Educational Free Resources From Kindergarten Teacher Greg Smedley-Warren

Greg Smedley-Warren, known affectionately as "Mr. Greg," is a dedicated kindergarten educator who has created a variety of free educational resources for fellow teachers. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, Smedley-Warren shares his expertise through downloadable materials that cover various subjects and activities suitable for early childhood education. His free resources, available through his blog and Teachers Pay Teachers store, provide valuable tools for educators seeking to enhance their classroom instruction without additional cost.

About Greg Smedley-Warren

Greg Smedley-Warren is an experienced kindergarten teacher and the creative mind behind The Kindergarten Smorgasboard educational resources. His teaching journey spans approximately 18-20 years, beginning with a year in fifth grade, followed by two years in second grade, before transitioning to kindergarten where he has found his true passion. Despite initial reluctance to teach kindergarteners, Smedley-Warren discovered an instant connection with young students on his very first day in a kindergarten classroom, confirming that this was his educational calling.

Currently teaching in Nashville, Tennessee, Smedley-Warren brings a wealth of experience and creativity to his resource development. His educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Indiana University and an ELL Certification from David Lipscomb University. Beyond his regular teaching duties, he has also enriched his global teaching experience by spending summers teaching in Ecuador.

Outside the classroom, Smedley-Warren is a family man living with his husband Jason (referred to as "The Mister"), their daughter Adelynn, and their dog Dolly. This personal connection to education and family values is reflected in the thoughtful, child-centered approach he takes to creating educational resources.

Types of Free Educational Resources

Math Activities

Smedley-Warren offers several free math resources designed to engage young learners in developing fundamental numeracy skills. His counting ants worksheet provides a hands-on approach to number recognition and counting. The activity instructs students to roll dice, count the dots, say the numbers aloud, and color in ten frames, making abstract mathematical concepts concrete and accessible for kindergarten students.

Another mathematical resource includes ten frames that can be used for counting activities and building number recognition skills. These tools align with common core standards for geometry and provide teachers with versatile materials to support early mathematics development.

Literacy Resources

Smedley-Warren's literacy freebies focus on building foundational reading skills in young students. His sight word based emergent readers are particularly valuable for early literacy development. These readers feature simple, predictable patterns that allow kindergarten students to experience success as readers, building confidence and fluency.

The creator has also developed word cards that serve multiple purposes in the classroom. These cards can be used for vocabulary development activities and "write the room" exercises, where students search for and copy words posted throughout the classroom environment. Such resources help expand young learners' vocabularies and reinforce word recognition skills.

Craftivity Patterns

Smedley-Warren offers several craftivity patterns that correspond with popular children's books, adding a creative dimension to literacy instruction. His free resources include:

• A craftivity pattern to accompany "Aliens Love Panta Claus," with all pattern pieces included along with pictures of the final product and detailed directions
• A simple craft activity to complement the book "Moosletoe," featuring patterns for the moose's head, antlers, eyes, moosestache, and star

These craft activities not only support book comprehension but also develop fine motor skills and creativity in young students. The inclusion of visual examples and step-by-step instructions makes these resources particularly user-friendly for teachers.

Seasonal and Holiday Resources

Recognizing the importance of celebrating diverse traditions in the classroom, Smedley-Warren has created holiday-themed educational materials. His collection includes Hanukkah word cards designed to introduce students to this important cultural and religious celebration. These word cards can be incorporated into various classroom activities to promote cultural awareness and understanding during the holiday season.

Additionally, his store on Teachers Pay Teachers features holiday and seasonal resources, including Christmas and Chanukah materials, which provide teachers with ready-to-use activities that align with classroom celebrations while maintaining educational value.

Community Helper Resources

Smedley-Warren has developed a "Community Helper Roll and Color" activity that helps young students learn about different community helpers in an engaging, interactive format. This resource includes copyright information and usage guidelines, specifying that duplication is permitted only for personal classroom use. The activity encourages students to identify and learn about various community members while practicing basic skills.

How to Access These Free Resources

Educators interested in utilizing Smedley-Warren's free resources have several access points. His Teachers Pay Teachers store features a selection of free materials that can be downloaded directly from the platform. These resources are clearly marked as FREE and often include user reviews and ratings to help teachers evaluate their quality and appropriateness for specific classroom needs.

For each free resource, Smedley-Warren typically includes a "Thank you" message with contact information ([email protected]) for questions, suggestions, or concerns. He encourages teachers to reach out with feedback or inquiries about his materials.

The usage guidelines for these resources generally specify that they are intended for personal classroom use only. Duplication for purposes other than individual classroom instruction is typically prohibited, respecting the creator's intellectual property rights while allowing teachers to use the materials with their own students.

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard Blog

A central hub for Smedley-Warren's educational philosophy and additional free resources is his blog, "The Kindergarten Smorgasboard." Through this platform, he regularly shares ideas, resources, and teaching strategies with the broader educational community. The blog serves as an extension of his Teachers Pay Teachers store, offering even more free materials and insights into his approach to kindergarten education.

Smedley-Warren consistently invites visitors to his blog to discover "more ideas, resources and freebies," positioning it as an ongoing source of valuable materials for educators. The blog's content aligns with his teaching experience and classroom practices, providing authentic, classroom-tested resources that address the needs of both teachers and young learners.

The blog's URL has been referenced in multiple sources as both "http://www.thekindergartensmorgasboard.com" and "http://kindergartensmorgasboard.blogspot.com," suggesting that it may have undergone platform changes or that the creator maintains multiple online presences to maximize accessibility for his audience.

Conclusion

Greg Smedley-Warren represents a valuable resource in the educational community through his commitment to creating and sharing free materials for fellow teachers. With nearly two decades of kindergarten teaching experience, his resources reflect a deep understanding of early childhood development and classroom needs. His collection of freebies spans multiple subject areas, including math, literacy, seasonal activities, and community helper lessons, providing comprehensive support for kindergarten instruction.

Teachers seeking to enhance their classroom materials without additional cost can benefit from Smedley-Warren's offerings, which are accessible through his Teachers Pay Teachers store and blog. His resources not only save educators time and money but also demonstrate the power of collaborative sharing within the teaching profession. By making his materials freely available, Smedley-Warren contributes to the collective knowledge and resources available to early childhood educators, ultimately benefiting students through more engaging, well-designed learning experiences.

Sources

1. Counting Ants Worksheet
2. Teachers Pay Teachers Store
3. Elevate Your Classroom - Greg Smedley-Warren
4. Elevate Your Classroom - Team Page
5. Kindergarten IRC Freebies
6. Community Helpers Roll and Color Document