Working Hard in Math

I'm about a week late on posting this, but I just have to show you this....

Last week (like 2 weeks ago), we had our celebration for our Math Fact Winners! They have been working hard on building their ice cream sundae papers (passing their addition fact quizzes) and we finally had our celebration!

They built their sundaes on paper, I crowned them (the crowns were left over from Brooklynn's birthday party, but I think I actually really like it, so I'll probably keep doing it. lol), and then they built their REAL ice cream sundaes!

You can see that they are ready to work on their subtraction party! I even have some kids that are on their multiplication already!! So exciting!

You can check out {THIS} post to see how I organize and "handle" my daily math facts quizzes. Check out {THIS} post to see how we celebrate for our Subtraction facts!!

Click any of the links below to purchase these packs - separately or as a combo!

TpT

TN

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Also, last week (2 weeks ago, since I'm way behind...lol), we were working on our subtraction with regrouping skills. They are doing really well with them, I'm super excited how easy they've learned it this year, this is always one of those scary skills to teach. EEK! But they did really well. 

Check out the packs in this post 

TpT

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TpT

TN

Shop on the Blog

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Subtraction and Matter

I showed you some of our reading center activities earlier this week, and I actually had time to walk around and get pictures of their math centers today!

They're doing a "Read the Room" activity with subtraction.

Here, they are sorting if they have to regroup or not, then they had an independent activity.

And these are deciding if the subtraction problem is true or false...a little on the harder side, but they got it!

These are from my Subtraction Sleuth pack...

And we've started in on our States of Matter unit.  

I found a "portable stove" from a friend (WHERE can I buy one of these?!!? Anyone know!?!) and I brought in a pot and a tea kettle.

We started with ice... and added some heat energy to it and watched it turn to water.

Then we watched it boil (at 212 degrees) and watched it turn to a gas.

THEN, I brought out my tea kettle. 90% of my kids have never seen a tea kettle, so I told them that I would show them how I could make water "sing." 

haha!

 

They thought it was so cool that the steam was making that sound.

Then, they did a flow map in their learning journals about how to make ice turn to gas.

and while all that was going on, I had a mason jar on my table just WAITING to have condensation on it.

oh, which reminds me!

I added a few more things to my matter pack.

If you bought it already, go download the updated version in your "my purchases."

Also, my friend Lori is having a great linky on teaching grammar - I linked up a few ideas. Click the pic to go check it out, and you can link up too!

I've had a few questions in my last few posts from followers - I WILL get to them, I promise!!

And the penguin plans are coming! You will see them soon, I promise! :)

Now, I want to leave you with some pictures of the week....

My A, always moving, always having fun. She's such a hoot in her little pink cowboy boots!

And I think this is one of my favorites - Autumn actually grabbed Brooklynn but the hand, and said,

"Brookie, you're my bestest friend!"

Just. Melt. My. Heart.

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Reindeer Visual Plans with Freebies!

Ok friends...

Here are my visual plans for next week...

Theme???

REINDEER!!!

Remember...click the picture of the plans, and it'll take you to a PDF document to download...when you download the PDF, you can click on all the pictures and links to take you where you can find all the activities (TpT, blogposts, websites, or Freebies!)

I wanted to share with you my newest math unit....

My Subtraction Sleuths!

For the next few weeks, we're going to be working on Subtraction with Regrouping - eek!

It's done in the same format as my Addition Strategies and Adding Tens packs...

Here's what's included..

I have made this pack In Black and White for ease of printing. I copied off each center onto different brightly colored cardstock. 

In this pack, there are four games, or centers, to reinforce subtraction with regrouping. Each center has a recording sheet for the group to do, which can also be used as “informal assessment.” I have also included posters for you to use to teach whole group or to put at the centers for the students to be able to refer to while working at that center.

“Read the Room” - finding the math problems to write out and answer

“Subtraction Sleuth” decide if they need to regroup or not and sort them. There are two different activities that can be used for students to complete as independent work.

“True or False” - sort the subtraction sentences under the header cards and correct the false problems on the recording sheet. For the independent work, the students will make a foldable book and sort the math problems. 

“Flip It!” Use a deck of cards or the supplied page of numbers that you can copy off a few times to use for the activity.

Get it for the next 24 hours for HALF OFF!!

Also, I am going to be doing my Reindeer Freebie activities this week!

(this little freebie started out as like 6 pages....and has grown to be 24 pages! BUT...it's still a freebie for ya! Soooo....if you downloaded it before, go back and redownload it - because I added more to it since I posted it last.)

and we're FINALLY starting our pen pal letters to our pen pals in...

JAPAN!!!

Last year I called out for help on this lil ole blog - we needed a pen pal class, and I had all kinds of offers, but the most exciting offer I got was from Suzy over in Japan! 

She's so awesome to work with - and I've been a total slacker and haven't been able to start yet (for various reasons, I guess). But we just got our letters from her students right before the break, so now we HAVE to write them...

To get the freebie planning and writing template, download the lesson plans and click the pictures of them!

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I wanted to share with you some of the things that I couldn't put into my visual plans...

Everyday, for 30 minutes, we do Steps to Success, which is when we switch our lowest kids into a Tier 2 remediation group. Each teacher gets a group, all at different levels.

Well, this week, I'm going to be starting with my new group of kids - and they are on Skill 2, which is short vowel sounds.

Yes, in 2nd grade, we have kids that STILL have troubles with their short vowel sounds.

Those poor little kiddos...

and these are the kids that are slipping through the cracks because the system isn't working for them, especially since it takes FOREVER to go through RTI...ugh!

Anyway, I enlisted some help from friends....

DeAnne, has this really good pack where they "Read" the sentence, then Draw the sentence that they read (which shows comprehension), then they have to write their own sentence, using those same vowel sounds...

And I'm also going to be using Gladys' pack for short vowels. This one is a freebie!

She has some short vowel units in her store too...she has the short u to finish, then I'm snatching up the whole bundle! woo!!

Ok...I'm off to start decorating the house for Christmas - yay!!!

Don't forget...

Going on now....

Starting tomorrow....

What's in your wishlist??

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Updated Math!

Hey guys...

Just a quick little hello!

This past week, I had TWO of my little 2nd graders pass not only ALL of their addition facts...

but also ALL of their subtraction facts, too!!

They used the quizzes out of my Tasty Facts pack

SO...after about a week of teaching them multiplication, those two are moving on to my Multiplication and Beyond pack!

Well...since they already earned their ice cream and pizza party, I didn't want them to use the the same "party" - and I've always done a Nacho party for multiplication...

But when I was creating the pack, I couldn't find any clip art that had the nacho separated into pieces...

Then, I met Ashley...

and she TOTALLY came through with some SERIOUSLY cute clip art for it - have you met her yet??

Once you do, you will be addicted!

Any who-skiis

I went and added the Nacho version 

(I kept the ice cream version in there for those of you who don't have/do the addition/subtraction pack, so you can still do that version if you'd prefer.)

I have also included the vertical version of the multiplication quizzes. 

(Like I did for the addition/subtraction pack)

Included:
-cover sheets for both multiplication and "beyond"
-checklists to keep track of your students' success
-2 different versions for each multiplication fact from 0-12
-2 different versions for each beyond
- build your sundae templates
-build your pizza templates
- teacher tips
-posters for bulletin boards
- student examples

What's included in the "beyond" skills:
squared, 100-, square root, cubed, changing percents to fractions, improper fractions, reducing fractions, equivalent fractions, finding fractions (what is 2/3 of 15), and multiplying fractions.

Soooo.....

If you've already bought them, go redownload them for free!

If not...

What are you waiting for??

Go check them out!

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Apples, ice cream, ten frames (freebie!), and word walls!

What have we been up to this week so far???

LOTS and lots of good stuff....

We've started my 

 

(letters are from Just So Scrappy Too)

unit...and I just LOVE Fall...

Again, too bad I live in Florida - lol. It's really the only season I am TRULY jealous that other people have it.

Anyway, this is when I do the plant life cycle, seasons, and of course, 

(I LOVE the Steven Kellogg version!)

I've been using Alisha's math and literacy units..

My kids are having so much fun!

In small groups, they are reading a book from Reading A-Z

(Lori - see the computer center?? Spelling City! woo!)

After they have read it a few times with me and we've discussed it, I have them use their whisper phones to read it to themselves....

Check out how I did a 3-for-2 version HERE

And one of my kiddos took it upon himself to save some seeds from his apple that he got at lunch and he wanted to plant them...lol.

Good thing I had soil on hand, because you just never know. haha!

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In other news, I've had TWO students pass their addition fact quizzes!!

They are ready for their ice cream sundae party! 

I generally have our ice cream sundae party the first day of December (or the first day that we're in school in December).

So now they have moved on to their subtractions...I bet by Christmas, they'll be in the multiplication pack!

We've also been working on subtraction strategies....using ten frames...they're getting REALLY good at seeing these as visuals..

They used the double sided counters...and instead of taking them away, they just flipped them over.

It was neat to see all the different ways the students took away six (or whatever number they working on).

Here is what they did with just the ten frames (which are laminated) and a marker so they can practice how they could write them out on their own.

Need some ten frames??

Here you go- click the pics to get some frames!

I made just one ten frame on a page...

two on a page for working up to 20....

and then some with dots already on them....there are also blank ones that you can copy off and use like I did above there....

Also, I wanted to show you my new word wall words!!

aren't they so purrrty?!?!

I put my alphabet under my chalkboard this year instead of above it. That way it could act as both an alphabet AND a word wall!

After much seeking - I saw Lori's word wall (or rather she shared it with me) and I LOVED how the words were in configuration (the boxes). So that's how I did it too!!  I L.O.V.E it!

And I think I'm just sticking to sight words for this year.

A) my kids are SO low that they really need to focus on those

B) I lack space

C) this is my downfall - the word wall, so baby steps...baby steps.

BUT....

I thought, maybe to keep me accountable for making my word wall be used EVERY week in a center, I could do a "Word Wall Wednesday" post - what do you think??

Something you'd be interested in?

Anywhosit - time to go put the baby down..

OH!

HAVE to show you one of my new fave pics of B!

Kisses for mommy!!

P.s....I have something BIG "brewing" with some friends - can't wait to show you in a few days!

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