Art has taken a back seat in our county now for several years.
Yes, we still have art teachers for 1st through 5th grade, but art stays in the art room pretty much! It has been frowned upon for classroom teachers to have artwork up in their classrooms or do "artsy" projects. This is why you don't see many holiday or themed crafts on my blog.
I disagree with the whole idea.
On a personal level,
both of my boys LOVE drawing and I love being crafty!
On a professional level,
Art gives students a way to express themselves
Art can be a form of relaxation (I love to color when I am stressed) or therapy.
Art increases morale!
Art plays an important role in cognitive, motor, and language development
Art provides a sense of self
Art strengthens problem solving skills
Art stimulates the imagination
AND MORE!
Recently, the local High School art teacher invited my classroom to partner with her Art Students and become ART PALS. I knew my kiddos would love it and they could practice their writing skills while squeezing in a little art. I mean, aren't postcards a form of writing? And you can't have a postcard without a beautiful picture on the front.
For a week or so we have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first "postcards" and they arrived today!
The boys loved the dragons and race cars, while the girls
loved the mermaids and butterflies.
Here are two little ones working on their responses to their
ART PALS.
And here are their finished postcards to mail back.
I finally began using Mountain Math in my classroom. Right now, we are in the introductory phase and they were actually cheering to continue after a short break. I think it is the novelty of the Bulletin Board that has them hooked so far.
Below is a photo of the board.
Underneath the #24 in the small box are the pieces for an entire year. It contains the double sided cards you use to switch out problems.
Click on the picture above to order your own Mountain Math Classroom Bulletin Board Set or the Center Set or Workbook Set.
Let's go through each number and I will list the objectives you could assess with each one.
1.
Identify, read, and write any given numeral.
Identify odd and even numbers.
Determine "one more than" and "one less than" and 10 more and 10 less than for any given number.
Use groups of ones and tens to demonstrate place value.
Identify the place value of a digit by its position in the ones or tens place.
Demonstrate place value using expanded notation.
2.
Read, and write a given numeral in standard form.
Compare any two numbers using the symbols (>), (<), (=).
4.
Represent whole numbers in groups of tens and ones.
5.
Understand subtraction as an unknown addend problem
Identify a missing addend.
Identify a missing minuend.
6.
Read a ruler to nearest inch.
7.
Read a ruler to nearest centimeter.
8. Count by 1, 2, 5, and 10s by recognizing the patterns
9. Identify missing numbers in a sequence
Use number lines to model
10. Tell time to the hour and half hour
11. Recognize models showing 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 and 1/10
12. Demonstrate place value to 99 by using standard notation
13. Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract
Add within 100 by adding a two digit number and a multiple of 10
Add within 100 by adding a one digit number and a two digit number without regrouping
Add and subtract two digit numbers without regrouping
14. Represent addition and subtraction vertically
Add and subtract one digit and two digit numbers without regrouping
15. Apply the Associative Property of Addition
16. Recognize and apply the Commutative Property of Addition
Understand the meaning of the equal sign
17. Recognize two dimensional and three dimensional objects in the environment (unclear about this
example, though)
18. Recognize and reproduce patterns
19. Recognize and use place value to add
20. Fact Families
Understand and apply the inverse operations of addition and subtraction
21. Identify Symmetry
22. Describe and interpret data
23. Understand probability
24. Determine the value of combined pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars.
I am going to one more week working through these problems with students and gradually release them so they can complete them independently during a section of math workshop. I will have 5 sections and students will rotate through them on a daily basis, in order to, allow me time to work with small groups and do end of the year assessments.
Math Mountain
Math Centers
First in math - (computer math program)
Work with Assistant
Work with Me
Partner Games or Reading Math Books Together
If you would like to see how the fabulous Teacher Tipster uses Mountain Math, check out this video.
I was paired with the fabulous Samantha over at Ms. Smarty Pants!
Samantha gave me Working with Words: eu ew ui oo to review.
In this packet was a list of directions for possible activities that could be done with each of the possible spellings for /ew/.
Activities include:
Word Hunt for /ew/ /ui/ /oo/ /ue/
2 Word Hunt recording sheets
Word Building for /ew/ /ui/ /oo/ /ue/
Word Building recording sheet and letters
Word Building Pocket Chart card for teacher
Real Word & Silly Word Sort for /ew/ /ui/ /oo/ and /ue/ cut & paste
Word Reading sentences for /ew/ /ui/ /oo/ /ue/
Open Sort recording sheet for 2 or 3 patterns
Center or Station Activities:
Roll a Word game for /ew/ /ui/ /oo/ /ue/
4 different game boards
Flashcards for /ew/ /ui/ /oo/ /ue/
Open Sort headers
Build a Word in the pocket chart
I used this packet for my top spelling group.
On Monday, students sorted a given list of words from each of the 4 spelling patterns as a closed sort.
On each of the remaining 4 days, students worked with partners or groups of 3 to complete activities.
As I get older, I think I need food that makes me feel like a kid!
Orange
In college, I had a blast!
Once we filled stuffed towels in our doorways and wet the hall.
We made our own slip and slide.
This is not me. I am behind the camera. Can you see the water coming off her knees?
Yellow
My favorite sports team since I was 6 years old has been the Dallas Cowboys.
The first game I remember watching was the 76 Superbowl with the Cowboys losing to the Pittsburg Steelers.
So, now you know one of my least favorite teams, also!
Green
My favorite fast food place if Chick-fil-a.
I love their waffle fries.
Purple
I was a total Tom-boy growing up. I had a pet pig, road motorcycles, shot BB guns, fished, climbed trees, played softball, and would have loved to play football. When I was 6, I was riding my mini motorcycle to my neighbors and down a dirt road. I slid in a pile of sand right into a Barbed Wire Fence. That's all I remember.I almost cut my jugular vein and have an ugly scar on my neck.
When I was 8, I was playing in the mud barefoot. I stepped on glass and can remember my pinkie toe just dangling! TMI - I know!
There's more, but I won't bore you to bits. I think you get the idea!
I am so excited to share my news today. Some of the most talented bloggers have donated products to help me raise money to fight EB in honor of a little boy named Jonah who attends my church. See my original post about Jonah here.
The flier below explains the event.
For a small donation of $10,
you will get over $85 worth of products!
How does this work?
Click on the button at the very end of this post. It will
take you to my donation page.
Make a donation of $10 or More.
Leave your name & email address. This is very
important or I will not know where to send your products.
Each week, I will email the entire set of products
to those who donated that week.
Please share this on your blog!
Check out these wonderful bloggers & their donations.
Please visit their blogs and TPT stores.
Brigid @ Bits of First Grade is donating her Positive Reinforcement Necklaces/Badges.
