Clothesline Math Game Posted

Okay, one product done and posted!

Clothesline Number Games 0-20

This set includes two spinners, one with four colors and one with six colors.  There are six sets of number cards 0 to 20, and the symbols +, -, =, <, and >.  A pencil and a paperclip finishes the spinner, and all you need is a clothesline, some spring-style clothespins from the dollar store, and a printer!  I suggest printing them on cardstock and/or laminating for longer use. 

Thanks to Graphics From The Pond for the spinners!

Graphics From the Pond

Carrot Picking...or apple...or pumpkin...

One of my favorite activities to do at the beginning of the school year is to "pick apples from the tree."  I had a set of apples with numerals on them that had been handed down to me by a previous teacher; on one wall I had a big seasonal tree leftover from when I taught science.  The type you buy from a teachers supply store.  I put pieces of velcro on the tree, then on the apples.  Or leaves...which look like snowflakes in the winter when all the leaves have fallen off.  We used little pink flowers in the spring.

I used this tree for so many things; one of my favorite was to pick apples.  On the back of each apple there was a number up to 30.  The students would get a chance to pick an apple from a tree, then they had to tell me the number.  I had multiple apples with the same number on it, and would put up the appropriate numerals based on the age of the class coming in.

This is a great way for me to get a sense of numeral recognition at the beginning of the year.  I would keep a running record of which numerals they got correct and incorrect, and as the year went on I could add to it.  This helped me when assessment time of the year came; if they consistently recognized the numeral 3, I did not need to ask them that one.  I also used the apples to make sets; pick an apple then give me "that many" of something. 

Unfortunately my tree got destroyed and I cannot not locate a good picture of it to show you.  But I do have a picture of some young 3s (and visiting toddlers) "Carrot Picking" in our circle time area.  This was an activity I did in May, I think.

The kids had so much fun and did really well taking turns.  This is a simple shape to draw and copy onto colored construction paper.  I laminated a blank piece of green construction paper and made the tops, then taped them on.  Super quick and easy!  I know EVERYONE has an apple graphic somewhere in their files, and I bet everyone has a pumpkin too.  Fun hands-on activity, helps practice taking turns too.  My Kindergarteners had to pick two carrots and tell me the sum or difference, depending on the unit.  Great workstation if you have the space.  Let's those boys who need some movement in their learning get it out.

Hmmmm....bet you could have the kids order or group the numbers on  a clothesline... :)

Enjoy!  Kathy

Clotheslines in the classroom

I have often used a clothesline in my classroom as a special workstation.  I am careful NOT to use it too much; I want to keep it special for the students.  When they would come into my class and see it hanging, the students would get so excited!  One thing I have noticed, especially with the older students, is they remember what we have done, and how often we have done it and if I put something out too often they do not choose it unless it is a "MUST DO" workstation.  My Kindergarten class last year was not happy repeating the same file folder games more than twice.  The clothesline is a fun way of changing up an activity while using the same base materials.  What the students do not realize is that they are also working on strengthening their hand muscles, to make them better writers.

Here are some pics from my clothesline:

These Kindergarteners are matching sweaters to pants.  The pants have a number on the leg; the sweaters have dots.  They count the dots and match it to the pants with that number!  Sometimes they hang them next to each other, sometimes they attach them together; it's up to the student.  I have this set up to the number 20; higher than that and I could not fit the spots on the sweater.  If I had a smaller circle punch I would have made from 20-30.  This idea and patterns came from Mailbox, I believe.

Other ways I have used the number line (which apparently I do not have any pictures of) is matching mittens; ordering numerals; making patterns.  Before I left my job I went through all the pictures we had online and tried to find as many examples of my work as I could.  Unfortunately I did not have access to all of the pictures, so I am missing quite a bit.

Maybe my next product will be a clothesline set!

Have a great day!  Kathy

Kindergarten workstations

Crazy busy at work today and again tomorrow.  We have two school-wide concerts each year; one in December and one in June, along with our Kindergarten graduation.  I'd love to post a couple pictures but since I do not have permission to post any of the kids' pictures online I don't think I should.  I try very carefully to make sure the students are not identifiable in the pictures I do pose.  Let me just they are freaking adorable all dressed up!!

So earlier this week the Kindergarteners finished up their review workstations.  Here is what we did:

After completing our "Think Math" brain warm-up, our choices were

Domino Parking Lot

The kids loved trying to find the "domino bus" that fit in each spot.  They were so excited when they pulled out one they needed and disappointed when it had to "go back" if they filled that slot or if it was "too many" (I have dominos up to 9 in the box.)

This free activity came from Mrs. Williamson at
Welcome to Room 36





Since we worked hard twice coming up with a number story for our last two Think Math sessions, I gave them blank writing paper and asked them to come up with a number story of their own.  They asked another student for the "answer" then they created the question.  This class LOVES to draw.  So any opportunity I have to let them get creative, I do.





We got a little calculator practice in as well.  The CCSS are for the Kindergarteners to be fluent in their facts up to 5, and even though my district has not been required to implement them fully yet I wanted these students to head into first grade knowing them anyway...just in case they will be expected to meet the first grade expectations next year. I do not know exactly when the public schools will start their new math, but I would expect it to have to be soon!

So what the students had waiting for them here was a tray of calculators, pencils, and a web with the numeral 5 in the center.  They had to think of a fact that they think adds (or subtracts, I added that to make it more interesting) to 5.  They had to check their work on the calculator and if they were correct, they wrote it anywhere on the web.  I had some real creative thinkers...some of the kids were using 2 digit numbers!  They used their counting by 5s knowledge to subtract bigger numbers.  I was so proud of them! Not the original intent of the activity, but they get points for creativity. This workstation was meant to be individual, but I noticed some worked together when they got stumped.


A "May Do" was practicing making patterns on the pocket chart with some cute pictures I printed out from
KidsSoup.
This is a pay for membership site but luckily me school has paid for one!  It has some great activities for the preschool/pre-K ages.  I use some of the support materials, like these adorable cats and dogs with my Kindergarten classes.

So that's it for today.  The other time with this class we played BINGO where they each got a prize and a little "good luck" present from me.  I'll still see them for 2 more hours before my last day but they will just play and have fun those days.

Now for that well-earned glass of wine after the craziness of concert day #1.  Cheers!

Bye bye Kindergarteners!

May 30th I posted about my Kindergarteners workstations.  My Kindergarteners graduate this week; so our last few classes have been spent in review workstations.

 

This is what our "work chart" looks like: 

By this point in the year, most of my supplies are gone, so if I have sentence strips left I would have remade the title to read "What are we reviewing today?"

We start by warming up our brain. This chart says "Race to 100."  We have been working on writing numerals to 100. Each month we get 1 minute to go as far as we can, racing against ourselves to do better than the month before.  This was the last race of the year.  This fabulous (and free!) activity came from: Mrs. Miner's Monkey Business via TpT. 

Race to 100 Booklet  I'm sorry I do not have a picture of the kids completing it. :(



Other brain warm ups include doing the "Macarena Math" song, Exercise Counitng by 1s, or one of the other songs my kids love.  One of their new favorites is "Think Math" from Mrs. Jump at Mrs. Jump's Class.  If you scroll down almost half way you'll see her original idea.  Sorry my pictures did not come out too good!  My markers were not as dark as I thought.  The students are provided with the "answer" and then THEY have to come up with the questions!  How fun is that? They LOVED this as much as Mrs. Jump's class did. 

We worked together to write the number story on the bottom. The picture on the right I had to guide them a little bit more than I was hoping. If you can read it you can tell at the point I intervened. :)




Next we move onto our MUST DO group.  The students MUST visit the workstations listed during the time period.  The colors refer to the trays the work is in, and if there is a maximum number of students allowed in a workstation the number is there.  I usually have 3 activities; one that challenges, one that is "fun" and one that is creative.  Sometimes there is a picture of a teacher and that means they come visit me.

There is a section of MAY DOs, choices they have if they finish the MUST DOs or if there is no room at one of those stations.  It try very hard not to have too many stations with number restrictions; I only have the students for a small amount of time and I want to make sure they get to everything I want them to. 

Of course there is ALWAYS the one student who gets through everything quickly, so to avoid the "now what?" there is a line on the chart for that too.  This way they do not need to interrupt me for any reason. 

Here is another chart:

This one does not have the mini-lesson line, since there was nothing for us to do but review what each station was about.

During the a lesson day, there will also be a "Recap Meeting" line.  We get back together at the end of the class to review the concept, answer any questions the students may have, discuss homework, and talk about what is coming up next.

Next time I will post some pictures of the students in their small groups.