Friday, December 16, 2011

Greater Than Less Than - Grinch Style!

    I am incredibly lucky to work with Lynae, the very creative math specialist extraordinaire!  Her job is to create engaging math centers to help fill in the gaps in our students learning during our interventions time.  She does this for k-6 grades.  Every week!  She is AMAZING!!


This weeks she came up with this fantastic idea.  She used the beloved Dr. Seuss character the Grinch in the most fantastic way.




She found an image on google, printed them off, cut off one arm and taped it to make the greater than and less than signs!  She put glitter glue to emphasize the signs but some of my little darlings pulled it off.   :(






    Then she made Santa bags with different numbers on them.  Our students had to put the correct Grinch in the middle to show their understanding.  {LOVE IT!}


What do you think?  Is this something you might use in your classroom?  







Sunday, December 11, 2011

Get 'em While They're Hot! Coin Posters Freebie!

So I ordered DJ Inkers Kidoodlez: Science and Math CD.  Let me just tell you.....I LOVE all of the super cute and useful images that come on this CD! 



(Click on the picture to get your own copy!)




There are so many fantastic images to use.  This is the first resource I have created with it.  I have updated my money posters and created one for the half dollar which I didn't have.  I am not the greatest poet so if you know of or think of a better poem to use for the half dollar please let me know and I will make a poster with it!  




(Click the picture to grab a copy of the Coin Posters)

Please leave me a comment if you download the coin posters!  I love hearing from all of my blogging friends!  {HUGS}

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Hooray For Awards!

Big thanks to Barb from Grade ONEderful for awarding me the the Liebster Blog Award!  Isn't she a sweetie! I feel so special.  Now I know how my student of the week feels when they receive their certificate! ;) ?


The goal is to spotlight 5 other up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers!

Here are the fabulous blogs I am passing this along to :)





Congratulations blogging buddies!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Easy Peasy Symmetry

Today I introduced symmetry during math.  First I showed them what symmetry meant using our bodies as an example.  Then we used shapes and we practiced drawing lines of symmetry on them.  We folded them on the lines to double check that they were actually symmetrical.   After that we created these fabulous symmetrical works of art!  


So here is an easy art project that is sure to get oooh's and aaaah's from all of your little darlings.  


First have your students fold construction paper in half hamburger style.  Then go around and ask each child what colors they would like.  I let them choose three colors.  




Next fold the paper back up and spread the paint out by pressing on the paper from the fold to the front opening.  If they spread it from side to side it will spill out the sides and be really messy.  




When they open up their paper they will find a beautiful symmetrical painting will have appeared like magic!  Followed by the oooh's and aaaah's...


Helpful hint:


I put the paint in a shower tote so that I can easily carry them from table to table.  



Then I had my students write about their symmetrical paintings in their math journals.  You know how the Common Core loves for our kiddo's to write about math!

They had to answer these two questions in their writing: What does your picture look like?  What does symmetrical mean?  

Here are some student examples....



and 




Friday, December 2, 2011

A pinterest inspired Christmas!

Is it Friday already?!  This week as FLOWN by!  We have been super busy and I wanted to share a few things we accomplished this week.  


I was pretty inspired by this cute door I found on pinterest.  One of my parent volunteers brought this super fun work of art to life on our classroom door!  
Let me tell you it has been that talk of the first floor, the kindergartners especially love it!



I also loved this cute Grinch idea I found also on pinterest.  



I made him by using my elmo document camera to shine the picture onto my smartboard where I taped a piece of green paper and then traced the outline of the Grinch.  Then I had it laminated.  




My students are going to catch their classmates in acts of kindness.  Write them down on a heart and tape it to the Grinch.  

I have a basket with red paper, scissors, a marker and I added tape after I took this picture.  


Update:

Look how kind my class is!





Remember Rachelle's post about 3d leprechauns back in March?  I used that idea and we made Santa's Elves instead.  


The placement of my elves is totally driving me crazy.  I had my cute student service learner from the high school hang them up. :)  I didn't have a Christmas border so my students made their own.



If you want the posters I made for the Grinch or Santa's Elves leave me your e-mail and I'll send them to you!  I have to go to a faculty meeting now :)