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Friday, June 29, 2012

Guided Math Book Study -- Chapter 5 -- Freebie

I am hosting the discussion on Chapter 5 of Laney Sammons' Guided Math along with Alison over at Toad-ally Exceptional Learners. Each chapter just gets me more and more math-motivated!


One thing I learned from our new State evaluation procedures this past school year is that I put more effort into planning my whole group lessons than I do my small group sessions. I've used small groups in math off and on for the past two years. It is the BEST way to meet the needs of each child. While I am working with a small group at the table, the rest of the students are either in a small group with my co-teacher or in math learning stations completing activities that reinforce our skill. Always spend time teaching procedures for the workshop activity and transitioning from one activity to the other.


One of the most interesting points Sammons makes is that manipulatives are only effective when students understand what they represent. Rather than giving a set way of using the manipulatives, the teacher should give some time for students to explore and examine them. The students might even come up with representations and ways of using them we might not think of.


Teachers group the students in order to provide flexible, needs-based instruction. They can be grouped according to pre-tests provided by textbooks, performance on previous concepts, formative tests, performance tasks, observations, teacher-student conversations, or benchmark tests. Teachers should keep this data close by, so that it is easily updated as new formative assessment occurs. Students move in and out of groups depending on formative assessments. 


Teachers may teach the same "big idea" to all  students, but provide differentiated activities for each group. 


I think one of the biggest benefits of small group instruction is the opportunity for students to actually talk about math with their teacher and classmates. Teachers can give one-on-one feedback and help based solely on the needs of that child.






Just click on the pic above to download the doc.


And don't forget to join the Linky Party below to share your thoughts about small groups in math!













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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Fire Cat -- Freebie

Common Core Standards include a list of text exemplars for grade clusters. Here are two activities for The Fire Cat, by Esther Averill, listed for second and third grade.
Students organize events from the plot into the correct sequence in the first file. In the second, they compare and contrast the cat's characteristics in the beginning of the book with those from the ending.

Just click on the pic above to download both activities!


Monday, June 25, 2012

Guided Math Book Study - Chapter 4 - Freebie

I've been following Teaching Blog Addict's book study on Guided Math for a few weeks. The focus of chapter four is whole group instruction. Author Laney Sammons recommends using children's literature as an activating strategy for the lesson's skill. Since my math class was right after my literacy block last year, literature was a good transition from one subject to the other. I use lots of my activities tied to math and literature as a whole group activity before I put it in a math station. Here is one.
The illustrations in Eve Merriam's 12 Ways to Get to 11 catch students' attention. They write math equations to fit the descriptions in the book, then write their own description of a situation, adding an illustration and equation.


Just click on the pic above to get the file.

{How many ways can you leave a comment?}

Have you entered my giveaway celebrating my wonderful 600 followers? For a chance at a $20.00 Amazon gift card, just click {HERE}!

Friday, June 22, 2012

If You Were a Contraction......Freebie

This is just one in a series of books designed to reinforce language skills. Cute pigs dance throughout the book as they review contractions. Be sure you don't miss the last page. You will find an index, glossary, and extra websites students can use for extra reinforcement.

Students match up the words that make contractions in the first part of the activity. Once they have completed that, they categorize the contractions.




Click on the pic above to download the activity.

I love, love, love your comments! Several people have suggested I start putting my work on a commercial website so that teachers can buy them. I have been lucky enough my entire teaching career to have caring, helpful teachers guide me. This is just paying that forward! Your comments are the only payment I want.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Baloney -- Context Clues -- Freebie

I promised you a context clues activity to go along with Jon Scieszka's Baloney (Henry P.) as part of my
600 Followers Giveaway
and here it is! 

(Click {HERE} to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $20.00 Amazon gift card and you can buy your own copy!)

Just click on the pic above to download the learning station. Students match up the words from the book, sentences, and definitions.

Please leave a comment if you download!


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Math Stretchers Journal Pages -- Freebie!

I made these Math Stretchers to be used as journal pages students can glue into their math journals. Laney Sammons suggests beginning each morning with some type of activity to get students thinking about math. Read Chapter Three of her book, Guided Math, for more info. This is one of those books you will refer back to time and time again.
Click on the picture above to get the journal pages.

Please leave me a comment and let me know how you are going to use Math Stretchers in you classroom!

If you haven't entered my 600 followers giveaway for a $20.00  gift card to Amazon, go {HERE} and enter!
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Woo Hoo! 600 Followers!

I woke up this morning and was surprised with 600 followers! So it's time for a giveaway!

Enter my Rafflecopter below to register for a $20.00 Amazon gift card. EVERY teacher can use an Amazon card while we're planning for next school year and the transition to Common Core, right?

Maybe you want to order......


I just found this and am going to post a freebie using it to teach context clues SOON! (So keep checking back!)

I gave you lots of ways to enter, so you have lots of chances! Contest ends at midnight on June 27.
BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!
Ready...set...ENTER!




Addition Swat! -- Freebie

Grab your fly swatters and get ready for some fun practice. Call out the numbers on the hive cards. The first player to swat the math fact that goes with the number gets to keep the card.
Fun Common Core Math practice for second grade!


Just click on the pic above to get the file.....and swat a comment my way!


Monday, June 18, 2012

Guided Math - Chapter 2 -- Freebie

If you have not picked up a copy of Guided Math, by Laney Simmons, go get one now! Brenda at Primary Inspired has started a book study for it on Teaching Blogs Addict. Click {HERE} for info and to see what's been posted so far. I'm not hosting a chapter until later on this summer, but I have loved what I've read so far, especially all the ideas in Chapter 2 on creating a numeracy-rich classroom.

One of the suggestions is to encourage students to write their own math books. Here is a cover you can use to get them started.

Click on the pic above to get the document.
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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Pizza! Pizza! Pizza! -- Contractions -- Freebie!

Friday night is pizza night at our house! I guess that's why KPM Doodles' cute little pizza chef caught my eye. Won't your second graders love trying to beat the clock by matching up contractions and their word parts? Once they've raced, they choose a couple of contractions and write sentences with them. Fun Common Core practice!
Click on the cute little chef above to download the doc. Can you leave a comment that includes contractions? :)



Saturday, June 16, 2012

It's a bird..It's a plane...It's Captain Question! -- Freebie!

Our district spent the last two weeks working on curriculum maps for Common Core. We still have some blanks to fill in, but we have a pretty good start for the new school year. I had an AMAZING partner to work with (shout out to Shelley!).

Here's a simple deck of cards you can use with just about any grade level to review any type of texts that have been read.
I included blank cards so you can customize them to fit your needs.


Click on Captain Question above to download the file. Please leave a comment!



Friday, June 15, 2012

Campout Races -- Place Value -- Freebie!


Summertime makes me think of Girl Scout camp when I was little, so when I saw this cute, cute, cute camping art from Spring Hill Farms, I wanted to use it right away.

Second graders need practice with expanded form for Common Core. In this game, two students race to be the first to their tent by matching numbers in standard form and expanded form.


Just click on the pic above to download the doc....and race to leave me a comment!



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Plot Cards -- Freebie!

I'm a little behind in my posting because I went to Bonnaroo this past weekend! Here's a pic with my teaching teammate and my only friend who will go!

We had a great time, but it sure was hard to get back to reality Monday morning when we had to work on our district's curriculum as we transition over to Common Core.

Here are some Beginning, Middle, and Ending cards to use when analyzing plot. Put the large cards on the board and let students stick events from the story under the correct heading.
I included small cards you can use as student response cards if you want your whole class to respond to placement of events. You can also place them in a literacy station.

Click on the pic above to download the cards.





Friday, June 8, 2012

Hoppin' on Multiple Meaning Words -- Freebie!

I discovered some new clip art today. It's from Hoot and Crow and is dah-ling!

Match up the words and two meanings, then choose two sets of the words and write sentences with them. It's fun vocabulary practice for Common Core in both second and third grade.

Click on the pic above to download the activity.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Kicking Up Some Prefixes and Suffixes -- Freebie

These cute graphics from The 3 A.M. Teacher were just begging to be used! 

Students build words using both prefixes and suffixes to practice several second and third grade Common Core standards. Once they build the words, they choose three to use in sentences.

Just click on the pic above to download the doc.

And kick a comment my way!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Spaced Out Adjectives and Adverbs -- Freebie

My students have a hard time distinguishing between adjectives and adverbs, so I made this game for some fun practice. Common Core standards require both second and third grade to work with adjectives and adverbs. 


Students divide into two teams -- aliens vs. spacemen. They keep the cards of any questions they answer correctly. If they draw a planet card, they lose all their cards.

Click on the pic above to download the cards.

Don't forget that I get "spaced out" over your comments, so please leave one!

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Hooked on Conversation! - Freebie!

Both second and third grade Common Core standards include strands for Speaking and Listening. I'm going to use these cute pirate graphics to reinforce these skills at the beginning of the next school year and again throughout the year. 
Students choose a topic, go over the rules for speaking and listening, and start their discussions.
Each student has three ship cards to start with, but will lose one each time he doesn't follow a rule.


Just click on the link above to get hooked!
And please leave a comment. I want to hear how you teach conversation skills, too.