and I
Have Who Has? Games for Blends, Word Patterns and Sight Words. See individual activities for more information. Semester II
Forbidden Words–– Children take turns asking and answering questions without using the “forbidden word” in this Self-regulation
transition activity. AY
Freeze Game–– Children dance to music looking at poses on a card and freeze to make the pictured pose when music stops. Poses
increase in complexity and challenge over time, maintain a high level of children’s focus and attention. See section Physical SelfRegulation. AY
Geometry, Measurement, & Data––– One of eight math centers where children practice these concepts by playing Venger Collage,
Stackers I & II, Find Peanut, I Have Who Has? Categories. Semester II
Graphics Practice––– Graphics Practice is the Tools of the Mind handwriting program in which children develop the fine motor
coordination required for drawing and penmanship. Children learn the strokes and shapes, correct grasp and pressure as they direct
their hand’s motor movements to music. Self-regulation is built into graphics practice as the children stop and start fine motor
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
movement along with the music. Graphics Practice is a yearlong activity including Tracks and Paths, Reflections, Guess What I’m
Drawing, and Guess What I’m Writing. AY
Group Dramatization––– The teacher leads children in the use of gesture and language to act out the meaning of new vocabulary or
facts children have learned about time and place (e.g., a medieval feast), as well as characters’ feelings and emotions and story events
and actions. Group Dramatization is a part of every Story Lab. Teachers use Group Dramatization while reading informational texts
and other fiction and picture books, as well. AY
Guess My Number ––– Guess My Number games are a whole group activity used to warm–up children for the math time block. A
child, in the role of the Mime, communicates a number in carefully counted actions (tapping, clapping etc.) for the audience to guess.
The Mime has a buddy in the role of the Checker who makes sure the actions correctly match the number and confirms the audience’s
accuracy in counting. The purpose is to practice rote counting within an activity where self-regulation is embedded. AY
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Guess My Number I–– The Mime chooses but does not reveal a number card (1- 10), and an action, and then repeats the
action the number of times on the card for class to count. Checker makes certain the action and classes’ counting are correct.
Semester I
Guess My Number II–– Children follow the Guess My Number I format for numbers 10-20 Semester II
Guess My Number Addition & Subtraction–– Children follow the Guess My Number I format except that now the Mime
selects a number for the audience to add or subtract to the number Semester II
Guess My Number Text Messaging–– Children are in two or more lines, and the child at the end of the line chooses a
number card and taps a number on the child in front of her, who then taps the child in front of him and so on down the line
until it gets to the first child in line who reveals the number aloud; the group checks to see if it matches the number chosen by
the child at the end of the line. Semester II
How Many Sounds? Board Game–– Children determine the number of sounds in a word and move to the correct number on the
gameboard, practicing segmenting words into sounds. This activity is found in the Sounds and Letters Center. Semester II
I Have–Who Has Games–– All I Have–Who Has Games are designed for children to gain automaticity and thus fluency in a
particular skill in both literacy and math. The games are motivating, played in small groups, allow children to help one another.
Games are introduced by Semester listed but may be used throughout the year.
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I Have–Who Has Literacy Games are practiced in Literacy Centers and include:
Introduced Semester I and practiced throughout the year as needed:
o Colors–– rapid naming of colors
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Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
o Names–– children learn classmates names
o Letters–– rapid letter naming
§ Uppercase letters
§ Lowercase letters
§ Upper and Lowercase letter matching
o Sounds–– Children name the sound the letter makes (not the name of the letter)
Introduced Semester II:
o Sight Words I-IV–– Children practice rapid reading of sight words with four different sets of sight words
o Word Building I-IV–– Children practice rapid naming of word patterns with four different sets of cards
I Have–Who Has Math Games include:
Semester I:
o Numerals–– rapid naming of numbers
o Shapes–– rapid naming of shapes
Semester II:
o Addition and Subtraction–– children must mentally (or with manipulatives) add or subtract 1 or 2 or 3 to a number to
identify the next number in Operations & Algebraic Thinking math center
o Counting by 10s, 5s, 2s and 3s–– children practice rapid skip-counting, in Fluency Math Center
o Categories–– children match and practice vocabulary for Categories, Animals & Babies; What Animals Eat in
Geometry, Measurement and Data math center.
Independent Number Line Activities–– One of eight math centers, children play Number Line Hopscotch and its expanded
variations and games with individual 100s Number Line to develop number sense using a visual model e.g. counting on, concept of
zero. Semester II
Individual Scaffolded Writing––Writing occurs throughout the day. In the Tools of the Mind program, writing is seen as the
gateway to literacy learning. As children learn to encode, they are practicing all skills needed for decoding. Individual Scaffolded
writing is where a child produces an individual, unique written product demonstrating levels of understanding of meaning and
mechanics. Children receive scaffolding support from adults, peers and their Study Buddy. The major Individual Scaffolded Writing
activities are: Center Planning, Chapter Summaries, Storyboards and Write About. In Semester II, children write to create a
learning record for each literacy- learning center. See individual activities for more information. AY
Jack & Annie's Secret Message–– This shared decoding and comprehension activity provides the teacher and children daily practice
decoding a “secret” message requiring targeted skills for shared decoding, including sight words and word patterns. Children practice
using and choosing from the three reading strategies for solving unknown words; Have I seen this word before?, Can I build a word?,
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Does it make sense with what I’m reading? These are the three primary strategies they will use when decoding leveled text. Children
then discuss the message and relate it to story events or background knowledge building. Teachers assemble messages into a class
book for additional practice and the messages are also used in the activities known as Decoding Detectives. AY
Learning Conferences–– Learning Conferences are a 3-5 minute, 1:1 interaction between the teacher and child. It is a time to review
the week’s Literacy Center work, reflect on last week’s learning goal and with the guidance of the teacher, to create a meaningful
Learning Goal for the week ahead. Learning Conferences help children to become reflective about their learning and work habits, and
can include reflections on social interactions with peers. Children write their goals on a new learning plan for the upcoming week to
refer to over and over again. At the following week’s conference, the goal is used as a starting point for the reflective process.
Semester II
Learning Plans–– Children record the centers they will go to each day and the Must Do activity in each center on their Learning
Plans, which they use to plan and remember their work in centers, as well as to review their Learning Goals, written in weekly
Learning Conferences with the teacher. Semester II
Listen & Remember -Do What I Do––Children listen to a pattern of actions demonstrated by the teacher, remember and replicate it
in this Self-regulation Transition Activity. AY
Listening Center––In the Listening Center, children listen to recorded books, guided by a Story Lab strategy, and then draw and
write using Scaffolded Writing in response to the Story Lab strategy the teacher has chosen. Semester II
Literacy Memory Games––Designed to focus attention and build deliberate memory, teachers play memory games as a warm up at
the start of the Literacy Skill Building Block and can use these in other time blocks as well. These activities are: Look & Remember
and the Memory Game. AY
Literacy Skill Building Activities I–– Activities in the Literacy Skill Building time block are designed to help children practice
specific skills. In Semester I, children practice phonemic awareness and phonics with Elkonin activities I-IV, Word Building activities
and Fluency games( I Have Who Has?) See individual activities for additional information. Semester I
Literacy Skill Building Activities II––The teacher works intensively with small groups to help children practice skills specific to
their needs. These activities are: Memory Bank Deposit Game, Writing Thicker –Add More Sounds, Writing Thicker Add More
Words, Writing Thicker- Write Along Intensive, Relay Games, and Decoding Detectives See individual activities for additional
information. Semester II
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Look & Remember––Children use mental visualization and language to recall the location of objects in a Look and Remember
Picture Card. Children have a ‘Memory Buddy’ with whom to practice strategies, recall and confirm. The pictures are theme-related
with new pictures across the year, and contain many humorous elements. See Literacy Memory Games for additional information. AY
Make a Book–––Children create a book or story on a non-fiction or fictional topic prompted by the teacher and class discussion.
Children read their book to their Study Buddy in this Creative Writing Literacy Center activity. Semester II
Make a Word––Children create real and non-sense words in game format, reading aloud each in this Sounds and Letters Literacy
Center activity. Semester II
Market Farm––Children work in pairs to use counting to solve practical problems as the “market owner” places an order for goods
and the “farmer” who then fills the order. Children use counters and write number on an order form, using a numerals card for
counting and checking for accuracy. Market Farm activities are played in the Counting Games math center.
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Market Farm I––Children learn to count out specific numbers of objects 1-10 and then 1-20 Semester I
Market Farm II––Children use Ten’s Triangles to represent the quantity 10 in numbers of items ordered e. g. Triangle + 3=
13 Semester II
Math Centers/ Plans–– Children use the reverse side of the Learning Center Plan for Literacy to plan which math centers they will
visit for the day. Teachers work with small groups to introduce and practice math activities while other students practice skills in
centers. There are eight math centers: Block Construction, Counting Games, Fluency Activities, Geometry, Measurement & Data,
Independent Number Line Activities, Math Penmanship, Operations & Algebraic Thinking, and Puzzles & Manipulatives. See
individual centers for additional information. AY
Math Magic I––Children practice decomposing numbers through 20 and writing a number sentence to represent the operation. In
Math Magic II, the challenge is increased for children as they use the Ten’s Triangle to represent the quantity 10 for numbers
between 11-19. AY
Math Penmanship Activities––One of eight math centers designed for children to practice correct formation of numerals. Activities
include Calendar Making, Address Book Making and teacher selected activities for children to apply legible numeral writing.
Children internalize a model for legible numeral writing. Semester II
Memory Bank Deposit Game––Teachers select sight words based upon children’s Individual Sight Word Banks so they can practice
rapid recognition of them, committing them to permanent memory in this Literacy Skill Building II activity. Semester II
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Memory Game––Children use mental visualization and language as memory tools to identify objects that have been added, removed
or remain the same in an array. Children have a ‘Memory Buddy’ with whom to practice strategies recall and confirm in this Literacy
Memory Game activity. AY
Mystery Literacy Activities–– Children build literacy skills by solving a daily Mystery. The games help children to practice
phonemic awareness, sound-symbol correspondence, compare onset-rime patterns in words and engage with peers as they solve the
mysteries together. AY Mystery Literacy Activities include:
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Mystery Question––Children work together to solve a daily question e.g. Are you wearing red? through discussion and
placing their name under a response e.g. Yes or No
Mystery How Many Sounds–– Children isolate and sound out sounds in words to determine how many
Mystery Literacy- Mystery Letter––Children identify what letter is missing (initial, medial and final positions in words)
Mystery Literacy- Mystery Rhyme–– Children choose from two words which rhymes with target word
Mystery Literacy- Mystery Word-––Children read word and match to picture
Mystery Literacy- Mystery Word Pattern––Children match word pattern to correct word (picture)
Mystery Math Activities–– Mystery Math activities are designed to teach and reinforce math concepts and engage children in
meaningful conversations about math concepts. Children engage in discussion with peers to solve the mysteries. The teacher debriefs
their solutions during whole group math. Mystery Math activities may also be part of Operations and Algebraic Thinking learning
center. Mystery Math Activities include: AY
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Mystery Categories––Children choose which of two pictures belongs with a strip with multiple pictures, figuring out the
category that groups the pictures. Designed so that there can be more than one correct answer (both choices could be argued to
belong for different grouping rationales, e.g. number of legs or lives in the savannah)
Mystery Comparison––Practice comparing quantities that are greater than and less than
Mystery Measurement––Practice determining lengths of pictured items using a ruler
Mystery Numeral––Children identify the numeral associated with a number of dots
Mystery Numeral Two Card––Requires children to add two quantities pictured on two cards and choose answer
Mystery Pattern––Children determine if patterns pictured on strips are the same or different
Mystery Pattern Core I & II––Children compare two patterns and identify whether they are the same or different. Children
may be challenged to continue a pattern and identify the next element. Children learn to match patterns of letters with patterns
of shapes, identifying the “core” of the pattern.
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Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Mystery Shape––By manipulating two pieces of a shape, children determine which pair of composite shapes compose a target
shape
Mystery Shape II 3D––Children learn to identify and count the number of faces, edges, and corners of 3-D shapes
Number Line Hopscotch––Designed to practice rote counting by pairing one child’s jumping numbered carpet squares with the
group’s oral counting and clapping. In a more challenging version, the carpet squares are arranged in challenging nonlinear
arrangements and include numerals up to 20 or greater. In Semester II , this can be practiced in the Independent Number Line
Activities math center. AY
Number Line Word Problems––In this teacher-led activity, children work in a small group to solve a series of different word
problems using manipulatives and a number line. Children are presented with addition and subtraction operations in the context of
engaging, short stories, learning to convert a word problem into a number sentence. Semester II
Numerals Game––Children play in pairs taking turns to count and check, learning to count 1-10, then 1-20 Semester I
Numerals Game II with Tens Triangle––Children play the Numerals Game in pairs, with a triangle model for ten, practicing
composing numbers into groups of tens and ones practicing in the Counting Games math activity center. Semester II
Operations & Algebraic Thinking––One of eight math centers, children learn to compose and decompose numbers, represent these
operations with manipulatives and by writing math sentences. Activities include: Math Magic I & II, I Have Who Has? Plus/Minus
1-3, and selected Mystery Math activities. Semester II
Paired Buddy Reading––Children take turns reading leveled readers with a buddy. Leveled texts have been practiced earlier with the
teacher in Buddy Reading2 Semester II
Pattern Guessing––In Pattern Guessing, Jack & Annie send a coded secret message in a pattern to children. Patterns strips are
displayed along with a picture from one of the Magic Tree House stories. Pattern shapes represent sounds. The teacher uses the sounds
to “send the message” for the children to decode. Children practice one-to one correspondence, matching objects and sounds to the
pattern, symbolic substitution and to visually identify a “chunk” or core within the pattern. AY
Pattern Movement––Children use gesture and language to replicate patterns in this teacher-led activity in this Physical SelfRegulation activity AY
Peanut Mix Up––Children decode and read words and phrases as they arrange words into a meaningful sentence. This allows them to
practice the reading strategy: “Does this make sense with what I’m reading?” in this Decoding Center activity. Semester II
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Physical Self-Regulation––A key component in developing self-regulation in the Tools of the Mind program are the physical selfregulation activities. They are designed to allow children to practice controlling body movements by matching them to cues. Physical
self-regulation Activities are used to focus children at the start of new activity blocks to prepare children to learn. Activities are:
Freeze Game, Pattern Movement, Simon Says, Movement Songs & Dances. AY
Pretend Transitions––Children pretend to be a character; it’s action or action from the life and times of the theme using gesture and
private speech in this Self –regulation Transition Activity. AY
Publishing & Penmanship Center––A Literacy Center designed to focus children’s attention on the formation of letters. Children
begin to internalize a “standard’ of what it means to be legible. Activities include: Creative Penmanship Projects and making Riddle
and Joke Books See individual activities for more information. Semester II
Puzzles & Manipulatives–– One of eight math centers, children explore, plan and create using Tangrams, Cuisenaire Rods, Unifix
Cubes, Patterns Blocks and Jigsaw and logic puzzles and selected Mystery Math activities Semester II
Relay Games––Teachers lead games that focus on fluency for sight words, sounds, word, patterns, depending on children’s needs so
children automatize and internalize sounds and word knowledge in this Literacy Skill Building activity. Semester II
Riddle & Joke Books––Children write a familiar riddle or joke, collecting them over time in a book as an activity in the Publishing
& Penmanship Center activities Semester II
Rhyming Game I–– Lead by the teacher in Opening Group, children are asked to make a rhyme with the word modeled by the
teacher. Children make rhyming words with their peers (turn & talk, double talk) and respond chorally to the teacher with examples.
Semester I
Rhyming Game II–– Lead by the teacher in Opening Group, the children identify whether two words pictured on cards sound alike
by giving a “thumbs-up” or “thumbs down”. The teacher uses a Rhyming mediator card to help children remember what to do.
Semester II
Science Observation Station––Science activities designed to dovetail with classroom themes related to Fairy Tales and Magic Tree
House books. Children learn to apply and extend their background knowledge, develop new vocabulary, learn and apply scientific
method of discovery, observation, data collection, data recording and analysis. Children draw, write and use mathematics in these
activities. AY
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Self-Regulation Transition Activities––Designed to promote focused attention, deliberate memory and the use of private speech (all
components of self-regulation) to set the stage for children to learn. These activities are designed to use during transitions and less
structured times during the day. Activities include: Forbidden Words, Listen & Remember –Do What I Do and Pretend Transitions.
AY See individual activities for descriptions.
Share the News––During Share the News, children engage in collaborative conversations with peers, taking turns in conversations.
There are rules to guide Share the News. Topics are presented by the teacher; including feelings, social problem solving, opinions,
ideas and concepts. Tools participation styles: Turn& Talk and Double talk are used. AY
Shared Scaffolded Writing-Teacher Modeled––In this shared writing experience, children learn the mechanics of how to do
Scaffolded Writing with the support of both teacher and peers. The teacher introduces and models the process step by step, then,
children write altogether. Children learn concept of word, voice to line match, sound to symbol correspondence and how to use the
Sound Map. Children learn that writing has a purpose and develop the ability to “read” and “re-read” their writing, all steps on the
path to decoding. Semester I
Shared Scaffolded Writing- Write Along––Children listen to, repeat and write a message on individual whiteboards and check with
their buddy, reading their message and making additions to their writing with their buddy’s input. The messages evolve in complexity,
eventually including tongue twisters, jokes, riddles and ‘I wonder’ messages composed by the teacher and children together. AY
Silly Sentences––Children practice decoding unfamiliar words and reading and rereading for fluency, practicing the “Does this make
sense?” reading strategy in this Decoding Center activity. Semester II
Sound and Letters Literacy Center Activities–– Children practice encoding and decoding using games they learned in Semester I
Activities in this center include: Word Pattern Match, Elkonin II, How Many Sounds? Board Game, Make A Word, Sound-bySound Game Semester II
Sound by Sound Game––First learned as a teacher-led activity during Opening group (Semester I) and then as a game in the Sounds
& Literacy Center (Semester II), children learn that words are broken down by sound and then blended back together.
Stackers I & II–– Children work in pairs, one in the role of Director, the other as the Stacker. Directors look at a photo of a
construction and give directions using positional vocabulary, and Stackers respond to those directions building a 3-d construction with
blocks in Stackers I. Children are encouraged to ask their partner for clarification when they do not understand. (Semester I) In
Stackers II, the challenge is increased for children as Directors guide Stackers to construct on a 2-d plane, using pattern blocks.
Stackers II is practiced in the Geometry, Measurement & Data math center.(Semester II)
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Storyboards––At the conclusion of a Magic Tree House book (Chapter 10), children review important events from the story
represented on the class Story Timeline with the teacher, sorting them into beginning, middle and end. Children use specially designed
paper to draw and write about beginning, middle and end events in the book. Semester II
Story Lab––Story Lab is an interactive reading activity where children listen with a purpose, a specific comprehension strategy in
mind and then answer questions related to the strategy. Story Lab is an integral part of Dramatization, Scaffolded Writing activities
and decoding instruction. Story Lab includes Group Dramatization. Teacher leads the children with speech and gesture to process
information, remember story elements and actively practice comprehension strategies. AY
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Story Lab- Active Listening: What was Interesting What was your Favorite Part? What did You Like? Children learn
to ask and respond to questions about ideas and facts within a text
Story Lab- Character Empathy–– Children think about and label what a character is feeling
Story Lab-Connections–– Children make connections between something that is known and something that is learned from a
text
Story Lab- Inference–– Children to experience the events of story from the characters’ perspective Semester II
Story Lab-Predictions––Children make text-based predictions about the next chapter based upon background knowledge of
the developing story line within the book Semester II
Story Lab- Story Comparisons–– Children learn to compare and contrast characters and events from two different stories
Story Lab-Story Grammar–– Children identify and diagram the main characters, setting and sequence of events
Story Lab- Visualization –– Children picture the story in their mind
Story Lab-Vocabulary––Children learn the meaning of new words and practice remembering their meaning
Story Timeline––Creating and reviewing a Story Timeline of the events in the Magic Tree House series chapter books is part of Story
Lab. After reading a chapter, the teacher asks children for ideas about what to draw to summarize story events and the teacher draws
and places the card on the classroom’s Story Timeline; this timeline is reviewed before reading in the next Story Lab, and used in
other activities like Story Timeline Mix Up and Individual Scaffolded Writing: Storyboards. AY
Story Timeline Mix Up––A Literacy center activity in which children play a game using Story Timeline cards from a previously read
Magic Tree House book to put story events in correct order in this Comprehension and Vocabulary Building center activity. The
cards are numbered on the back so that children can self-correct. Semester II
Syllable Clapping–– Children learn to clap out the syllables in names and familiar words in this teacher-led, Opening Group literacy
activity Semester I
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Tallying–– Children learn how to create a visual model of 5 to track of items counted in these three different activities: Semester I
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Large Group - Preferences & Classroom Data–– Children respond to the teacher’s question or the first Mystery Questions,
tallying up responses.
Small Group Attributes & Objects–– Using Super Hero Attribute Cards children tally to represent and compare quantities of
sorted objects. Objects are sorted by specific attributes: shape, number of sides, color, and size.
Partner Attributes & Objects–– Children tally objects using Super Hero Attribute Cards while working in pairs.
Timeline Calendar–– Timeline Calendar uses a number line for the concept of time in this daily Opening Group activity. Children
are able to learn that days make up months, and months make up years and that time is a continuous concept. Teachers lead children in
counting and clapping the days and practice time vocabulary like before, after, until, how long. At the end of the year teachers
transform the number line with children into a conventional monthly calendar format. AY
Treasure Hunt––Children learn to make a map of the classroom and how to use the map to find hidden items based only on symbols.
This activity is timed to coincide with the Background Week of Pirates Past Noon Magic Tree House book. Semester I
Turn & Read––Children practice blending onset and rime and decoding skills as they make real and non-sense words with a variety
of consonants, digraphs and rimes using cards designed to be turned and combined into words and is practiced in the Decoding
Literacy Center. Semester II
Venger Drawing–– Children use basic shapes to make their own pictures, applying the concept of shape in am meaningful context.
Children learn to discuss, imagine and then incorporate basic shapes into their own drawings and label their designs. Semester I
Venger Collage–– In this more challenging version, children cut, paste and incorporate colored geometric shapes into their Venger
Drawings. Children write a sentence to describe their creation. Semester II
Venger Measurement Problems–– Children learn why we use measurement and the procedures for measurement, explore the
relationship to what a measure is, leading to the idea of precision and accuracy in measuring. Semester II Venger Measurement
Problems include:
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Broad Jump I: Direct Comparison of Distances––Children compare and record distances of hops and jumps
Broad Jump II: Indirect Comparison of Distances––Children compare and measure distances from different starting points
Broad Jump III: Indirect Comparison of Distances––Children use different small units repeatedly to compare measures
Broad Jump IV: Measurement as Repeating Length of a Single Unit–Children use a single unit measure e.g. unit block, to
determine and compare lengths of jumps
Glossary–Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Activities
Weather Graphing––Children learn to observe and use a graph to record, summarize, read and analyze weather data in this daily
Opening Group activity. Children practice math skills, comparing quantities, counting to confirm and the concept of zero. In Semester
II, weather data is kept from January through June, using Ten’s Triangles to represent ten days of a type of weather. AY
What I Know, Think and Wonder–––Visual prompts associated with themes children have studied are used to prompt children to
draw and write about what they know, think and wonder about different topics. They share their writing with their Study Buddy in this
Creative Writing Center activity. Semester II
Who Am I? Game––The goal of this activity is to use complex language and new vocabulary as children provide clues for their peer
to guess who they are without revealing the word. The vocabulary is related to current or past Magic Tree House story themes
(Ancient Egypt, ocean, savannah, arctic, etc.) in this Comprehension & Vocabulary Building Center activity. Semester II
Word Building––Word Building activities are part of the Literacy Skill Building Block I in Semester I and in the Sounds & Letters
Literacy Center in Semester II. Word Building activities teach children how to recognize and use word patterns to make words.
Children practice 20 of the most frequent onset-rime patterns, practice blending them, encoding and decoding patterns and learn to
recognize word patterns as an important strategy in learning to decode an unfamiliar word.. The activities are:
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Can You Read This Word? ––Teacher writes words using onset-rime and children read them
Make a Word––Children are given an example of onset-rime then asked to generate more on their own
Write This Word––The teacher says words with familiar onset-rime patterns for children to write
Write About––Magic Tree House books are launched by a week of building background knowledge about the theme (e.g. study of
medieval life). Children “write about” facts they learn each day demonstrating comprehension of their background knowledge. A
Writing Thicker––A set of three activities designed to provide short, targeted and intensive interventions in Scaffolded Writing. In
the Literacy Skill Building Block. Semester II The three activities include:
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Add More Sounds––The teacher assists the child to add more sounds to a piece of their writing
Add More Words––The teacher assists the child to add more descriptive words, more detail to a piece of their writing
Write Along Intensive––The teacher provides teacher-scaffolded practice for children who have difficulty remembering their
messages or are inconsistent with line to word match
Word Pattern Match––Children read, say aloud and look for matching word patterns in this Sounds and Letters Literacy Center activity. Semester II