Flashback: Measurement

During the school year, I always intend to blog but you know how that goes.  Throughout the summer, I'm going to be doing "Flashbacks" to things my students did in the classroom.  It's going to be a random hodgepodge of stuff, so hold onto the ride!

Liquid Measurement!  This can be tricky for student and adults.  I use three methods to cover liquid measurement.

1. If you haven't heard of Gallon Land, you are missing out!  I wish someone would have taught me this when I was younger!  I heard about it back in the day when I would search ideas on the ProTeacher Forums.

Lesson Plan Diva made a free booklet about Land of Gallon.

It's so effective that I had a former parent email me this year asking about it.  I was so flattered that she remembered something her daughter brought home two years later!

2. Gallon Guy is a popular choice when learning about liquid measurement.  My templates were literally from 1990.  It was time for an update!

I made four choices for the heads (2 boys and 2 girls) and let the students choose which head they wanted.

Helpful Hint:  Don't pass out everything at once.  Pass out the gallon, have the students cut it our and glue it to the head.  Then pass out the pints and follow the same step (except they glue it to the gallon).  It is really easy for student to get behind and lose pieces.  I usually know who my slow cutters are, so I help them cut out one or two pieces as the other students are working.  It's helpful to have a sample on the board too.

3. This year I made a liquid conversion short that students could use to refer to.

We worked together to make a color code together and talked about each type of liquid measurement.

I really think that this one fit the best with my students.  It was a great, easy visual organizer that they could easy refer to in completing activities.

You can find the templates to these last two activities in my How Much? {A Liquid Capacity Unit}

End of Year Activities

I only have 10 1/2 more days of school.  Crazy to think how fast the year flew by!  

If your class is anything like mine they are getting a little restless.  As far as behavior goes, I started using Class Dojo.

Once the kids here the chime that someone has earned a point, you could hear a pin drop.  At the end of the day, I give them Star Dollars for how many points they've earned.

I don't think I'd use Class Dojo all year long because I'm constantly turning on and off my TV.  I need something extra up my sleeve for that last month.

As far as activities go, I need something quick, easy and engaging.  I'm known for my crafts (Thanks TpT!).  I want to show you some of the things we've done in the last week and will do the last few days.  

S'Mores Craft & Writing 

We are making s'mores tomorrow to go along with our camping theme.

All About Skunks {Freebie}

Nouns for Sale: Lemonade Edition

Students write nouns on lemons and then make a pitcher of lemonade.

Watermelon Adjectives {Freebie}

Students write adjectives on seeds.

Antonyms: Go Together Like Peas and Carrots

Synonyms: Go Together Like Peas in a Pod

Gallon Guy/Girl

You can find all of these items in my TpT store on sale through tonight!  

Neat Numbers

Does anyone else get sad when they look at the calendar in July? I have 5 or 6 unfinished items that I want to make for the beginning of the school year.  I'm back at work on July 31st, but the students don't arrive until August 11th.

Since back-to-school is right around the corner, I wanted to think about my lessons plans.  I think one of the toughest things is having engaging activities for the students to complete while you are assessing other students.  Something that they can do independently, but still slightly challenging and maybe a little time consuming.

The first unit in math covers number sense, comparing numbers, and number words.  Most of my students come in knowing their number words to twenty, but I always have a few that do need extra practice in this area. I have a hard time fitting in handwriting lessons the first few weeks. Students (and parents) think it's silly to practice writing numbers. 

But I have to disagree!  In October, when I can't read your child's answer to an addition problem it is a problem.

I created this interactive booklet to help students practice writing numbers, number words and using ten frames.

For 0 - 10, students color, trace and write the number and number word.

For 11 - 20, students fill in ten frames to represent the number as well as tracing and writing the number and number word.

The books are easy to put together.  There are two booklets per page.

Cut down the middle and staple!  

I made a sample one to show my students.

Can't wait to use these in my classroom this year!  Be sure to check out Neat Numbers in my TPT store!

DOT Book + Freebies

Two more days of freedom!  Teachers report August 1st, Open House is August is August 8th and students come back August 12th.  I plan to make the most of the next two days - pool, reading and trips to Target.

Last year I changed my classroom theme to green, pink and black polka dots.  Before that I had a bee theme which resulted in tons of bee gifts....you should have seen the amount of bee stuff at my last garage sale.  I was just over it!

I have always used a communication binder to send information home.  I was still stuck using a BEE ( Bring Everything Everyday) book.  I finally made a DOT (Daily Organizational Tool) book.

I'd love to show you a sample of it put together, but my binders haven't arrived.  Most of the packet is editable so you can put the student's name on the front cover, edit your own schedule and create your own rules if you would like.

I made to different sets - everything is the same except for the cover page.

I haven't decided which cover I'm going to use yet, so that's why I made two. Click any of the pictures above and it'll take you to my TPT store.

I'm working on my M.A.T. and my latest assignment I had to create a bunch of math assessments.  I'm glad I started making things for TPT and learned that Power Point is SO much easier.

Here are a few FREE number sense printables.  Nothing too fancy, but I figured it was better to share them than to let them sit on my computer.

Enjoy!

Work Frenzy

I realized yesterday that I only had 15 days until I have to be at work.  While I've been pinning a lot of ideas, I haven't actually done any!  It's time for me to get to work!

I made a new set of class rules.

This is my first year using the Whole Brain Rules.  I used the callbacks last year and they worked wonderfully.  Click HERE to download them for free.

I also cut out my new number line - in pink & green, of course!

I ran up to school to laminate everything and also make copies for my Rise and Shine Binders.  I just bought them from Reagan Tunstall.  I loved her post about how she uses them and honestly I'm tired of making copies for morning work.  We don't have a copy count yet, but I'm afraid it's coming. The kids really do trickle in and I feel that it's always their morning work that gets the best of them (at least for the late arrivals).  After awhile I know the work won't be as challenging (she suggests adding morning work in the back), so I plan on putting Cara Caroll's Calendar Companion in the page protectors in October.

I'm going to make this today.  Sadly, the pin doesn't link to a source.  But it is based off of the Calendar Companion.  I tried to go in my room to grab some sentence strips, but someone moved all of the furniture right in front of my closet.  It was not worth the effort to move the furniture for some sentence strips.  ;)  

When do you go back to school?  Teachers start August 1st and the students come back August 12th at my school.

Don't forget to enter my word wall giveaway!

Ten Pin Linky: Math Ideas

 I'm linking up with Ashley again this week.

I got extra nerdy with my math board on Pinterest.  I had over 100 pins on my math board and it was just too jumbled for me.  I started with my base Math Lesson Ideas Board and then created 4 more boards - Addition & Subtraction, Place Value, Number Sense, Geometry.  I'm in the process of doing the same thing with my Reading Board, but that's another topic for a different day!

Source: First Grade Fresh

Doubles Rap iPod - My students loved this last year!  I had such a musical group.  

Source: Blooming Kiddos

What a great visual! I think this would be great to make when we are learning about commutative property with our math facts.

Source: Teach 123

Nothing drives me more crazy than the sound of the ten rods and ones. At least I know when the students are playing and not paying attention, but still! In this pin, the ten rods and ones are made from sponges.

I bought Cara Caroll's Calendar Companion last year and my firsties were actually engaged in calendar time.  (And I was too!)  This is a life size version that's perfect for your calendar area.

Source: Peterson's Pad

I used this to introduce my math centers last year.  It's like the Daily 5 for math! The pin leads to great math workshop organization ideas.

Source: Living Laughing and Loving

I really want to cut my composition books in half this year. We never use the entire book anyhow.

Source: Bunting, Books and Bainbridge

I like to send this home for homework for a number sense/tally practice.  

Easy way to teach double digit addition!  You have to go to the neighbor's house to borrow a ten...like how you borrow a cup of sugar from you neighbor.  Great analogy and I'll take anything that helps with this concept.

Ok, I didn't quite make ten, but my eyes are getting a little sleepy.  Good night!

It's Time to Shop!

I can't believe it's already Friday! Why does the week go by so fast when you have spring break, but not when it's the work week?

I do have a freebie for you, just not the one I had planned!

I'm still working on my conjunction unit, but it got put on hold because I have a gazillion papers due for my M.A.T. class.  Let's just say that there are 4 reports due on Sunday.  I could have finished them each week, but I write so much better under pressure.  Between the papers and discussion posts (and creating assessments to go along with the papers and posts), I have written 2 papers and a discussion post.  Well, when I put it in writing it doesn't sound like much, but I promise it is!

The class requires me to design a variety of assessments for my two-digit addition unit.  The last assignment I have to design a performance task and a rubric.

Are you bored yet?  Maybe I'll just get to the freebie.

Students are asked to go shopping for a friend's birthday party. They have to choose two items to buy (no limit on money) and add the amount together.

Just click any of the pictures to download a copy! Let me know what you think!

Five Things Saturday!

This is going to be short and sweet.  I have to run out in the door in about 30 minutes and I forgot to take pictures at school this week. So it's going to be a little random too!

1. I spent yesterday shopping since my school was closed for Good Friday. I had to consciously avoid buying items in that lovely new spring color, mint.

I've already bought 5 shirts or dresses that are mint. I LOVE that color - goes perfectly with my red hair!

I tried on a coral stripped top at Old Navy (can't find picture)...was a little afraid that it would clash with my hair, but it looked good!

2. I could not find the right sandals to save my life yesterday. I needed them for an event this afternoon. Where did I finally find them?

Yeah, I should have started there, right?

3. I won a few giveaways this week! I swear it seems like I enter a ton and never win, but I finally struck gold! Here are the products I won if you are searching for some new things.

First Grade Smiles

Meet Miss Parker

4. My Spring Break is STILL not for another week. The county where I live is out this week, but my school decided to do it's own thing and choose a different week (April 8-12). I need Spring Break like ASAP. 

Have you had your spring break yet?  If you did, did you stay home or go anywhere?  I'm going to spend a few days in NC at my parents' house.  I'm looking forward to it because the last time I saw my dad he was in ICU (at Christmas). I'm happy he's finally getting better.

5. I finished up a new Spring Math Center Packet.  I always have grand plans to make 10 centers, then maybe 5 centers....and this packet is 3 centers (at least then it's a little cheaper!) Hopefully I'll have more time on my hands this summer to make some longer packets!

The first center reviews fact families.

Money review with some cute chicks from Collaboration Cuties!

Shape Sort - 2D/3D shapes

The first THREE people to comment can receive this packet for FREE. Otherwise it's on sale (along with the rest of my TPT store) until tomorrow 3/31.