There are so many things to be learned from a fossil unit! Today, I’m sharing free do-a-dot printables for both /f/ for fossils and /ĭ/ for imprint! Both pages can be used for beginning sound work or for more advanced phonics work and to reinforce knowledge of fossils. As usual, the free printable is an instant download and super easy to prepare!
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Note: Be sure to read to the bottom of the post where you’ll find lots of ideas for using do-a-dot printables along with at least one free do-a-dot printable for each letter of the alphabet!ssori-Inspired Printables at Living Montessori Now
My daughter, Chrissy (a former Montessori child), and I are partnering to bring you a series of Montessori-inspired printables. The printables are typically themed and use a number of Montessori principles (although you don’t need to be a Montessori teacher or homeschooler to use them):
- They use isolation of quality.
- They use photographs or realistic images to emphasize reality. Whenever I can, I’ll tell you the specific name of the object or animal featured on the credits page.
- They typically use traditional Montessori colors such as red for consonants and blue for vowels.
- They use lowercase letters, which are what we introduce letter sounds with in Montessori education. (Children tend to pick up the uppercase letters without being introduced if they’re introduced to the lowercase letter sounds.)
- They often feature themed printable versions of Montessori materials.
Free Fossils and Imprint Do-a-Dot Phonics Printabels
To download the fossils and imprint do-a-dot phonics printables, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).
Fossils and Imprint Do-a-Dot Tray
Fossils and Imprint Do-a-Dot Tray with Glass Gem Transfer
This do-a-dot printable can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the age and ability of the child. A younger child could just use do-a-dot markers, stickers, or some sort of transfer on the do-a-dot page and focus on the /f/ sound and/or / ĭ/ sound, while an older preschooler could trace the letters and build the word “fossils” and/or “imprint” with the Montessori movable alphabet. You can also use it to introduce the cursive letters “f” and “i”, using the free cursive font cards from our printable pack.
I used a Multicraft tray, mini wood easels with a /f/ for fossils font card (available in oprint, D’Nealian, and cursive) and / ĭ/ for imprint font card, chopsticks, toast tongs (which are great until children can use chopsticks), and glass gems. If you prefer, you can use a variety of tools for transfer activities, such as quick sticks, sugar tongs, or the toast tongs.
You could add a tracing activity to the printable. If you laminate your printable, you can use an erasable crayon like the Melissa & Doug Learning Mat Crayons or Crayola Erasable Crayons. If your page isn’t laminated, you could add a pencil or colored pencils. I often do that. For a 2-year-old or other young preschooler who’s not ready to write letters, you can just leave off the crayon or pencils.
Scroll down to see lots of ideas for using our do-a-dot printables for a variety of ages and themes.
Fossils and Imprint Phonics Activities and Do-a-Dot Work
Working with Fossils and Imprint Do-a-Dot Pages
This type of activity is wonderful for fine-motor development, increasing attention span, and reinforcing letter sounds. For older children or children who are ready, you can focus on blending sounds into the word “fossils” and/or “imprint” or spelling “fossils” and/or “imprint.”
It’s always fun to watch my 4-year-old grandkids, Caleb and Sophia, work together on activities. Sometimes, they’ve spelled the do-a-dot words together with the movable alphabet. This time, we just focused on the beginning sounds and sounding out the words “fossils” and “imprint.”
We spent extra time with actual fossils from our Dancing Bear Fossil Collection. We talked about some of the commonly known fossils, and Caleb and Sophia each had a chance to feel them.
Then Caleb and Sophia traced the dotted letters on their do-a-dot pages. They used triangular grip pencils to trace the letters. Triangular grip pencils are a great way to help young children develop the proper pencil grip. They took turns using the blue pencil to trace the blue letters and the red pencil to trace the red letters.
After that, Sophia used the chopsticks to transfer glass gems to the letter “i while Caleb used toast tongs with the letter “f.” Caleb used the toast tongs for part of the letter and his fingers for part, which was fine. I make the tools available but don’t require that they use them for the entire letter.
For children under age 3, I typically use the do-a-dot printables for vocabulary, hearing the beginning sound of a word, and fine-motor skills. Generally, with toddlers, I’ll just focus on the /f/ sound at the beginning of “fossils.”
With preschoolers who are working on their letter sounds, we follow the order shown in this post along with adding the featured letter. I don’t worry about going out of order for the monthly theme.
If you want to know more about how to introduce the /f/ or / ĭ/ sound, check out my post on how to teach letter sounds using Montessori principles.
I only use printables with children under age 3 that can be used for hands-on work, such as do-a-dot work, scissor cutting (cutting strips), or another type of printable that can be made into a manipulative. Printables when used with manipulatives are great for fine-motor development, work on important skills, and fit with the hands-on activities that are developmentally appropriate for toddlers.
For older children who already know their letter sounds but still enjoy do-a-dot work, I often add the print movable alphabet word building, phonogram work, another hands-on activity to go with the do-a-dot work, and/or cursive movable alphabet and word analysis work. (Note: These examples have more than one type of additional activity, which I like for older children.)
General Fossil and Dinosaur Resources
Free Fossil Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fossil Activities
Free Fossils and Imprint Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
- Dinosaur Discovery Activities from Montessori By Mom
- Montessori-Inspired Dinosaur Unit
- Montessori-Inspired Dinosaur Fun with Printables, Water Beads, and Glass Gems
- Montessori-Inspired Dinosaur Activities Using Dinosaur Replicas
- Make Fossils from Montessori at Home!
- Free Dinosaur Printables and Montessori-Inspired Dinosaur Math Activities
- Dinosaur Ice Melt Science Experiment for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Free Dinosaur Printables and Montessori-Inspired Dinosaur Language Activities
- Free Dinosaur Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Dinosaur Cutting Strips {Montessori-Inspired Instant Download}
- I Have, Who Has? Dinosaur Game
- Free Oviparous Animal Printables and Montessori-Inspired Oviparous Animal Activities
- Dinosaur Unit Study Pinterest Board
ROCK AND MINERAL RESOURCES
Rock and Mineral Books for Kids
- Simple Excavation Sensory Tubs
- Rocks and Minerals Unit Study
- Story Stones – Farm Animal Families Treasure Basket
- Free Rocks and Minerals Printables and Montessori-Inspired Rocks and Minerals Activities
- Free Rock and Quartzite Do-a-Dot Phonics Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Rocks and Minerals Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Rocks and Minerals Songs and Educational Videos
- The Best Rock and Mineral Books for Kids
- Free Geology Lessons (20 Pages from KHT Montessori)
- Rocks and Minerals/Geology Unit Study Pinterest Board
Montessori-Inspired Fossil Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my newsletter to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Free Do-a-Dot Printables and Ideas for Using Them
I love the versatility of do-a-dot printables! If you’re doing a month-long theme, you could easily change out the type of do-a-dot activity weekly to add interest. Here are four ideas of hands-on activities for any of our do-a-dot printables from my frog do-a-dot printable post (see post for details and materials used).
Just click on an image to go to the post with the related free printable!
Note: I’ve arranged the following gallery in alphabetical order, although some posts have two do-a-dot printables (and two different letters). You’ll find at least one free do-a-dot printable for each letter of the alphabet!
Also, I don’t introduce letters in alphabetical order. You can find out the order in which I introduce letter sounds here. I deviate from that order for our unit studies, though, and focus on a letter that’s simply related to our unit. That’s in addition to our other letter work.
You can see all our free do-a-dot printables with the latest at the top here.
For complete themed alphabet do-a-dot packs, see our Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, Spanish Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, and Healthy Food Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack available for purchase in the Living Montessori Now shop.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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