More Math Workstations using Dollar Tree Erasers

Transportation and Outerspace Math Workstations

I know, I know you must be asking does she live at Dollar Tree? I have a very legitimate excuse for my visit yesterday. I was picking up items for goody bags for our new teachers. Now, I feel much better. But, does it hurt to look around and see something that just jumps out at you? Lat year I posted a math workstation with a transportation and outerspace theme. Yesterday, I found transportation and outerspace erasers again. So I'm putting a link in this post that will take you back to last year's post, just click on the link under the erasers. I am always on the lookout for items that will engage the boys in my classroom. I use the storyboards as counting mats and then to play dice games.

Counting Robots Math Workstation

Aren't they adorable?

I made a trip to Dollar Tree today and saw some very cute erasers. My kindergarteners love using erasers as manipulatives and I'm always on the lookout for things that I know my boys will like and they will love these adorable robot erasers! So, I made a storyboard and some numeral cards for counting objects. I will use these a little later for dice games as well. There are also some cute transportation erasers as well. I will recycle an old post from last year later this week that features transportation erasers.

Robot Storyboard

   Numbers

Making Frames with Microsoft Powerpoint

I have had several emails asking about making materials, one question in particular was how to make frames. I thought I would make a tutorial, hope this helps! I do most of my designing of classroom materials with ppt (and my blog stuff as well).

I always start my creating in ppt with a blank slide. Go ahead and delete the text boxes and start with a clean slate.

This is the home screen. On this screen you will be able to choose your fonts and colors for your text and frames.

Click on the insert tab at the top of the page and choose shapes, when the box drops down, choose the shape you want to use.
Click back to the home tab, size your frame with the cursor by highlighting the shape.

On the home tab, there is a format tab. This tab allows you to choose the color of your frame, the width of the lines and whether you want a solid frame or dashes. The pictures below show you each of the drop down tabs you can use to change your frames.  The paint can allows you to choose a color or no fill. I always use No Fill for my frames. The pencil allows you to choose the outline color, the width of your lines and dashes.

 

These are examples of different frmes.

Counting with Pete the Cat workstation

Ok, I am so addicted to back to school items and Walmart is not helping. They are now carrying teacher items for less than 1.00! I saw these cute little erasers for .88 a pack. I decided to add to my Pete the Cat math workstations. Below is a counting game for you to download. The good thing  (and its all good) is that you can use any manipulatives you have on hand to use with the cards. I am going to have both a ppt file and a PDF file for you to download. Enjoy!



Counting with Pete the Cat PDF file

Counting with Pete the Cat ppt file

Literacy Work Stations Listening Feeebies

Listening Work Station charts

Book Cards

Response Sheet

I am working on my beginning of the year Literacy Workstations based on Common Core Standards. My workstations are a mixture of Daily Five and Debbie Dillers' Literacy Workstations. I have a collection of recorded books for each of my units. Years ago, I tried having everyone listening to the same book, but there were always problems, so I decided to try individual cd players using an assortment of books related to the same theme. My collection of cds comes from the many cassette tapes I transferred to cds and cds bought from Scholastic book clubs, I've also recorded a lot of books as well. Last year I had a class who constantly mixed up the books and cd players, so I decided to make cards with the name of the book and book cover on them. When the students finished listening they put their listening bags back and found the card that matched the book they listened to. It saved me time and it kept children from being frustrated by realizing their book didn't match the cd they were listening to. I've decided my first listening to reading workstation will have my students determining the main character in the book they're listening to. The books I've chosen all have a strong main character.  I am including a workstation chart, common core standard chart, book cards and response sheet. 

P.S. If you would like the ppt version of the book cards, leave a comment with your email address. Don't forget your email address, I fee so sad when you ask for things and I can't get them to you.

It's Been Awhile

I just returned from a wonderful week on St. George Island, Fl with my family.  It was a restful week, but now it's time to think  about school! I promise to get back in the groove this coming week!

Civil War Letters Update

A few weeks ago I posted about my Civil War letters project. Hurrah!! I have finished transcribing all 130+ letters. I am now pulling all names and places from the letters. But, I had to share something very exciting. I have a cousin who is also a geneaology buff and she found a picture of my great great grandfather, Marcus Ely (the letter writer) in some of her relatives pictures. You can't imagine how I felt when I opened her email and found the picture (along with his wife's picture) staring at me. I just started crying. I feel like I know them so well and looking at their faces was overwhelming. I am now working on a lesson for our fifth graders on using primary resources in research. I hope I can bring the love of history that I have alive when they read his letters. I promise to start posting again very soon. Thank you to all who nominate me for awards, I appreciate it so much, but I have really concentrated on my book and trying to post things for back to school. Summer passes by much too quickly!
Linda