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!

Ready for the 100th day!

I'm ready!  Today I wrote my numbers on 100 Hershey kisses.  I enlisted the 3rd graders to help me blow up 100 balloons!  I have their color page and new 100th day of school pencil.  I even gave them a little teaser; a kiss with a 100 on the bottom.  Got the cupcakes baked tonight!  I'm think I'm more excited than the kids! 

Here is a picture of my classroom.  I can't wait to see what the kids say when they come in the morning! 

100th DAY!!!

Yay!  We are getting soooo close!  Only ONE more day till the big party!  Really this has to be my favorite day of the school year in Kindergarten!  It's so funny how they think school is over after the 100th day!  They don't realize we have to keep going. It is so fun we make a whole week of doing 100 activities!  Tomorrow during reading buddies we are going to make our count by 10's caterpillars.  So fun!  I created a TPT packet of my favorite things to do during the 100th day week. Click here to get my 100 day of fun!

Here is a little count by 10's puzzle.  I made it in color and black and white!  I just cut it up and mixed it up. The kids have to put it back together and glue it on another piece of paper.  I thought instead of me cutting it up I should have had them cut each others. 

 

 

This activity has the students build their own 100 chart.  The students cut the strips across the page so that there are 10 strips. Then they put them in order on a blank 100 chart.  It is best to copy this on colored paper so that you can really see the difference when putting them the 100 chart.

 

This is a fun math game to play in partners.  Students just pick a number and color that number with their dry erase marker.  First person to get 3 in a row is the winner. 

 

Of course, I have some writing prompts in my packet.  It is fun to see what kids would buy with 100 dollars, what they would eat 100 of and how they would look when they are 100.  So fun!  I also have a couple pages where they have 100 seconds to see how many letters, numbers, words they can write. 

You have to have a necklace to wear on the 100th day.  We also are making 100 day crowns!  We will be ready for the party. 

 

And now here are

 My 5 favorite 100 day activities:

 

 1. Hershey kisses hunt

I write the numbers 1-100 on Hershey kisses.  Then I hide them around the room while the kids are at lunch.  Then when they come back in we walk around and find them.  I put a 100 chart down and the kids match the number on their kiss and put it on the chart. 

2. 100 balloon pop

I blow up 100 balloons and we count to 100 as we pop each one. 

3. 100 day cupcakes

I make cupcake.  The kids frost them with a popsicle stick and then we use the a Mike and Ike for the 1 and 2 lifesaver gummies for the 00.  So CUTE!  The kids love it!

4. 100 day wish

We write about what they would wish for 100 of.  Funny... one kid wished for 100 pickles!

5. 100 day crown!  I love to get out the glitter and decorate our crowns. 

 

What are your top 5 favorites for the 100 day?  So many possibilities! 

Of course we do a couple songs! 

 

Product Swap with Mrs. Whimsy

So I joined Jessica Stanford for her product swap.

I got the pleasure of getting my hands on Mrs. Whimsy's Awesome Consonants Diagraphs Anchor Charts and Activities. This is a great packet filled with ideas to help kids learn -sh,-th, -wh, -ch words.

The anchor charts have great real life pictures that help to build vocabulary with all students. It is especially helpful for my ELL kids! The sheet that follows has the students fill in the beginning sounds. This is a great way to reinforce the beginning digraphs.

This page is a bit more challenging and mixes up all the digraphs. The students really have to stretch out the words and write in the missing beginning sounds.

The last page the students fill in the words to make their own word search puzzle. Then have a friends find the words. A great way to build higher level thinking! Thanks for Jessica Stanford for hooking me up with this great product. And thanks to Mrs. Whimsy for this great products.

Today I just went to Guided Math with Dr. Nicki Newton!!  Fun Fun!  I learned a ton!  I will be posting about some exciting things I learned later this week!  Click on her name to check out her blog.  Better yet check her out on pinterest.  Pictures are worth a thousand words! 
Enjoy!
Lisa

Fun Friday!

 

Well, we made it!  First week back!  YEAH!  So today we had some fun in my classroom.  I got out the paint.  Oh they were so good with it. We painted our sight words.  We did rainbow words.  I told them they had to change colors every word.  Let the good times roll!

Here is another  fun "game"  that I got out today.  I made these a couple of years ago and kind of forgot about them.  I made a game for numbers, letters, rhyming, colors and shapes.  Yep!  When I find something the kids like I just make it for everything! 

This is a super easy to make game that you can make for anything.  Go out and buy 2 sets of same flashcards.  You take envelopes and lick them shut on the seal and then glue one set to the outside of the envelope the long way. Laminate.  Then cut off the extra.  When you cut it; you create a pocket.  Students find the answer on the other set of flashcards and slide it inside.  I had a mailbox in my room, so then I have the kids mail it.  So fun!  If you don't have a mailbox you could just put them in a pile or back in the box.  You can make these for addition, subtraction, states and capitals or anything they make flashcards for.  The possibilities are endless.  You can get flashcards cheap at Target Dollar Spot or Dollar Tree. 

 

ReTELLing Rope

 

 

Ever heard of a retelling rope or story snake? It is simply just a long piece of fabric with ribbons tied in different places. I have 4 ribbons so that means four parts the students retell.  They need to tell me the beginning , middle, middle, end.  I want more details so I have two middle people.  The kids retell the story them get up and parts of the story we just read.  They really do a good job of this.  So today I had them practice then I used my Ipad and recorded them retelling the story. They love being movie stars.  :)

Enjoy! Lisa

 

 

Snowman Sound Box & Writing Center Freebie

Well, we are back to school and starting to get back into routine.  I had a student move over break and then got a new one on Monday morning.  Oh fun times!

We have been getting back into routines.  We are starting to work on word families.  We have been working hard to make CVC words with our sound boxes.  I have made cute gingerbread man for Christmas.  They are perfect for guided reading.  We do them as a warm up.  We practice stretching out words.  Sometimes I give them the word first and have them write it out and other times I give them the sounds and have them tell me the word.  Either way they are working hard to become great readers.  Here is my brand new off the press snowman sound boxes!! 

Snowman Sound boxes

Aren't they so cute??

I also created my January Writing Center.  I always have this as a work on writing activity during Daily 5.  The kids love learning the new vocabulary. 

 Click here to grab your FREEBIE from my TPT store. 

 

 

 

 

OMG!  Have you seen this guy? He goes by Teacher Tipster on You Tube.  Not only is he humorous, he has some great ideas. Here is a little video he made about something he called Phonics Photos.  A great idea to hold kids interest while learning. I'm in the process of making these.  The just of it is that you take pictures of your kids holding the letters of the alphabet.  He did beginning sound chunks since he teaches 1st grade.  I just did all the constants.  I typed them up in 400 size font and copied them on green.  Then I typed up the word chunks (-an,-at,-ig,-op,-ut, etc)  and put them on yellow. I had the kids hold one letter and take a picture. Now I have 31 pictures to go print. Then you just put two kids together and make words or nonsense words. SO FUN!! 

 So excited to go print of photos this week. I know the kids will love them!

 Watch this video from the one and only Teacher Tipster, he explains it with visuals.

 

 

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Enjoy! Lisa