It's the Little Things

I am joining Randi over at Teach it With Class for a linky: 

I wouldn't trade free lunch, no recess, or an hour and a half planning a day for my job.  Those may be valuable perks to middle school and high school teachers, but nothing compares to the little things my first graders give me!

 

Almost daily I hear,

Mrs. Wilson, you are the best teacher ever!

Mrs. Wilson, I love you!

or even being called Mom on accident.

I have been given a variety of gifts through the years.  

One of the funniest was a little girl who had been out for a few days.  She returned to school with an IRIS and handed it to me.  When she did, she said she missed me and had a VIRUS for me!

In the past two weeks, I have had numerous hugs and compliments.  I have also received the following special pictures and interesting gifts.

Owls are our theme this year - the first year of owls.

 

 

This gift is from one sweet little girl who loves to sing to me on the playground.

What a sweet token!

Product Swap - Finally!

Better Late than Never is not a motto I live by on a daily basis, especially in the classroom!  But, for the 3rd Magical Product Swap, that's exactly what happened.  My partner and I decided to blog about our swaps a little late.  It worked out the best for both of us. 

I was paired up with the lovely and talented Jennifer @ Positively Learning. I picked her unit What's the Number?  It was perfect for right now as we are working on place value.  Her unit was 47 pages and included:

• Math Mini Posters
• 2 Versions of Math Mats
• Game Cards for 10 - 30 and 10 more for #s 31-99
• Activity Pages

    Jennifer suggests using the cards for matching games, flashcards, comparing numbers, and for sequencing numbers.

Here is how I used them in my classroom. 

 

1.  In a workstation center using a pocket chart.  
Pairs of students find the four cards which match.  Categories are Standard Form, Word Form, Picture Form, and Expanded Form.

 

Finished Center

2.  Final Four
 I distributed cards around the classroom.  Students had to walk around the room and find their partners.

These 2 found a partner.  Now they have to find the word form and the picture form.

 

They did it!

A Closer Look at the first group who finished.

 

3.  WAR

   I divided cards up among pairs of students. Each would turn over a card and decide who had the greatest number.  They really liked this game!!

 

Please visit Jessica's TPT store to check out her other fabulous products! 

  

Valentine's Math Centers - 1 of 5 is free

    I decided to take apart my 5 Math Workstations called Lovely Math Centers today and divide it into 5 individual sets.  
    You can purchase them separately or in a bundle to save almost half off.  You can get the Ordering Numbers Workstation Free.  Just click here.

The other individual workstations are...

Missing Addends

True/False (equal signs)

Sweet Subtraction

Comparing Numbers

Hope you enjoy!

How to Make Easy Valentines for Your Students

It is almost Valentine's Day.  Time to share the LOVE.  I made some really cute Valentine's for my class.

Here are some of the supplies you may need depending on how you want to decorate the candy bags.

1" x 8" cellophane bags

M&Ms

matching red & pink ink

ribbon

Valentine's Stamp of choice

white cardstock

scissors

• My special assistant helped with the stamping.  

                 He also loves to use my Cricut Machine!

• Fill cellophane bags with M&Ms.  

     IF you manage not to eat but 6 M&Ms, you can make 17 from one large bag of M&Ms.

• Cut hearts out with scissors, unless you are lucky enough to have the matching heart punch!  I did not use the colored cardstock in the first photo.  It would have been double cutting if I had matted the hearts below.

• Attach hearts to the bags using thin ribbon of your choice.  I preferred white to match all  the colors.

The finished product!

Valentine's Math Centers - FREE

I am so excited!  This is my first "holiday" based math unit I have created for my class.  All others I have purchased on TPT over the past year.  I have dabbled here and there with math workstations as I needed them in the room and shared them on TPT, but this is my first COLLECTION.  

I would love for someone to proof this set of workstations.  In exchange you can have a copy FREE.

This goes to the first 2 people to comment below.  

Don't forget to leave me your email.

You can also get your copy here!

It contains 5 workstations:

Comparing Numbers - 1.NBT.3

Ordering Numbers - 1.NBT.1

Sweet Subtraction - 1.OA.6

True / False - 1.OA.7

Missing Addends - 1.OA.8

Currently Linky

I am linking up with Farley for the first Currently of 2013.

Happy New Year!

Listening:  I am listening to Phillip Phillips' new CD.  I picked him during the audition phase of American Idol.  We love the audition & Hollywood phase.  Then, we quit watching until near the end.  I love his voice.

Loving:  It was a crazy Christmas time for my mom this year.  So, she gave her 3 children mostly gift certificates.  Love it!  I have been to Texas Roadhouse and Olive Garden in just the past 3 days.  I don't think my scales are so appreciative.

Thinking:  It will be a miracle if I make it to work on time tomorrow considering how late I have slept over the break.  With 2 migraines in the past week, I have had to sleep those away also!

Wanting:  We have talked 5 years now about decorating our bedroom, but my husband swore when we painted to sell the last house, he would never paint again.  He has almost kept his word.  He did paint the guest bathroom a beautiful blue.  I am the only girl in the house most of the time.  I need a place to call my own - a place without video games and wrestling boys.  a restful and relaxing place.

Needing:  I have migraines and kidney stones.  I am on a preventative for migraines and over the holidays it has not helped.  I recently visited the hospital for migraine with panic attack.  In mid August, I had to have surgery from kidney stones.   I have been given a list of food to avoid by both my neurologist and my urologist!  If I follow their advice I can basically eat grass and should be really skinny!  What favorite foods should I avoid:  peanuts, chocolate, soda and sweet tea.  When I am trying to diet, what good foods do I need to avoid? - spinach, blueberries, bananas, raspberries, pineapple, etc.   The list is enormous!  :(

One Little Word:  I need to remember to pray continuously!