Pete-the-Cat-like Pattern Block Activity

Easter is just around the corner! Can you believe how this year has just flown by?

On holidays I like to stray a little from the district scope & sequence. Nix that. I did not officially say that. What I meant to say is I teach first grade skills and concepts, but I like to put a holiday spin on them. Where I teach,  first grade is discouraged from teaching thematically. We leave that to the Kinder teachers. But I'm going to supplement my plans with a little Easter fun from Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure by Kimberly and James Dean. 

 I created this packet for my firsties: 

You can find the packet here. Or, you can Pin It to Win It and maybe get it for FREE! Here's how:

1. Pin the cover of the packet on Pinterest. 

2. Leave a comment including your email address and the link to the Pin.

I've never hosted a Pin It to Win It, so I have no idea how many teachers will enter, but I'll randomly choose one person for every five pinners and send you the packet. Contest closes Sunday, April 13th at noon (central time). 

Wanna incorporate a little math and a craftivity with your Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure? 

Check out this Pete the Cat made from pattern blocks. 

 Students can accomplish this several ways:

1. Freely construct a cat out of pattern blocks.
2. Use a pattern/tracer and fill in blocks.
3. Guided activity. 

First, design the face of a cat on blue construction paper using pattern blocks. Then, trace the cat. 

Next, trace the eyes on orange construction paper and the nose on white construction paper. Then cut out the face, eyes, and nose. Arrange the pieces to look like Pete the Cat, then glue the pieces.

To make this craft more Big Easter Adventure-like, draw bunny ears, cut them out and glue to them behind the cat's ears. That what my class is going to do. This craft would be an excellent along side one of the writing prompts in my packet. 

Need the tracer? I'll upload one to TpT later this week. 

You can have your kiddos build the cat on the tracer, then trace it to make the craftivity. 

I'll be back later this week with the link to the tracer and a fabulous suggestion for Easter egg hunts at school! Don't forget to check back.