Category Archives: Math | Science | STEM | STEAM

Math resources and Science products for including STEM and STEAM into the classroom.

Guided Math..MAKES MY DAY!

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Guided Math.

YES..I have said the words.

GUIDED  MATH.
GUIDED MATH  MAKES  MY  DAY!

 Why?  Why you ask…

 I love the small group engagement that comes from grouping students into “teams”. I can reach them at their level. I can group them with others who have “like” needs. 

 THEY feel so empowered. They feel so GOOD!

 BUT..another small group.
MANAGEMENT can be “terrifying”!

I have found the “TRICK” that makes MY life 
SO MUCH EASIER!!!

I use magnetic paper to print my posters and pdf's for calendar time.

MAGNETIC PRINTER PAPER

Yes…it came from AMAZON…But I have NO AFFILIATION..just like their stuff!

  HOW DO I USE IT?
I made a MATH FOCAL WALL
(Thank You Keri Brown & Brenda Frady)

and printed them on MAGNETIC PAPER..
yes, in my REGULAR Printer (toner not ink).

 NOW…YOU CANNOT use a whiteboard marker on
magnetic paper.
YOU MUST COVER IT.

 So HOW DO I “COVER” IT???

 REPORT  SLEEVES…to the rescue!

 Cut them apart into rectangles.

 Tape on top!
VOILA!

 Eraseable …MAGNETIC..FOCUS WALL

 I put it on my side whiteboard.

 I LOVE IT!

 Here’s the final result(s)…

 SO  HAPPY!

 This helps me get the CALENDAR PORTION of my
Guided Math started.

 Then..my kiddos begin
MATH MUST DO’s.

 Then, I can pull small groups of kids for 
MATH!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!
Clear REPORT SLEEVES
taped at the top! 🙂

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!

Using magentic paper when printing, allows you to instantly change content on math walls!
Be still my heart..
MATH  FOCAL WALL 
with 
MATH MUST DO’s!!

I am LOVIN’..Magnetic Printer Paper!

Next…I am printing my
First grade math concepts for whole group, small group, and independent practice.
Independent MATH center
MAGNETIC! 

🙂

Happy Fall…Bring it ON!

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September is almost GONE!
October will be here soon.
And then…NOVEMBER!

Then comes  SANTA!
Ok…I  regress…

I like FALL.
But…I LOVE  CHRISTMAS!

So to get ready for FALL…
Think leaves, scarecrows, pumpkins, LATTES!
Sweaters, boots, scarves, mittens!
Soft, fluffy blankets.
Fires in the fireplace.
Hot cocoa by the fire, READING A BOOK!
HURRY!  HURRY!
I AM  READY!

Here are some fun ideas to help YOU (& ME)

If YOU need anymore FALL ideas…

Stop by  


Are YOU ready?

(And then…BRING ON SANTA!)
🙂

Have YOU Heard? REALLY??? AM I the LAST to know???

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I feel left out!

HOW did I not know…???
I just found out that

ORIENTAL  TRADING

has a 
WEB SITE 

JUST FOR TEACHERS!

OMG! 

LIFE  CHANGING!

The “go to” website for class sets of

ANYTHING…

pencils, erasers, crafts, party supplies, etc

NOW…has

TEACHER  SUPPLIES!

Bulletin board materials, pencils, book marks,STEM activities, etc..etc..etc…


Learn365  is  AMAZING!

The WONDERFUL people at ORIENTAL TRADING
sent my students  SOME  GOODIES!

*disclaimer…I was compensated in classroom materials for this blogpost.
 BUT…In my opinion,
 I believe this is a wonderful site 
for teachers when purchasing classroom materials.

My students have
 3 new STEM tubs
 for Problem Solving!


Jumbo Lacing Beads

WHO doesn’t LOVE to make PATTERNS, 
practice stringing beads, 
and work on fine motor skills
 of putting a bead in a string?

My kiddos LOVE this!

Yes…primary kids still need patterning!  ðŸ™‚

Foam SHOES for practice TYING SHOE LACES!
WHAT A HIT!

It’s a LIFESKILL..not all students have.
Great practice!
These are sturdy & REAL!
Love them!


And their ABSOLUTE
FAVORITE!

Learning Resources® Gears! Gears! Gears! Movin’ Monkeysâ„¢ Building Set

STEM  at  it’s  BEST!

They build a rainforest THAT MOVES!
The monkeys MOVE!
The forest MOVES!
They control it through the movement of GEARS!

WOW!


We have only been in school for a week…
but I have already had kids ask
if we can get THIS out again!

WINNER! WINNER!

So..I feel very fortunate to have this wonderful
donation to my class!

GO NOW! Get your STEM ON!


and now YOU know!

I hope I will NOT be the LAST to know again!

Happy Back to School!


The day the BOYS found…DICE!

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My boys have found…DICE!

I must THANK the Dollar Store & Target $1 Spot
for making their “dreams come true!”

I Love to have games in my classroom!
We PLAY LOTS of GAMES!
 I once had a parent ask me if ALL we did was play games….
each day her daughter would go home & MOM would ask..
” What did you do at school today?”
Daughter….”Oh, we just played games…”
YES!  BUT…
We play MY games…
games that reinforce concepts I am teaching!
GOOD GAMES! 🙂

So, today,

MY BOYS  FOUND….DICE!

Their world has changed FOREVER!
I have small dice, large dice, EXTRA LARGE FOAM DICE! LOTS!
We are working on beginning addition…
( YOU know where I am going with this!)
Roll…..ADD….Color!

We got out the dice games & had a ball!
Here is my FALL DICE GAMES…
7 games in one packet!
So CHEERS to games 
that make learning FUN!

What games do YOU play
 in your classroom??? 🙂

WOWZA! I’m on a ROLL!!! OK..Time for a NAP!

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I am on a ROLL!!!
Working on updating & revamping some
 FALL GOODIES!

Stop by & give me some LOVE!

(WOW! …I need a nap!)

 HUGS! 🙂

1stgradefireworks
Fill in the missing number.
Task Cards for Guided Math Centers.

Sweet Rhymes.
Match the cone to the ice cream scoop that rhymes.

September Preview/Review GAME!
Assess for FALL concepts!
Fun AND INFORMATIVE!

Missing addends in FALL task cards!
Guided Math center activities.

Sight Words Flip book!
HFW fluency practice.


Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To
Halloween Edition.

Fall themed packet includes:
-Fall vocabulary : syllables
-Graphic Organizers
-Writing Paper
-HFW Matching Game
-ABC Order
-Poem
-Pocket Chart Cards for Poem

WHEW!
Hot around here.

I hope YOU are taking it easy,
resting and playing…

 Soon enough, 
we will be getting ready for BTS!

How to SURVIVE …Back to School Night!

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Oooooo…the dreaded 
 “PARENT’S ARE COMING!”
  Night!
AKA…Back to School Night
We ALL get nervous speaking to a room of parents!
(Wear  good  deodorant, use a breath mint , and  wear  comfy  shoes!)

So..THEY are coming. The parents. The kids. The Grandparents! 
THEY want to know ALL about YOU
and WHAT you are going to do for THEIR child!

Breathe…  SMILE….breathe, again.
And tell them.

I AM GOING TO TEACH YOUR CHILD…
WITH YOUR HELP!

 (I will discuss what “papers” I have for them in another post.)

Today’s tip is about getting parents to
 sign up for everything you need!

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE!

I work in a Title 1 school.
Most parents DON’T WANT TO COME SEE ME!
So I have to make it very “inviting”. 
I tell the kids to “drag” their parents to talk to me.
(Not literally!) Two hands!
I give stickers
 to kids
 who “hand” their parents the BTS night NOTE!

And then…


Have Food!
A bowl of apples, a plate of cookies,popcorn, 
 Mini bottles of water!

CHOCOLATE CANDY!

They will come for food!


Even though parent conferences are MONTHS away..
MAKE a chart of dates & times YOU are available.

I give BRAG Tags to kids when their parents come & send a THANK YOU to the parents, the next day!

 HAVE THEM SIGN UP FOR A CONFERENCE!

(You will send a reminder note as it gets closer..let them choose first!)

If you do

REMIND

 ( iphone app…get this now!)

Have them get out their phones,
type in the number…text your class code…
and  VOILA!
Class parent contacts..DONE!


If you have any WISH LISTS, or things you might need..
HAVE THEM SIGN UP TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM ITEMS
( We can always use glue sticks, expo markers, tissues,etc)

AND  LAST…

If YOU want volunteers for classroom work , parties, field trips, etc…
HAVE THEM SIGN UP!

This is the ONLY night they will ALL be in YOUR classroom!
USE IT!

Sometimes a CAPTIVE AUDIENCE…is a good thing!

Talk about your reading, writing, math and behavior expectations. 
Talk about what they can do to help.

YOU GOT THIS!
Here are some suggestions available at:

Good Luck!
Have FUN!
Breathe!
YOU DID IT! 🙂

Calendar & Morning Meetings…Starting MY DAY right!

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I’m NOT sure WHO needs it more..
ME?   or my students?  
Coffee?
Restroom Time?
RECESS????
NO!

CALENDAR  TIME!

I Love Calendar Time.
I Love reading through the MONTH.
What’s happening THIS week
Next Week.
All month!

It keeps my “getting older” brain…
FOCUSED!

It helps my kiddos stay on top of events for this week and this month.

I am linking up with 
for

MOTIVATIONAL   MONDAY!

This week we are discussing:

CALENDAR TIME
and
MORNING  MEETINGS!

classroom calendar
My calendar is next to my focus board.
This is where we begin our morning meeting.
After vocabulary discussions, calendar,
 days of the week ,months of the year, HFW cards..
I get to do a READ  ALOUD!
Working on reading strategies!
All of this in about 15-20 minutes!
Whew!

My calendar is in PLACE VALUE numbers!
I got it HERE.
LOVE THEM TOO!

I try to “release” the CALENDAR instruction to my students as the year progresses.
By the end of the yer, THEY lead the calendar time.
But , I still get to do the READ ALOUD!
I LOVE IT!

Just a quick shout out to
Krista@Creative Clips Papers Collection

teacher paper calendar
This is MY Calendar!
I use it every DAY!
My Preps, meetings, Notes, appointments, etc.

AND  I  GET  TO  USE  MY  FLAIR  PENS!  ðŸ™‚

One PAD lasts 2 years!  
I LOVE MINE! 

I do MATH Calendar after lunch.
Math wall, focus wall, math calendar wall
We go back to number of days in school, place value, etc.
This begins my REVIEW of math concepts BEFORE we begin anything new!
We count to 120 by 5’s & 10’s ..2’s to 50 at the end of the year.

This is my FAVORITE!
monkey math, first grade math

It ALL begins with Calendar TIME.

Others use their SMARTBOARD for Calendar.
Check it out on PINTEREST and TPT!

Go link up with Jenn@Teacher By the Beach !

I am READY for FALL! And a FREEBIE!

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How do you know when it is FALL??
When STARBUCK’S brings out…
It’s HERE!
FALL!
My school district is on a “modified” traditional calendar.
What that really means is…
We start in JULY…go for 9 weeks..
& get a two week VACATION IN
OCTOBER!!!!
YIPPEE!
In  approximately 22 days ( and 24 parent conferences)…
I will be on vacation for 2 weeks! YIPPEE!!!
I only have a few things to do…
ELA Benchmark tests to be administered, corrected, & inputted..
Math benchmark tests to be administered, corrected, & inputted..
report cards to be imputted ( no comments needed…)
&  24  Parent Conferences…
WOW!  And keep teaching to keep up with the 
district pacing guide!
OH, Yeah!
AND…It’s Johnny Appleseed’s birthday!
WE MUST MAKE APPLESAUCE!
(And after all of that…PLAN FOR the 2 weeks of OCTOBER after we get back!)
So, to help with the October stuff..
A NEW PACKET!
Click HERE

Here are a few more packets to help with …FALL!!! 

And a FREEBIE for YOU!
Happy FALL!!

It’s FINALLY Finished! And an Earth Day FREEBIE!

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You know that project you
STARTED…
LONG AGO ( I mean really long ago)?
The one that sits there…staring at you 1/2 finished?
The one you think ” Yeah..I SHOULD work on that today.”
But…SOOOOO many other things to do…
Well, I finished it!
YIPPEE!!
Here is my newest packet!
SUMMER FUN in the SUN

10 centers!
Yes, you heard me right….10!
Here are some preview pages…
 Nouns, Verbs, Adjective  Sort

Contraction Action!

Punctuation Practice

Three (3) HFW  Games!!!

Writing Prompts
Math
Even/Odd Sort
Using Numerals, Place Value Cubes, & Ten Frames

Double Digit Addition & Subtraction

AND…..
Math Fluency Practice / Assessment Cards!
WOWZA!
( No wonder it took so long to complete! ) 🙂
Check it out at my TPT store:
Click HERE
Thanks for hanging with the LONG POST!
Here is a Earth Day  FREEBIE for YOU!
Leave a comment with your email…
You never know when I might 
send YOU an EXTRA FREEBIE!

MISSING ADDENDS AND a FREEBIE!

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We are working on missing addends in math.
SOME of my kiddos GET IT.
AND
A LOT DON’T!
We use PART, PART, WHOLE…  MATH MOUNTAINS, SUBITIZING, Manipulatives, and more.
And still…
SOME DON’T GET IT!

Thought I might help my kiddos with a little MORE practice.
Here is the new packet…FREEBIE  to follow!

                 3’s Company… Missing Addends

FREEBIES

                                                                                 
                                                                 

ENJOY!