My last weekend of Summer 2014

Yeah....life is busy and life is full and life is flying by....But this blog is something I really want to revive and move forward with because I realized I am neglecting some of my hobbies I love the most!

This is the blog post that inspired me to blog again!   Post --> {Click THIS}  

Kathy has a whole list of great math game ideas for levels K-3.  My first graders will be coming right after Labor Day, and when I saw this I knew exactly what I needed this for!  

I am going to make one of these...

• My version: The game will be for two-4 people.
• Each person gets 6 linking cubes of of one color (or little bears or whatever you have that they can have six of one color per person) 
• They will roll one die and they get to put a color token in each section when they roll it.  
• If they roll the same number twice, they lose a turn.  
• The winner is the one who gets one of their tokens in each section first!
• This is a very easy beginning of 1st grade center game which won't take adult involvement to participate.

Kathy has other great resources on her website...check her out!

KathyGriffinTeach.com 

Day 47 check this one out!.... Learning Specialist Materials

I have already found 3 ideas to use in my classroom and I hadn't even gotten through a half dozen posts!!  This blog has some very easy learning games to make out of really simple things you can find  in the dollar store or around you house.

Learning Specialist Materials

Here are a couple easy to make games to help with decoding that I thought my first graders would really love.

She gives all the directions for the number of letters and what and where she found the items she used to create the games.

She also has a store with more items to buy.  I was particularly intrigued by the Reversing Reversals books she has.  I have a couple students who continue to mindlessly do this with their letters and numbers.

Day 27 Miss Kindergarten

Miss Kindergarten...sounds nothing like the Arnold Schwarzenegger character does it?

No...and she is much more creative and insightful too!  No whistle blowing and cadence calling I would think.

She has lots of creative ideas.  She says she is artsy, and her work shows that side of her well.  She has quite a few of her creations on her TpT store.  Which if you are reading this the first weekend in February...there is a big sale going on!  Great time to shop!

I scrolled through some of her posts and ended up going to TpT and adding some of her things to my wish list...it's kind of like a hold list.  I put the things that catch my eye in there. Then when there is a great TpT sale --like this Sunday-- I go back and SHOP!  Does anyone else do that too?

So hopping around her site I came across this wondrous post!  On Fridays we do fun things like art and math games.  They think they are 'just' playing games.  But what they don't know is that they are simply reinforcing the skills that I have been teaching them all week!  Teachers are sneaky that way!

Miss Kindergarten has a math game unit all neatly tied up with Common Core math standards for Kindergarten and 1st grade!

These are two of the games included. I love the bright cheery game boards.  Makes me want to replace my shabby worn out game markers!

This unit isn't just in my wish list...I actually put it in my shopping cart!  I can't wait to buy it on Sunday! 

Here is a list of all the games included in the unit in her stores.   She sells it in both her TpT Store and TN Shop.  Having the list of common core that align with them is very handy.  If you are going to play games any more...you need to show why so people know you are actually teaching :-) Because before quoting and posting standards everywhere...we weren't actually teaching...it was all a sham...and nobody learned anything! LOL

I also found this cute game.  I am well past teaching short vowels to 99% of my students, but I bet I could use this same idea for my Bossy R words!  Now the wheels are turning!

Math Coach's Corner Blog

So I am always on the lookout for someone else who has already created what I am looking for...saves time that way.  I don't know about you, but I have to admit I purchase more on TpT than I have ever made in actual sales.

So when I find cool things that are free...I am in teacher heaven!  And my husband is happier too :)

As I swim, barely keeping afloat, through my school year,  I am trying hard to make Saxon fit in with our math standards with the Common Core.  I feel like I am doing more filling in with materials I make or find, than actually doing the lesson they include each day.

Our district is on a shoe string again this year, but if you had the money, then this is what every school needs...a Math Coach...and I just found an awesome one this morning.  Her name is +Donna Boucher and she has lots of amazing fun stuff on her blog:

I found a post on her blog that lists all her free stuff on TpT!  I have already downloaded three of them to use with my 1st graders!  Visit and see what you can find for your class :)