Addition!!

For the first time I am actually enjoying math instruction. We are having fun and I am trying new things and making things. This was a super cute activity we did:

These are completed. The kids followed the word problem to make a matching picture. Then they had to write the matching equation. If you would like a copy, just click the here.

Also, we are working on using more vocab so here is another freebie. There are still a few that don't know what an addend is, but it's only been a week (at least thats the excuse I am giving myself!!)

Have a great weekend!

Remembering Sept. 11

This Friday four of my co-workers and I are going to try and complete a rotation with our kiddos, where our kids will rotate classrooms and learn more about Sept. 11. Our kids (in first and second grade) weren't even born on Sept. 11, 2001 so we are attempting to gently teach them the past. I am going to read a book from the library.. haven't made a definite decision yet, but I am thinking "On that day: A book of hope for children" by Andrea Patel or "September 12: We knew everything would be all right" written and illustrated by other first grade students. To add a little activity in with the book reading I made this graphic organizer.

Each student will write in one star a freedom we have, then in the star next to the writing they will draw a picture of the freedom.

I thought this was a great way of having students think about what we have, especially since they probably won't completely understand what actually happened. This is important to talk about and discuss on Friday! Please utilize if you can!! Have a good week!

Reading Street

One of the hardest things about switching schools has been the change in curriculums. Math isn't so much a big change (I mean you generally go by pacing guides and teach the same kind of stuff anyway). Reading on the other hand is frustrating because I have created so many resources to go along with the previous series (Treasures) and now I have to re-make things for my new series (Reading Street). This blog and yahoo group has saved me! If you are using Reading Street another fab blog is here.
Anyway, I have had to come up with some cutesy activities for our stories. They haven't been exactly my style, but my creavity is feeling cramped. I do want to share though...someone may be able to use or expand on what I have already created.

The first week is short a and based on a story called "Sam, Come Back!". The story is about a cat that runs away then comes back--real interesting...Anyway, after reading and studying short a all week we made a cat in a sack with a clozed sentence. Since it was only the 2nd week of school I was not trying to create a writing assignment that was too hard.

This week (the 2nd week) is short i and based on a story called "Pig in a Wig!". The kids loved the story and we did a similar project today. I got the craft idea here. It was a pretty cute idea. I printed the outlines on pink paper then we went through each step together. Then, I discovered some AWESOME writing paper here. Click "Try Now"! I was able to create a printable clozed sentence.
Here are the pics:

Have a great three day weekend!! Don't plan too much!