Sliding Number Lines

Number lines are one of the most used manipulatives in my classroom.  My kiddos are great about knowing which tool they need to support their leanring, but these sliding number lines have been their go-to recently.
The perks to this tool is the kinesthetic approach that is brings to counting.

Students start their bead at the first addend or subtrahend and then move up or down based on if the problem is addition or subtraction.

The number lines are also a snap to put together.  Just print, on card stock for durability, laminate, hole punch, and attach a pipe cleaner or string with the bead.  TADA!  You have the perfect tool for your mathematicians!

You can grab the template here.  Try it out and let me know what your kiddos think in the comments.

Using GoNoodle to Support the Workshop Model

There is no doubt about it, the workshop model is a form of best practice that many of us educators practice.  What is the workshop model you ask?  The workshop model is a teaching structure that allows students to take charge or their own learning.  This structure is composed of three parts: Mini lesson, Work time, and Reflection/Debrief.  Through this structure students learn to have a growth mindset and to be responsible for their own learning.  As the teacher, we are able to work with students individually and in small groups in order to provide learning at each student's zone of proximal development.
So how do you keep students on task and using their growth mindset during reading, math, and writers' workshop?  Well, engaging lessons for one thing.  Choices during work time for another, but the one thing that supports not only the students' attentiveness, but also the teacher's is GoNoodle.
Over the years, as I have developed a stronger workshop model in my classroom, I have learned that GoNoodle is the piece that holds it all together.  Let's walk through the three components so that I can explain which videos I use and why...shall we?!?

Mini lesson

My goal with my mini lessons is to hook my students, but keep them working toward the lesson outcome...enter Maximo and Think About It.  These two channels are packed with videos to keep my kiddos engaged in my mini lesson.  I love that both channels also allow us to set an intention.  I often use the language used in the Think About It videos throughout the day to remind my students of their learning potential.

Work Time

As we transition from the mini lesson to work time, I make sure to do two brain breaks, one to get the wiggles out and the second to calm the students back to a focused learning state.  My go to for wiggle release is Koo Koo Kanga Roo, and lately, the Trolls Can't Stop this Feeling.
Right before starting my conferences and small group instruction, we typically use the YouTube channel.  I have been able to add content specific songs and dances that connect directly to our learning targets.  There are tons of fabulous math videos that reinforce counting, numbers pairs, place value, and so much more.
Did you know that you can add your own videos to GoNoodle?  Just head to the YouTube channel, click on the top left box, and add the YouTube URL from the video of your choosing.
As students work, and I meet with students, I am able to monitor their noise and frustration level and determine if we need another GoNoodle break.  I love using Dance Party as a quick way to refocus the whole group, and I love getting up and dancing, too.  Plus, who doesn't love seeing their champ pop into the dance party?!?!  I even added my son's champ to my class's Dance Party for this reason.

Reflection/Debrief 

The reflection can often be forgotten in lessons, but I have learned that it holds just as much value as the other two pieces of the workshop model.  The reflection allows students to have a sense of closure from the lesson, and it allows the teacher to formally and informally observe where the next lesson is going to go.  As a class, we rewatch our Think About It from our mini lesson and reflect on the intention that we initially set.   This has taught my class that there is a purpose to our brain breaks.  We don't just do them to do them.

I am so grateful for the sanity that GoNoodle brings to my classroom on a daily basis!  Do you teach using the Workshop Model?  What are your go to GoNoodle channels and videos?  You can also head over to the GoNoodle Community page, on Facebook and share your ideas there.

Building Number Sense with Games: CHOMP

Number sense is critical for each and every child to have.  Many child acquire it at home as they explore and play.  Unfortunately, too many children now lack this vital skill.  As a primary teacher, I work diligently to build number sense with my kiddos.  Over the last decade I have learned that games make the biggest impact on mathematical knowledge.  This is because students are taking mathematical information and being forced to apply it to a real life/useful situation.  They are also building connections to math and the world.  These connections strengthen their brain thus enhancing their mathematical knowledge bank.
One of our favorite games right now is CHOMP.  CHOMP is designed to practice comparing numbers and place value.  The game can be played with either two or four players.  Here two of my kiddos are working together practicing their lanugae skills, while comparing numbers.

By playing games like CHOMP, students are able to apply number knowledge in an interactive means, thus strengthening their mathematical mind. 
You can grab a copy of CHOMP from my TPT store. 

I would love to see it in action with your kiddos.  Snap a picture or video of your kiddos playing and tag me in your pictures!  I love to see learning in action!!

Bunny Launch: Math Center

Happy Spring!  Well, we are back at it.  Spring Break flew by and now it is time to put the pedal to the metal.  This year, I have put a lot of focus on the math workshop model and using interactive notebooks.  At the same time, I have worked my tail off to solidify number sense with my kiddos.  As a way to practice number sense during centers, kiddos worked on estimating and, well, having a blast.  They got to launch stretchy bunnies, from the Target Dollar Spot, into "cages."

We are all about problem solving and being inquirers.  Kiddos not only estimated and launched their bunnies, but they conversed with their classmates to figure out ways to get more bunnies into their "cages."

I loved listening to their giggles as the bunnies landed in their "cages."  Seriously, is there anything better than authentic learning?!?!

Click on the image to grab a copy of this activity.

Images by Creative Clips.  Fonts by Kimberly Geswein Fonts.
 

Coin you help?

**I would love to have first and second grade teachers weigh in on this topic.**

So there has been a lot of talk throughout my school and district about 1st grade CCSS in math.  Specifically, the conversations have been around money targets or lack there of.  Oregon standards always had 1-3 math standards that focused around coin values, as well as operations with coins; the CCSS do not.   Now that Oregon, and the district I work for, have completely adopted the CCSS, second grade teachers are concerned that students will be coming to them with drastic math holes.

So I ask you...what do you do as a kinder or first grade teacher to introduce or teach coins? Second grade teachers, what do you want students to know about coins before they enter your classrooms?

I have been adding coin activities to my centers throughout the year, but I have done very little direct and guided instruction around the concept.  I decided that needs to change.  I want to start incorporating more money concepts into my math messages.  The amazing Janaye, from Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes found some great videos and songs that review coins and their values.  (Be sure to check out the link).  I also purchased this amazing mini unit from Second Grade Stories:

I can't wait for my students to use these puzzles and games to continue to solidify such an important concept.
What do you do as a primary teacher to introduce such an important concept, while making time to teach EVERYTHING else?

Be sure to check out other magical mathematical conversations over at I Heart Recess.

Don't forget to swing over to my TPT store for my birthday sale.  My entire store is 20% off.

"I can write on the table?"

"You sure can!"
I loved the cheers I heard the first time I let my students write on their tables with dry erase markers.  Their motivation to accept and complete their task hit an all time high.  Check out how I "Sparked my students' motivation" with today's link up.

I first saw this idea flying around Pinterest and knew I needed to try it out.  Our first go at it was with one of our book searches/hunts.  My students do book searches regularly, typically while recording into their journals.  After learning a phonics skill or spelling pattern, I send my kiddos off to find those examples throughout their books.  Here is a book search while writing on our tables in action:

Students hunt through all of the books in their bookbags searching for the learned skill.

This activity is automatically differentiated since the books in each student's bookbag are "Just Right."  As students are hunting, I work my way through the class checking-in on findings and taking anecdotal notes.  I love taking a snapshot of a student's word list and discussing it with them during individual conferences or small group time.  

We also write on our desks to practice math skills.

Another time is during small group.  I find this so much easier to manage with the limited space I have.

I bet a bunch of you are wondering how well the marker wipes off.  My kiddos use old (but clean) socks to erase their work.  Then, at the end of the day we do a quick baby wipe or Lysol wipe and the tables are new again!

Do you let students write on their desks?  How do you Spark Motivation?

Base-10 Basics

This past week, we jumped right back into the swing of things.  Thanks to EverydayMath's spiraling curriculum, my students were finally introduced to base-10.
I love launching new concepts with an exploration.  I busted out our base-10 bin and allowed students to "play" with the manipulatives first.  I truly believe that student need time to handle and play with tools before being asked to learn with them.  After students explored, we met on the carpet for an introduction of base-10.  We learned about the value that each tool holds.  Students then took a bag of base-10 tools to their seats and began creating numbers.

Of course, we wrote on our tables with dry erase markers!  I was thoroughly impressed with how quickly students picked up this concept.
In hopes of solidifying the concept even more, we read A Place for Zero, by Andeiline Sparagna LoPresti.  It is a fabulous tale of the number zero and how it searches for its place in Digitaria.

Do you have any great tools and activities that have worked for teaching base-10?

DINOmite Math

I am convinced that math centers are the greatest part of my students' day.  Just like literacy centers, they have the entire week to complete each center.  Every week there is a center aligned to each of the following categories: Data and Measurement, Facts, Operations, Numbers, and Geometry.
As a way to support these categories, I created a new center pack.  My boys love it...it's dinosaur themed!

Leave a comment below, with your email address, for a chance to win this pack.

Launching Measurement

I LOVE launching new math units!  First grade is filled with so many foundational math skills, measurement being one of them.  I have learned that understanding measurement takes a lot of hands-on practice, with a variety of units.
ENTER...

Nonstandard Measurement!

They even measured me!

This was such a fun and powerful lesson.  After just this one day of practice, 80% of my students are consistently using correct units when documenting their measurements!

How do you launch measurement in your classroom?

Interactive Anchor Chart - Take 2

Ever since Leigh (The Applicious Teacher) blogged about Interactive Anchor Chart, my whole group lessons and resource building have taken a turn for the best.  Apparently, my students love these tools so much they ask to create their own during Pickle Time.

It could just be that they get to use chart paper, sticky notes, and smelly markers, but I love how they work together and enjoy showcasing their learning!  I am one proud teacher!

Have you ever used Interactive Anchor Charts in your classroom?

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