Animal Unit

I am working on an animal unit.  I have found a lot of terrific resources out there but a lot of them are too easy or too difficult. 

Here are a few of the pages:

I also am finishing my working on words activities using animal names, digging out my old science vocabulary cards, activities to complete with the book, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? templates for a fiction and non-fiction animal stories and a little more.  Hopefully I can finish so I can start my shape unit before Monday!

Have a terrific Friday evening!

-Danielle



Classroom Store

Tomorrow is our first classroom store!  My students are VERY excited!

I use the clip chart system.  My students earn a weekly pay check for their behavior.  They earn 1 cent for green, 3 for white, 5 for orange, 10 for purple and 25 for top of the chart.  They also have pay deducted if they are on yellow (3 cents), blue (5 cents) and red (10 cents). 

At the end of the month, if they were on green or above, they earn their bonus check of 10 cents. 

I hope to someday make cutesy signs but here is the store!

I have a mother who comes in once a month and runs the store for me.  She assists my students with counting and paying for their items.  The types of coins that the students use to shop is differentiated based on their counting money abilities.

While they are shopping, they also working on writing words by filling out their receipt to take home.

I'm off to grade a massive amount of papers, finish up my newsletter and complete my weekly effort sheets.  Have a terrific Friday!

-Danielle :)

The Boy Who Cried, "Bathroom!"

This year we have been having some trouble pretending that we have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad and then end up playing around in the bathroom. 

I told my kids the story about the boy who called wolf. 

I tried to find it at my wonderful local teacher store but it wasn't in stock. 

I found this cute book instead:


After reading this today my students decided that it would be a good idea to write a story called, "The Boy Who Cried Bathroom!"

We started the pre-writing today but were stuck on the ending.  I told them that we would finish the ending tomorrow.  I will post our book when it is complete!  ;) 

Have a terrific evening!
-Danielle

I'm having a sale!

I am throwing a 20% off sale on everything in my TPT store through Friday this week.

I'll show you a few pages from my Common Core Standards I Can Notebook and my Fall Quarter Math Centers.  (Which can actually be used at any point in the year depending on your expectations for students.)

These are the first 2 pages in a book that I send home with each student every other week.

These are 2 pages of common core standards.  When first grade students master the skill, they add a sticker to their notebook.  It could also be used for you to record what you have taught.

These are whole class graphs using the common core standards.

I have a set of recommended materials, center ideas and ideas of whole group games for each skill.

This contains the exit slip that I give the students after my Monday whole group lesson to determine small groups for Tuesday- Thursday.  I also have some of the numbers for the math with someone rotation.

This is an example of the work on numbers pages.  They are simple but the students need to practice.  The directions are on the weekly lesson plans.

This whole unit only focus' on the doubles facts.  One set of flashcards is given. 

A few pages from my doubles unit are included for practice.

An example of Math on My Own is included for each skill.  I personally use my Saxon Math worksheets for my Math on My Own rotation for most days.

Sorry that I am not posting more tonight!  I am beat!  If I take a nap and feel a second wind, I will post more!  :)

-Danielle

Doubles Plus 1 Facts

Do you have a day during the week that you work until you cannot bare to hold your eyes open any longer?  My day is on Thursdays!  I am completing an effort sheet for each student, finishing up grading and writing my weekly newsletter.  I am figuring out that I am good about blogging Sunday-Wednesday but I need a break at least on Thursday- Friday!  ;)

I made a few updates to my doubles fact unit on TPT.  I added a few problem solving strategy posters and also made a few of the worksheets more differentiated.

Here are the changes:

I also posted my doubles plus 1 unit!  If you go here, you can view the entire unit in preview mode.

Here are a few sample pages:

I also decided to throw a 20% off sale on all of my items at TPT Monday- Friday this week!  Feel free to stop on by my store and see if you can use any of the items.  Just wait until Monday to buy so you can get a discount!  :)

Have a great time relaxing and enjoy the few short hours of your weekend! :)

-Danielle

Guided Math Rotations

I thought that the other guided math post was too long so I waited to post this.  I have had many emails asking me about my math rotations so I am going to post it here.

Here is an example of an exit slip that I give my students after my Monday whole group lesson and the planning page I use to determine what I work on for each group.

Here are my rotation charts:

This is backed in orange paper.,  I call it my orange math group.  When I say "first rotation" they come and sit on the carpet ready for instruction!

This is backed in pink paper and is my pink math group.  During first rotations they work on work on numbers and when they finish they go and work on math goals over and over until it is time to rotate.

This is backed in green paper. and is my green group.  During first rotation they go grab their differentiated math on my own worksheet or just a simple skill review worksheet or even a Saxon math worksheet.  When they finish, they work on math facts over and over until it is time to rotate.

Example Rotations

Math on My own-  You can use a simple review sheet like this, a sheet from your math series etc.  This also can be differentiated easily by the group that your students are divided into for the week.

Work on Numbers-  You can give the students number sheets to complete etc.  I actually usually use a skill for the week like "counting forward."  Then I have a small pocket chart that holds a green, pink and orange index card.  I write different counting forward skills that are differentiated.  Example:  Orange count and write 1-20, pink 50-70, green 105-145.  I Then have weekly jobs to practice these skills into a small spiral notebook.  Monday- write the numbers once using your hundred chart, Tuesday write the numbers in an AB pattern etc.

Math Facts-  Students can practice using this or a fact sheet but always have math facts available so that if the sheets are finished they can practice the facts using a dry erase board and objects etc.

Math Goals:

These are determined by skills that individual students have trouble mastering.  Until I have time and am organized enough to determine individual goals, I have the students all work on a review item.  Last week I had my students roll a shape die and they had to draw the shape on a dry erase board each time that it landed.  It was simple but kept them engaged.

Off to bed! 

-Danielle

Doubles Facts

Happy Hump Day!  :)


I finished my doubles facts unit and posted it on TPT last night. 

I never had anything to work on doubles facts other than the Saxon math Doubles Rap, flashcards and fact sheets.  I created this to allow MANY different opportunities to practice the doubles facts.

This describes how the different activities meet different learning styles.  A few activities do not have worksheets because they are not needed just like using pipe cleaners.

I created 10 story problems using only the doubles facts.

This is a doubles cut and paste activity.  I was inspired by making words activities!

My students choose a fact that is difficult for them to remember.  They write it in the box and then write it in each color.  I was inspired to make it just like how we use word work color write!

What do you know I was inspired by my make 3 times and write sight word practice sheets!?!  The students can make the numbers on dry erase boards, color write them, pipe cleaners, using sign language numbers etc. and then write the fact again.

There are many more independent activities for the students to complete.  This just highlights a few!

You can download it here from TPT!

I have to tell you, after I posted this late last night, I tried searching for "doubles facts" and ran into an AMAZING product.  (Other than mine of course!  lol  :))

Shelley Gray has posted many mental math units including a doubles facts unit.  She includes terrific posters and even her worksheets are a lesson in it's own.  I strongly recommend downloading her mental math units.  They are terrific for teaching.  My unit is mostly just for independent practice while hers can be used for teaching.  Stop on by TPT and check them out!  :)

Have a great night!

-Danielle