New Winter and Christmas Math Activities! (Better late than never...)

I realize that Christmas break is only... 1 1/2 days away for some of us.  Some of you may already be on break- lucky ducks!  As I begin to dabble in the world of blogging, teachers pay teachers, and creating fun things for my own kids, I realize how *behind* I am in posting resources!  Maybe it's because I'm still collecting, creating, and planning things for my kids as this is only my second year, or maybe it's because I'm still nervous to share my things with everyone else who has FANTASTIC things in their store.  Well regardless, here are the things I created for my kids to do this week as we close on long division and do a quick unit on factors before break.

 

 These are task cards I made to use past winter break and into Winter.  There are 10 cards with each card having 12 marshmallows to sort into the "chunky chocolate composite coco" mug or into the "positively puffy prime" mug.  I figured my kids could play scoot in partners with these or they could cut and glue the marshmallows into the correct mugs.  I'm looking forward to using them on Friday!  We normally have a cumalitve math quiz on Fridays with review or unit games afterwords.  My kids love it :)

These winter task cards were created to use as scoot cards.  Students look for all of the factors for the given number and identify it as prime or composite.  They are also Winter themed so I can use them for a little longer than just Christmas ones. ;)

 I'm on a task card kick in case no one has noticed.  We just started factorization the week before break so I knew I HAD to do some Christmas themed to keep my hyper kiddos engaged. These task cards are Christmas themed with the given number in the star and the ornaments empty for the factors to be recored in.  I plan on laminating them and giving kids dry erase markers to use or maybe having my teams work together to solve each tree.  I have four kids in each team or table so it works pretty well.  I love having my kids collaborate together to solve problems.  :)








Ahhh... word problems.  These cards were used for our long division quiz.  The kids played scoot (sometimes called skiddadle) and quickly and effectively worked for 40 minutes (with Christmas music playing).  It wasn't until the end that I told them I was taking this up as quiz grade.  They all did remarkably well and loved the Christmas themed questions!  I even wrote one about our principal, my neighbor teacher, my husband Joel, and my sister.  It's amazing how making work meaningful can totally boost my kids morale and enjoyment towards math!
 

Well, this post is all about the math (obviously) stuff going on in my class.  I plan on posting an upcoming blog on everything we've done in Reading and Writing this week.  I've had so much fun planning meaningful, fun Christmas activities for my kiddos. I hope everyone has had a great week before break!  I know the full moon has totally gotten my kids out of whack!  I hope I survive!

AHH!!! Any advice?!

Whew.... an hour and a half later... I finally figured out how to A) link to another blogger's site B) add a photo and make sure it goes to another site when someone clicks on it and c) how to change my profile pic for my gmail stuff  and D) how confusing this blogging world is!  I didn't figure out how to use google docs for uploading stuff to share and I can't figure out exactly what the blank box under my "button" is all about!  At least, I think that's my button, I think that's what it is called, I want people to want to link to me?  I know I have a while before my blog views go up or before I have enough worthy posts for people to check out... but I'm trying and I'm determined to be successful!  I did just make my second ever teachers pay teacher sell so I am currently feeling pretty proud of that!  Hopefully I can figure more of this stuff out!  Many thanks to anyone who leaves feedback or helpful hints!  I want to learn and be successful!

Here is my AHH I'M SO OVERWHELMED face while thinking, "I hope my husband doesn't notice me making this face on my laptop right now..."

My first link up! (And Christmas gifts for my kiddos!)

I'm linking up with a blog I often visit, Stephanie at 3rd Grade Thoughts for some awesome ideas so I'm going to link to her for my very first linky!

Glitter Ornaments!!! Last year was my first year teaching and I knew I needed to do something cost effective yet fun and special for my kids.  I found this idea from pinterest last year and my kids LOVED their ornaments.  I was able to get the class ornaments and glitter from Michael's for 50% off and floor cleaner from Target.  Ya pour some cleaner into the jar, swish it around, pour it out, and then funnel in some glitter.  You swoosh the glitter around and ta-da!! Glitter ornament 1 complete!  My ornaments for my kids last year were all blue and gold, our elementary school colors.  This year, my mom scored a sweet deal for glitter assortment packs from TJ Maxx so I used those to make sure each ornament was different, yet reflective of my kids' personalities. I used paint pens to write their names in a fun way.

 I know, that's an impressive collection of glitter! EEK! I love them all.  In this photo I collected I everything I needed, glitter, glass ornaments, floor cleaner, and my class list.  (I was missing the funnel in this photo.) Oh, and the marshmallows on the side are part of a later photo :)

 Last year I wrote my kids' names on last, this year I wrote them first.  I don't think it matters either way.

 Ta-da!!!! After I poured in some floor cleaner, swooshed it around, poured it out, and put in some glitter and swish-swashed that around, I made my 16 ornaments for my kiddos!  Aren't they fun and pretty?!

 Here are two of my favorites. Love those colors!

 

For all of my teacher friends I made Snow Day Hot Coco. (Actually double chocolate hot coco).  Again, this recipe is from pinterest. :) I planned on making cookies in a jar, but the price for everything totally overwhelmed me!  I really like the look of the hot coco in the jars though.  I made the tags and directions (on the back) for everyone to follow.  Most of teacher friends have kids or will be having kids so this is fun and hopefully enjoyable! I did half the recipe to try out since I LOVE hot chocolate and thought it was DELICIOUS!  MMM I love hot chocolate on a snow day!

At my school, we have three fourth grade classes and ability group our math and reading classes.  So in addition to my 16 homeroom kids, I also see about 25 other kids and didn't want them to feel left out!  I did last year as well for little gifts and they were quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive.  I bought the jumbo box from Walmart and stuck on a cute little label.  Ta-da!  Love hot chocolate!

Just because, I found this super cute frame from Kohls for 60% off.  It's our first Christmas together so I HAD to frame our first Christmas card as a married couple.  

Check out my TPT store to snag the snow day hot coco labels!  (I haven't quite figured out google docs yet... anyone know of a good tutorial for that?)

Thanks for stopping by!  I am super excited for all of my fun Christmas activities for this week- maybe I'll find time to post about all of the fun things we are doing!? Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm BACK!

Oh my goodness! How embarrassing; I completely dropped off the planet since this summer! I guess you can say my second year of teaching combined with my first year of being a head coach while being a newlywed got the most of my time.  Oh well! I'm back now and with a snow day, Christmas (excuse me, I mean "Winter") break coming up, and the ease of coaching my cheerleaders during basketball season, I will have more time to blog it up! Woohoo!  I even managed to get my TPT store up and running- check it here! It's also a work in progress, but I'm hoping to spend more time on that as well!

So hmm... where to start?  I've taken tons of photos of my lessons and kiddos so far this year: VA salt dough maps, chlorophyll rubbings, writing offices, book talks... my list goes on!  For now I will organize my photos of my projects with my kiddos, watch the snow fall a bit, and craft some Christmas gifts. (Anyone else LOVE snow days?!)

Room Reveal!

Last night was "Meet the teacher" night at my school and I met so many of new kiddos!  They seem like super sweet kids and one girl even said that my room was very "stylish." SCORE! Of course, many of my ideas in my room are from good ole pinterest for inspired from one of many blogs that I stalked visited over the summer.

My Uncle Tom built me that little chalkboard (the other side of the easel) when I was 8!  I had it in my 

"classroom" with my sister as my student!  He also cut the boards for my awesome crate seats!  I was so proud of this pinterest diy!

Small Group area 1

Small group area 2

View from the door! I don't really like the back left hand corner but my room doesn't have ANY closets, and only one small strip of cabinets (which I'm honestly afraid to open half the time- mice and bugs!) so I struggled with finding a place for my kids coat closets (one on either side) and my rolling cabinet.... sigh... it will work.... it does provide another little book nook area...

So here you see my small group tables, my CAFE board, our word catcher collection board, 36 words of praise, and other little things. (I have an American Graveyard above the CAFE board for all of those important dead guys!) Those neon bins are for collecting papers for different teachers, absent work, make up work, and the kids Wednesday Folders. (Graded work that goes home once a week) They're perfect and were for a perfect price at Big Lots!

The other side of my small group table, our writing process wall, Reading rotation bins (same ones at the ones in the previous photo, just standing up) our math games drawers, and our reading corner.

Another view of the reading corner and classroom library.  We use AR in our school but I try to keep the kids motivated with this "move it as you earn it" chart.

LOVE these posters. I love anything Disney and anything giraffe!

Another view of the back corner, small group area, and my VOICES writing curriculum board. Maybe that will get it's own post?

I used my old chalkboard to showcase "books in the spotlight." I plan on finding books that correlate with our Science/Social Studies unit for the kids to look at. I also can't stand the overhead lights so I have several lamps to brighten the room!

Computer area. I found the rules on TPT and added a few more posters :)

It's dark, but this is our content wall.  I put up vocabulary, graphs, pictures, and whatever else we are studying on the wall for the kids to look to during our lessons.  It was great anchor tool last year! 

Ugh...sigh... my room is awkward. I only have outlets on the two "real" walls so the IT department ran the computer chords into this only spot. So my computer is stuck. There are so many chords I tried to hide them with fabric but obviously, this section needs work.

Our schedule! I did make and design these! (And now I've noticed my times are out of order. DUH!)

I don't quite understand why my Smart Board is overlapping the white board (there is then a chalkboard under that!) but I'm thankful I have one! I made the alphabet strip with ribbon and cardboard letters.  I use sign language for informal assessments and HAD to add my whole brain teaching reminders! (From TPT of course!)

Birthday blooms, another lamp (stollen from my husband's college days), brain breaks, and a letter to the kiddos!

From the door (wish you could smell my scentsy online!) I have a "When you enter this room..." poster and the kids names in word cloud (from wordle) on the side.

Our team tubs. I found the team 3 button after this photo! The tubs have any supplies the kids might need during the day! Their Science or Social Studies binders will go on the bottom shelf once we start the year up!

Yesterday was our 2 month wedaversary. awww I know! What a great surprise these flowers were! We are both so busy in the evenings with coaching (me cheer, him football) but he still found a way to make me feel special! <3

Hope you enjoyed my tour!  Hopefully those green walls are growing on you?!

Some of my made-its!

So like most girls my age, I'm obsessed with pinterest.  It's seriously so great. But, I do admit that I sometimes struggle with the pinterest pressure.  I got married this summer and could. not. stop. pinterest planning my wedding. I put in so many little details to the wedding and while it was awesome (from what I remember) hardly anyone else noticed my super adorable wedding deets. Oh well. It was still beautiful and all about me and my boy so it was perfect. <3 Here's the link to my perfect day!

Okay, back to pinterest. (I really do think I missed out on the ADD diagnoses!) Here are some pictures of my classroom made-its! :)

Break Breaks- I LOVE being a whole brain teacher!

These aren't from Pinterest, I made these myself for my readers. The kids loved them!

Bravo board to show off super impressive work- I let the kids choose one thing a week!

Flower clock... my petals are too teeny though. Maybe I'll get around to fixing it up! 

Boggle and Math it up!

Reading comprehension fan cards.  I got these off TPT.

Last year in review...

It's still so hard to believe that last year was my first year teaching.  In a way it seems like just yesterday I was preparing for my first year while in a completely different way it seems like ages ago!  I was so blessed to have been hired a month after graduating from Bridgewater College.  I was so determined to be hired and make my dream of teaching came true!  I remember going school to school the Monday after graduation to introduce myself to every principal, while hand delivering my resume and personal portfolios.  Hey, I scored a lot of walk in interviews that way!  One Sunday after church, my pastor and I prayed for a job opportunity to come my way.  We prayed for the school, the kids, the administration, and for God's will to show up.  Well, when I went back to my pew to get my things, I had missed a phone call from my current principal! He called me on a SUNDAY during prime church time to schedule an interview.  Well, I rocked that interview, awkwardly, confidently bragged about myself, my teaching, my passion for connecting with kids and nailed it.  Now it's my second year at that school and I couldn't be more fortunate to work with such caring, passionate, and entertaining people.  Here's to another year with great people and awesome kids!

Speaking of kids, I LOVED my kids last year!  They were an entraining bunch with a LOT of things going on, but gosh did I love them!  Seeing them last night for Meet the Teacher Night, much more taller than last year, really took me back to my first few days with them.  I felt like a proud momma when they came in with giant smiles and big hugs as we remembered last year.

Okay anyway, back to my main idea of this post... 
My first classroom pictures.  From last year.  I have an interesting classroom.  I don't have real walls; I have two green folding partition walls.  One is magnetic and the other is cork board type.  While it's totally awesome because I can always throw things up on the wall, it's also a curse because I can hear every. single. word. being said next door.  But it's all good! It's a classroom, and it's my classroom. And I love(d) it! 

And what's even better is that my classroom this year looks NOTHING like this and I love it even MORE!

Well, here I am virtual world!  I'm off to join everyone in this online, blogging world!  I have my failed attempts... I did the photo blog for a while, but got lazy and overwhelmed with everything going on in life!  That blog is WAY outdated... oh, and then we were required to make a blog for a college class... but that has since been deserted as well.  Oops.  So after our last team meeting, my team leader nicely persuaded me to create something so I wouldn't be the only one without a webpage.  Well, unbeknownst to him and others, I actually LOVE stalking teaching blogs and have contemplated trying the blogging world out once again.  I also LOVE pinterest projects and using my imagination to create fun stuff, so maybe this won't be too bad.  Maybe I won't completely forget about this one... guess we'll see! :