Sunday, October 4, 2015

Fire Safety Week





October.
I just love the sound of the word October. To me, it brings a contentment and calm that I haven't felt for a couple of months.  Six weeks into school, routines are made, habits are set, there is a new flow for the year.  I can breathe.  Finally!  The cool days have replaced the extreme heat in my classroom.  All is good in the world.  Ahhhh...

And so, this weekend I cleaned.  I mean truly cleaned-  not the "I will grab the hunk of cheese that my child left on the coffee table the night before on the way out the door and wipe the spot with a Clorox wipe." cleaning that has been my last six weeks of clean. #neglegtedhome  I moved chairs and couches and dusted and even did windows.  Ahhhhh... and life is in order yet again!  {for a day or two anyway!}  Now I am settling in for a few hours of planning my week!

This week is all about Fire Safety! 

I found a cute Fire Safety Video



 


 
I have some fun math tubs I have going on this week.

Some Addition Clip cards.


 Some Fire Truck Cover games.  I made 2 different types of cards for differentiating.










And some problem solving....








I found some fun Firefighter figures in the toy section of the Dollar Tree to use as counters a couple years ago!  The kids love them!

You can get the activities {HERE} !  
 
Hope you have a great week!
 

 
 

 

 




Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Math Strategies

Math Strategies Just stopping in quick, this is a busy week!  I am spending a some time to develop some addition and subtraction strategy lessons for my students this week, and I made some posters for my anchor charts.






 You can download them for free in my TpT store!  Click the link or any of the posters!  Almost halfway through the week!
Monday, September 14, 2015

Apples

Apples This past weekend, my family and I took a little visit to our local apple orchard.  I have been in "Apple mode" ever since!  First of all, I found this Carmel Apple Cheesecake recipe on PINTEREST:  YUMMY!  I mean seriously, YUMMY!!!  


 
Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlykv/4013533080/

 

It is already gone and I cannot wait to make more!

At school, I have been doing some activities from my apple unit. Click on the picture to download it for free.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Apples-and-the-Common-Core-301625
 



I love adding chances for my students to get up and moving. Here are a couple I did this week!
 
First, I took the sight words we are working on this week and review from the past 2 weeks and wrote them on apples.  I found these cutouts in the Walmart clearance for 50 cents.

First, we took a piece of shared writing we did on the Promethean Board.  I printed it and gave them each a copy.  Then, they went around the room searching for words that were in the writing and highlighted them.
 
 
Then, later in the day, we played a little sight word search!
 
They each got a copy of the recording sheet and I gave them a word to look for, when they found one that matched my description, they wrote it in the apple.  I had them sit down on the floor when they were ready for the next word.  I gave directions such as find a word with 2 letters, find a word with the short vowel /i/ sound, find a word that rhymes with shoe, find a word that starts with a t, find a word that starts with a vowel.  I did this until all but the last row was filled.  Then, they had to go around the room and write four words they did not use yet.  It was amazing that the students were having discussions about the words, even my low readers were engaged and excited.  You can download the recording sheet for free HERE, or by clicking on the picture. 



Hope you have a great fall day!


Sunday, September 13, 2015

Math Word Problems

Math Word Probems


Math Word Problems in first grade can be such a difficult concept to teach!  But, this year I am so happy with the progress that my students are making in solving them!    Here is the standard:

CCSS.Math.Content.1.OA.A.1
Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions, e.g., by using objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

The word problems with Common Core are so much more complex than the word problems that used to be in my first grade student's textbooks when I first started teaching.  Those problems almost always the unknown at the end of a problem.  Teaching a few key words was enough to tell students if they needed to add or subtract.  The students understood how to come up with the end product, but the process was pretty much hit or miss.

Teaching the process of how to solve a word problem is so important from the time that students start doing word problems.  We begin teaching word problems during the first month of school.  I spend a few weeks with a part of my time teaching students what a number bond is and how it relates to an addition or subtraction equation.  Then we start practicing using them to solve our word problems.

First, we read the problem together,
Next we identify the parts of the word problem and where they fit into the number bond.

Then we write the numbers we know into the number bond.

And write them in an equation. (we write both the addition and subtraction because both ways are correct, they only have to write the one they decide is easiest for them.)

Then they solve the equation. I teach them to draw a picture if they need help.  We act a lot of these out the first few months!
Then I make them write out the answer.  I am happy if they put the label but happiest if they use a complete sentence!  I model writing the sentence every time, but in the beginning of the year especially, a label is good!






I do at least 2 or 3 a week to keep them thinking about it and they use Jodi Southard's Morning Work every day which has a word problem on it.  If you are looking for good morning work, I highly recommend it!  It is the most expensive thing I have bought on TpT, but worth every penny!!!

I have a word problem freebie in my store!  Check it out by clicking the picture!
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Math-Word-Problems-School-is-Cool-535827
 
 



I have been working to update all of my Word Problem Packs in my TpT store!  You can buy them individually, or bundled for a 20% discount.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Word-Problems-All-Through-The-Year-Bundle-523463


 It is going to be a busy week!  Thank goodness it is cooling down!  The last few weeks with no air and 90 degrees have been brutal!  :)
Have a great week!

 
Monday, August 24, 2015

First Grade Friends and Fact Fuency



This week our quest continues to bond our first graders into a first grade family.  For as much as they chat, you would think it would be an easier task!  One of our activities this week is "I can be a friend!"

 I made one with areas of the school and one without!  You can click on the picture to download a copy! {or here}  (I love the Whimsy Kids clip art!)

I am also beginning our departmentalizing this week!  We start with thirty minute sessions so we have time to teach routines and to develop some classroom bonding!  I am starting this week with Amy Lemons's Unit:
Let's Get Started {Beginning of the Year Math Activities}

We worked on the mathematician  craftivity last week and this week I am excited to start our Interactive Notebook with the tools vs. toys sort!

I am also starting my newest unit on Addition and Subtraction Fact Fluency! {1.OA.6}
Addition and Subtraction Fact Fluency {Common Core Aligned}
I start with testing my students to find their level and then each student sets their own goals so that they become fluent in their addition and subtraction facts. 
(example of test)

I use observation instead of time keeping to determine if a child is truly fluent.
(this is the form I use to to record observations)

After I find the correct level for each student, I conference with each one to help them set their own goal.


(goal sheet)

Then each child works on activities based on their level. (also included)



(some examples of practice pages)

 Each level has a booklet, a sort, a set of flash cards, and another way to practice!  I store all the activities in an expandable file that I have for each level.




I also store the tests in a similar file.


It takes a little time to set up, but once it is ready to go, differentiating in your classroom is so easy!
Last year, I had 60 students all working on their correct level of fluency and getting targeted practice exactly at the level they need.  I also use the file folder labels as tub labels for other centers and games.

I will post more this week about the other games and activities I use to practice fluency!
Have a great Monday!





Sunday, August 23, 2015

Getting back to it!


There are so many emotions that run through me in August.  There is a hint of sadness.  I love being able to spend my summers playing in the pool with my children, staying up late, playing games, visiting friends... The list goes on and on!  But there is a feeling of excitement!  We just finished buying all of the fun things on my children's supply list! (I realize I might be the only parent excited to do this!)  The closets have been cleaned, the cupboards reorganized, and the projects checked off one by one!  Now that my home is getting close to ready, I have a little time for a classroom project: File Cabinets!

My classroom is in a building built in the 1950's and some of my classroom furniture is probably original!  For the past ten years I have collected several mismatched filing cabinets.  This year, I finally had enough and decided that updating them a bit was my summer goal!
The hardest part? Emptying 8 file cabinet drawers!  Stuff was everywhere! #keepingitreal
Next, I took out the drawers and lined them up on a large tarp. Helpful hint: don't pick the hottest day of the summer! #lessonlearned. 

Notice the three colors of drawers!  I scrubbed them up a bit with some wipes!  65 years of dirt I am sure!  

I taped the handles and hardware.  It took a while, but I did not have the right tool (nor would I have a clue what tool to find) and I only had a day that would work before they closed the school for waxing.  I should have used painters tape, the masking tape baked its way into a very sticky mess!  #2ndlessonlearned. 

I sprayed the drawers a teal that matches my room.  The cabinets were sprayed black.



It took about 3 thin coats for each.  I used 4 cans of black, one of blue. It took a little over 1 can of black for each of the short and the rest for the tall cabinet.  

The painting itself was simple, the prep work took the longest!  Here is my finished product!


I have gotten tons of compliments!  I love how they look like one piece of furniture when you put them together!