Math Gallery Walk, Math B. Bd., Book Raffles, Oh My

We were hopping today!  NEVER enough time in a day to get it all done:/  So much to do and so little time!!!  Today we tried something new.....we started a Math Gallery Walk:)

 

So FUN!  Don't know where I have been that I hadn't seen this until now:/  I have seen it on a few blogs and websites so I decided to try it today.

I made 6 different "posters" with a variety of different skills on them and hung them around the room.  Talk about getting their interest when they walked in:)  (I had pics of all my posters and then got home to look at them and they are all blurry:/  I stink at photos!!)

Then I divided the kids into 6 teams (6 posters)  They went around each station and solved each of the problems on their papers.  I forgot to take a pic of that:/

They LOVED this and it was awesome to see the buddy work/team teaching going on:)

We did have time for each team to go to each station.  We did not have time to present.  Tomorrow each team will solve and present on one poster.

This is also a great review for the big test coming down the pipe in 2 weeks.

 

I also wanted to show you one of my fave b. boards each year!

It's not done yet....

Each kiddo got a large index card and divided it into 4 squares.  The first box just has their first initial.  The second has a slide, the bottom left a reflection, and the bottom right a 90 degree rotation.

I'll try to remember to get more pics.  They are turning out awesome and they are learning while having fun!  Go figure..lol.

We also squeezed in a new book raffle.  The kids get so excited when they walk in the door and see it set up!!  If you want to read more about it you can click here:)

 

That's a few of the highlights of my day!  Hope you all had a great Monday:)

 



15

Spring Cleaning Sale!!!

 

I wanted to tell ya I'm having a spring cleaning sale.  Everything in my shop is 20% off:)

 I'm joining lots of fab bloggers for this huge sale!

 

  I have avoided the "bug" for a while and I think it finally got me:/  I've got a cough and the dizzies:/  Almost my whole house...hubs, son last week and now me:(  Yuck! 

I'm praying I feel better later cuz I wanna get my shoppin on:)  Have a great weekend all!

3

Reading Motivation

Happy Saturday everyone!!!! 

 

Poppin in to share a couple of things I'm doing in my classroom to rekindle the motivation to read.  Especially this time of year when it's really crunch time before state testing and some kids have spring fever, not to mention summer fever!

One idea I tried for the first time about 2 weeks ago.  My teammate shared the idea and book with me and then later that week I read about it on The Brown Bag Teacher's blog, which by the way, if you haven't checked out her blog you must!  It is all kinds of cute and packed FULL of fab ideas!!!!

 

The idea I am talking about is a book auction, or raffle, or whatevs you want to call it:)

It is one of a ton of wonderful ideas from the wonderful Donalyn Miller's book Reading in the Wild.

When you get in new Scholastic books or just any "new" to your kids books, put them out.  Put out as many as you want.  I did 4 the first time and when it was over had several disappointed kids so have 8 out for our raffle/auction on Monday. 

There are also several ways you can make to give out "tickets" for the raffle.  The first time I did it I just gave 3 "tickets" to each kiddo.  The Brown Bag Teacher did it a little differently and I liked the way she did it too so check it out. 

At the beginning of the raffle, introduce each book and with your best announcer/actor voice, read the blurb on the back to draw in the kids. (See the book with the fish?!  Just bought it at our book fair...My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish!!!  Looks great!!!  Think it will be a hit!)

Next the kids put their names on their slips and drop them in the bins/pails (whatever you choose) by the books they are interested in.  Then you draw names.  They can have the book for one week only (which really pushes them to read it quickly instead of pretending or stalling or plain old not reading) then they have to return it for the next raffle.  Rework those books in again the next week.  Once interest in the book has died down, switch out books with new ones:)

 

Yesterday we had a teacher work day and I had my report cards done already so had part of the day to just work in my classroom!  I can see the floor in my closet again!!!!  Got lots of filing done, piles of things put away and lesson plans cracked out:)  Love a productive day!!!!  Here is one more thing I set up.

An Author Spotlight: 

Right now I am reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane as a read aloud to my kids and they are loving it!  So I set up Kate DiCamillo in our Author Spotlight in hopes of sparking some more reading interest:)

Hope these are ideas that can re-fire some reading sparks in your classroom:)

Have a blessed and great weekend all!!



21

Monday Made It - March Edition (Early Shirley:p)

Happy Monday!  Almost.....I am posting this early because my to do list is a mile long and I need to check this off....lol.  Also, there are some cute freebies I got from other bloggers on here that you may want for tomorrow:)

Tomorrow morning I will probably be shoving down my 4th cup of coffee and attempting to get back into "school" gear after a wonderful week of spring break.  (I may or may not be crying as I type this.....LOL)

So here I go with my made its:)  Lots of gardening and home made its:)

I have had these cards FORRRRRRRRRREVER!!!!  Just never knew what I wanted to do with them. 

Until now:)

 

I made little Read, Research, and Report boxes to use during our Daily 5 rotations.  I was going to make directions to go on the inside of each (and still might at some point) but didn't because I want to have the freedom to change things up easily.  For now, I will just put specific directions on the board.

I may have them make little foldables about one of their cards.

Maybe 3 FF (fun facts) and a little blurb about their card.  Still thinking the details through:)

I made these sweet treats for my kiddos for St. Patty's day tomorrow.

ADORABLE tags are a freebie from the wonderful A Cupcake for the Teacher!

 

I also made their adorable homework passes from the Inspired Owl's Corner.  SO cute!  They're also a freebie.  Link HERE

My kids will be so excited to come back to treats and a homework pass:)

Gardening is my therapy!!!!  I did lots of it over break last week.

Sadly, an egret has found our little pond and in one day wiped out all the fish but a couple.  Makes me sick.  Hubs researched online and one idea was to put out a rubber snake.

Scared the tar out of me!!!!!  I keep forgetting he is out there:/

LOVE this little glass planter I found at a nursery.  It's about the size of a softball.  I filled it with succulents:)

 

There you have it:)  My made its for the month:)  Now it's your turn:)  Can't wait to see what you all have to link up:)  Don't forget to grab my button and also post on Instagram with #mondaymadeit:)

  

18

Friday 5 - Spring Break Version

I am poppin in from spring break to link up with Doodle Bugs for her

Sadly I am enjoying my last day of spring break....where oh where did the week go?  Too fast I tell ya!!!  I seriously need to try to switch gears and start some planning and some grading of the huge stack of papers I brought home but I'm having trouble doing that...lol!  So here's some randomness from my week!

Spring break started awesome because I took a drive up to see my girl, do some shopping, and watch her boyfriend play some baseball:)  Fun day!!!

I have been sucking up all the sunshine I can and worked in my yard and gardens and just had coffee outside every morning!  The weather has been beautiful!!

This is part of our pond....sadly all our fish got eaten by an egret.  Pretty bird but not my friend right now.  So sad.  I hate an empty pond.  I bought some new fish and have been standing guard all week!!  So far so good.  (we also put wire over part of it to keep him out!)

Still love my old potting bench!  It was an old desk my husband found years ago and I finally parted with it and made it a potting bench:)  Been planting away all week here:)

Somebody found a new friend!  Our pup found the Hermie reading buddies:)

This was some fun we had the last day before spring break.  My kids needed it...we have been pushing sooooo hard getting ready for the state tests:/  Boo....so we had some fun!!  The first set of pics are made with the flat, cone coffee filters.  (a great idea from one of my teamies)  They had to make a picture using the filter....they had to use the filter "as is" not cut it or fold it at all.  They did a great job being creative:)

This unicorn makes me SMILE!!!

After their pic was done they wrote a fun story to go with it.

 

This next set of pics were done with their fingerprints. 

Another unicorn, same student:)

Can't wait to read the stories that they wrote to go with these.

My last random I was hesitant to post.....I got my hair all whacked off!!!!

I'm a little freaked about it and go in phases of "I think I like it"....to "OMG, what have I done?!"  Lol....I'm sure it will grow on me and I need to play with it and see what all I can do...this pic was fresh from the salon. 

 

So there ya have it.  I hope everyone had a great week.  Thanks for stopping by and pop back Monday for

See you then:)

 

 

 



10