Comprehensive Guide To Free Educational Resources From The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard website, created by Mr. Greg, offers a comprehensive collection of free educational resources for kindergarten teachers. This article provides a detailed overview of the available free materials, including math activities, reading resources, classroom decorations, and teaching aids. All resources are accessible through the website and can be downloaded by educators looking to enhance their kindergarten classroom experience.

Overview of The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard is a resource website created by Mr. Greg, a kindergarten teacher who shares classroom materials and teaching resources. The website features a dedicated "Freebies" section that contains current and future educational resources available at no cost. Teachers are encouraged to download these materials, leave comments about their experiences, and share on social media using the hashtag #happyclassrooms. The website also showcases classroom setup progress and teaching experiences through regular blog posts and social media updates.

Math Resources

The website offers a variety of free math resources for kindergarten classrooms, including:

• Math worksheets and activities for learning how to write and draw with different objects
• "I Have Who Has" games for numbers 11-20 with a cowboy theme
• SAT 10 test practice materials
• "Tall Giraffe Freebie" for math instruction
• Food-themed ten frames for counting activities
• Lego addition activities
• Mardi Gras ten frames
• Ten frame recording sheets
• Counting fireflies activities
• "Greater Than/Less Than" recording sheets
• "Wrasslin With Numbers" calendar number freebies
• Treasure hunter calendar cards
• "Boot Scootin' Boogy" ten frames
• "HIGH YA!" ninja addition write the room activities
• "Cinco de Mayo" addition and subtraction activities
• Decomposing dice activities
• "Lighting Up Number Recognition" materials
• "Butters Ten Frame" activities
• Gangnam style twenty frames
• Dinosaur number cards

Reading and Language Arts Resources

The website provides numerous resources for developing reading and language skills in kindergarten students:

• Emergent readers such as "Little Elf, Little Elf, What Do You See?" and "Leprechaun, Leprechaun What Do You See?"
• "The Big Bad Wolf Poem" and "The President Poem"
• CVC "I Have Who Has" game
• "Gangnam Style Sight Words" materials
• "Pretty In Pink Sight Words" and "Great Outdoors Sight Words"
• "Word Study Notebook" labels
• Community helper word and picture cards
• Princess letter cards created by a 4-year-old named Gracelynn
• "One Two Zoo Poem"
• Vowel hat activity
• "Aliens Love Panta Claus" craftivity
• Zoo emergent reader
• Animal counting by 5 and 10 activities
• Parts of a plant emergent reader
• Easter bunny emergent reader
• Cloudy jellybean subtraction activities

Science and Discovery Resources

The website includes science experiment resources and discovery activities:

• A hands-on science experiment for creating bouncy balls
• Plant parts and needs poster craftivity
• Meerkat craftivity
• "It's A Jungle QR Codes" activity

Classroom Organization and Decor Resources

The website offers resources for organizing and decorating kindergarten classrooms:

• Monster letters for classroom word walls
• Bright polka dot name tags
• Treasure hunter name tags
• Glitter name tags
• 5 classroom rules posters
• Recycling poster
• Firework calendar numbers
• Superhero calendar cards
• Editable mustache book bin labels
• Writing paper templates
• Letter recording sheets
• Recycling poster

Seasonal and Holiday Resources

The website provides themed resources for various seasons and holidays:

• St. Patrick's Day materials
• Valentine's Day "I Have Who Has" game
• Thanksgiving-themed letter and sound center
• Christmas emergent reader
• Cinco de Mayo addition and subtraction
• Mardi Gras ten frames
• Easter bunny emergent reader
• Leprechaun emergent reader

Teacher Resources and Professional Development

The website offers resources specifically for teachers:

• "3 Glows And A Grow" form for parent-teacher conferences
• Advice for first-year teachers
• Classroom setup ideas

The "3 Glows And A Grow" form is particularly notable as it provides teachers with a structured approach to parent-teacher conferences. This resource allows educators to share three positive aspects about each child (the glows) and one area where the child can improve or grow (the grow). According to the website, this form was well-received by parents during conferences.

For first-year teachers, the website offers advice based on Mr. Greg's personal experience. He reflects on his challenging first year without a good team or mentor, expressing how he felt alone but ultimately overcame these challenges to become a better teacher. He encourages new teachers not to be afraid to ask for help.

How to Access the Free Resources

Teachers can access these free resources through The Kindergarten Smorgasboard website by:

1. Visiting the "Freebies" page which lists all current and future free resources
2. Clicking on the pictures or links provided to download each resource
3. Some resources are available through Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) store, while others are direct downloads
4. Leaving comments on the blog to provide feedback about the resources
5. Sharing on social media using the hashtag #happyclassrooms

The website also encourages teachers to follow Mr. Greg on Instagram (@kindergartensmorgasboard) for sneak peeks of classroom setup and teaching resources.

Types of Activities Available

The free resources cover a wide variety of activity types suitable for kindergarten classrooms:

• Craftivities: These are craft activities combined with learning objectives, such as the "Aliens Love Panta Claus" craftivity and the meerkat craftivity.
• Emergent Readers: Simple books designed for early readers, including holiday-themed readers like "Little Elf, Little Elf, What Do You See?"
• Math Games: Interactive games to teach mathematical concepts, such as "I Have Who Has" games and ten frame activities.
• Word Walls: Visual aids for teaching vocabulary, including the monster letters designed for classroom word walls.
• Recording Sheets: Worksheets for documenting learning activities, such as letter recording sheets and ten frame recording sheets.
• Calendar Materials: Themed calendar numbers and cards for seasonal and holiday decorations.
• Science Experiments: Hands-on activities like the bouncy ball experiment.
• Center Activities: Learning stations focused on specific skills, such as the Thanksgiving-themed letter and sound center.

Classroom Themes

Many of the free resources are organized around specific classroom themes:

• Monster Theme: The website features numerous monster-themed resources, including monster letters, monster classroom decorations, and various monster-themed activities.
• Western/Cowboy Theme: Resources include the "I Have Who Has Numbers 11-20 Cowboy" game.
• Superhero Theme: Materials include superhero calendar cards and various superhero-themed activities.
• Jungle Theme: Resources include jungle QR codes activities and jungle-themed decorations.
• Holiday Themes: Special resources for various holidays including Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, and Thanksgiving.

Special Features

Some resources have unique features that make them particularly valuable for kindergarten teachers:

• Editable Resources: Several resources, such as the "3 Glows And A Grow" form and mustache book bin labels, are editable, allowing teachers to customize them to their specific needs.
• Student-Created Resources: Some resources, like the princess letter cards created by 4-year-old Gracelynn, showcase student work and can serve as inspiration for classroom activities.
• Glitter Elements: Many resources incorporate glitter elements, with the creator expressing a strong preference for glitter in classroom decorations, as indicated by hashtags like #teamglitter, #moreglitter, and #glittereverything.

Conclusion

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard website offers an extensive collection of free educational resources for kindergarten teachers. These materials cover a wide range of subjects including math, reading, science, and classroom organization, with many resources available for different seasons and holidays. The website is regularly updated with new free materials, making it a valuable resource for educators looking to enhance their kindergarten classroom experience without additional cost. The resources are accessible through simple download processes, and the website encourages community interaction through comments and social media sharing.

Sources

1. Pinterest - Smedley's Smorgasboard of Kindergarten Freebies
2. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard - Mr. Greg is Famous and Freebies
3. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard - Manic Monday Freebies
4. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard - Kindergarten Smorgasboard of Conference
5. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard - Freebies Page
6. The Kindergarten Smorgasboard - Kindergarten Smorgasboard Freebie