Hi friends! I've just uploaded a couple of brand new resources you will want to check out, especially if you teach second grade, or if you are trying to expose your first graders to a bit more challenging content before any upcoming standardized testing. 

This first one, is the unit I just finished teaching with my second grade math students... Money:  Learning All About Coins.   Teaching money can be so challenging to many students!  Everything I make is a product of my own teaching.  I tweak it as I go, making changes and additions to address all the needs that arise throughout the unit.  Looking back, I realized I needed to have spent more time earlier in the year, teaching skip-counting, so I emphasized it in this product.  

I've started it off with coin identification.  I spend one week on this.  I've included posters that point out all the differences of each coin.  Then we move to reviewing skip-counting.  You can choose which one to give your students:  a hundred or a hundred-twenty board, both are included.   Slides to show whole class help you guide your students through counting practice, of various coin combinations.  

There are activity sheets for students to use as individual counting practice.  I start by only combining two coins, pennies and nickels.  Once successful with those, I move on to counting nickels and dimes, then on to quarters with a variety of other coins.  I spend one week on this skill.  

Now... I teach my students two organizational strategies;  to write the value on each coin before they start, or they can write the running total as they count, a shown here.  

In the last week of the unit, week 3, I teach my students how to solve word problems involving counting coins.  I also provide a two-step set of word problems, involving making change for more of a challenge.  There is a summative assessment at the end of the unit, but don't let that be your only assessment.  Use the activity sheets in the second week to help you determine which kids need your extra attention in a small group setting.  I actually circle the incorrect answers, and give these sheets back to my students to redo, throughout the week, while I pull a few students at a time to my small group table for extra instruction.  

Here it is...  

The second resource I've just uploaded to TPT is one to teach how to calculate area and perimeter, titled Area and Perimeter Task Cards  

We start out learning how to measure perimeter, the distance around an object, by counting the number of squares going around the "perimeter" or border of the shape.  

Then I teach them how to calculate perimeter when the squares are gone and only measurements are left.  It can really through them for a loop when only two sides have measurements.  Thats when we have to review what we already know about polygons... they have the same length or with on both parallel sides. 

Once most have mastered perimeter, we move on to area, in the same manner.  First, by counting all the squares that fill up the "area" of the shape just like an "area rug" would.  

Then I teach them how to calculate the area of the shape by multiplying the length by the width.  

This resource has 10 perimeter task cards and 10 area task cards,  a recording sheet and an answer sheet.  This is great for a math center, small group or sometimes I use it as a BUMP-style activity around the room.  

I hope these resources are helpful to you!  Have a great week teaching!!!

Valentine's Day Freebie

My kiddos need as much practice a they can get answers questions about graphs... specifically comparison questions.  Click here to grab your free copy.

An Organized Plan for Math Activities

Do you need an organized plan for your Math activities?

There was a time when I just sent students to math centers after they completed the assigned math application for the day's lesson.  I spent so much time replacing center materials, but thought there had to be a better way!  I had other resources that I rarely used and then one day I read the book Math Work Stations by Debbie Miller.  It changed the way I thought about this time!  Now "centers" is just one activity in my daily Math Work Stations.  

I wanted an organized plan to ensure I worked with each student during the week, so I included a teacher rotation.  Fluency is an important focus at our school, so I wanted my kiddos to work in their fluency folders weekly as well.  Counting to 120 is a skill reported on our first report card, so I have a container of baggies with various seasonal erasers in them.  The number in the bags range from 50 to 150.  I bought my first assortment from Amazon, but then they started popping up in the dollar spot at Target.  Most of them come in groups of 60, so I usually pick up two bags.  These are my first 5 rotations to start the year.  I will eventually change out counting bags for iPads or Partner Games as they year goes on.  These stations require hardly any of my time, so instead, I get to spend it on planning my core content.  I still have centers, but I don't have to change them near as often (usually monthly or just when the unit changes). Yippie!!!  

Click on Weekly Math Rotations Chart if you would like your own copy, which is fully editable.  You can change the group names, the student names in each group and the name of the daily activities.  There is also a 4-day rotation chart included in the download.  Pick which is best for you.    

If you like this Weekly Math Rotation chart, please leave your review on TPT.  Thank you!

Presidents' Day 2018

Here are two engaging and informative videos from Scholastic.  

100th Day of School 2018

The 100th day of school is just around the corner for many of us.  I have blogged several times about the activities I do in my classroom each year.  I've received requests for all the items I use in my activities. Now I've put it all together in one product.  I've include pictures and details about how to use the 100th Day activities in your classroom. You can get it here.

If you want to read the original blog post on how to implement these activities in your own classroom, click here.

MLK Day 2018

My students love it when I put up an upcoming holiday on our math calendar!  But what is funny, is that its not only the holidays that we are out of school, but the ones we are in school for too.  It's because they've realized that I always plan something fun that day!

The next holiday will be MLK Day, and my students know that on Tuesday, when we return, our class will do lots of things related to Martin Luther King, Jr.  I have several things planned all throughout the day, and I've listed them below.

Morning Work:
1. "I have a dream" color sheet.

2.  Thinking map:  Circle map to show what they already know about Dr. King.

Shared Reading:
1. Read aloud the book titled Martin's Big Words.

Here is a good choice for an upper grades read aloud.  It's called Who Was Martin Luther King?

Independent Reading/Reading Groups:
1. Read and complete color/comprehension sheets  (first one for grades 1-2, second one for grades 3-5)

 

Shared Writing:
1. Together we will create a class chart titled "How to be like Martin".  This will open up a great discussion of the book we read earlier during Shared Reading.

Independent Writing:
1. Students will create their own "I Have a Dream" small book.

Social Studies:
1. Watch Brain Pop video about the life of MLK or read the book titled .
2. Complete cut/paste time line activity.

3. Compete cut/paste fill-in-the blank activity sheet (Upper grades:  scrambled words fill-in-the-blank activity sheet)

 

If you are interested in doing any or all of these things in your classroom, you can download the complete unit titled, Martin Luther King, Jr., An American Hero here.

Here is a freebie just for stopping by. 

  

Just click here to get your freebie.  

TYT Cyber Monday (and Tuesday) sale

TPT is joining the rest of the cyber world tomorrow and Tuesday for its big Cyber Sale!  Now is the time to grab up all those products you've been looking at, but wishing were on sale!  I've got plenty of shopping to do myself!  So go start shopping!  

You might want to check out my newest Christmas product to use with QR code readers.  It's a collection of links to 20 great read aloud books with a Christmas theme.  My kiddos love using the iPads in the listening station to read along with these wonderful Christmas stories!