Contraction Surgery

DOCTOR...DOCTOR

These words need SURGERY... STAT!!

 

Today I introduced the concept of contractions!

I LOVE INTRODUCING CONTRACTIONS!

 

Every year I prepare this activity, and I get excited every time!

(I guess I just like to role play in my classroom, it's so much fun!)

 

When my kiddos entered the room from our RTI time they found me wearing a medical mask!

 

The questions flooded in:

Mrs. Jessica are you sick? Are you ok? Why are you wearing that? What's on your face?

Well I got their attention!

 

 

I introduced the concept of

 

taking two words and shortening them! I call the apostrophe a "Band-Aid."

They just LOVE IT!

Then I give each student a mask, gloves, and a Band-Aid.

 

I issue out to them their first patient. They first must work in pairs, because they are training to be doctors.

 

 

After they mastered their first surgery with their partners, I assess them to see if they are ready to do surgery independently!

Check out my room full of doctors!

I'm hoping that in 20 years or so some of them come pay their old 1st Grade teacher a visit, and I can learn that some of them aspire to be a doctor! I'll just pull out this picture and take credit for their inspiration!

 

 

 

 

 



Place Value Centers

Reviewing our Place Value Skills

 

We have been working hard on our Place Value Skills in my class. I wanted to make this weeks B.U.I.L.D Math centers all about Place Value!

 

Check out what we did at each center:

 

 



 

Buddy Games: The students had two sets of cards. One set had a picture of base ten blocks representing various number. The other set had the corresponding numbers. They had to flip one of each card over and see if they got a match. If they matched they got to keep the cards and take another turn, if they didn't match they turned them back over. With each turn you could watch the students counting their 10 rods and cubes and strengthen their place value skills!!

 

 

Using Manipulatives: The students had a bag of buttons (or you can use beans), 4 small Dixie cups, and this page template that I had laminated so they could write on it with Dry Erase markers. The students scooped up a cup (I modeled how to get small scoops to make their work easier) of buttons. Then they had to make groups of ten and place the "leftovers" in the circle. Finally they could count using their place value skills and record the number in the square. Then they just simply erase, clean up their buttons, and get a new scoop to do it all over again!

 

 

Independent Work: The students are given the worksheet template, two dice, marker, and an eraser. I placed the worksheet template in a dry erase sleeve so they can use their dry erase markers. One dice indicates how many tens they have, the other dice indicates the number of ones. The student rolls the dice (I use my dice containers to limit noise and projectile dice) and records their tens and ones on the worksheet. Then they must record the number that it creates. Once the student completes the entire worksheet they have a partner check their work. Then they simply erase and do it all over again!

 

 

Learning about Numbers: Students will have a 120 chart in a dry erase sleeve. They roll a dice and color in that many on the 120 chart. Then they roll again and add. For example: If a student rolls a 5 they color up to 5. Then lets say they roll a 3. They must then say 5+3=8 and color up to 8. The goal is to get to 120 as fast as possible. Once they reach 120 I then make them go backwards all the way to 0 to practice their subtraction skills! If you want to spice it up give them a timer and have them time how long it takes them to get to 120!

 

 

Doing Math: The students are given a spinner page and a worksheet template that is placed in a dry erase sleeve. They spin the spinner to get their tens and ones. They record this number on their recording sheet. Then they must record the number that is created! Once they complete the whole page, they simply erase and repeat!

 

 

Kingdom of the Diagraphs

Once upon a time....

in the land of the Diagraphs...

 

This week we were exploring some Diagraph sounds!

After some brainstorming (which entails surfing the web/Pinterest) I came up with "The Kingdom of Diagraphs."

Of course you can't have a Kingdom without Kings and Queens!

 

I made a crown template, pulled out my sentence strips, and TAA-DA! My class became the Kings and Queens of the Diagraph Kingdom!

 

 

I labeled the crowns a variety of Diagraph sounds and then passed them out. The students had to record words that had that sound on the sentence strip. Then they cut the crown out, glued it on the sentence strip, and I stapled the sentence strip together to form the "hat." When I placed the crown on their head I said "I now pronounce you King/Queen of the (diagraph sound) Kingdom!
I explained that they had to KNOW their sound ... in case anyone in the school asked them what they were wearing and why!

MY KIDS LOVED THIS!
They took ownership of their learning and were BEAMING with confidence!
I of course took it off the deep end! We even walked in the hallway with our noses in the air ..... just like King and Queens do of course!!


I Don't Know What I've Been Told ....

Left, Left, Left, Right, Left

We worked on Place Value Skills

ARMY STYLE!

 

 

 

When checking out my favorite blogs for ideas on teaching Place Value I found this fun video!

I took this idea and ran with it!

Grabbed my army hat at the local Dollar Tree and practiced my "Drill Sergeant" voice!

The kids LOVED it!

 

For our "partner work" in the lesson I found a WONDERFUL Place Value scavenger hunt complete with exercise cards! The students walked around the room with their recording sheets. Some of the cards posted on the walls had base ten block pictures, and some of the cards had exercise activities. The students had to look at the base ten blocks and write the matching number on their recording sheet. If they found an exercise card they had to complete the exercise!

GREAT way to motivate, keep them moving, and practice place value skills!

Check out the pictures of my boys and girls on their Place Value Scavenger Hunt!

Working hard counting base ten blocks!

Push-ups anyone?

It is so fun to watch little ones do jumping jacks!

 



GOBBLE till you WOBBLE

GOBBLE till you WOBBLE

It is Thanksgiving ... and I love these activities I use every year to help us celebrate Thanksgiving!

 

Having a 2 day week due to Thanksgiving break worked out PERFECTLY for the activities I had planned for my 1st grade sweeties!

On Monday it was all about PIE! Tuesday was all about TURKEY!

On Monday we started our Reading block off learning about Author's Purpose! Check out this cute anchor chart we used to introduce the skill!

 

 

Of course we needed an example of each kind of "purpose" so we read an apple pie recipe, the book "Enemy Pie" by Derek Munson, and a local grocery store ad for freshly baked pies! After I read each type of writing we recorded that writing's "purpose" on the board.

Enter our Interactive Journal entry!

 

 

Under each foldable they recorded the example we used in class. Persuade was the grocery ad, Inform was the pie recipe, and Entertain was the book "Enemy Pie." Don't you just love the little pie we added to the corner!

 

During our Math block we participated in 2 activities! The first activity included eating different kinds of pie ...... who doesn't love pie!? You would be shocked to see how many of our sweet 1st graders have never tried it!

We had three pies: apple, pumpkin, and pecan (beware of nut allergies of course)! I gave each kiddo a little sampling of each pie.

LET THE GRAPHING BEGIN!

 

I was shocked that the class voted on Pumpkin as the majority favorite! In years past it has ALWAYS been Apple! The class graphed the results and then answered questions based on our graphs!

 

For our 2nd Math activity I purchased this wonderful packet to introduce Fractions!

Click on the image to view packet from TeachersPayTeachers.

 

 

Moving into TURKEY TUESDAY...

 

We started our day by making Indian headdresses complete with feathers from the craft department! We then made some festive totem poles! I used FREE paint sticks from Wal-Mart for the back-bone of the totem pole. The students illustrated the images and glued them on to create their own unique totem pole!

 

Doesn't my class look FABULOUS!

 

I read one of my favorite books "Thanksgiving Rules" by Laurie Friedman. 

                          

The students completed a writing prompt where they came up with their own five rules to follow during the Thanksgiving holiday feast!

Now it was time to discuss the BIGGEST component of this holiday event....

THE FOOD!!!

 

I had 7 cards that showed popular Thanksgiving food items. I gave each student a small square of paper and directed them to come place their square next to their favorite Thanksgiving food item.

THEN WE GRAPHED...

 

I can't speak for the rest of the class .....

but I left this lesson SUPER hungry for Thanksgiving food!!

 

Here are some pictures of some crafts we also completed on Tuesday!

 

 

This is our LONG LEGGED TURKEY.

We wrote a "How to" prompt entitled "How to Catch a Turkey."

 

I create this craft each year when we learn about the 1st Thanksgiving! EVERYONE does the Turkey handprint craft .... so of course I can't do that! I have to be different! PLUS the hallways are full of turkey projects ...... our class has to STAND OUT!

The MAYFLOWER hand-print craft is adorable!

I pair it up with a writing prompt: If you were on the mayflower and you could only bring 5 things, what 5 items would you bring and why?

It is so interesting to see what they would bring!

 

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Subtraction Math Centers

Subtraction Math Centers

 

This past week in my B.U.I.L.D. Math centers I wanted to reinforce subtraction skills. Here is a look at the subtraction centers I had the students participate in this week!

 

Domino Subtraction

Students pick a domino out of the basket and create a subtraction problem. I also include number lines so the students have a tool to help them subtract.

 

 

 

Missing Teeth

The students have the image which is inside a sheet protector. The image character has 10 teeth. The student rolls the dice and colors out that many teeth. Then they write a subtraction sentence. This was perfect for my class .... we have several BIG KID 1st Graders losing teeth right now!

 

First to 20

The students work with a partner. They each have the dot card and 20 clothespins. They roll the dice and then put that many clothespins on their dot card. After each turn they have to read the "Talk Card" which says: I have _______. I need _______ more to get to 20.

 

Subtraction Color By Code

The students solve the subtraction problems and then color the page appropriately. If they do it correctly they will see the mystery picture at the end!

 

Let's Play War

Ok this is not a subtraction game, but it is having the students practicing how to identify the greater number (or you could play using the smaller number).

The students work with a partner. They have a deck of cards. They each take a card off the top and reveal their cards to each other. The person with the highest card wins and keeps both cards!

 

Let's Make Big Numbers

This game is like the "War" game above, but there is a SPIN!

The student have little number cards in a Ziploc bag. Each student picks two number cards. They use those cards to make a double digit number. They reveal their number to their partner and the highest number wins! SO if they pull out a 2 and a 5 they can create the number 25 or the number 52! Of course they quickly caught on that the best way to win was to always make the biggest number!

 

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We are FAMILY ... Fact Family That Is!

We Are Family...

I've Got All My Sisters With Me!

 

 

Ok now that you have that song in your head driving you crazy...Check out all the fun things we have been doing with Fact Families!

 

First I like to play these songs while we are learning about Fact Families! I teach Math at the end of the day and I always have to make sure to have a great "Hook" that gets my kids engaged and excited about Math!

 



 

I found these AWESOME tools to use for Fact Family practice! I don't know about you, but all I have to say is the word IPAD and my students are hooked! I glued them on some construction paper and laminated them so that my students could use them at their desk with Dry Erase markers. I would write the three numbers on the board, and watch them complete the fact family on their very own IPAD!

I then would call on a volunteer to come and write the fact family on the board!

 

After we had a lot of practice I gave them a worksheet for their assessment! Also IPAD themed of course!

 

Another fun activity we did with fact families incorporated Candy Corn! Who doesn't love candy corn!?! Remember how I said I teach Math at the end of the day ..... like AFTER lunch end of the day! Well my kiddos are tuckered out by the time we make it to Math! They are not nearly as motivated to stay focused and participate! This makes my planning for math SO IMPORTANT! I need them up and moving and ENGAGED!

So we played "Musical Candy Corn!"

I made these candy corn images, wrote three numbers on each of them, and put one candy corn at each child's desk. Each student had a blank fact family worksheet to use for the activity! When the music started they walked around the room, when the music stopped they had to sit down at the closest seat and record the fact family for the numbers on their candy corn! The kiddos LOVED it!

 

Watch this video of my kids participating in this activity! Oh and why yes ... we are listening to our special "We Are Family" music while we play! Some of my students showed ofF their "soul" while they walked around the room!

Don't mind some of the crazy hair you see in the video! It was crazy hair day at school!

 

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Writing Sentences with the Pigeon, and Going Batty with Main Idea

Writing Sentences with the Pigeon

 

This week we learned about the 4 Types of Sentences.

This dandy anchor chart did the trick ...

 

I love the Pigeon Books written by Mo Willems! They work great in this lesson because they are full of the different types of sentences. I read 1 of the books to the class and we marked the page whenever we found one of the types of sentences we are studying.

Then I put my other Pigeon books at my student's groups. They created this wonderful craft and had to find a sentence that matched their type of sentence to copy from the book!

It was so much fun .... my kids are now officially obsessed with the Pigeon character!

 

Then my son (who is in 3rd grade) had to complete a Character Pumpkin project for his class. Guess who he picked for his character ......

THE PIGEON!

Didn't he do a GREAT job?!

 

Going Batty with Main Idea

 

This week we also worked on Main Idea!

SUPER HARD concept for my class! This is one of those comprehension skills where I tend to fight my urge to go bang my head on the brick wall in my classroom!

It's not their fault .... it is a very difficult abstract concept for them to master!

We will work on this concept ALL Year LONG!

Since it was close to Halloween I decided to pull in a favorite book to help us learn about Main Idea!

 

 

 

I read the story aloud and then discussed the Main Idea and Details! My kiddos then made a Bat

Craft, and completed a Main Idea organizer to go with it!

 

 

By the end of the week our Hallway Display was VERY BUSY!

 

 

PLUS...

we were celebrating Red Ribbon Week! The teachers compete against each other in a Red Ribbon Week Door Decorating Contest! Check out my class door! I hope we win!

 

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