Crayon Attributes Sorting Fun!

I don't know about you, but I love sorting activities to teach concepts.  I love to use sentence strips to encourage expanded utterances as they sort.  This way, it targets more than one goal at a time!  For back to school season, I created a fun crayon sorting activity (but can be used any time of the year!)  I chose to target attributes based on the needs of my students!

Using this activity:
-Print and laminate the crayon boxes.  

-Print and laminate the crayons.

-Each box has a sentence strip to use while the students sort the crayons into the correct box.


-Students will sort crayons based on attributes!

***LIKE THIS ACTIVITY?!  LEAVE COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK ON TPT AND I WILL CREATE MORE IN THE FUTURE USING TARGETS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!!**

You can access this activity in my TpT store by clicking HERE!!

How Do You Use It?! August: Sentence Strips! (linky party)

It is that time again....time for my monthly linky party!!  Check out how I use common objects in my speech room!  Keep reading and view below to see how other SLPs/bloggers use them as well!

This month's object: sentence strips!!  

There are several ways I use sentence strips in my therapy room.  I can use them on post-its, index cards, dry erase boards, on top of worksheets, or even using the following products:


Why use sentence strips?!  They are a great way to encourage expanded utterance length!!  I like to use cloze sentences on them to model how to respond or describe using expanded utterances.  Some samples of teaching the following targets:

• Possessive pronouns: "This is his _____."
• Sequencing/transition words: "First _____" "Finally _____"
• Categorization: "The _____ is a fruit."
• Describing: "The _____ is yellow." "The _______ has a wheel."

I LOVE sentence strips so much, I often include them in my TpT products!!  I often use Boardmaker symbols when I use sentence strips with my nonreaders or poor readers.  Check out below some products that use these sentence strips:

Preposition Picture Scenes (for younger students)

Back To School Early Language File Folder Activities

Cut, Sort, & Glue! Activities for the entire year

I hope you find these ideas helpful!  How do you use sentence strips?!  Stay tuned for next month's post!!

Check out below to see how other SLPs/bloggers use sentence strips!

Note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links!

An InLinkz Link-up

Differentiated Question Scenes! (and giveaway!!!)

Do you have groups with mixed levels of students?  Are you looking for more materials that can be used with mixed groups or a variety of groups to make prep time easier?!  I have a new product that you might find useful.

What is this activity?  There are SIX scenes that incorporate basic vocabulary (animals, space, ocean, garden, etc.).  For each scene, there are 3 different activities/levels of wh- questions.

• Level 1: Students can match the answers to the various wh- questions provided.  You can cut out the answer choices and use Velcro.  Students can Velcro the correct answers in the box next to each question.
• Level 2:  Students will verbally respond to the questions provided.  No choices are included at this level.  Encourage students to use complete sentences!
• Level 3:  Students will read or listen to a short paragraph and look at the picture.  Then, they can respond to the various wh- questions based on the picture on the text read/heard.  I recommend laminating the story/questions on the back of the picture.  This way, you can easily read to your students and they can look at the picture.

How can you use this activity?  

• You can print and laminate the scenes with the questions on the back or you can put in a binder (laminated or in the protective sleeves).  
• If you use a binder: you can flip the binder vertically so that the scene is on the top and the questions are on the bottom.
• You can show one scene to a group of students and have them complete different tasks.
• You can use the various scenes when using themes/concepts in your speech rooms to reinforce vocabulary and answering questions at the same time.
• You can use the same scene and do the activity 3 times to have students improve and challenge them with the different levels of difficulty.

I hope you love this activity as much as I do.  I often create materials that will benefit my caseload and hope that you can benefit yours as well!  I look forward to creating more of these in time!

You can access this product in my TpT store by clicking HERE!

Since I am so excited about this product, I had to hold a giveaway!!  You can also enter to win a copy of this product for yourself!!! Enter to win below!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preposition Scenes For Younger Students! (for the entire year!)

Have you seen my Preposition Scenes activity?!  It has been a HUGE hit!  I have received a recent request to create a similar activity but designed for younger students to work on more basic prepositions.  So...I did!

How can you use this activity?  Well, each page is for a different theme/season/holiday.  Each page uses one object and has it located all over the page.  There is a sentence strip to elicit the response to the basic "where" question: "Where is the _____?"  There even a visual in the pack of the packet for all of the prepositions!  

Can your students locate all of the named item in the picture?  Can they use their knowledge of prepositions (using the visual if necessary) to express the items locations?!  TONS of opportunities to work on prepositions & drilling!

Themes included:

• School
• Fall
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• New Years
• Winter
• Groundhog’s Day
• Valentine’s Day
• President’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Easter
• Spring
• Earth Day
• Cinco de Mayo
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Fourth of July
• Summer
• Pirates
• Birthday
• Farm
• Space
• Ocean
• Superhero
• Basketball

What other skills can you address with this activity?!

• building vocabulary
• describing
• expanding utterances
• answering questions
• and more!

You can access this activity in my TpT store by clicking HERE!!

Summer Early Language File Folder Activities!

Do you work during the summer?  What kind of students do you work with during the summer?  I know I work with low functioning students trying to prevent regression.  With that said, I knew I had to create a file folder pack with a summer theme to get me through the summer!  It is available and ready to share with all of you.  You can use it during the summer or the last few weeks of school!

These activities that can be used as file folder activities or printed and used as is.  Activities are created to build vocabulary, use complete sentences, and answer questions while incorporating theme concepts.  Tons of visuals and sentence strips provided!

Activities included:
-What Do They Have?:  Print and glue the boy and girl images onto one side of a file folder.  For each item card, students must use the sentence strips provided to express which person has the different items.  This activity can also be used to work on “who” questions, pronouns, and possessives.

-I Spy In The Summer Scene: Print the scene picture.  Students can use the visual to locate all of the named items.  Goals you can address with this activity: prepositions, answering/asking questions, describing, and using vocabulary in complete sentences.

-What Color Is It?:  Students will sort the spring items into the correct color category.  Each color has a sentence strip to encourage students to expand utterances as they express the different colors.

-Singular or Plural?:  Students will sort the spring items into the correct category, singular or plural.  They can use the sentence strip to express which category it belongs into.

-Where Do You See It?: Students must determine which items are found at the beach and a campground.  They can use the sentence strip provided to express the answer to the question using complete utterances.

-Do You See It At The Beach?:  Students must determine which items are at the beach and those that are not.  They must answer the yes/no question provided and use the sentence strip to express complete utterances.

You can access this file folder activity pack in my TpT store by clicking HERE!

Foldable Sentences! (DIY Idea!)

Are you looking for a fun way to work on sentence structure!?  I love using foldables in my speech room.  All you need is a piece of paper, pen/pencil/crayons/markers, and scissors!  That is it!  Who doesn't have those materials readily available?!  Students can also work on following directions while creating these activities!

I decided to create a foldable to work on sentence structure!  You can easily work on any sentence structure goal with this!  I have many students working on combining sentences and using conjunctions so, above you will see what we did!  That is the foldable open (only because it was hard to take a picture folded, it wouldn't stay flat!).  As you can see, we folded the paper in half (I did it the long way to make more/longer pieces).  Then we cut the paper twice to make 3 pieces.  As you can hopefully see, the middle piece is the smallest.  I like to have my students use the top side as an illustration.  Then when you lift each flap, students can write the parts of the sentence that correlate to the illustration underneath.

Now, you are probably wondering, ok great how did she teach them how to do this on their own?!  Good question!!  We have done a lot of practicing first on using each specific conjunction at a time and identifying when to use each one.  We made this one foldable after drilling TONS of "and" sentences.  I taught them that when you are adding or combining (hence the + sign on the front of the foldable), then you use the word "and."  I took pictures or short passages (depending on the students levels) and had students describe them to answer questions.  "What was the family doing?"  "What does the boy have?"  Then the students used their foldables to answer my questions using their compound sentences!  My students had so much fun illustrating their foldables!

Do you use foldables in your therapy room?  How do you use them?  How do you work on sentence structure, combining sentences, or teaching conjunctions?!

Easter Early Language File Folder Activities!

Spring is here and Easter is around the corner!!  It is time to prepare those materials (if you like to stay ahead like me!).  Well....my Easter file folder pack is ready!!

This pack includes activities that can be used as file folder activities or printed and used as is.  Activities are created to build vocabulary, use complete sentences, and answer questions while incorporating theme concepts.  Tons of visuals and sentence strips provided!

Included activities:
-What Do They Have?:  Print and glue the boy and girl images onto one side of a file folder.  For each item card, students must use the sentence strips provided to express which person has the different items.  This activity can also be used to work on “who” questions, pronouns, and possessives.

-I Spy In The Easter Picture: Print the scene picture.  Students can use the visual to locate all of the named items.  Goals you can address with this activity: prepositions, answering/asking questions, describing, and using vocabulary in complete sentences.

-What Color Is It?:  Students will sort the Easter items into the correct color category.  Each color has a sentence strip to encourage students to expand utterances as they express the different colors.

-Singular or Plural?:  Students will sort the Easter items into the correct category, singular or plural.  They can use the sentence strip to express which category it belongs into.

-Let’s Describe: Students will be provided with a variety of Easter items to describe.  A visual page of adjectives will be provided (you can glue these adjectives on one side of the file folder).  Students can use the sentence strip provided to describe each Easter item with one of the adjectives provided.  Can it be described with more than one adjective?

You can access this file folder pack in my TpT store by clicking HERE!!

Spring Early Language File Folder Activities!

Although there is still snow on the ground, I think it is appropriate to start creating spring materials!!  First on the to do list, my spring file folder activities!!  I love using these with my low functioning students that are working on basic theme vocabulary, answering basic wh- questions, pronouns, and expanding utterance length!

Activities that can be used as file folder activities or printed and used as is. Activities are created to build vocabulary, use complete sentences, and answer questions while incorporating theme concepts.  Tons of visuals and sentence strips provided!

Activities included:
-What Do They Have?:  Print and glue the boy and girl images onto one side of a file folder.  For each item card, students must use the sentence strips provided to express which person has the different items.  This activity can also be used to work on “who” questions, pronouns, and possessives.

-I Spy In The Spring Scene: Print the scene picture.  Students can use the visual to locate all of the named items.  Goals you can address with this activity: prepositions, answering/asking questions, describing, and using vocabulary in complete sentences.

-What Color Is It?:  Students will sort the spring items into the correct color category.  Each color has a sentence strip to encourage students to expand utterances as they express the different colors.

-Singular or Plural?:  Students will sort the spring items into the correct category, singular or plural.  They can use the sentence strip to express which category it belongs into.


-Where Do You See It?: Students must determine which items are found in the sky and those found in the grass.  They can use the sentence strip provided to express the answer to the question using complete utterances.

You can access this file folder activity pack in my TpT store by clicking HERE!

Valentine's Day Early Language File Folder Activities!!

I love snowy days!  It is a great excuse to relax, catch up, and get ahead with other projects!  So...I got to finish my Valentine's Day file folder pack!!

Using this activity pack:
Activities that can be used as file folder activities or printed and used as is. Activities are created to build vocabulary, use complete sentences, and answer questions while incorporating theme concepts.  Tons of visuals and sentence strips provided!

In this pack:
-What Do They Have?:  Print and glue the boy and girl images onto one side of a file folder.  For each item card, students must use the sentence strips provided to express which person has the different items.  This activity can also be used to work on “who” questions, pronouns, and possessives.

-I Spy In The Valentine’s Day Scene: Print the scene picture.  Students can use the visual to locate all of the named items.  Goals you can address with this activity: prepositions, answering/asking questions, describing, and using vocabulary in complete sentences.

-What Color Is It?:  Students will sort the Valentine’s Day items into the correct color category.  Each color has a sentence strip to encourage students to expand utterances as they express the different colors.

-Singular or Plural?:  Students will sort the Valentine’s Day items into the correct category, singular or plural.  They can use the sentence strip to express which category it belongs into.

-Let’s Describe Presents!:  Students will be provided with a variety of presents to describe.  A visual page of adjectives will be provided (you can glue these adjectives on one side of the file folder).  Students can use the sentence strip provided to describe each present with one of the adjectives provided.  Can it be described with more than one adjective? 

-Does It Have A Heart?: Students must determine which items have a heart and those that do not.  They must answer the yes/no question provided and use the sentence strip to express complete utterances.

You can access this activity pack in my TpT store by clicking HERE!

Winter Early Language File Folder Activities!! (AND GIVEAWAY!!)

It seems like you have been LOVING my file folder packs!!  I have had TONS of requests to create my next one...WINTER!!  Guess what...the time has come..it is finally ready and finished!

What is this pack?!
**Activities that can be used as file folder activities or printed and used as is.  Activities are created to build vocabulary, use complete sentences, and answer questions while incorporating theme concepts.  Tons of visuals and sentence strips provided!

Activities Included:
-What Do They Have?:  Print and glue the boy and girl images onto one side of a file folder.  For each item card, students must use the sentence strips provided to express which person has the different items.  This activity can also be used to work on “who” questions, pronouns, and possessives.

-I Spy In The Winter Scene: Print the scene picture.  Students can use the visual to locate all of the named items.  Goals you can address with this activity: prepositions, answering/asking questions, describing, and using vocabulary in complete sentences.

-What Color Is It?:  Students will sort the winter items into the correct color category.  Each color has a sentence strip to encourage students to expand utterances as they express the different colors.

-Singular or Plural?:  Students will sort the winter items into the correct category, singular or plural.  They can use the sentence strip to express which category it belongs into.

-Present or Past Tense?:  Students will sort the winter verbs into the correct category, present or past tense.  They will also be provided with the sorting visuals for regular or irregular past tense verbs.  Sentence strips will be provided in order to express answers in complete utterances.

-Does It Go On A Snowman?: Students must determine which items go on the snowman and those that do not.  They must answer the yes/no question provided and use the sentence strip to express complete utterances.

You can access this activity in my TpT store by clicking HERE!!  Want to learn more about my other packs available for other seasons/themes?  Click HERE to check them out!

How about a giveaway of this pack to one lucky winner??!  Enter to win below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Year's Writing Activity! (FREEBIE)

Can you believe 2014 is around the corner?!  I know some of you go back to work on January 2nd (do I hear angry noises?!).  As a little "thank you" holiday gift, I have created another New Year's freebie!  You can use this activity as a way to start back up in the new year.  Students can work on these questions independently then share their answers or work on them together out loud.  It is a great way to work on future verb tenses, answering questions, explaining reasons behind answers, elicit conversation, and so much more!

Click HERE to access this freebie!!!

Did you catch my New Year's freebie from last year?!  It is another writing answering questions but for working with students with basic wh- questions goals!  Click HERE to access it!!

Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year!!  Stay tuned to many new ideas, products, and fun in 2014!!

Christmas Early Language File Folder Activities!

My students have been benefiting SO much from my new thematic file folder activities.  It seems like you have been enjoying them as well!!!  Your comments include: I love the sentence strips, variety of skills addressed, and great for the younger population!  Well....my Christmas pack is ready and available!!

What is in this pack and how to do you use it?!
**Activities that can be used as file folder activities or printed and used as is.  Activities are created to build vocabulary, use complete sentences, and answer questions while incorporating theme concepts.  Tons of visuals and sentence strips provided!

-What Do They Have?:  Print and glue the boy and girl images onto one side of a file folder.  For each item card, students must use the sentence strips provided to express which person has the different items.  This activity can also be used to work on “who” questions, pronouns, and possessives.

-I Spy In The Christmas Scene: Print the scene picture.  Students can use the visual to locate all of the named items.  Goals you can address with this activity: prepositions, answering/asking questions, describing, and using vocabulary in complete sentences.

-What Color Is It?:  Students will sort the Christmas items into the correct color category.  Each color has a sentence strip to encourage students to expand utterances as they express the different colors.

-Singular or Plural?:  Students will sort the Christmas items into the correct category, singular or plural.  They can use the sentence strip to express which category it belongs into.

-Present or Past Tense?:  Students will sort the Christmas verbs into the correct category, present or past tense.  They will also be provided with the sorting visuals for regular or irregular past tense verbs.  Sentence strips will be provided in order to express answers in complete utterances.

-Let’s Describe Presents!:  Students will be provided with a variety of presents to describe.  A visual page of adjectives will be provided (you can glue these adjectives on one side of the file folder).  Students can use the sentence strip provided to describe each present with one of the adjectives provided.  Can it be described with more than one adjective? 

-Does It Go On A Christmas Tree?: Students must determine which items go on the tree and those that do not.  They must answer the yes/no question provided and use the sentence strip to express complete utterances.

You can access this activity pack in my TpT store by clicking HERE!

Fun With Verbs & Sentences (App Review!)

I was recently contacted by Hamaguchi Apps for Speech, Language & Auditory Development.  They created a brand new app that works on verbs & sentences.   They were generous to provide me with a copy to try out and review for all of you.  Remember, the thoughts and opinions are all mine!

You can input students names/groups or use the app as "guest."

Here is a view of the settings you can adjust to meet your needs:

Once you are ready, click "play."  Students are provided with verbal instructions to help make a sentence.

First they pick "who" should be in the sentence.  Three choices are provided.  Students should tap the one they want.

Then, they can select what they would want that character to do.  They are provided with three verb pictures.  They can tap the one they want and it will be moved to the sentence dots on the bottom.  

Last, they can pick an object that goes with the action they selected.  As you can see below, I selected "to knock" so I got to select what object I would like the bear to knock.  Again, students should just tap the one they want and it will be brought to the bottom.  

Students are rewarded with hearing their selected sentences while being presented with their visual dots on the bottom.

They get to watch a video based on their sentences they selected.  How rewarding and motivating?!  They created this sentence!!!

After viewing the video, students can touch the three dots as they repeat the sentence they created to describe the video watched.  This is a great way to review sentence structure, build memory, and comprehension of the video watched.  You can record and play back the student verbally producing the sentence.  They can even click "check" to hear the sentence from the app to check their work.  Along the side, are buttons to mark if correct: subject, verb, object.  For each one expressed, you can score it by clicking or have students check themselves.  If incorrect, just don't click it!  

Once ready, hit the green arrow to build another sentence.

At any time, you can click "end session" to finish.  I love it that you do not have to wait until all of the stimuli run out.   User data will be stored in the app.  Please note: guest data will NOT be stored!  So keep that in mind if you chose to work under "guest" as a quick start option.

Others goals to address indirectly:

• pronouns
• compare/contrast
• asking and answering questions
• verb tenses
• categorization
• association
• following directions
• and more!

Want to learn more about this great $9.99 app for building sentence structure, learning about verbs and subject/action/object?!  Click HERE to visit iTunes!