Fractions Poster

Well, we are still working on fractions, but will be wrapping it all up tomorrow.  Then, we begin three-digit addition and subtraction.  YIKES!  I am sure they are ready though.  This group has outstanding math skills.

If you are or will be working on fractions, then this poster may help out a bit.  Click the picture below to get this poster freebie that I created to help my students understand numerator and denominator.

Happy Monday Friends!  

I hope your week is off to a great start.

Five for Friday and A Little Bit of Fractions

I am seriously exhausted beyond belief this week!  I cannot wait until tomorrow when I can sleep in until at least 7.  With a preschooler running around this mommy can't catch a break.  But, I enjoy every minute of it!

1.  My kiddos have been hard at work with fractions.  I think I have been saying the words "numerator" and "denominator" in my sleep because fractions seem to be the first think I think of when I wake in the morning.  My kids played a cute fraction game called "Auntie Pasta's".  They kept asking me to let them play all week, so after they finished their work I let them take turns playing this.

I want her shoes!!!!  Soooo awesome!

2.  We made these over-the-top cute Fractions Sundaes created by the fabulous Amy Lemons.  I am in love with everything she creates.  I have done these the past 2 years and it is a very hands-on engaging activity.

3.  I usually love April, at least when the weather is warmer.  What has been going on this year???  I am still wearing sweaters and pants to school instead of short sleeves and capris.  UGH!  I am so over this month!  It did rain quite a few days which led me to have my students make a up a creative story.  We titled it, "The Day it Rained Cats and Dogs".  I knew the kiddos would have a ball with this.  This was the most they had written all year!!!  The stories were presh!  Pick up this freebie HERE! (Cat and Dog Graphics by KPM DOODLES)

4.  We have an annual Career/Hobby fair at our school.  This year my class learned about an airplane mechanic, firefighter, martial artist, horse trainer, and a ballet dancer.  It is always nice to see my available career options! Ha!  I'm only joking!  But, it is fun to spend the day learning about other people's jobs.

5. I went to let my sweet "Chunky Boy" (bull-mastiff mix) out in the backyard on Wednesday morning and I was greeted by a family of 4 deer.  They were soooooo cute!  Unfortunately, the minute they saw Chunk they took off into the woods.  Oh well!  It was great to enjoy nature from the comfort of my home.  HAPPY SPRING!

Enjoy your weekend friends! :)

Five for Friday

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching with all of the happenings in my classroom this week.

The closer it gets to the end of the school year the slower time seems to go by.  Trying to keep 25 kids busy at the same time is no piece of cake!  I barely have time to catch my breath.  Anyone else feeling this way?

Our focus for today was EARTH DAY!  I love teaching about the EARTH.  The students grabbed a partner and read the latest Scholastic News.

Then, we used the digital resources that go along with each issue.  I truly am in love with the digital resources.  If you aren't able to use this I am sooooo sorry.  I cannot live without my computer and projector when it comes to Scholastic News.  I usually let my students teach the Scholastic News, but with all the new terms (resources, renewable, nonrenewable, turbine, generator) my kids would have been completely confused.  So I decided it was best for me to teach it and then play the game that accompanies each issue to assess student understanding.  They did FANTASTIC!



I MUST integrate all subject areas.  I don't know if it is my OCD ( not that I actually have OCD, but I'm diagnosing myself) or what?!?  Anyway, my class created a picture graph about "Our Favorite Ways to Save the Earth".  Thanks to my lovely coworker and partner in crime Paiton who created the earth background.  Isn't she amazing?  I am just not so good with Scissors.  In fact, I remember my Kindergarten teacher giving me Unsatisfactory comments.  (I still have those report cards somewhere.)

We also completed our tally table, bar graph, and analyzing questions as we completed this graph.

I created this free resource for you to use with your students on Monday (Earth Day).  Click on the pic below.

A few other things we did this week included working on ph and gh sounds.  Again, i let the student teach this concept.  I enjoy seeing how they model their thinking processes.

Lastly, my heart is heavy for Boston and West, Texas.  I cannot even fathom what all of the families and friends are going through.  It saddens my heart to know that evil exists everywhere.  being a TEXAS girl, the plant explosion hits pretty close to home.  I'm originally from the Dallas area and West is only a few hours away.  I am praying for all involved in these terrible events.  :(

Freebie Friday

This week really flew by!  I have to say that after such a wonderful Spring Break, I wasn't ready to go back.  But...it ended up being an amazing week with lots of activities planned.  Yesterday, we went on a field trip to Imagination Station.  It was probably one of the BEST field trips I've been on.  The kids were well-behaved and we had amazing chaperones.  This was our last field trip of the year.  There were so many hands-on experiments for the kids that when we returned back to the school they were EXHAUSTED!

The adults had a little too much fun too!

Today was supposed to be our FUN DAY.  However, with the horrible weather that was in store for us, it was canceled.  We are hoping it will be rescheduled soon.  

So, today we continued with our study of Patricia Polacco.  The kids just love her!  We read "My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother".  Such a fun story!  The students worked in small groups to do a vocabulary pre-assesment.  The book is a 4th grade level book, so we needed to discuss the vocabulary prior to reading.  I made some word and definition cards for them to try to match up.  I had to see what they already knew.  Then, we went over each word and the meaning.  I wasn't sure if they would be actively engaged, but they were!

Here is a look at our pre-assesment activity.  Don't you love the way they spelled DEFINITION?  Ha!

Pick up your freebie of the words and definitions cards by clicking the pics below!

Then, we read the book and I drew attention to each word and the way they were used in the sentences to gain meaning.  

Afterwards, each group met once again and created a multi-flow map of cause effect relationships.  This can be difficult for 2nd graders, but I wanted something CHALLENGING and RIGOUROUS.  Common Core Vocabulary at its best!  LOL 

I'm off to enjoy my BUSY weekend!  I hope you enjoy yours as well!

Insect Life Cycles Webquest

As part of a DoDEA training group that my school district has implemented, we will be presenting lots of really effective technology apps and programs to increase 21st century learning.  One assignment was to create a webquest on any topic that you can implement with your students.  Sooooo, my partner (Missy) and I created an insect life cycles webquest.  This was by no means an EASY task!  We had lots of researching to do of websites, creating tasks, determining what the process would be, and making templates.  We just finished it today!!!  WOOHOO!  (Yes, I am screaming at the top of my lungs!)  Webquests are FUN and ENGAGING, but putting one together is exhausting.  I am hoping all of you will benefit from this. AND.....all of the materials/templates are free!  Yes, FREE!

Click on the pic to be taken to the webquest materials page.

This is a preview of the webquest homepage. :)

I'll be using this webquest this week as we prepare for our field trip to a Science Museum later in the week.  I hope the webquest and/or materials are helpful to you!  Enjoy this beautiful Sunday!