Sunday, February 26, 2012

March Math Journals

I know I say this every month - but I seriously cannot believe it's almost March! Are you counting down to Spring Break?!? I might be...

In the meantime, here are March Math Journals - loaded with Dr. Seuss, St. Patrick's Day, and Spring questions! Click the picture to grab your copy!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

My Pin Obsession


Happy Hearts Day

Wheeewwwww. Is it just me or are your KinderKiddos ub.er.hy.per. on holidays? We even try to keep it low key - but as one of my teammates said, "Today feels like the day before Christmas break..."! And it's only Tuesday. Haha.

We did some fun activities today - read a Valentine's Day book, made our bags to hold the cards, made a heart puppet and completed the graphing/patterning math lesson with conversation hearts. Fun but nothing too crazy.

I found this idea at the only site I visit anymore at Pinterest and knew I wanted to make it for my team:
                                                                                        Source: alliemakes.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest


The photo above used rolos and wrapped them - super cute!!!  I love my team but wanted to do something a little more money-conscious - so I used felt, pipe cleaners, a glue gun and twizzlers.

 Supplies.
 Put 5 Twizzlers together with a pipe cleaner in the middle. Rubber band in the middle. 

 I (technically my awesome helper - Momma) used sheets of felt - and cut them in half. Perfect fit.

 Place pack of twizzlers/pipe cleaner on edge of felt.

 Roll up tightly.

 Hot glue edge and press down firmly to close "dynamite".

 Say thank you to Pinterest for the idea...haha.

 Add the cheesy Valentine's Day saying...
(ps - does anyone else call teachers at your school by their last names only??
We do - it's the only way it's ever been. Just curious!)

And voila. Dynamite gifts for my dynamite teammates. :)

Want the tag? Grab it here.
I added "aide", "volunteer", and "student" labels to the file in case you want to use for different people next year.

What did you make? How was your day? Is it just me or are your kids pushing your buttons needing gentle reminders about acceptable behavior??

Happy Hearts Day to all my Dynamite Followers.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

February Math Stations

It was a dreary Saturday here - so I wrapped up with a blanket and kept the coffee going all day. I got a Keurig for my birthday - and thought about how lazy I was contemplated moving it to my computer table. Ha.

February Math Stations are ready to go!

I had lots of ideas this time around - probably why my poor brain doesn't shut off at night and I don't get much sleep - anyone else have that problem. Slight problem when I teach Kindergarten and the KinderKiddos need their teacher awake and ready at o-dark-thirty lol!

I tried not to get too lovey-dovey with the stations - so my boys wouldn't go "ewwwwwwww" every time they opened a math tub!

February Planning Document

Number Writing - Race to Trace Valentine Style
I keep this game fresh by changing out what the kids can trace with too (highlighters, crayons, colored pencils, etc.)

Number Recognition - Bee Mine Roll and Cover
My kiddos loved the Polar Pals game from Mrs Lirettes Learning Detectives Blog - especially the 3 dice. :) I made a February version.

**Updated - I added a version without the yellow background...thanks for the suggestion Hadar. Especially after printing it out this morning and my printer said...your tri-color cartridge is running low...ahhhh!

Number Representation

This cute felt hearts game is a Pinterest find! From Apples and ABCs Blog

Games - Math is a Hoot
I changed up the dice and am going to use a 10-frames dice. Should be pretty easy for them - but I just wanted something new to freshen up the station!

Be Mine Patterns
Just in case my sweethearts do everything but the expected activity get off task at this math tub, I added the Pattern Cards. They will pick one and create a pattern using the pictures. If you use this center, you'll want several copies of page 2 so they can make patterns.

Count and Create
Count using 10 frames and create the number with heart cutouts. I added the "17" card to remind them what they should be doing with the hearts. We have an accucut at school that has a heart - but you could use just about any heart cutout!

Graphing - Toss and Track
To continue practicing numbers in the 20's! Dice is included - but you could program anyone that you have - that's usually easier than cutting and folding! :)

Geometry/Drawing - Roll a Monster
I think this is my favorite for February. This is going to be the teacher station. My kids love the "roll a" games, but I wanted to make it a little more challenging. Hopefully I'm not pulling my hair out with this one. I added base 10 blocks and we are going to roll, count and draw....
We'll see how it goes!!!

Wheeewwww. That was a super long post! Enjoy if you use anything! 
If you aren't a follower, I'd love for you to become one, follow me on FB or leave a comment with suggestions or questions!

Don't Fall Over...But I'm Writing a Post...

Shut the front door. Is it bad that I haven't written a post in for.ever.? I almost didn't remember how to get to Blogger. Okay, it ...