Inspire Me #2

I was reading back in my posts and came across Inspire me #1...and was truly inspired. I had forgotten some of my ideas...good thing I have this blog to remind me! HA!

So we're going to have "inspiration days" and at 1am, my motivation is flowing! Why I'm not also in bed while my baby is sleeping, don't ask me. I'm used to sleep deprivation and am enjoying some time perusing the web and thinking of teaching ideas (many might call me crazy). I don't know about you, but just looking through my thumb drive is inspiration enough...I make so many things, save it, and then forget about it!

When I go back (just a few days!) I want to remind the kids that we can have fun and still learn. Transitioning teachers is never easy and I figure games might help us all ease back in.

It's always good to practice those addition facts. Here's a fun game for students to quickly play at a station or as a "when I'm done" activity. They simply put the cars on the road that leads to the number it equals.

In my creation of this game, I was thinking of a song my mama always sang to me..."Show me the way to go home..." Now I sing it to my boy...



I also am going to have them time and check their accuracy in solving mental math problems. They will use regular flash cards, and with a partner, go through as many facts as they can in one minute. The partner quickly checks if they're right or wrong (as they go), makes 2 piles, and the student counts how many are correct. They record how many, then try again. I thought it might be a cool, simple, motivational tool for them and they can put it in our data notebooks (more on this another time)!

Click here for the recording sheet!

Well, baby is cooing, reminding me I really should get some sleep before he's back up ready to eat!

Have fun! Oh, and, what are your inspirations lately??

Apples for the Students

Thinking about the next school year only a short time away, sends me in the apple theme mood. I moved classrooms before we left for the summer, and I found an addition game I made my first year of teaching...

I fashioned "apple baskets" out of paper bags. Cut off the excess at the top to make them short and more basket like. I made baskets from clip-art and typed a number over the front. I glued them to the front of the bags.



I then made apples from clip-art, and typed number sentences on the apples. I printed them all on card stock, laminated, and cut them out.



Since I have a multiage class of first and second graders, I also just made some apple domino cards to help early first graders with number sense.



The students set up all of the apple baskets, and then sort the apples and apple dominoes into the appropriate baskets. If you want it to be a self-checking center, write the answers on the back!

Inspire Me #1

In every aspect of life, we all hit snags and run dry. In your occupation, this can make work seem just like that- work. With teaching, there are no moments to just sit and rejuvenate- the students are always with you! Inspiration and motivation are key to keeping it exciting not only for the students- but for you as well.

When you hit a snag, what inspires you?
I'll be honest...I have loved my job because I always get new, fun ideas, but lately, the creative flowing of my brain has been lacking. It has been frustrating me....but today, I had an idea come to me, and it re-inspired my thinking.I like to think of a project or fun activity that I know the students will enjoy, rather than do the same ol' thing. When the students do well, it is instant gratification and will give you the spark you may need.

My math idea from today:
I'm going to make "Super 10" days. This can be held either on days that you make a new 10 on the calendar from counting the days of school or on any date that is a 10 (or multiple of 10!). I haven't decided yet. On Super 10 days, we are going to talk all about 10's. The first activity is to read Math Fables by Greg Tang. This is a fun book that talks about numbers and the parts that make a whole (like 2+2=4). We are beyond this in math, but it's always a good review. The last page is parts that add up to 10. As I read, I am going to have students use animal counters (as the book talks all about animals) and let them manipulate the math as I read it. (Give them a minute to play with them first!). Then, I'm going to let them come up with their own part/part/whole relationships and display them on a poster. This provides collaboration, teaching to others, and allows me to see at a glance what the students can do.

Next, I'll teach them some "Super 10" games.
Like my apple cards!??!

I don't know why these pics won't display the right way!?

One is the pyramid. Make a pyramid with cards, taking out all the face cards. (One card at the top, then cover with two, then three, then four, then five at the bottom.) Students must put the numbers together to make ten. They can only take cards that are not covered up. They can use a card from their extra pile as needed, discarding if they cannot use the top card. The students have loved this one in the past!


Another game is "Ten Towers" from Super Source. The students roll a number cube and place that many unifix cubes as a tower, making ten towers total. They then go back with another color of unifix cubes and roll again, this time only placing the cubes where they can complete a tower to make 10. Whomever makes a tower of ten keeps the tower. The most towers wins!

The best part of teaching these games is that they can then be used as math tubs/centers.
Here is another game. It works like face-off. Students lay markers on the 10's on their side. Students roll two number cubes. If they get 10, they take a marker off. Whoever clears their board first wins!


Are you inspired? What other games can you think of?