Super Numbers!

Ah,  Common Core!  How you have jumbled up my math supplies!  I think most teachers will agree that the Common Core is mostly what we were already presenting to our students, but it still has forced me to come up with some new ideas and throw some out (with some rejoicing - no more money! :)).  One big change in my class, is getting my little ones to really understand those big numbers 20-100.

Here's what's new in the math centers:

Ever heard of shaker bottles?  How about 100 charts with hidden pictures?  Why not combine the two?  Here's how I did it:

Create a picture (or find one online).  I made a Christmas tree.  Write the numbers on the same color of paper the kids will need to color the numbers on the numbers chart.  Time saver tip:  laminate the paper before you cut it.  I also wrote on it after I laminated and cut the pieces of paper.

Pop those papers in an empty bottle (I used a mini water bottle), top it off with a little glitter and salt, and voila!  A favorite center!  All the kids have to do it shake the bottle and color the boxes in the 100 chart.  Make sure you do have lots of practice finding number in a 100 chart and observing the relationships between the numbers.  I do a lot of this during my calendar time.

Need a recording sheet?   Please take one of mine!

Need one more easy center?  All you'll need is a die-within-a-die.  I got mine at the Illinois Kindergarten Conference, but I would guess you could find them at a teacher-store near you.  We played this as a whole-group game first using the document camera.  The students simply write down the number on the larger die as the ten and the smaller die's number as the number in the ones place.  Then we colored the number we created in the 100's chart.

Need a recording sheet?  Again, please take one of mine!

Merry (almost!) Christmas!
Amanda

PS:  I finally got rid of those ugly blue boxes.  My attempt to make them cute was an epic fail, so I ended up buying these boxes at Michael's.  Don't forget they have a teacher's discount!

Tuesday Tip: No more collating!

Another overly-simple Tuesday tip, but a real time saver for the future if you put in a few extra minutes.  Whenever you make a book, make sure that you make it look like this:

See how the top half and bottom half of the page are the same?  The top half of the pages is the same book as the bottom half so that with one fell swoop of the paper cutter and you'll have yourself two perfectly ready, no collating necessary, readers.  Want to be extra lazy... I mean thrifty with your time?  See if your copy machine has a "finishing" setting where you can staple in two places.  Then you'll already have your book stapled for you too!  All you need to do is cut the two books apart.  I find that the one staple holds well enough, especially for a book that you know is probably going in the recycle bin not too long after it gets home.

Have a book not already assembled this way?  Make an extra copy, cut it half, and put it back together as a top/bottom book the old fashioned way using the copy machine.  It will take a little extra time this year, but when you pull that baby out of your files next year, you'll be glad that you did!

Need some holiday readers already collated and ready for you?  Please take two of mine!  They practice the word "here."

Enjoy,
Amanda

Chart Storage

I don't know about you, but I use a LOT of songs and poems all written out and laminated on huge chart paper.  My little friends love to find the "rainbow words" in all of our charts and even though they are a PAIN to store, I find them really valuable.  BUT, I have a pretty simple storage solution for them.

And I don't think I stole this idea either.

Don't get too excited, when I say simple, I mean simple.

To store my charts, I use an old chart paper pad turned inside out.  I use two rings to hold the songs together and always put them away in the back so I always know what's coming up next.  I stand them up in a closet and never have rolled up charts!


Enjoy!
Amanda