Fall into M.A.T.H. Stations!

I love this time of year!  The beautiful fall colors, cooler air,  Pumpkin Spice Lattes and knowing the holidays are right around the corner!  I also love seeing the growth my students have made in this short time we've been together!

During the first trimester of school, we have focused on subitizing, showing numbers in different ways, and making 10!  I've been forcing myself and my kids to slow down and really focus!  I want to make sure they have a solid foundation in these 3 areas of math!

This is by far the BEST I have felt about my students' math understanding this early in the year!  Each morning we gather on the carpet for our calendar time!  This is more than the day of the week, etc.  This is the mini lesson before our MATH time.  We make the most of this time by following this daily routine!

I'm so impressed with my students' math minds and plan to continue with this routine!  Here is an outline of what it looks like in my classroom!

For MATH time I use the acronym M.A.T.H. to organize my groups.

• M - Meet with the Teacher

• A - Activity Journal

• T - Technology

• H - Hands on Tubs

Meet with the Teacher is my time to work with small groups.  During this time, I introduce new games, strategies and/or reinforce concepts.  Often the activities we cover in my small groups will appear in Hands on Tubs for independent practice!

Activity Journal provides an opportunity for independent practice and is often pencil paper.  I try to provide more than a worksheet though.  Usually it is more of an interactive page.

Technology:  I am fortunate to have 5 Chromebooks and 6 iPads in my classroom.  My students use the Chromebooks to access our adopted curriculum's on line portion during MATH time.  We also use the iPads to explore apps.  Some of our favorites are:

Hands On Tubs are filled with games that review concepts previously taught.  Students play games with partners or complete activities independently.  Occasionally, one of the tubs may have an independent activity such as puzzles, tangrams, or pattern blocks.


Hands on Math Tubs offer the perfect time to provide engaging fall themed independent and group activities for students!  Here are some of my students' favorites and a FREEBIE for you!

Print and add DICE!  My students love these!

Get your kids up and moving while practicing math strategies!

Click the Picture to Download Your Freebie!

Techy Tuesday - GoNoodle

This week's Techy Tuesday is about Brain Breaks!

Hopefully you have heard of and use GoNoodle in your classroom!  But if you haven't, don't wait any longer! This is not the first time I've blogged about GoNoodle, but I couldn't resist adding this to Techy Tuesday!

Brain Breaks!  You know your students need them!  They need them more often than we probably realize, too.   I implemented a new procedure last year and my students loved it!  Do you ever have those students that are "too cool" to participate in a brain break?  Yes, you know the ones!  Since using GoNoodle in my classroom, most of my students participate simply because it's so engaging, but I still have my stinkers!  So I implemented the GoNoodle Champ system.

I keep my eye out for a student that is doing a great job participating during our brain break and they become the GoNoodle Champ!  This means that they get to CHOOSE the next GoNoodle activity! OMG!  They love this!

And let me tell you, we GoNoodle several times a day in our class, so we have lots of chances to be a GoNoodle Champ!

Watch the video above to see my little firsties in action!

I have a GoNoodle lanyard that I picked up at the I Teach 1st Conference, but any lanyard will work. I attach a badge holder to it and slide in one of these cards!  You can download this free.  Just click the picture!  Students wear the lanyard until they pass it to the next champ.  It's simple, engaging and keeps us all happy!

Our first graders love GoNoodle so much, we couldn't resist these costumes last year!
If you haven't signed up for GoNoodle, what are you waiting for?  It's FREE!

Sign up for GoNoodle!  Your students will thank you and you will love it!

Techy Tuesday

Welcome back to Techy Tuesday!  This week I want to share a favorite app in my classroom!  It's not new, but it's a favorite!  If you haven't discovered this app yet, you'll want to check it before the kids come back!

Do you use technology during Reader's workshop or Daily 5? Are you thinking of adding some tablets?  This may be something you want to add to your lesson plans!

There are several ways I use iPads during reading time, but this app is one of my favorites for Read to Self!

I've installed this free app on all of my classroom iPads!  My kiddos can use this app during "Read to Self" time!  This app has increased the book choices for my students!  They can choose from and read from a huge library of fiction and non-fiction titles!  Some of the titles offer a "read aloud" option! I've found this app particularly helpful with providing a huge assortment of non-fiction titles!

Check out the website here Epic!

This would be a fun app to introduce to families for summer reading!  Try it out this summer!

Have fun!

Augmented Reality for Writer's Workshop

Welcome to Techy Tuesday!   I want to share some recent discoveries for the classroom and specifically Writer's Workshop!

I recently discovered some great Augmented Reality Apps!  Doesn't that sound super Techy?  It's so techy and soooo easy! In fact, your students have probably already discovered some of these apps! Follow along and be patient with me!  You'll love this for writer's workshop!

First, download this app! It's FREE!

Then using the app, "scan" the picture of the Incredibles (the target image)!

Target Image

You should see a video of Mrs. Incredible at a dance party with some cute kiddos!  You have to hold your device over the "target image" while viewing the video!  Isnt' it cool!  

Okay, so how do you apply this to Writer's Workshop?  Kids can upload videos of themselves telling a story about the "target image" or write a story about the "target image" and read it on video! Students love to share and listen to each others stories! This would be a fun way to share weekend or vacation news!  How fun is that?

I plan to have my students use this app to define vocabulary words to enhance our thematic studies! I'm so excited to use this in the fall!

The following app works the same way, except the image is already embedded with an augmented reality image.  This still provides a fun, engaging way to inspire young writers!  Students color the picture and write a story about what is happening in the revealed image or video!  Students are probably using this app already!  Crayola offers a HUGE selection!

 





Well, that's it for this Tuesday!  I'll be back next week with more techy discoveries!

Digital Portfolios - Techy Tuesday

Welcome to Techy Tuesday!  I do need to make a little disclaimer  here:  I am not a Techy Teacher, BUT I love discovering and learning how to include purposeful technology in my classroom!  What better time to explore than during the summer!

Let's start with Digital Portfolios:

Our students create amazing projects to demonstrate their learning.  A Digital Portfolio is an electronic collection of student work and performance over time.  Portfolios make classroom learning more accessible to parents by providing a window into student learning. 

Last year I used the app, FreshGrade, to keep digital portfolios of my students' work.  This app was also wonderful for increasing school to home communication.  This app is extremely easy to use!  I took pictures of my students and their work throughout the day.  Parents were able to have a window into their child's school world immediately!





Last week I discovered another app with a similar purpose.   SeeSaw appears to be well suited for Primary!  This app is user friendly for teachers and students.  In addition to keeping student work in digital portfolios, parents are notified each time a new item is added and can immediately leave comments.  Students can add their own work, pictures, or videos and after teacher approval is posted!  And it works with IOS and Android!  This app also has a classroom blog feature!




Have you used either of these apps?  Do you have any other discoveries?  Please leave a comment with your favorite apps for digital portfolios!

Check back each Tuesday this summer to discover a Technology Tidbit!  Take the time to explore and become familiar with some new apps to include in your classroom next year!

Sunday Scoop

I'm linking up with The Teaching Trio to share my Sunday Scoop! 

I'm getting ready for 2 vacations and have so much to do!  3 things I HAVE to do today...

1. The never ending pile of laundry...except it has to get done so it can go in the suitcase!
2. Which leads me to my second HAVE to...pack!  I have to fit 2 weeks worth of clothes into 1 suitcase...times 4 girls!  YIKES!  
3. I really don't want to leave the house a wreck (which is its current state)!  My poor husband does not get to go with us for our trip back home.  He doesn't get summers off :(  Straightening the house all day!

I'm hoping to grab some time to enjoy some coffee with my BFFs before I leave for two weeks.  I know it's supposed to be 2 things I hope to do, but I am hoping to get coffee with both of my BFFs!  I need a little grown up conversation time and want to connect with them before I leave!

And last, but not least...Father's Day!  We are huge Disney Fans and haven't been able to carve out time for the new Dory movie!  So, Happy Father's Day!  We're going to the movie!  I'm pretty sure he's just as excited as we are...it should be a fun time!  I can't wait for him to open his present...the girls picked out a Steph Curry Warriors Blanket!  LOL!

What is on your to do list for Sunday?

Direct Drawing with Students

I love to do directed draws with my students....except I'm not the best artist.  I know we teach our kids that we are all great artists, but really, I just can't!  I've found a way around it!  I discovered an amazing website during this last school year!  I have to share it with you!   But, I'll give you a fair warning...once you introduce this to your students, they'll want more!  The artist behind this channel is a father and he draws with his kids during the videos!  The great thing about it is he draws the picture step by step, right along with his kids.  There are natural pauses in the video so your students can draw right along with the video!  When we do this in my classroom, it is SILENT!

New videos are posted daily throughout the week and this artist is current!  He just posted "How to Draw Dory!"

 Click the picture below to head over to this YouTube Channel. 

 Art for Kids Hub is a website also!  

If YouTube is blocked at your school site, you can use SafeShare to create a safe link!  I like to use SafeShare simply because it eliminates the ads from the sidebar!  

Check out the channel this summer so you can plan how to incorporate some fun art into your lessons!  Have Fun!  I've even been know to play these art lessons at home with my teenage daughters!  

Technology in the Classroom

I'm blogging at Classroom Tested Resources today!

Do your students enjoy using iPads and tablets in the classroom?   

Hop over and check out my post!