Five for Friday, Freebie & Monkeys

It is Friday....of our Spring Break. Time to link up with Doodle Bugs Five for Friday, TBA Freebie Friday Primary Gal's Friday Free-for-all& EduClips.

Really...what do I have to share when I haven't been in class and I've been blogging this week? 

1. EduClips - Did you hear that Sarah has a new store? How exciting is it?

She is having a sale this weekend to celebrate the opening. I previewed the store (yeah!) and picked up a freebie set of monkeys. I am linking up with her blog. You can check out other teacher bloggers who've designed units with her graphics. Here are some recent sets I've made featuring her graphics (3 of the life cycle graphics in my Graph It set are hers)

2 - I made a set of Math games to go with the monkey set. Here we are finding 2 bunches of bananas that total 10 in a mini-pocket chart. Bananas Over Numbers

3 - You are getting a freebie - decomposing ten and recording it as subtraction. Includes game mats, pieces, a recording sheet and a printable. : ) 

4 - Soccer Sort It! Score It! In this game, students sort the cvc pictures (on soccer balls) into the correct vowel sound goals. Several recording sheet options are also included.

5 - Happy Easter! I'm having a 20% sale in my TPT store.

My 2 year old requested I make her this coloring page with Kari Bolt graphics. Of course, she diligently colored the entire picture yellow before presenting it to grandma. : )

Have a wonderful weekend!
Jenn

Wow We Are Talking

We have had Spring Break this week. During the little one's nap, my son asked why it was so quiet in the house. : )  Wow. Have you ever said that at school? 

I'm linking up with Coast to Coast Kinder with a story about talking.

The morning of our last day before break, we started off with a Math game for breakfast work. Roll 2 dice, find that expression, write the sum and color to complete the picture. As they finished eating, they grabbed the worksheet and dice. They started rolling and writing. They chose their own strategies. And they talked... 

They didn't talk about what they watched on tv last night or what they were doing over break. They talked Math. They shared when they had doubles or rolled the same thing twice in a row. So I gave them a little more time that morning and had them check their work with a partner. I will admit that I was circulating and asking questions but it warmed my heart that they were talking Math on their own.

We talk about our Math practices a lot. We like to have Math meeting where we explain how we played a game, what strategies or manipulatives we chose and why, what worked and what didn't work. We have built a climate where we talk Math.  

Does that mean that there aren't times we need to be quiet? Umm...no. Have you ever said, "I love how you are talking about the problem but it is SoAndSos turn to share now." Sure, we all have. 

Recently, I assigned my class partners and had them use manipulatives to solve addition problems recently. They have been working on addition a lot so they asked, "Do we really need to show the problem on the ten frame or part-part-whole plate?" Yep. You have to because your partner is going to explain what you are to do. Open mouths. It was hard for some of them to wait for their partner to explain how to solve the problems but it gave them all the opportunity to use that Math language. 

We even talk Math on the way to lunch. Show me with your fingers. If I had 6 cookies and I ate 3 at lunch, how many did I have left for snack? Then pick one child to explain before your silent walk down the hall.

When we come back after break, I'll be listening for that Math talk and glad it isn't too quiet in here.

Here's hoping your class is full of talk...Math talk.
Jenn

April Freebies and a Mini Sale

Within the last month, I have had quite a few new followers on TPT and some new blog followers. I really appreciate all the feedback and comments. I have a large to-do list but am balancing work and family - with a focus on family a little more recently. I've posted a number of new freebies recently including: 

Beach Buds Roll and Solve 

Backyard Bugs Graph It 

Spin and Graph a Sweet Peep 

Rainbows Rhyme and Reading Freebie

So for Freebie on the 15th with Lucky to Be in First, I'm posting a few oldie but goodie freebies from last year that you may not have.  

April - Earth Day Morning Work

Earth Day Write the Math Room - Subtraction

We Care For the Earth - Interactive Reader 

Easter Monster Roll and Cover Freebie

Baseball Add and Subtract the Room 

Reptiles and Amphibians Graph It Sampler

Also, my Spring Things Math Bundle  Life Cycle Puzzles and Sea Creatures Research It will be 50% off for 24 hours. 

While you are there, check out some new items in my KinderMyles store including Life Cycles Graph It.

Have a great week!

Jenn

Beach Buds

Beach Buds Roll & Solve

I love Krista's Buddies line and her Summer Buddies is no exception. I used these Beach Buds in a roll and solve game. You can use a pocket die (or use the foldable die). After laying out the card randomly on the board, the students roll the die and pick a card from that picture pile (ie. sunburned bird). If they can solve it (use their math language and whichever strategies you wish), they keep it. Both addition and subtraction cards (single digit) are included. Why not just a regular die? Less numbers to confuse and well...these guys are fun.

I am offering this set as a freebie and linking up to A Tale of 2 First Grades linky party in celebration of 10,000 followers of Creative Clips (and her 10 days of freebies). And since it is Monday...to Manic Monday. :) Don't forget to pick up Friday's buggy freebie from the post.

Here are my sweet Beach Buds...

Have a great week!
Jenn

 

Buggy About Addition {and a freebie}

Five new Math units (Can you find the freebie?) posted this week that I'm buggy about.

I am presenting later this month to my school district. I created two games for the presentation but I couldn't wait to share with you. I'm just buggy about them. Both can be used along with a study of insects or connect to the story Ten Flashing Fireflies. 

The first is a Shake and Drop decomposition unit. Ten Little Fireflies

The second is a race to the top game with a twist. Versions include missing addend, making tens, roll 2 dice, and more. Fill the Jar.  

Here are a couple examples of how to use race to the top with rekenreks. Some of my students used a single line to make "seeing" the ten easier. In the examples, we are using the missing addend version from Easter Treats Math Printables. The sum was 10 and the addends were missing. When we had Math meeting, a few students explained why they would have chosen a different material like PPW-Plates and 2 sided counters. For some students that are easily distracted by their manipulatives, the rekenrek contains them and easily slides up the problems.

 Reading the problem with their partner ALOUD before trying to solve to really think about where the = and + were placed.

We've been investigating patterns and cycles in nature so I infused it into our Math...and graphing life cycles was hatched. This unit includes spin and graphs (similar to the Easter Sweets freebie) as well as count and graphs. Life cycles included - ladybug, butterfly, frog, carrot, chicken, salmon, sea turtle. Life Cycles Graph It!

Add it all up and you get a new freebie...Spin and Graph Buggy Style

I'm off to finish up our last day before Spring break & linking up with TBA Freebie Friday and The Primary Gal's Friday Free-For-All
Jenn

Spin a Sweet Freebie

Spin and Graph - Sweet Peeps

Pick up this sweet freebie on TPT. It features graphics from Krista Wallden at Creative Clips. She is having a 10,000 Follower Celebration (started 4/6/14) - check out her FB page for details. I just had to post a freebie featuring her graphics.

This little Easter treat will have friends in my shop soon. I am finishing up Spin & Graph Life Cycles right now. 

If you picked up the Funny Bunny writing freebie page from Friday, you may be interested in knowing Funny Bunny has basket of rhymes. 

The writing freebie is tucked into the preview as well as on the post here. 

I'm linking these freebies up with Manic Monday! at Classroom Freebies.

It is our last week before Spring Break and sure to be a busy one. 

Have a Marvelous Monday!

Jenn

Bunny's Basket Freebie

Bunny’s Basket

I misplaced March somewhere. It is already April and almost Easter. I love to pull out the plastic eggs for making sight words, matching rhymes, and counting. I even miss teaching how to count money hidden in eggs. This year, we were knee-deep in investigating plants and soil and how it all relates to the seasons. 

With one week left before Spring Break, we need to have some Bunny time. Some old favorites...and new ones.

I'm sure you have a few! Feel free to share in the comments: ).

So I have a quick little freebie for you. 

Bunny has an armful of eggs. What happens next? Do they make it into his basket or break on the floor? 

You decide and write about it. (As a kid, I loved the you books with the multiple endings when you decided what happened. Of course, I read them all.)

This can be a writing center or breakfast food.

Linking up with Freebie Friday.

Dreaming of bunnies...

Jenn