Today was the last day of Math Facts Club. I made these fun book marks with Kool-Aid packs and silly straws. I am attaching the word document. Feel free to change the words and make it work for you! I am going to do this as an end of the year gift. It will say Have a Kool summer!

Standing Brooms! No joke!

So Shelley texted me tonight with a picture of her broom standing straight up and down.  So of course being the sciency person I am, I had to try it myself!  Yes, it worked!  Freaky!  So how is this possible? Ok, I looked it up. It is because we are close to the Spring Equinox. "At the equinoxes, the tilt of Earth relative to the Sun is zero, which means that Earth’s axis neither points toward nor away from the Sun." The gravity I guess is a little different because of our magnetic poles being straight up and down instead of tilted like it normally is. You can do this with an egg as well. Cool!  I am totally showing my students this tomorrow, even if I do sound like a goof on the video!

-Peace Out, Amy 

Pic from http://www.almanac.com/

Reading Rubric Freebies

Well here in Missouri, we are getting ready to do report cards.  Yippy!  I love spending hours loading grades into the computer!  Do all of you use a program from your district I wonder?  Anytime I am feeling a little overwhelmed, it makes me feel good to do something nice for someone else, so I decided to "hitcha" with some Reading Rubric Freebies!  Now I can say Yippy and mean it!

The first rubric is one I use to assess my students' reading fluency.  I use it at Parent/Teacher conferences (which we have next week).  It is a good tool for parents to take home to help their kiddos read more fluently.  My parents are always thankful for the feedback and like that it has tips for them at home. 

The second rubric is for Reading Workshop when kiddos are recording their thinking in their Reading Response Journals.  It is a great tool for students to keep with them in their binder so that they can refer back to it.  I usually fill out the rubric with the student during a reading conference.

Please comment and follow us if you like what you see!

Thanks! Amy

Muchas Gracias Chicas!

We were stoked when we logged onto the blog today and found that Erin from First with Franklin, Molly from Lessons with Laughter  and Michelle at Apples and ABC's, awarded us with the Lovely Blog Award.  There are three of us and three awards!  Thanks girls, now we don't have to fight over it!  We really appreciate your praise! Your blogs are amazing by the way!

Here are the rules for the Lovely Blog Award:

1. Link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Pass the award onto 15 followers.

3. Follow the person who sent it to you.

So here are a few of the lovely blogs that inspire me! Check them out!

1. Giggle and Squeals
2.Up Owl Night
3. Teaching with a Smile
4. First Year in Third Grade
5. Teaching, Life, and Everything in Between
6. Primarily Primary
7. Charmed in Third Grade
8. Twirlybird Teaching
9. The Second Grade Superkids
10. 2nd Grade Rocks
11. 2nd Grade Shenanigans
12. 4th Grade Frolics
13. Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons
14. Lesson Plan SOS
15. What the Teacher Wants

Weather Unit

This week we are learning about weather. I a KWL chart to begin the unit. I want to know what my students already know and what they would like to know to help guide my instruction. I also created a kindergarten sight word activity. Students just click on a sun and the sun disappears to reveal a word. If you like these two slides and would like to buy the unit, please visit my TpT store at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Shelley-Snow.

Click Here to Download the SMART Notebook pages

Singapore Math Tutorial Freebie

Have you heard all the buzzzzz about Singapore Math?  Our district adopted it a few years ago and we have seen a humungo jump in our math scores!  If you don't know much about Singapore Math, it is a math program that focuses on number sense and a deep understanding of place value.  Students are taught mental math strategies and model drawing to complete word problems.  Basically, kiddos are taught the WHY so they understand the HOW.  The program builds on itself, delving deep into concepts before moving on to the next objective.  Students master objectives and then build upon them in consecutive grades.

I hated math all through school.  I hated memorizing rules and formulas and I never understood WHY I was doing anything. I KNOW if I would have been taught like this, I would have LOVED math! 

My purpose for this post is to offer resources to teachers who currently use Singapore Math in the classroom, or to give non-Singapore teachers strategies to add in their current math lessons.  I am NOT an expert by any means.  Below you will find a few resources and a video created by one of my teacher friends (Bobbi Love) and I for our district.  Follow our page to get the latest resources that we post. 
Students are learning to subtract 3 digit numbers with borrowing.  With Singapore Math, we "Trade" place value discs.  View the video below for directions. *the video is 4 digit, but you get the idea

PLEASE comment!  We LOVE comments!

Comprehension Freebies

I know that a lot of teachers work on comprehension strategies throughout the year with their students.  Here are some forms I created to use when teaching predictions.  I generally begin with the before reading predictions page.  We discuss a book cover, title, and take a picture walk.  The first couple of days I have the students make a prediction and write it on the lines.  As we work through the week, I have them write their evidence on sticky notes, and attach them to the evidence boxes at the bottom.  I gradually move through each prediction page (during and after) doing the same routine.  At the end of the predictions unit, I have the students complete one whole set (before, during, after) and submit for a grade.   I have used these for first, second and third grade, and I have always had a good outcome with my predictions unit!  Enjoy trying these out with your class.

Before Reading 1

During Reading 1

After Reading 1

Predictions 2

Predictions 3

If you download, please comment! Thanks!