Math Center Mania!

In our school district we use AimsWeb for our reading and math assessments. We do 3 benchmarks throughout the year and also constant progress monitoring throughout. In First grade they have Early Numeracy assessments called TENS tests that assess oral counting, number identification, missing numbers, and quantity discrimination. Also, in First grade they begin to take the 8 minute math computation test which assesses addition and subtraction with single and double digit numbers and even some adding 3 numbers concepts. This will be there first time seeing this test but it will continue on through 5th grade. The TENS tests begin in Kindergarten and end in First grade.

I like to use math centers to help practice these skills, especially for those students who struggle with those concepts. We also use EnVision as our math series and if you have ever used this program you know there are some good things and some bad things like every math series. One of the downfalls in my opinion is their math centers. They are not very engaging and they don't hold their attention for very long. We do guided math in our classroom so some students will begin their lesson with math stations. So, I usually have them try the EnVision center first. But since I know they will be finished with it quickly, I like to have a center that practices the same concept but is a little more fun and engaging for the kids.

With this in mind, I have been creating some math centers this weekend and I wanted to get them in my TPT store before the big sale gets here tomorrow! So, if you are looking for some fun activities to practice missing number, quantity discrimination, or counting to understand addition... I have just what you need!

 Find it here!

Count Your Lucky Stars is a math center to help understand how counting relates to addition. (CCSS 1.OA.5)

 Find it here!

Birdie Brigade is a math center to practice quantity discrimination.

 Find it here!

Cookin' Up Cupcakes is a math center to practice missing numbers.

Well, I hope these can help you get prepared for the upcoming school year! Stop by my store and check out the other items during the big back to school sale!! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Busy Friday Night!

If you follow me on Instagram then you have already seen how I spent my Friday evening...busy creating! My teaching partner and I both decided we wanted to use mini-offices this year. I have tables in my room and although she uses desks, she puts them into groups. Either way it is easy for our firsties to have "wandering eyes". So to help with privacy during work and also to have some material that will help them while working was our ultimate goal. We had already purchased My First Grade Helper by Michelle Oakes a couple years ago and we decided it would be better put to use on our mini-offices. It has all the important information you will need in first grade. We also added a number line that I found on Google and we made a little chart that listed the days of the week and a cover to tell who is using the office. We could have added more but felt that if we put too much on there it might overwhelm them.

So basically we started with 2 manila folders and just taped them together. We then printed all the stuff we would need and had to trim to fit. We taped the edges of all the items because we plan to laminate them to make them more durable so we just need everything to stay in place until then. :)
Here are some photos for you to check it out!

This is the front of the office when it is closed.

This is the inside left side. It has all the sight words we will learn this year.

This is the middle section on the inside. Alphabet, vowels, digraphs, and blends.

This is the inside right side. Color words, number words, months, writer's checklist, and days of the week.

Outside middle section. 120 chart, money, fractions, shapes, time, and part of the number line.

Overall I think they turned out pretty well. I'm ready to get them laminated and cross my fingers that my little babies will take good care of them. I also recently got Let's Get Organized from Learning in Wonderland. I have been using the same expandable file folders to put my daily materials in for the last 8 years and I am ready for a change. So, I fell in love with these adorable inserts that go inside a 3-drawer Sterilite container and I am ready to go!

So it was a successful and creative Friday night! What have you been up to? 

Enter to Win an Erin Condren Planner!

Head on over to Easy Teaching Tools to enter this amazing give-away for the chance to win a new Erin Condren planner! If you are one of the lucky ones that might actually get to go to Vegas for the TPT get-together then you can enter there. But if you are like me and can't go then you can enter right there on her blog. So, head on over and check it out!!

Happy Summer!!

Wow! I haven't blogged forever! No excuses I know just busy living life and not making the time I should to not only blog but even read your blogs. But summer is here and now I am ready to spend sometime with you all!

I really did have a great year this year. I had WAY too many kids but I loved them all. I had 29 most of the year and I just think that is too many to really make sure you give them everything they need. But by the end of the year I was down to 26 which isn't much better but did help. We had a lot of fun towards the end of the year!

In May we made a trip to Fair Oaks Dairy Farm in Fair Oaks, IN and let me tell you that we just absolutely love that place! We got to see a calf being born and it was AMAZING!!

We also spent an entire day at the AMBUCS park that has sprinklers and such that the kids absolutely adored. And finally our end of the year field day complete with bounce house, bounce obstacle course, face painting, dance party, bingo and a picnic lunch outside. It was a great way to spend some quality fun time with my little sweeties before sending them off for summer break. I had such a rough group last year that this year's group was like a blessing! Who knows what next year will bring! 

Speaking of next year, I have begun thinking of things I might need to use in my classroom next year. I had an I have Who has sight word game that the kids loved this year, but it was more geared for the beginning of the year. I decided I wanted to have one with sight word phrases to help build fluency when they were ready for a bigger challenge. If you are interested in checking it out you can find it here.

Well it's great to be back guys! I can't wait to see what you are all up to on your summer breaks. We have some of our best creativity during this time...so bring it on!!