Cups, cups and more cups!

Well, we are going crazy over cups.  Lately I have found myself with a surplus of cups.  I actually got a lot last summer from Camp Invention.  I have been trying to figure out what to do with them.  So here is what we came up with. Most of these came from my teacher partner! She's so creative! They are so fun!

First, is a simple easy game to play.  A great review for anytime over anything. You know the old trick where you hide a ball under and cup and move them all around and ask someone which one it is under.  Well just write on a label on the cups.  I wrote addition problems.  Then mixed the cups up and asked students to find the chocolate.  I used chocolate because I had it leftover from the 100th day.  You could just put a ball, button, cotton ball, conversation heart, possibilities are endless, you could use anything you have.  Hide something move the cups around and let the fun begin.  I'm also making some with words to review the harder to remember ones. :)

The second one is a great word work activity the kids are sure to love!!  Just write words on your cups. Students pick a cup read the word and build a tower.  Then the record their words on their sheet.

 

I made a sheet but it's on my school computer.  I will have to upload it later. Sorry!

 

The third one I also used ping pong balls.  Just a little weird that I had 50 ping pong balls but I did so that I what I used.  My teaching partners used craft sticks.  I wrote the word family on the cup and then different words on the balls.  I had the students sort them by word family and then write them on the recording sheet.  I like to make them accountable for their work :)

 

And click here for the recording sheet.

The next math station doesn't have anything to do with cups but I just made this so had to share.  So simple.  I used addition flashcards that were free on TPT and cut them up and glued them to cardstock.  I laminated the cardstock and then put hold punches under each number.  The student link the correct number of links to the card.  Then add them up and write the answer with a dry erase marker.  Simple and effective learning through manipulatives!  MY FAVORITE!! 



 

Enjoy!  Leave a comment!  I'd love to hear from my followers!

Add em up!

We are having fun with addition!! I love addition because kids can use so many manipulatives to help them understand.  They get to play and learn! We have been using our unifix cubes to add and decompose numbers.  Of course we love to reach our musical kids with a little music and dancing.  Here are a few of our favorite videos.

I created addition cards for a math center.  Students count the two colors of hearts and create a addition sentence.  I have used this in my guided math groups and next week it will become a Brain Box. :)

Look for this in my Valentine's Day packet on TPT.

 

I made a ten frame on the floor with floor tape. So easy and simple.  It took me two minutes to make.  We have been having students use it to show math problems.  We have been using ourselves to make math problems too.  FUN!! The students love it!

 

Tomorrow is conferences all day!!  Check back later to see what I came up with in my free time!Enjoy!

 

Snow day???? Not for us!

So everyone else in the metro area had a snow day but us.  I heard on the radio, "100 schools in the metro area closed, so kids go back to bed."  Well not us!!  Sad day when all the schools around you have it off and you don't.  Well, I made it in and we made the best of it. 

We started out writing with reading "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats. Then with that newly fallen snow on the ground we took advantage of it. We bundled up and went out and collected snow!!  So fun!  Then we filled our clear container and brought it in.  Before we went out we predicted how long it would take for it to melt. 

"3 minutes...100 minutes..." Of course everything is 100 after the 100th day of school!! Those were some of my favorites. I don't think the kids realized how long it would actually take.  

 

 

Collecting Snow!!

Then we came in and wrote about our experience! 

 

I took pictures of our snow as it melted! 

 

30 minutes

 2 hours

 4 hr. 30 minutes

We had to go home for the day.  So we didn't get to see it melt all the way.  Next time I will do this first thing in the morning or not let the kids pack it down so much in the container. Anyway a fun and exciting way to embrace the snow since we couldn't stay home. :(

 

Guided Math

Last week I started Guided Math; and I LOVE it!  The kids are having so much fun and I feel like I can really zero into those skills the kids need work on.  I put my kids in three groups.  I kept it pretty simple.  I know there are lots of ways of doing this and  I just wanted to use what I already had.  My three stations are Math with Teacher, Math Game, Brain Boxes.  I have tons of center activities that take little to no explaining to do. So the kids pick them and work independently.  The math games are games that we have introduced or games that I have played with them during math with teacher.  Right now I am doing a game of the day. So there is no fighting over what game they will play.  The kids are productive and working the whole time.
When I introduced it I did the I charts just like Daily 5.  We discussed their job and my job.  This really helped them to know what is expected of them.  So we start Guided Math with a 5-7 minute whole group lesson and then 3 rounds of Guided Math. During the mini lesson we are using our 10 frame on the floor. I have kids stand in the squares. We add number of girls and number of boys.  Or different groups based on what they are wearing.  They are doing great understanding addition. I created a Decomposing Packet. W e are doing one number a day and using cubes to help us. 

 

I made sheets for numbers 2-10.  Students can learn to decompose all of them.  We did do them together under the document camera the first couple of days.  I also created a center activity.  There are 22 different cards students choose a card and the correct number and color of cubes and make the addition sentence.  The students can color on the sheets with dry erase marker after you laminate it or use the recording sheet.  They write the letter on the card and then write the number sentence.  I did all the work and even made an answer sheet for quick and easy checking.  :) As students get good at the letter cards they can move to the number cards.  These do not have a prescribed number of the cubes just the answer.  The kids need to use the correct color of cubes and decide how to get the answer. 

Just go to my TPT store and snag your copy!
Add em up!

FeBrUaRy CaLeNdAr and a FREEBIE!

So I'm finally done with my Calendar set for February.  I love how the kids are interacting with calendar instead of just sitting there listening.  Of course February we are going to change our pattern to pink and red. :) I also created a calendar with dot numbers in case you have a student still working to write their numbers.  This will help create less frustration.

I also created this page.  I am going to have the kids cut out one heart for each day.  They can build the date with the 10 frames.  So on the 10th they will have their first 10 frame filled. 

 

Daily Domino was created to help my kids practice an addition sentence each day.  I made one with 6 on the page and one with 12 on the page. I just have the helper pick a domino from a mystery bag.  Then we draw it to match the domino and write the addition sentence on the line. You could also do this with subtraction.  Just make sure the bigger number is first.  :)

I am using this weather tally sheet instead with the graph this month.  Just to change it up a bit. I did include the graph if you want to use that.

 Here is an sample of the problem of the day.  I do one box a day.  There is are special days for groundhogs day, Presidents day and 100th day.  If you don't have school any day in February you may need to take some out. :)

And not for the FREEBIE!  I included this in my calendar packet but I don't think I will use it everyday.  I created three different pages. I have one with 1 ten frame for numbers 0-10.  There is one with 2 ten frames for numbers 10-20 and one with 3 ten frames for numbers 20-30.  Or you can just give them the one with 3 to challenge them.  Totally your choice.  This would be a great warm up or bell activity.  Students could be challenged to complete this on their own. 

Number of the day freebie

 

 

 

Go to be TPT store and get your own copy of the February calendar book

Math tools

  

Last week I went to a Guided Math conference with Dr. Nicki Newton. It is always nice to go conferences.  It's especially nice when you can come back with a few new ideas. So of course, last week I had to rush out and make some things to use right away. 
The first one is a number ladder found on Sparkle Box. Then I laminated it and cut small slits in top and bottom and added a pipe cleaner with a small bead.  Then use the bead to slide up and down and as you complete addition and subtraction problems.  SO simple and fun!  I have used a number line but I LOVE this.  It adds another element to the number line and students can actually move the bead to see how to solve the problem.  A must for introducing addition and subtraction.

The next tool is called a Rekenrek.  It is a math tool originally from Holland.  They make then out of boards and beads.  It's like an abscus but with only two groups of 10. You take two different colors of pony beads and then add 10 to each row.  This is so awesome for solving story problems.  Students can move the beads back and forth on the Rekenrek and see how to solve the problem.  So I saw this a couple of month ago on another blog.  Tara West from Little Minds at Work showed how to make Rekenreks using blinds.  SO  I rushed out and made them. 

Here it is.

Well, then Dr. Nicki had use make one using a piece of construction paper and pipe cleaners.  I was like, well duh.  Now they can have one to take home.  I think I would laminate the piece of construction paper first just for durability sake. Here is that one. 

So simple.  I am going to make these for the kids too.

OK the last tool for today.  It's actually more of a game.  It's called Tower Topple.

So you take Dixie Cups write any addition, subtraction, multiplication problem that you want on the inside of the cup. Then you write the answer on the bottom of the cup. 

Then you stack the cups.  The first person takes the cups and reads the problem on the inside of the cup and gives the answer. He then shows the other players the bottom of the cup. If he is right he can begin to build a tower.  If he is wrong the cup goes back in the stack.  I made a subtraction game for my 2nd grade son and he loved it.  It was fun to see how big the tower can get.  I also made a letter one for my four year old daughter.  They both had a blast building the towers and knocking them down.  FUN and cheap and easy way to practice math facts.

Here is a picture of my daughters.  

 

 

 

Addition freebie

Addition cube book

Addition cube book

Well, next week we are beginning to learn addition.  We have been doing some with our calendar book this month but we will start to focus on it indepth.  We will start with building cubes together.  So I created this little addition book to use as a math center.  Students will build the cubes together and then color them to match and write the answer.  Keep it simple.  I made 6 pages and then the last one the kids make their own number sentence.  Happy building!