Make, Take & Teach is a resource provider focused on delivering hands-on instructional materials for early education, particularly in the areas of literacy, phonemic awareness, and intervention strategies. The organization operates primarily through a Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) storefront and a Pinterest presence, offering both free and paid resources designed for educators working with students from preschool through third grade. According to the provided source material, the activities are created by a professional with experience as a Response to Intervention (RtI) Coordinator, ensuring that materials align with established educational standards and commonly administered assessments such as DIBELS Next.
The core philosophy of Make, Take & Teach revolves around "hands-on support and professional development." The resources are designed to be used in small group interventions or literacy centers. While the materials are educational in nature, they function as freebies and promotional offers within the context of digital content distribution. These resources allow teachers and parents to access high-quality instructional tools without direct cost, functioning similarly to free samples in the consumer space by allowing users to try specific activities before committing to larger, paid intervention kits.
Available Free Educational Resources
The Make, Take & Teach catalog includes a variety of free digital downloads. These "freebies" cover specific instructional needs, ranging from basic letter recognition to complex sight word fluency. The resources are categorized by grade level (preschool to 3rd grade) and subject matter, including Balanced Literacy and Reading.
Based on the source data, the following specific free resources are available:
- Consonant Digraphs Posters: A set of four posters referencing the "sh," "ch," "th," and "wh" digraphs. These posters are designed to correlate with visual cues on a Consonant Digraphs Cue Card, assisting students in identifying specific letter combinations.
- Halloween Themed Game Boards: Six game boards with a Halloween theme, intended for small group instruction or literacy centers.
- St. Patrick's Day Sight Word Game Boards: Seven colorful game boards containing words from the Dolch Sight Word lists 1-6. These are designed to be used during small group instruction or literacy centers.
- ABC Turtle Activity: A free activity for preschool and kindergarten teachers focused on making learning letters and sounds fun. It is described as a "fun little freebie" for use in small groups.
- Vowel Sounds of "Y" Visual Aid: A teaching tool using the story and graphic of the letter "y" "stealing" the sounds of "i" and "e" to help students visualize and learn the vowel sounds of "y."
- Valentine's Day Sight Word Game Boards: Nine "candied" sight word game boards containing words from the Dolch sight word lists, designed for Valentine's Day centers or small group instruction.
- Keyword Alphabet Flash Cards: Colorful and engaging flash cards for students learning letters and sounds. These are part of larger paid products but are available as a free download.
- Make, Take & Teach Catalog: A downloadable catalog that provides ready access to all activities, freebies, and handouts in one place, categorized for easy reference.
Access Methods and Eligibility
Accessing the free materials provided by Make, Take & Teach involves specific digital channels. The primary platforms for distribution are Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) and Pinterest.
Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) Storefront: The primary repository for these freebies is the Make, Take & Teach store on TpT. Users can browse the store for "FREE" items. The source material indicates that there are at least 44 results available in the store, with a subset being free downloads. * Process: Users select a free product, such as the Consonant Digraphs Posters, and download the file. * Incentives: The platform encourages users to leave feedback on downloaded products. Doing so earns the user "TpT purchasing credit," which can be applied toward future purchases on the site.
Pinterest Presence: Make, Take & Teach maintains a Pinterest profile where they curate ideas and freebies. * Process: Users can visit the Make, Take & Teach Pinterest page to discover ideas and link back to the TpT store or blog for downloads. * Content: The Pinterest presence includes boards such as "Make, Take & Teach FREEBIES" and "180 Make, Take & Teach Freebies and Phonemic Awareness Activities Ideas."
Blog and Social Media: The provider encourages users to visit their blog and join their Facebook and Pinterest pages for more teaching ideas and activities. These channels serve as promotional vehicles to direct traffic to the TpT store where the actual digital downloads occur.
Eligibility: * Target Audience: The resources are explicitly designed for K-3rd grade teachers, RtI Coordinators, and parents of preschool and kindergarten-aged children. * Requirements: There are no financial or geographic restrictions mentioned for accessing the free digital downloads. However, users must have an account with Teachers Pay Teachers to download files, though account creation is generally free.
Product Quality and Educational Alignment
Make, Take & Teach emphasizes that the materials are not merely generic worksheets but are aligned with educational standards and assessment data.
Professional Background: The creator is identified as an RtI Coordinator who works closely with K-3rd grade teachers. This professional experience informs the design of the materials, ensuring they are practical for classroom intervention and support.
Assessment Alignment: The materials, particularly the paid intervention kits, align with the "Big Five Ideas" of reading and commonly administered assessments like DIBELS Next. While the freebies are standalone activities, they are derived from the same instructional methodology.
Physical vs. Digital Products: While the free resources are digital downloads, the source material mentions that paid intervention kits contain 15 activities printed on 90lb cardstock. This distinction highlights that the freebies are digital "samples" of the quality found in the physical, paid kits.
Review and Reception: The TpT store listings show high user ratings. For example, the Consonant Digraphs Posters are rated 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 161 reviews, indicating a high level of satisfaction and trust among the user base.
Usage Scenarios
The freebies are designed for flexibility in educational settings:
- Small Group Instruction: Many of the game boards (Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day) are explicitly recommended for use during small group reading sessions.
- Literacy Centers: The hands-on nature of activities like the ABC Turtle or cookie sheet activities (mentioned in Pinterest descriptions) makes them suitable for independent work stations within a classroom.
- Intervention: As the creator is an RtI Coordinator, the materials are suitable for targeted intervention for at-risk learners, though the freebies serve as supplementary tools rather than full intervention programs.
Conclusion
Make, Take & Teach offers a structured collection of free educational digital resources focused on early literacy and phonemic awareness. The freebies serve as high-quality samples of hands-on teaching materials, accessible primarily through the Teachers Pay Teachers platform. By leveraging the expertise of an RtI Coordinator, the resources provide targeted support for K-3rd grade educators and parents. Users can access a variety of seasonal and year-round activities, including sight word games, digraph posters, and alphabet activities, by visiting the Make, Take & Teach store on TpT and following their social media channels for updates.