Current inspiration and a *FREEBIE*

I don't know about you but the Sunday blues are hitting me on Saturday...Boo....Hiss!   I love my Littles, but I love being at home too. 

I finally typed up my lesson plans.  Even though I had planned out the gist of next week before winter break, it still took so.much.time!  But, who am I kidding, it takes a while each time.  I have the craziest schedule and piecing together what works takes time.  Math is the only solid block of time that I have without an interruption.  And, our principal has had a grand idea to switch that up at the end of January.  I am trying to be positive about the change, but it's just "one more thing" in a long line of responsibilities. 

Anywho, I thought I would share with you some things that have been inspiring or making me happy me lately on pinterest etc.

1.  This frame is adorable.  I am a MS girl living in WA and this makes my heart happy (and a little homesick).  I want to make one SOON!  {original source:  http://homeideasdeco.com/diy-picture-frame-i-love-this-going-to-make-frames-of-us-every-time-we-pcs-need-to-make-one-from-mo-and-germany/}

2.  I tried this *super easy* recipe this week for crockpot country style ribs. It was delicious and the Mr. approved mightly :)  {original source:  http://whatsfordinnerfran.blogspot.com/2011/10/crock-pot-boneless-country-style-ribs.html }

3.  This isn't an inspiration, but I love Taylor Swift and this mashup is crazy good!  I *puffy heart* love it!




4.  If you stuck with me for this long, I turned my next inspiration into a freebie for ya.  Such a simple idea.  I plan to use this as an "I'm Done" activity.  I am always looking for something easy and manageable for my fast finishers.  {original source: http://www.wellnurturedplantsandpillars.com/2012/07/17/summertime-math/ }

 

And my Freebie version for you can be downloaded from my TPT store.  Click *HERE* to go get it now.

 

 

Happy Teaching, 





Counting On (math strategy) and a freebie.

In my room, we have been spending a lot of time learning and practicing the count on strategy.  Most of my Littles can do this, but I still have a few that struggle with holding on to the larger number and counting on.  They are counting all.  Here's something that we are doing to practice this skill:

 

 

The big number cards came with my Math Expressions curriculum and they have the number on one side and the dots on the back that correspond.  I just used our whiteboards for the plus and equal signs. We start out by telling an addition story problems.  Then 4 students create the equation with the cards.  My Littles love to be the "one" chosen to solve the equation.  They must:

 

We also have been using this little game in our math intervention time this week.  It's called Odd and Even Sum Snakes.  One partner has even numbers and the other has odd numbers.  They take turns rolling 2 dice or 1 die and 1 number cube and add them.  When they use the number cube it is easy for them to practice counting on :)  Anywho, the idea of this game is to X-tinguish all your snakes with X's  :)  I laminate my boards and the Littles use dry erase markers.  Grab you free copy here!

 

And Lastly, here is our finished schema chart about pumpkins.  After reading several informational texts about pumpkins, we added our new schema in the form of leaves.  The Littles seemed most impressed that there are in fact BLUE pumpkins.  They thought that was super cool.



Have a blessed week,

The Great Math-Tastic Egg Hunt (freebie)

It's super late (for me), but I wanted to post a little freebie that I just finished.  I made a little math egg hunt for my Littles to participate in tomorrow.  They are going to love it.  I can't wait to hear the giggles of sheer delight when I tell them about it.  Little do they know that they will be practicing for their upcoming assessment while having fun.  I love it when that can happen! 

Anywho, here it is.  I hope that someone out their in Blogland can use it!

Night Night :)

Does Your Story Problem Smile?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  (Well, 1 day early :)  If you need a few St. Paddy themed math sheets, don't forget about the freebies that I posted a while back.

Click picture for freebie :) 

 

And, then there was this game that I posted too:

 



Click picture for freebie :)

 



I also thought I would share a new resource that I have been using in my classroom with ya'll.  This came out of necessity.  On our district tests, our Littles have to answer story problems by providing 4 things:  the equation, their proof (numbers, words or pictures), the answer and the correct label or unit.  I have lots of Littles forget to include one or more of those things pretty consistently.  So, one day in the middle of teaching, I told them they needed to make each story problem smile.  They can draw a circle if they included the equation, a mouth if they showed their thinking/proof, an eye for the answer and the other eye for the label or unit. 

We have been using this self-assessing rubric of sorts for about a week and a half and I must say that I can tell a difference.  My students want to have a complete smiley face for each problem. And, all I have to do is ask, "Did you make your story problem smile?"  They know exactly what I want them to check on their papers.  Because it is a practice that I want to continue in my class, I made a small poster for reference and bookmarks that they individually keep in their math journals.  If you want these resources to, I have added them as a freebie for you too.  Here are a few pics of my Littles using the smiley strategy and a link for the freebie :) 

Click for your copy :)

 

 

Have a great end to your weekend!  Monday will come too soon I am sure.  I am anxiously waiting for  the week of April 8th.  That's my spring break!