Even or Odd Number of Letters in Your Name Game Activity

Engaging & Fun Elementary Math Practice

This counting game features practice with determining whether a number is even or odd, counting tally marks, graphing, and also personalizes the results!

Directions

First Info...

1. Have each student count the number of letters in his/her first name and write that number on a piece of paper.
2. Ask students who had an even number of letters to raise a hand and record on the board with tally marks.
3. Ask students who had an odd number of letters to raise a hand and record on the board with tally marks.
4. Practice counting the tally marks together as a class.
5. Have each student count the number of letters in his/her last name and repeat the above steps.

Practical Math - Even or Odd # of Letters in a Name

Second Info...

1. Ask students to look at the two numbers they wrote - one for the first name and one for the last name.
2. Ask students who had two even numbers to raise a hand and record on the board with tally marks.
3. Ask students who had two odd numbers to raise a hand and record on the board with tally marks.
4. Ask students who had one even and one odd number to raise a hand and record on the board with tally marks.
5. Practice counting the tally marks together as a class.

Then...
Go to Create a Graph and enter the information obtained in the Second Info section, showing various types of graphs if time allows.

Even or Odd # of Letters in Your Name Math Graphing Activity

If you have additional time...
Have students count the letters in any or all of the following to determine if they have an even or odd number of letters:

• Teacher's last name
• Principle's last name
• Name of school
• Month of the year
• Today's date number of the month
• Favorite food
• Favorite sport
• Vocabulary words for the week
• Ask students for their ideas for words they would like to count

Additional articles:

• More Free Printable Words of Thanks
• Notes of Encouragement for End of Grade Testing
• Katrena's American Flag Scavenger Hunt

Thanks for visiting my Wildflower Bouquets blog and I hope you enjoy this elementary math activity!

Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #15 Enjoy the Snow!

Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #15 Enjoy the Snow

Our family woke up this morning covered in a white blanket, but that covering was adorning the trees and bushes outside rather than covering the bed! Those who live in the southern United States tend to see more sleet and freezing rain during winter months, so having several inches of snow tends to be the talk of the town.

When we get several inches of snow around here, many activities come to a screeching halt. Schools are often cancelled or delayed and many area businesses and activities close or are postponed. What better time for a scavenger hunt?

While players are in another area...

• Print the graphics below - one of each page and one prize sheet for each player.
• Cut out the riddles.
• Place the letters for ENJOY THE SNOW with the riddles in order or scrambled - ensure that you provide one letter for each player with each riddle. All letters should be the same with each clue. For example, if you have two players, place two Os with a riddle.
• Keep riddle #1 without a letter.
• Hide riddles #2 - 12 in the location for the answer for the previous riddle. Hide the last letter in the location for the answer to the last riddle.

Then...

• Give players the first riddle.
• Once the players solve each riddle, provide a hint for finding the next riddle and letter.
• After all riddles are solved and all letters are found, have players assemble the letters to spell ENJOY THE SNOW.

Thanks so much for visiting my Wildflower Bouquets blog.

Additional articles:

• Board Games and Card Games for Winter Fun and Family Bonding
• Hide and Seek – Variations for Fun Indoor Family Activities
• Katrena's Collection of Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger Hunt Riddles - Enjoy the Snow

Treasure Hunt Answers - Enjoy the Snow

Clues for Scavenger Hunt Riddles - Enjoy the Snow

Enjoy the Snow Letters for Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #15

Rainbow Resolutions for the New Year – Make a Colorful Plan!

Rainbow New Year's Resolutions

Rainbows are some of my favorite natural displays of color. Rainbows have inspired me more than once, appearing in the sky with a dazzling display of beautiful hues. I remember learning the colors of the rainbow in school. Mr. Barlow jumped on top of his desk and practically shouted the name "ROY G. BIV" with amazing enthusiasm as he taught us about this memorable natural phenomenon.

As another year approaches, I have decided to try something new, creating a resolution for each color of the rainbow, using the letters ROYGBIV as a guide. These resolutions are general, but one might also add specific ideas for how one plans to move toward the goals.

I have included my own printable rainbow resolution sheet and also a blank rainbow sheet on which one might wish to individualize colorful plans for the new year. I hope that each of you has a new year filled with joyful discoveries, meaningful relationships, wise decisions, and a peace that passes all understanding.

Additional articles

• 5 Fitness Plan Roadblocks and Practical Tips to Stay on Track
• A Healthier Lifestyle One Day at a Time: A Positive Attitude
• Famous New Year's Drops in America Trivia Game
• Adding Colors Scavenger Hunt

To print

1. Click on the image to enlarge.
2. Select file-print. 

Rainbow Resolutions for New Year

Colorful New Year's Resolutions

Katrena's Christmas and Advent Hymns Scavenger Hunt – A Child is Born!



Free Christmas Scavenger Hunt

The seasons of Advent and Christmas are made more full and memorable through a wealth of beautiful hymns, many of which have survived for over 100 years. I play the piano for my church and always look forward to playing these songs! After completing this scavenger hunt, you might want to try singing each of the hymns.

The music inspired me to create a scavenger hunt with a Christmas and Advent hymn theme. This hunt includes twelve riddles or clues, answers, hints for finding the riddles, and a printable message, which is A CHILD IS BORN. This scavenger hunt can be played by any number of players. If you have a group of people hunting, you can print letters for the message for each player and place the letters and riddles in an twelve envelopes – ensure that each envelope contains all matching letters.

If the player(s) are having a hard time arranging the letters for the message, feel free to give hints and feedback when they get it correct, like:

• What words have only one letter?
• What words have only two letters?
• That second word starts with a blend that also starts the word "church."

Preparation (while players are elsewhere)

1. Print the graphics below - click on the image to enlarge and click file-print.
2. Cut and separate the riddles and letters and place one letter with each riddle - place the letters in the correct order to spell the message or mix up the order to make the game more challenging.
3. Keep the first riddle and letter.
4. Hide the remaining riddles in the location for the next one. (The second riddle is located at the location given for solving the first riddle...the third riddle is located at the location given for solving the second riddle...etc.)
5. Place the full page message board in the location for solving the last riddle.

Directions

1. Give the first riddle and letter to the player(s).
2. Player(s) read the first riddle and fill in the blank. (You may need to give hints such as looking at the rhyming word or humming the tune.)
3. Once the player(s) correctly fill in the blank, give a hint where to find the next riddle.
4. Continue until player(s) have located all letters and message board.
5. Player(s) arrange letters to spell the message A CHILD IS BORN!

Thanks so much for visiting my Wildflower Bouquets blog. Feel free to read more of my articles:

• Katrena's Collection of Free Scavenger Hunts
• Favorite Versions of Christmas Songs – Music to Remember
• Name That Christmas Carol Game
• Advent Calendar Provides Hands-on Opportunity to Learn About Christmas



Rhyming Riddles for Christmas Hymns Scavenger Hunt

Answers and Clues for Finding the Next Riddle in Katrena's Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunt Message - A CHILD IS BORN

Message Board for Katrena's Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #14 Famous Firsts

Famous Firsts Scavenger Hunt with Rhyming Clues

The first day of school is coming to my neck of the woods with lightening speed! I decided a scavenger hunt featuring famous firsts was in order for the occasion. This scavenger hunt features twelve famous firsts with clues that incorporate a variety of skills and topics, such as reading, grammar, sports, history, geography, study skills, life skills, and more.

I have designed twelve riddles with rhyming clues. The rhyming word is in red. Although this treasure hunt is designed for older kids, younger kids may be able to figure out the clues if you cut the answers and let them choose the rhyming word. Many of these riddles might spark additional conversations such as discussing more about air travel or various positions in baseball.

The directions for where to find the next clue can easily be altered to fit your individual needs. I chose places that were loosely connected to the topics in the riddles that might work well at home or at school. If you tweak, make a note of the changes.

Players can assemble the prize at the end to spell "FAMOUS FIRSTS." Hide the letters with the riddles in order, or you can create more of a challenge by scrambling the order.

While players are in another area...

• Print the graphics below - one of each page and one prize sheet for each player.
• Cut out the riddles.
• Place the letters for FAMOUS FIRSTS with the riddles in order or scrambled - ensure that you provide one letter for each player with each riddle. All letters should be the same with each clue. For example, if you have two players, place two Os with a riddle.
• Keep riddle #1.
• Hide riddles #2 - 12 in the location for the answer for the previous riddle.

Then...

• Give players the first riddle.
• Once the players solve the riddle, provide a hint for finding the next riddle and letter.
• After all riddles are solved and all letters are found, have players assemble the letters to spell FAMOUS FIRSTS.

I hope you enjoy my Famous Firsts scavenger hunt and thanks so much for visiting my Wildflower Bouquets blog!

Additional articles:

• Famous New Year's Drops Trivia Game
• Scavenger Hunt #1 for Teachers
• Free Printable Words of Encouragement
• Good Hygiene Scavenger Hunt

Rhyming Scavenger Hunt Riddles

Scavenger Hunt Clue Answers

Places to Hide Clues for a Treasure Hunt

Prize for Scavenger Hunt

Is Your School Environmentally Friendly?

Schools and the Environment - Graphic by Offiikart

As July melts into August, many parents begin back-to-school shopping. The lists are overflowing with the usual items like paper, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, and the sort; however, many school lists now add more and more additional products, such as cleaning supplies, cheap toys, and candy.

Many schools teach students about recycling, protecting the environment, and being prudent with resources. But are those same schools demonstrating environmentally friendly living? I remember a time when food was served on a plate that was washed and used again the next school day. I recall a time when messes were cleaned with a spray solution and cloth that was washed, a time when a smile and sincere kind words or a special activity, rather than toys or candy, were offered to those who gave 100% effort.

Yes, I know that times are different. Some children have food allergies and the risk might be too great for those children to eat on plates that certain foods have touched. Many of those kids already pack food from home. Disposable plates should be available for children with special needs, but does everyone in the school need to eat on a disposable plate? Do kids really see the value in composting when they are instructed to throw their scraps in the garbage at school? I realize purchasing plates and dishwashers would be a big investment, but that investment might contribute to saving precious resources that our kids deserve to enjoy when they grow up. Can we afford to wait for the landfills to reach capacity before we decide to change habits?

Convenience carries a hefty price tag. It is much easier to serve foods that are pre-packaged rather than serving freshly cooked, healthy foods. It is quicker to clean a mess with a pre-moistened product. But is that convenience truly necessary? Do we want children growing up thinking that they should eat pre-packaged foods – many of those convenience foods are less healthy and may contribute to numerous health issues in the future. Do all spills require costly clean-up, or could a rag and spray bottle be just as effective while costing less?

What about rewards? Some reward systems are fraught with issues. Consider, for instance, the ones in which children simply earn opportunities at a raffle. What if an exemplary student goes through all of his or her years at the school without ever winning that raffle? If a child receives junk food for doing a good job and is forced to walk laps for a mistake, will she continue to reward herself with junk food and punish herself with exercise as an adult? How special is that toy that breaks or gets lost before it gets home? Will the growing mound of toys increase stress at home? Will that child who becomes a young adult expect to be rewarded with a piece of candy if he arrives at work on time?

One of our most important jobs as adults is to prepare children for life in the future. Sure, we can suggest that kids reduce, reuse, and recycle; however, our actions typically speak louder than words. Are we teaching our future leaders that being environmentally friendly is a good idea on paper but not applicable to the real world or are we demonstrating true commitment to our planet?

Additional articles:

• Non-food Incentives and Rewards in the Classroom
• The Waste-Free Lunchbox Pamphlet
• School Composting
• Hawthorne Elementary School composting project
• Katrena's Indoor Scavenger Hunt #12 - Going Green to Save the Earth!

Fun Ways to Enjoy Birding with the Family – 3 Favorite Tips



How to Make Education Fun and Enlightening - Photo by AcrylicArtist

We are fortunate to have a wide variety of birds where we live. My family enjoys the striking colors of the cardinals, goldfinches, and blue jays; the artful tunes of mockingbirds and sparrows; and the antics of the chickadees and mourning doves. Sometimes we might even be surprised by a hawk, quail, or a peacock! We call our youngest family member the Turkey Whisperer because she always gets an enthusiastic response from our neighbor's turkeys when she says "Gobble gobble!"

I fondly remember when a speech therapist was checking for speech patterns of one of my kids. The therapist showed my daughter pictures and asked her to say what she saw in each picture. I couldn't help but smile when the therapist showed her a picture of a red bird. I know the therapist was trying to assess her ability to say blended sounds in the word "bird," but I found it so sweet that my three-year-old called it a "cardinal!"

Yep, we've been watching birds for quite a while, so here are a few of my favorite tips.

Tips for Birding with the Family - Photo by mrmac04

Tip #1 Provide an Inviting Environment

Fresh water in a birdbath and food in a bird feeder will often attract birds to the yard. If you don't want squirrels terrorizing your bird feeder, use only safflower (NOT sunflower) seeds in the feeders. The squirrels are not at all interested in those white safflower seeds, but many birds love them. We also make food for hummingbirds during warmer months. You might have your kids to make some crafty bird feeders, help pick out a feeder at the store, or ensure that the feeder and birdbath are full.

Research what plants in your area attract birds. Gardening with the kids can provide quality time together, and playing in the dirt to me has a sort of healing quality. Flower gardens might also attract a nice variety of bees, butterflies, and other wildlife in addition to the birds.

Good Bird Guides on the Internet - Photo by ren

Tip #2 Learn How to Identify the Birds

If you don't already know the names of the various birds in your area, don't panic. This can be a fun learning opportunity for you and the kids. Libraries often carry a nice array of bird field guides with added information such as preferred diet and flight patterns. Oftentimes the male is much brighter and easier to identify, and field guides often feature pictures of both the male and female.

The Internet has some great resources about birds as well. This is just a short list, but here are a few of my favorites:

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds - identify birds, see a silhouette in flight, hear the bird's voice & picture & video
• Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center - enjoy a nice collection of bird photos submitted by bird enthusiasts
• Audubon Online Guide to North American Birds - lots of information such as parts of the bird, natural history, how to bird, etc.
• Hummingbirds.net offers tips, information about events, yearly migration maps, and more
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Interactive Guide - click on each bird in the one-page picture and you will hear the bird's song or call

Learn About Birds - Photo by AcrylicArtist

Tip #3 Make bird education fun and personal

Research your area's birding trails, and involve the family in planning to visit some of these places. If your family likes to hike, this is a great opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature and get a little exercise while watching for various birds. Some people like to pack binoculars. Bring a camera and encourage the budding photographers in the family. See if anyone in the family can carry on a conversation with a bird through whistling or other noises.

Learn how to protect our feathered friends in simple ways. For example, keeping roadways clear of trash can lead to fewer injured birds on the roadways. Birds of prey in particular are at risk if they spot a mouse headed for a cigarette butt because they zero in on their prey and often do not notice approaching vehicles. See and learn more about birds and how to protect them while vising a zoological park, raptor center, state or national park, etc.

Make a chart of common birds and plan to watch a particular area for a certain period of time, marking each bird seen with tally marks. Then use the data to compare numbers, create a graph, or make predictions. Math skills learned in the classroom often make more sense if you can develop a learning activity at home that utilizes those skills in a practical way.

Hone artistic skills by providing bird coloring pages or have the children to draw birds they have seen. Make a bird sculpture or write stories about the birds. Study birds of other areas of the country or world. Learn the name for bird in several different languages and practice saying the words together.



Enjoy Birding with the Kids - Photo by juditu

Birding is a great family activity that can be done without any special equipment. A pair of watchful eyes near an outdoor area is the only requirement for watching birds. All of the other stuff is just lattice on the pie! Enjoying nature together is a unique experience in which no two days provide exactly the same experience. We hope your bird watching experiences are full of happy surprises and delightful memories.

Additional articles:

• How to Enjoy Hummingbirds with Kids
• Gardening: Great Way to Connect With the Kids
• Katrena's Scavenger Hunt #12: Going Green to Save the Earth!

Thanks for reading my article! Find more of my articles on my blogs:

• Wildflower Bouquets
• Travel NC With Kids
• Love 2 Travel With Kids
• Fit Tips 4 Life
• Student Survive 2 Thrive