Throwback Thursday

Today I'll be linking up with Cara over at The First Grade Parade. She has such a great idea to get the blog ideas flowing. You find an old post (maybe it was real popular, maybe there's a freebie, maybe you were a newbie and not a lot of people saw it, maybe you just plain like it)

Last summer I really picked up blogging steam. For a few weeks in a row (before 5 for Friday took over my blogging Fridays) I'd blog about some of my favorite pins.

click here to link up

Here's my Throwback for Thursday!

**Click link to go to source of pin**
1. Using Unifix cubes to teach coin value
Such a neat visual and kiddos should be able to count by 5s by the time you introduce money.


2. Sight Word Uno
I love all things Uno! This was great. To beat it all, it's FREE!
 
3. Flip Chute!!!
This is so neat you really need to watch the video to understand. Soooo many possibilities.
 

4. Labeling your stuff!
Every year I have my teacher supplies for the kiddos to borrow. They're kept in a special place and I often spend the time to write BC somewhere on the item. We all know that that Sharpie does eventually wipe off though...sigh. So not only does that happen but there will be those times that the kiddos get out their crayon box and you revert to being a 7yr old and in your head you say, "Hey, those are my scissors!" Well, why not use some jazzy duct tape. No disputing that.

(I had pink duct tape on all of my dry erase markers, glue sticks, and scissors---it was bright pink so I knew who exactly had my materials and maybe needed to clean our their desk or get a note sent home about stocking supplies--2013)

5. Teacher Tipster.com---Chart Folders
These are so neat. I really hope you've checked out his videos. He has tons of ideas, especially if you're into musical teaching or attention grabbing strategies. Ever hear, "What do we do when we're done?" Well here's one idea you copy some things for the kiddos to work on...like math facts, handwriting, connect-the-dots, spelling, etch. You slide it into a sheet protector and put it in their binder (I use math binders so it'll be easy for me to integrate) and Poof! instant stuff to do when they're done.

Gearing Up to Go Back

I know...I know...I said it. I don't go back until the 7th but I need to go in and have a little 'work day' for myself. I have plans, copies, rearranging desks, taking down decorations, and gr...grr...grading. (eek)

I'll need some new centers and word work activities for my kiddos when they return. Can't keep doing stuff with Santa and elves on them!

Here's what I finished up from the comfort of my couch in a chihuahua sandwich.

Oh, and yes some are common core aligned but as you all know there are tons of things we need to teach that are not standards.

You'll get 5 reading focused centers and 5 math focused centers

click here to check it out on TpT

click to enlarge

sort words by their real spelling or their sound-out spelling

 

nonsense word game

 

sort the sentences by the punctuation they should have

 

put words in ABC order

 

complete the number patterns (counting forward and backward)

 

fill in the missing part or whole

 

read the number sentence to decide if it is true or false

 

match number sentences to their answer

 

count the coins and match them to their written representation

 

unscramble the sentences

 

If you like this please pin one of my (many) images. Leave the link to the pin and I'll follow you on pinterest and pick someone to get a free copy! 

Get it at my TpT store

It's all about the money---money

I'm not sure about your math programs but we don't officially learn about money until almost the end of the year...if you're moving through at a good pace. This was a big problem but my co-teacher and I do money during our calendar time each day and during our math binder time.

Each week we give a vocabulary test over high-frequency words found within our reading stories that week. This test is just for fluency not definition. We do practice stuff during the week and the kids do well.

I decided to make a weekly money 'vocab' test. The kiddos will go through and name the coins, their value, or heads/tails (depending on what you're looking for) So even though it's 18 tests you could triple that by asking for different things.

Click here to get it on TpT

You'll get 18 pages with printable weekly tests. You'll get a set of flashcards to use to practice coin names and amounts.

This is the first coin identification test in the set