This bundle includes:

1. Vertebrate Definition Cards (L): Print on cardstock, cut and laminate for prolonged use.  

2. Vertebrate Tracing (M): There are 5 Vertebrates to trace. Print on cardstock and laminate all copies. You can display the colored copies. Provide blanks on a tray with good quality tracing paper, 2 clothespins and a sharpie. Child will trace animal. A fun extension is to paint using watercolor (I like the 36 color palettes from Amazon or Michael’s) to paint in the drawing.

3. Non-Writing Scavenger Hunt + Sorting Activity  (L): For the scavenger hunt print, cut and hang the pictures throughout your learning space. The children can then walk around, find, and document how many of each they see. For the sorting activity also print, laminate, and cut. There are category labels included. Consider using the Vertebrate Definitions Cards for this lesson as well.  

4. Writing Scavenger Hunt (L): The colored labels can be printed, laminated, and hung around the room. Children can walk around the room with the documentation sheet on a clipboard to write the words as they are found. Alternatively they can be used with the Moveable Alphabet. We do an exercise called “Read. Spell. Write.”

5. 5 Categories of Vertebrates Booklets(M): Print, laminate and cut master copies. Using a ½” book ring, make each set into a little book (there are 5 sets). Print student copies and leave whole. Child will color, label, cut and staple their own booklets. 

6. Vertebrate Missing Initial Sounds  (L): I recommend printing onto cardstock, laminating, and cutting into strips. Present it to children with a dry erase marker. There are 14 words.  Also, consider printing copies and having available on language shelf to fill in and color.  

7. Land Air Water Printable Mat (M):  Print and laminate and tape together. A fun way to use this is to hang it on a wall, placing velcro circles on the different areas and providing the sorting cards so children can hang the animals on the mat!

8. Land Air Water Animal Sorting Cards (M): Print, laminate and cut cards and labels. You can use the LAW labels as sorting areas for pictures. Additionally, if you want to use these animals with the LAW Printable Mat, I might suggest cutting around the animals instead of on the lines. Use velcro to make these animals and the mat interactive!

9. Vertebrate Riddles (L): Print onto cardstock, laminate, and cut out these cards. Read the riddle to the child and have them figure out the answer. 10 riddles included. 

10. Sets Basket (L): Print onto cardstock and laminate for prolonged use. Have the child sort the animals, count, and match the number card to quantity. There is an included extension activity for child who are writing numbers. 

11. Little Turtle Poem (M):  Print and laminate the colored master. Provide student sheets whole. Child colors in pictures, cuts and staples into a booklet. We love to say this poem together with hand movements!

12. Types of a Vertebrate Fortune Teller (L): Print and fold to create this childhood favorite activity. If you don’t remember how to fold these then google “how to fold a paper fortune teller/cootie catcher.”

13. Moveable Vertebrate Animals (M):  Print, laminate and cut the colored master copy as an example. Pin punch or whole punch where the large black dots are. Using small paper fasteners, assemble animals. Print blanks on cardstock. Provide a tray with a pin punch, mat, scissors, coloring tools and paper fasteners. Child will color, cut and assemble animals. There are 5 included.

14. Animal Clinic (L): This includes a sign to hang, a “checkup” sheet for the veterinarian, and 9 common pet labels to help with filling in the sheet. There is a sheet with photos that describes how this work is setup and presented at Bluebird. I like to set-up this dramatic play area while studying vertebrates because pets cover all 5 categories!

Note: Please use these materials in your classrooms and homes but send your friends our way to purchase their own. We work hard to create beautiful handmade materials which help support our families. 

Marissa Frisk: www.missymontessori.com IG @missymontessori

Leah Walsh: www. craftingyourclassroom.com IG @bluebirdmontessori

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