Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom

Hey y'all! Do you read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom at the beginning of the year? I read it the second week of kindergarten and it's the perfect introduction to learning our letters and investigating our names. It is one of my favorite units in kindergarten.


We like to start the week by going on a letter hunt. I place the letter cards around the campus, and together we go find the letters. I usually use the capital letters for this activity since most students recognize capitals before lower case letters. This activity serves two purposes at the beginning of the year: first, we practice identifying letters; second, we practice walking in a line and staying together. Both skills are super important to learn at the beginning of kindergarten! (Sorry they look stripey. My printer had issues. They don't have stripes normally. I bought a new printer after taking these pictures.)

After our letter hunt, we can use the cards in the classroom in a couple of ways. First, we can use just the letter cards to match capitals and lower case letters. This can be done in a pocket chart, by placing them on a clothesline with clothespins (great for fine motor!), or by playing memory. Your students that already know the capital and lower case letters will benefit most by the last game.

Cards can also be put in ABC order either on the clothesline, on the floor, or across the white board. Add some magnet strips to the back after laminating and you'll give the game a whole new novelty.

Another way to play is by using the bonus cards. With this game, students draw a card off the stack. If they know the letter, they get to keep the card. If they don't, they have to put the card at the bottom of the stack. If they draw an "Aw, Coconuts!" card, they put all their cards back. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

This game is a great way to teach social skills--primarily taking turns and how to handle setbacks. I would use this game a little later in the school year when I know which students can handle having to put their cards back and we've talked about how to win and lose graciously.

There are so many excellent activities that go along with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. These cards will last you the entire unit and more. I usually print a couple of sets so that students at different levels can use them with the different activities. For a set of your own, click here.

Well, I hope you got some new ideas for your classroom. Stay tuned for more great resources coming soon. I'm always adding new things, so be sure to follow me on TPT for the latest updates, ideas, and resources. Have a wonderful week and I'll talk to you soon. 

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