Hip Hip EYE-rays and MORE

I love math.  It's my favorite time of day and my favorite to teach.  Mostly because it seems like every year, my kids come to me and hate math.  I'm not sure why, really.  But when they leave me, Math is all they ever talk about!

This was a fun activity we did in October when teaching arrays.  There are many variations you can do with it and it will still be just as cute.

After learning about arrays from our math program, students then decided what kind of monster they wanted to create.  {beforehand, I copied a variety of monster shapes-all are in my packet-on a variety of colored cardstock, along with a variety of color cardstock copies of the body parts for the monsters}

Then, each kid chose a card at random that told them their array line up (5 rows of 3, etc).  They needed to figure out how many eyes to get {I bought a container at Michael's with my coupon for them to use.  I could not find a big set of ones to peel and stick.... so we had a lot of practice using Elmers runny glue!  Totally set apart those who have great fine motor control, and those who still need a LOT of practice!

Before the gluing, however, they had to show me how their eyes will line up.  Once they got the "go ahead" from me, the glueing commenced.

After their monster was done, they had to write information about their Monster on their cards.  {I gave them a "scrap copy" that they got checked by me first to make sure things were spelled well enough, etc.... then they got their good, cardstock copy to write on afterwards}

The bulletin board was just AMAZING!

More practice we did with our arrays is that we painted with q-tips on paper (again, we copied onto cardstock to help keeping the paint from soaking through the paper).  Kids chose cards again and had to dot the array in their choice of colors.  After dotting their arrays, they had to write the addition sentence.

I made clean up a breeze by having bulletin board paper down at each group.  They left the q-tips and I just folded it all up and put it in the trash.

If you like these activities and would want to try it out in your classroom, check out my packet in my TPT store!

Problems Solving Practice for Primary Kids

If you got a problem, yo, I'll solve it........  Problem solving is tricky.  There's just too many correct ways to solve things, that it's just about impossible to REALLY teach it once and done.  It HAS to be done many times.  In fact, daily!

Last year, when I decided to take the "guided math" route, one of my rotations was Problem Solving.  At first, it was just me trying to find worksheets for kids to do while there.  Well, that was rough!  That could potentially be 180 worksheets.  180 times to copy papers... 180 things to correct....  You know.

I needed my life to be more of a "fix it and forget it" for some things to keep me sane.  I do it in the crockpot for dinner a few times a week.  And those nights where dinner is ready for me-those are my favorite.

I had an old booklet that I created when I was in first grade for many years that I pulled out one day and we used it for the week.  Kids completed a few pages a day.  (Number of problems were determined by the number pages and days for the week-could be a math problem to solve together before starting that week!) . I was in love with the small prep work involved and the high engagement.

A product was born.  From that day on, I created a themed pack (or 2) per month.  {The one above was the first one I created when we were starting the two-step process.}  In each pack were a variety of problems for second graders (or high first/low third-depending on the month).  I tried to make more than needed so I could pick and choose what I wanted them to do.  In my room, I chose 15 for each week.  That is 3 problems a day in 12-15 minutes.

As the year progressed, the skills were harder.  At the beginning of the year, it focuses more on one and two-step problems.  By the end of the year, there are still some one and two-step problems, but there is also elapsed time, money, number patterns and much more!

Of course, grading these can be a bit of a pain...  So, a system I had in place had me checking kids' work every 2 days.  I would mark the pages I looked at as I went, so by the end of the week it was much more manageable to go through and correct the rest.  Now, I have to say I have this AMAZING para who worked in my classroom for a small portion of the day and she would help me too.  She created an amazing spreadsheet for me each week to mark the mistakes that the kids had.  She really spoiled me.

My kids truly LOVED completing these EVERY DAY!  They would ask if they could do more.  By the end of the year, they were great Super Solvers!  {Of course, with the nature of the beast of second grade, we still had lots of errors due to the FAST nature of completing work at times..... BUT, looking at performance over time, they GOT the skills needed!  Fingers crossed they still remember next year in third...}

I have individual packs in my store-or a current growing bundle.  The bundle is almost finished and is not quite at full face value.  Here are some of the reviews it is getting!

Want to see more?  Check it out in my store by clicking any of the pictures above, or by clicking HERE!

Math for Little Movers...

Winter is upon us... well.  I think it's coming anyway.  It's been unusually hot recently here--though I have recess duty on the first few days back, which are going to be unusually COLD!  Like in the 20's?!  Brrrrrrrr....  I want to share some fun things I do with math time in my classroom.

First, I used to do the math tub thing...  LOVED it.  Don't get me wrong.... it's the correcting of papers that I just can't keep up with this year with a large class.  If they were all doing the same paper, it would be much easier to manage.. (I like to grade 2-3 at a time, comparing the papers to speed up my process... with centers, I only have 1-3 papers per center, so it's a time killer right now)  I do love the differentiation of the tubs/centers and I have a lot of them for first grade.  I have a few for second grade that I was able to use last year with a smaller class and with the help of an aide to correct them.

My kids need to move.  I need to move.  Bodies are not made for sitting.  I like to hang things up around the room, give kids clipboards and let them loose.  Of course, what I created can be used anywhere... it could be a center, small group work, placed on desks and used as a little "Scoot" type activity...  It can be used as a teaching tool, reviewing lesson or even as an assessment.

Step 1:  Print and laminate.  I do this to have for YEARS so that I'm not always doing things last minute to prepare.

Step 2: Hang around the room.  TIP:  I always put mine in numerical order--and I always try to have it clock-wise... and if there are 12 cards, I try to pretend my room is a giant clock.... You know, just as an added teaching tool for the future when we get to telling time! ;)  TIP 2:  If you do these, or plan to do them often, put up stikki clips around the room so all you have to do is slide the cards into the clips instead of getting tape out each time.  {I haven't done that yet, but should... I just reuse tape each time.  I take the old card down when I put up the new one and put the tape on the new one}


Cards with skills like this are from my Rockin' Around the Clock.  I don't have pictures of this new pack in action yet.  (and these cards are not available yet.  As I created them, I switched my idea to Rock Around the Clock)



Step 3:  Students walk around the room and answer the cards.  Clipboards make it more fun!

THIS worksheet is still the same in my Rock Around The Clock set!

NOTE:  My recording sheets are always very similar.  I do NOT want to spend time teaching kids HOW to COMPLETE a recording sheet.  I'd rather them have the extra time to apply their knowledge to some new thinking.  Not all of my activities are ones that were actually "taught" from the book.  They have to take what they know and apply it.  They LOVE it!

I want to share one of the activities from my newest pack, that is snowman themed-with you because I just hit my second milestone on Teachers Pay Teachers!  TPT has changed my life.  I'm thankful for everything it has brought to me from meeting new friends to having a creative outlet again in a profession that is starting to grow uncreative thinking. ;)  It has brought me happiness in a career that has so many leaving and/or miserable.  That in itself is HUGE.  The extra money made is secondary to all that.  If you ever have that thought of "should I?"  YES!  You should!  You have nothing to lose.    And of course, I would have none of this without any of YOU.  I'm most thankful for teachers like you who email, comment and buy things from me.  It means the world to me and I will be forever grateful to you.

Click on any of the pictures below to see it in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!






This activity makes students think.  They need to decide whether the second number tells how many hundreds, tens or ones is in the first number!  My kids LOVED this one!


These cards have students locate the numbers in each place.  They will write how many 100s, 10s and 1s each number has.


This is my favorite activity.  Students will walk around and rearrange the numbers to make the largest number possible and the smallest, using all of the numbers ;)  They will also write another number it makes too.

This activity can be used TWICE in this pack.  I have 2 recording sheets with 2 different skills to practice.  The first one has students just writing what number it makes.  Notice that the number of 100s, 10s and 1s are not in order.  The Second activity has students writing the numbers in expanded form.


This activity has 2 versions.  The first version is for practice comparing numbers less than 100.  The second has students practicing comparing numbers greater than 100.  The recording sheet is the same for both-the cards they look at are different.


Thanks for stopping by and make sure to check back here soon for some exciting news!

Rockin' Around the Clock... Teaching Time with Riddles?!

This past week the #tptsellerchallenge was to upload a masterpiece.  Thankfully, with my crazy, chaotic house this summer, this was something I had started already this past year, but hasn't been officially ready for TPT.  {A LOT of work goes into just getting it ready to share with you... since your brains aren't quite like mine to understand it!}  I want to thank the lovely Shana over at Mrs. Groom's Room for being my editor!

I am so excited to share this with you today.  I hate teaching time.  There.  I said it.  So, what I hate most about time---correcting it!  It takes me so much longer to correct time worksheets and practice than others because you have to pay close attention to details.  I started a few activities for other skills (that aren't uploaded yet, but will!) that made my life so much easier and students were so much more engaged and forced to practice!

I present you with Rockin' Around the Clock.

I created worksheets/recording sheets for students to practice telling time for each skill of hour/half hour, quarter hours and five minute intervals.  ( That sounds exciting doesn't it!?  :P  Here's the best part.  It's pretty much a self correcting practice!  Each activity has a riddle (about time, of course!).  Students write or draw hands on clock on their recording sheet.  Then they will get up and walk around the room to find the answers!  BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!  Each answer has a corresponding letter.  Students will write the letter they see at the place on their worksheet that has that time (or clock).  After they find all of their answers, they write the letters to make words at the bottom of their worksheet.  I quickly check it (basically looking at their letters at the bottom, since I'm also walking around making sure no one is just writing answers or copying---which I NEVER had.  We talked about how it's all a secret!).  Students then put it in their folders or cubbies FLIPPED over so no one can see their answers.  {This packet has SEVEN activities/riddles for kids to have fun completing!!!!!!}

Students will walk around the room to find these cards.  Their recording sheet will require them to draw the hands to match their digital time first---these cards will be what they search for to find the letter needed.  {and there are some that have students finding the digital time, but this one matches the picture I was able to take}

I cannot put in words how excited the kids were each day to do these activities.  They were really bummed when the unit was over.  I wish I could show you pictures of their cute faces doing the activities, but I'm not allowed.  You will have to take my word on it---I PROMISE you this packet will be a life saver and so much fun.

Keep an eye out for more activities like this.  I have some already started for other math skills and plan on adding more for the first half of the year, since I missed the first half last year!

OTHER INFO
-the rest of this packet has memory match game for each skill (hour/half hour;  quarter hours; and five minute intervals) and 2 extra practice worksheets for each skill, that you could use for homework, practice or even assessments.

Click {HERE} to see it in my TPT store!  If you'd like to win a copy here, leave me a comment telling me what you like to spend your TIME on during the summer!  I'll choose a winner by Sunday!  

Check out my FB page and Instagram for more chances to win it!

Do you want to try it before you buy it?!  Click here for one activity to try before you buy!  This riddle/activity practices students drawing of hands to match the phrases "quarter of/till; quarter after/past"

Got Eggs?!?

Well, if you haven't turned the calendar to peek at April yet, you may have not noticed that Easter is 'springing' upon us quite quickly!  We are deep into money in second grade and are needing LOTS and LOTS of change counting practice....

I absolutely LOVE those plastic Easter eggs.  They are SO wonderful to use in the classroom for SO many different things!  Counting change is just perfect.

While I could have hidden the eggs all over the room to begin with, I decided to work up to that eggcitement closer to bunny day.  We started the first session of eggstra-special coin counting with eggs in a basket on our desks.  {I bought a ton of those little baskets years ago at Target in the dollar spot..... and haven't used them till NOW!  See, I did buy them for a reason, right?!}

 I had a recording sheet for the kids to write the amounts that were in each egg.  I have enough space in the boxes for students to draw the coins too {that's only good on the 6 and maybe 8 egg page}  I labelled the eggs with letters instead of numbers, just to eliminate number confusion if I use them for something else in the near future!

We repeated this a second day with different amount.  TIP:  Don't just take all the money out and think of a new amount.  Just add or take away a nickel... or a dime... or add a few pennies to each.  They will not remember how much the egg had the day before.  Trust me.  {Also, make sure you write down how much is in each! ;) }

The third day I mixed it up a little and had all the same eggs in a basket and "hid" the baskets {in plain eyesight} around the room.  Getting up to get the eggs was just what we needed on a Friday of a L.O.N.G. week!

Next week we'll be moving up to 8 and 10 eggs...  maybe.

One last TIP:  Make sure to stress the point of making sure they are putting ALL of the coins back into their eggs so that the next person doesn't get the wrong amount. Check under papers and desks for lost coins!

Click {HERE} for the worksheets to use to count money in your classroom too!  It's always great practice, no matter the age!  {and if your littles aren't ready for money, you could always use pennies to practice counting and just add in how you write a cent sign afterwards!  Bonus!}

I have so many other plans for these little eggs in other subject areas!  Check back soon for a new idea!  What are some ways you use eggs in your classroom??

PS-I'll be updating my first grade Easter Math games soon, as well as having a second grade one too! XOXO

Classroom Snowball Fights!

We've been back to school now for what was supposed to be 7 days... however we had a snow day thrown in there and another day off because of the COLD!  There may have been a delay in there too, but I seriously cannot remember!  Does anyone know how many more days till summer?!?!

All this cold had inspired me to create some fun games to keep my kiddos attention, not to mention keep them awake!  They've been having trouble getting into the swing of things, and this fit the bill!

Snowball fights!  

After a quick intro/lesson on the topic, I pass out recording sheets for the kids to write their names on.  Then I pass out the papers with what they will be sorting and/or answering.  {In the pack I have all of the words or number sentences typed out, but I also have a list of what is used so you can use scrap paper}  After going over the rules (no throwing at peoples faces... no running... etc..) the kids crumble up the paper that I had just given them (NOT the recording sheet!)

Give them 30 seconds or less to throw snowballs.  (I also crumble a few extras, because when it's time to find a snowball, there are always ones that get "lost" somewhere in the room... I mean, they are throwing them!)

I call out "macaroni and cheese" and they respond "everybody freeze!"  (Of course you could do your own thing there.  They grab the nearest snowball and head back to their desks.  I trained them to STAND and write--saves valuable seconds for this activity! ;)  They write their word (or number sentence, etc) where it belongs and crumbles the paper back up.

We repeat a few times.  (If they happen to get the same snowball, I tell them to switch it out with one of the extra balls laying around)  Sometimes we get more rounds in, sometimes less.  Depends on the day they are having.  I do NOT do it till they fill in the whole paper!

After this part is done, I allow them to take the snowball home that they had last, or they recycle.  It's funny.  I over hear my kids trying to persuade others to give them their ball.  They want to play it at home!  ha ha!

Then it's independent work time.  These activities vary, but the task is always very similar for the kids.  My goal when designing things is that it's very routine.  I don't want to spend time teaching the task EVERY TIME.  Plus, it helps them become more comfortable as well!

If you are interested in seeing what all is included in the packs, click on the pictures below.  OR I have them bundled together.  I plan on using these throughout the winter season.  No need to overkill it right now.  In fact, I may even use them as a "class reward!"

             

 **I also have a bundled version HERE**

***Important note:  I have done these at different times during the day, however---if you want your kids to go home excited and ready to talk to parents about their day-do it during the last 20-40 minutes of your day!  Guaranteed giggles and excitement.

Double Trees! {FREEBIE!!!}

I have a quick and easy activity for you to use before heading off to your Christmas/holiday break!  We've been working on doubles and near doubles.  (I have to say, I REALLY like the term "near doubles" more so than doubles +1 and doubles -1---SO much easier for the kiddlets to understand!!)

We discussed and did the "lesson" from the book.  But, it's December.  I needed some Christmas spirit {other than the kids' new found "spirit" from their excitement of just the word DECEMBER....}  So, walllah!  I give you "Double Trees"  {Not feeling the creativity for a great title right now... this week has gotten me EX-HAUST-ED....  I'd be sleeping now if I could, but I think I'm past the point of sleeping....

Here's what we did.  First, I handed out the Christmas balls.  I told my kiddos that they needed a red and blue crayon.  (You could choose any 2 you'd like..  I would have done red and green, but they were going to color the trees green, so you wouldn't see the balls on that tree..)  They colored the doubles red and the near doubles blue.  Then we colored the star of each tree to match.  (Doubles tree star was red)

They cut them out and glued them where they belonged.  I played a little iTunes Radio Kids Christmas songs and they were singing and engaged!  (not to mention, it was heaven to listen to... cause their chit chat had been driving me bonkers!!!)

Click on the picture to grab your freebie over at TPT.