Practice the ABC's by making pop-up books! Each day, as you present a new letter to the class, have students brainstorm words that begin with that letter, and write the words on the board. Ask each student to choose a word to illustrate on regular white paper; then color and cut out for the alphabet page. For example, if O is the letter for the day, children might draw an orange, an orangutan, or an octopus. While they are working on their pictures, pass out pre-made construction-paper pop-up pages. To prepare the pages, fold a piece of construction paper in half. Using an X-acto knife, cut two parallel slits two-inches long to make a tab. Each student will paste his or her illustration onto the tab, so that when the page is opened, the illustration pops out. Then have them write the corresponding letter and word on the page. Each day the children can see the books grow as they glue on a new page. When the pages are finished, kids can make covers for their books and protect them with clear contact paper. Students will love reading each other's pop-ups.

By Patty Rouse, Roseburg Junior Academy, Roseburg, OR