Sometimes you find very unexpected treasures in the thrift store bins. Today’s post is based on just that! This summer I found a package of these mini license plates at my local Goodwill. I thought they were so cool and I grabbed them and put them in my ‘make something awesome with these pile!’ I decided to print out a map of the USA and use it with my upper elementary students! This summer I just have a couple of older students but I’ll let you know how I’ve used them so far!
For a student working on articulation carryover of /r/ we put all the plates into a bucket. As he pulled the plates, he had to identify the state and find it on the map. We used ink daubers to cover the states we found. If he said it correctly, he used orange to mark the state and he scored a point. If he needed prompts, I used purple to cover the state and I earned a point! I love incorporating other content areas into the speech room so for my 4th grade student this was a great summer review in geography!
The other student I used this activity with is a student who is currently working on language objectives. They include sequencing, comprehension, developing short stories, etc. We pulled the plates one at a time. We marked them on the map as though we were on a road trip. For each state, she had to indicate an activity we could do in that state! I stacked the deck so that we started with the Ohio plate (since that’s where we are!) Then we went to Florida (Disney!), Louisiana (swamps), Colorado (skiing), and so on! We drew the map and then used the ipad to video our story retell. I plan to use it as a reinforcer activity in my mixed groups this year. I think I will divide the map into regions for each student. I also plan to use it with one of my social groups. I have some 4th and 5th graders who have been working on the idea of persuasion. Each student will draw a plate and that will be the state they focus on. We can do a little research on the ipad and then they can make a persuasive argument to the group. Then we can compare and contrast their states. How would you use these mini license plates? I really have no idea where to find these. I googled it, but didn’t find any matches. All the plates say 1988 on them, so I’m guessing they’re not made anymore.
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I believe you can find mini license plates in tourist spots.
That is a great find! I just searched on e-bay- they must be a collectible: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Bicycle-License-Plates-1990-Cereal-Premiums-United-States-Collectible-/200791311270?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec01843a6
Love the activity!
If I can’t find these I think I will just make my own mini license plates by laminating Google images of the 50 state licenses. Wouldn’t it be fun to pull a plate out of a mystery box and play a verbal charades game? Students have to give clues as to where their state is and/or what a popular thing to do in that state would be.
Thats a great plan Rhonda! Charades is a great idea!!! I’m totally going to you that! And maybe the kids can ask questions -ie: What’s the weather in your state. I have lots of kids who need to work on developing questions!
Thanks for the ebay link. Those are pricey! Someone on pinterest said they bought some in a junk sale this summer too! Tourists spots are a great idea too!
so cute!!! I’ve always loved license plates!
I think you could talk about vanity plates and semantics. What does Sno Bunny mean? Why would someone choose “Grizzly” as their license plate name?
…cont’d
What does the X in X-Country mean? What other words have X in them? What would you put on your license plate?
Great post, Jenna- seems like you have a great find there (lots of figurative language too) and if your readers can’t find the plates they can make/print their own with the ACME Generator. Hope your summer is going well- let’s chat soon!
http://www.speechtechie.com/2011/04/license-plate-generator.html
Those are really cool! Kindergarteners could use those, just to practice identifying letters and numbers! You could also work on categories/organizing/grouping with the license plates. Students could group them by color, first letter on the plate, states, region the states are in, first letter of the state, etc.
@Speech Homework – I think X-Country means cross country.
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I love this idea and was able to copy some state plates to a powerpoint to print out and use with a map. I love using content that the kids have to learn and many enjoy maps and states.