Five for Friday: August 28th!

I can't believe I have missed Five for Friday the last few weeks but I am so glad I get to participate this week! As we end the third week of school I am almost, maybe, kind of, sort of, getting back into routine! Haha!

Ok, here we go friends...

As we get back into school we have been practicing numbers 1-12 like crazy! ...Seriously, A LOT! I love using dice (the foam ones, of course) to practice different math games throughout the year. I made dice games to help my kiddos practice spelling number words, dot patterns, ten frames, and number formations. They have had a blast!! Learning and fun...the best combination!

If your kids need practice too, grab it here!

I always use scholastic book club because I love the fact that the books are reasonably priced and give the parents a good idea of what grade level text looks like. When I saw this month's choices though I was SO SO SO excited!!! I can't wait to get my hands on the The Day the Crayons Came Home! Does anyone have this book yet and it is just as amazing as the first one?!

This week we learned about verbs! I love teaching verbs and always have a lot of fun with the concept when introducing it. No matter how excited I am though, it always takes a while for the kids to get the hang of the concept. This year, however, I played verb charades! The kids had so much FUN and immediately understood that a verb is an action! They were able to go back to their seats and give me examples right after our introduction activity!! ...That makes for a happy teacher! 

Grab this fun packet here!

With technology becoming more and more apart of our society and educational system, I decided to add a keyboard to my kiddo's resource binder this year! They LOVE getting to "type" their spelling words! I see them practicing and they have been telling each other what some of the function keys are for! I love it! They get a lot of exposure to technology in my classroom but I love that they are learning where the keys are on the keyboard too! Typing is a whole different story than touching the iPad! 

I got this template for free on teachers pay teachers! I have searched and searched for this again but can't find it anymore! The file I have doesn't credit anyone or the seller! If you know who it is, please tell me so I can credit them! 

I think of my teacher friends are back in school but I have a few that still aren't! In honor of those still living up their summer...I am going to have a one day SATURDAY SALE this weekend! Cheers to a terrific school year everyone!

Math Power Partners

Hello friends! Here it is... my first blog post! 

It is kind of ironic that my first post is going to be about math because I definitely consider myself a literacy gal! However this year I really focused on improving my math instruction and a few key things really helped me to have more of a heart for math. First off, I decided my kids needed more repetitive practice with the skill. I also wanted it to be ENGAGING and purposeful...so I made some math games that truly targeted the exact skill we were working on that day. I also decided I wanted the kids to work in partners but sometimes partner work can be tricky with the little kiddos. So...power partners were born!

Grab this FREEBIE!

I modeled and taught these 3 rules consistently and it definitely paid off. The kids loved partner work and they were practicing, practicing, practicing. I did entice them by having "partners of the day." At first the partners of the day got a small treat but after a few weeks the kids were just proud to have the title for the day! They were always on task and I could easily pull small groups knowing that everyone was working and engaged.

Below is an example of a very basic beginning of the year math game. I am in the process of uploading my games to my TpT store so check in throughout the summer or follow my store if you are interested in math games for your kiddos! I always have two different levels or variations of each game to provide differentiation. I have also adapted my games for single center use which are sold separately. Again, this is a very basic beginning of the year example. This helps me to establish rules for partner work with the students and ensure everyone knows the basics before we move forward!

(Number Cards Included)

I just put the directions and supplies into a gallon sized Ziploc bag and the game is ready to go! If I know the game is going to change the next day I have students put the directions and supplies away. After a few weeks a student helper can easily see how I am organizing and putting together the bags. They help me get the games ready for the next day before dismissal or during morning work. I try to work smarter, not harder! :)

 You can purchase this game in my TpT store! What do you do you in your classroom?