DIY and a FrEEBIE!

Today in my speech room, I was knee deep in Valentine's Day!

 Next week will be all about President's Day-

but before we know it, St. Patrick's Day will be here!! 

I want to tell you about one of my favorite activities that's perfect for St. Patty's, but it's a DIY so I want to make sure you have plenty of time to make it! 

It's all about practicing carryover of fluency and articulation skills OR it's also perfect for working on basic reading comprehension or following directions! 

What will you need? 

1) 60 tongue depressors

2) some paint (I used tempura) in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple

3) a permanent marker 

4) the free download of 80 cards from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store

FIRST, paint the tips (front and back) of the 60 tongue depressors

(10 red, 10 orange, 10 yellow, 10 green, 10 blue, 10 purple). 

After the paint dries, use a permanent marker to write the numbers 1-10 on your 10 tongue depressors of each color (front and back) like I did on the sticks shown below.  

Let the 60 tongue depressors dry and place them- colored tips down- in a container of some sort.  

I use an owl mug because my room is owl themed and this mug happens to be super cute :)

Download, print and cut out the cards that you will need to play the game HERE 

During my speech sessions, I use this as a carryover activity for my articulation and fluency students. 

 I even use it with my DIBELS intervention group because they need practice reading those little bitty sight words in sentences. 

{Also great practice for following directions!} 

We go around the table and students take turns drawing a card from the facedown stack,  reading it aloud, and following the directions.  

Cards include directions such as "Pick a stick that is red or less than six" or "Pick two sticks with even numbers" or "Pick a yellow stick but it cannot be the number three." 

Some of the cards are shown below. 

If they pick the stick called for on the card, they get to keep it.  If not, they have to put the stick back in the container. 

It's a fun and fast paced way to get in lots of speech practice- whichever you may be targeting. 

It also requires the kids to strain their brains which I LOVE! 

The object of the game is to make a rainbow by collecting sticks with the 6 colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) 

Whoever does so first, wins the game! 

This can be played all year round (a great go-to activity!) 

but it's especially fun for St. Patrick's Day and spring!!

Enjoy! If you give it a try, I'd love you hear how it worked for 'ya!

-Mia