Primary Guided Math & Freebie

At the beginning of the year, I  was working as a long term substitute in 4th grade. I have always been addicted to "Guided Math", but for some reason, this year my addiction intensified!!!

I have been working on amping my guided math supply kit. I basically needed more hands on centers and had little time (and supplies) to make them! I am not used to being ink deprived, and it's a hard adjustment! In TX, I could get all the ink I pretty much desired! I know that most of you are in the same boat so I apologize for preachin' to the choir. So I decided to do what everyone else does who gets no ink---use colored cardstock! haha! 

My kiddos are practicing telling time to the hour and half hour this week. We had a blast practicing. We use these student hand held time boards over and over again during whole group instruction! 

My kids LOVE these!!

We read the book "If You Were A Minute"

Then, we made a chart of our three favorite things they did in the story and tried to beat the time the characters completed them. 

It's a good thing I've been working out, because 70 jumping jacks in a minute is no easy task ;) haha!!!

After a whole group mini lesson, we break up into small groups for our guided math. I have several "staple centers" I use:

*One bin of Math books. I try to pull as many books related to the subject we are working on!

*Lakeshore Match Up Puzzles

* Math Work Station Cards

*Fold & Solve Math Cards- The Mailbox

You can check out the centers shown here!

We are also using Cara's Time Packet! Which provides so many hands on matching centers for the kiddos! We still haven't finished all the activities in that packet! I'll post about it once we finish!! 

One of my weaknesses is making cute anchor charts! My kids have really struggled with types of sentences, so I made these charts...no judgment okay?? I am NOT very good at these :)

I also created a quick and simple Listening Center Recording sheet--click HERE For the FREEBIE

Quick and Easy Math Centers

I don't know about y'all but this time of year is so crazy! I am spending this week pretty much re-teaching skills from the last six weeks! 

I've talked before about my guided math routine. I need to do another post on that as a first grade teacher! Maybe during the break! The reason I LOVE guided math is because the instruction is tailored to each and every student. It is a lot of prep work, but I use several staple centers that are easily differentiated. For example, I use my Number-Order-and-Skip-Counting-Fun- as a staple center. I printed the pages on bright cardstock and laminated them. Some charts only go from 1-50, some 1-100. I also have different variations of skip counting so that my higher students can go above and beyond what our grade level expectations are and my lower students can practice in the areas they struggle with. 

This packet makes several very quick and practical math centers! 

You can check it out HERE

Problem and Solution, Guided Math Centers

What a busy last few weeks! 

Let me dive on into the skills we've been working on! We finished out our Author's Purpose week and moved right on into Problem and Solution!!! Problem and Solution is always so much fun! I love it when students create their own problems and solutions... it makes me remember how simple children really are. Wouldn't ya just love it if your biggest problem was "If my XboX is going to work after school?" I know I sure would :) 

Everyday, we work in our Guided Reading Binders. Our binders are divided up into 5 parts: Guided Reading, Skills, Word Work, Reading Response and Vocabulary.  In our skills section, we record our answers for the centers we've worked on for the week. This week, we worked on Problem and Solution. We used Problem and Solution match up activity and recording the answers in our binders.  

Click the picture below for the this recording sheet FREEBIE that you can use with ANY book or passage!

We are also using my Fall-Literacy-Centers-for-Big-Kids packet. I am still able to use some of my materials from 1st and 2nd grade, but have really had to dig and create for most of my resources for 4th grade! With this packet, we are practicing Main Idea, Synonyms, Antonyms, Parts of Speech and Author's Purpose. I am using these centers in the weeks AFTER we teach a topic for spiral review. As I am teaching them, I am using only skill based centers. I like this packet because even though it's a skill they've previously learned, the fact that it's fall themed, makes them think they are practicing something new! The kids are loving the graphics and colors! 

In Math, we are gearing up for our Guided Math routine. Have you tried Guided Math yet? Or looked into it? It's basically the same plan as Guided Reading! We are doing a 30 minute mini guided math plan where we are pulling students who had trouble with the skill we are teaching that week. This is in ADDITION to our math schedule, and is first

thing in the morning. I LOVE teaching in small groups, so it's perfect for me. Here is how we set up our groups for our mini math session:

1. Meet with Teacher-Assisstant

2. Hands On Math

3. Literacy Math Activities

4. Skill Based Math Centers 

*Pull remediation students  for Meet With Teacher*

For the 4th group, we are using previously taught material and providing students a chance to review those skills. The one students who need remediation, can then be pulled from their groups to work with their teacher. 

I am creating different math read alongs so that we can use during our Math Literacy Activities, while I work on them, I am just using a few titles our library had. Here is a great link of Math Literature: http://www.bookworm4kids.com/MathAndLiterature/MathLit4-6.html

All of the skill based centers are activities that students can do independently and are skills that have been previously been taught. You cannot give them a skill based center on fractions if you haven't taught the skill.  So, this year we've worked on place value, rounding and addition and subtraction. I  am using these work station cards for rounding.

I created the same type of activities for Place Value, Addition and Subtraction. When I created these, I had my non ink people in mind! I am now in the position where ink is like liquid gold! Before, I never had to worry about ink. So I created both colorful versions and black and white. My problem is,  "Plain Jane" stuff is boring to me..so I printed it on bright paper to make it colorful! Each station is being printed on a different color! You can use these cards in so many ways. I am using each skill as one center, but you could easily mix up the skills and combine them into one center. Whatever the needs are for your classroom and what works for you!! 

You can check out this product HERE and I'm putting on sale for a little bit for ya! 

Fraction Fun & Printer tips

Here is a little bit of a "WORDLESS" Post on Fractions :)

The pictures show my Fraction-Work-Stations-Mini-Packet-!! I made this for my second and third grade teacher friends. My little guy will use them soon as well :) 

It's great because it has sorting activities, memory game and bingo boards!

The funny thing is, I thought when I came to 4th grade, that memory would be too easy for them...Guess what..I was WRONG! They still show some difficulty with the concept. And I love it because it shows they are actually thinking about if the cards are equal or not...and remembering the last card that was flipped over is a great critical thinking activity! So I am now making memory games for every skill possible because my kids need this level of critical thinking!!! They might get the hang of it, after I have printed alllllll of these centers ;) 

In this activity, the students have to match the fraction picture to the fraction word and numeral! This is a great way to incorporate a little reading into your math routine!!! Love, love, LOVE!! 

You can check it out right HERE!!!

Alrighty friends, my hubby wants to know why I'm at the computer instead of watching the A&M game!!! Better go :)

A look back at my week, and a look ahead!

Hey Everyone! I'm linking up with Mrs. Wills Kindergarten for a Peek At My Week! 

 So for the first time in a LONG time, I've been back in the classroom as a *paid* employee! I've been volunteering since we've moved, and finally got everything settled to substitute! Up until now, I kinda had that thought slip into my head...if not teaching.... "What else could I do?" Well, this week those thoughts were put to rest. There is nothing else for me except education! My first week back, was pretty amazing. I was blessed to spend it right where my heart is---Primary Grades! What a blessing it was to have the roles reversed to substitute teaching. This is so different than I ever thought! A great experience for me and I'm excited to share my experiences with you all :) 

The kiddos were getting into fractions in math. I was so excited to be able to plan things out. I started with my sweet friend Jen @ The Teacher's Cauldron. Her Fraction Packet is ammmazing. The kiddos really benefited from all of the hands on activities included in this packet. I even brought it home and did a little extra practice with my little man. He loved the fraction action game! A great resource to have for teaching fractions! 

Another area we worked on this week was Long E. Who else could I count on none other than Cara Carroll! I was able to print out her Long-E-Kids-Stories-Sorts-Activities! I purchased this packet a while ago and didn't need it at the time, so I was excited to go back and dig through it. The great thing is I was able to put everything together so quickly. 

A great FREE Resource I've used plenty of times Cat-Themed-SearchReadWrite-the-Room-for-Long-E-Words from Erica Bohrer

Another amazing resource I used this week was from Thank God It's First Grade! Susan has amazing resources, and her Writing-Poetry-for-Primary-Grades is no different! This was another great resource for me to pull together so quickly!!! 

So next week, the kiddos are working on number order! I have so many resources I love for this but here are my top three fav! 

The-Queen-of-Teens-Teen-Numbers-Pack

 From Journey Of A Substitute Teacher

Number-Order-and-Skip-Counting-Fun

From Me 

0-120-Charts-and-Activities-Common-Core

From Erica Bohrer

TpT has completely changed the way I teach..in such a good way. These packets all include great resources and include such a variety of ways to assess our students learning. Such a huge part of our job, is measuring the learners progress. 

I'm *praying* so much right now that God has a plan for me since our move. I know that education is my destiny, it's just frustrating to have it so hard to find a position. I don't like to come off as I am complaining, because my family is definitely blessed. Thankfully, because of TpT, our family has been able to survive on one income. But it's not the pay check I miss...it's the kids, ah ha moments, the million questions, moments of pure learning, sweet laminating...oh wait, I got a little carried away. The point is, I miss all of it, and I'm glad to be back, even if it is as a substitute teacher. God is in control and I truly believe this. 

Centers GALORE!

Hey everyone! I hope your year is getting off to an awesome start!!! I am really excited and preparing for my first 5K! I can't wait! I hope I  can make it through! 

I've spent the last few days re-vamping my Ultimate Math Center Packet!! 

It includes ~20 Math Centers~

This Packet is Loaded with Centers and Visual Aides!! This packet is great for any PRIMARY classroom! Great for differentiated instruction! All Centers include a recording sheet!

*Race Into Double Facts

*Race Into Near Double Facts

*Skate Into Subtraction Facts

*Race Into Subtraction Facts

*What Time Is It? 

*Money Posters (Penny,Nickel,Dime, Quarter)

*Collecting Money

*Money Match

*Rocking Out with Even or Odd Numbers

*Some Odd Pumpkins (Even/ Odd Numbers)

*Time Wipe On/Off Cards (2 Sets)

*Place Value Memory

*Double Facts FF Game

*Apple Multiplication (3's)

*Rock Star Multiplication (4s)

*Racing Multiplication (5's)

*Racing Through Addition

*Expanded From Match 

*Rocking Through Expanded Form

*Number Word Matching

This packet will be on sale for Sunday and Monday!! 

Hurry over and go check it out HERE

I'm in the process of making a Ultimate Literacy Center Packet!!! Stay tuned for that!

Till Next Time

Batty for Literacy Centers and a FREEBIE!

Hey everyone! I am excited to about this post! Sometimes as teachers we get SO busy, we don't get to "plan ahead"! Well I am gearing up for "Bat Week"! Some of us do not celebrate Halloween in our classrooms and so bat week is a great way to tie into the season :) I just go by what my students backgrounds are  and then determine if I will recognize Halloween. 

I am so excited about all of the things I was able to pull together. 

First off, I created this little mini packet to tie  Bat Week together!! As you know I LOVE, *Skill* Based Literacy Centers! But I also like for the *Skills* to correlate with our *Theme*! So I combine *Skill and Themed Based Literacy Centers*!!!

Here is the unit I came up with:
This mini packet includes 3 Bat Themed Literacy Centers and 4 Printables!

*Batty for ABC Order- Students arrange the short vowel cards in ABC Order (1 Printable)
*Batty for Blends- Students read the cards and then sort them onto the correct mat ( 3 Printables)
*Batty for Sight Words- A Sight Word Game

You can check it out HERE!! For Today and Tomorrow ONLY--- it's $2.00!!!

Some other resources I am using: 

I am using Caitlin from the wonderful Kindergarten Smiles 

Bats-Math-Literacy-and-So-Much-More!

I love this because I am able to differentiate  instruction. Some first graders still need help with those letter sounds, so this is a great tool!

Another GREAT Resource is from Erica Bohrer! I am in *LOVE* With her newest packet! Batty-for-Bats is SO user friendly. She does a great job with examples of how you can use the packet in a variety of ways. I also love how the packet uses higher order thinking skills. This is probably one of my favorite packets out there right now!

A few FREEBIES to check out :

Bat-Fact-Families

going-batty-free-craftivity

Some other *GREAT* Seasonal Resources: 

Halloween-Math-Common-Core-Center-Packet

Fall-Literacy-and-Math-Center-Mega-Packet21-Centers

Thank you so much for  stopping by my blog! Here is a Math FREEBIE! Click the word "Freebie" To download your file! What a great way to practice doubles facts! This is great for those fast finishers, or in small group instruction :)

Till Next Time