Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!!!!  I'm looking forward to the three days off (5 with the weekend :)   Time to recharge so we can make it through the next few weeks!!!

How many of you do Black Friday shopping???  I'm not ever getting up early to do that again…..it would take a HUGE sale…and I mean HUGE for me to ever do that again….. last time I did….I got screamed at by a crazy lady because I took one of her 10 carts….by accident mind you….Geeesh…

Anyway….if you do Cyber shopping….Monday and Tuesday 12/2 and 12/3 all of my TpT store is on sale!!!

Enjoy Thanksgiving!!!

Linda

Thanksgiving Subtraction Freebie!!!

Oh my goodness!!!  Thanksgiving is almost here!!! I can't believe how fast the year is going by!!

Just wondering…..Do you get Veteran's Day off?  We don't….can't decide if I wish we did or not.  We do spend at least a half an hour that day teaching about what Veteran's Day is.  For some of my kids….that will be the only time they hear about Veterans.  So maybe being in school is a good thing :)

We have been working on subtraction in my class…..and I've been trying to think of games to help them practice the skill.  Here is a Freebie for you!!  Hope you enjoy!!!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Roll-and-Cover-Subtraction-Thanksgiving-Theme-968164

Hello Again!

Welcome Fall!!!

I don't know about all of you……but I LOVE Fall!!!!  The leaves are so beautiful!!

I know it has been a long time since I last posted…..and I have to apologize.  I was in a wreck this summer and it really took a lot out of me.  Thankfully I am healing and ready to hopefully blog more often!!

So, I have a question for you…..How do you do your lesson plans?  Write them out by hand? Do them on the computer?  I have a blank template that I use that has the basics….and then write in the rest.  I have to tell you about the most incredible pens I found!!!  At the end of summer I got this pen in the Office Depot Teacher bag…..It is made by Pilot…and called Frixion.  It is the BEST erasable ink pen I have ever found!!!  I can write in plans and a week later go back and erase and change my plans without a problem!!!!  

How are you doing with the Common Core???  We have adopted a new math program that is really….I mean really moving the kids towards addition and subtraction fluency!!!  It has been different trying to plan it as it is completely different from what we have used in the past…..but I can see a major improvement in my kids number sense and ability to add and subtract.  

I made a game for my class to use - we are on Chapter 4 of Math in Focus and we are learning subtraction!!  You can check it out at my TPT store!  

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Subtraction-in-10-947064

Week 2 Linky Party - Math Books

Don't you LOVE to use good picture books to teach all subjects?!  I do!!  Here are a few that I use...

   

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2qt718f8BcaH1vfEw0hYrCblDULOwpPa9tOLAykKVKVlVEOztGPjAF9fWexSsLGOCEd6Uu5rbceC2tTgO3QJm3gj4E1ALHF367HYoAbh5KcckHZya_YGjehw-2nAaQwK5-HqkqsFlludY/s960/Presentation1+(5).jpg

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+mitten+by+jan+brett&sprefix=The+Mitten%2Caps%2C254

I use this to count by 2's,  and 4's.  The kids get to make all the creatures and then figure out how many feet are in the mitten!!  They LOVE this :)  Plus it is great for them to take home and retell the story!!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_3?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amath+picture+books&page=3&keywords=math+picture+books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372632355

This is a great one to introduce the shapes.  I have used a large piece of yarn that is tied together - 3 children hold it to make the triangle and then more children join in as the shape changes!  It is very visual and they like helping make more sides!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Napping-House-Audrey-Wood/dp/0152567089/ref=sr_1_107?ie=UTF8&qid=1372632821&sr=8-107&keywords=math+picture+books

This one I use to teach counting by 2's and 4's also!  The kids then make a house and draw the feet in their house....They have to write the number sentence to go with it.

I can't wait to see some of the math books you are using!!!  I've added links to Amazon for the books....these are just a few that I use!!!

Books for the First Week of School!

My favorite book to read the first week of school is How Full is Your Bucket?

http://www.amazon.com/How-Full-Your-Bucket-Kids/dp/1595620273/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

We use this book to discuss behavior!!  I have a "Bucket" that is on my bulliten board and as I see "whole class good behavior"  I add drops of water to the bucket.  When it is filled....we celebrate.  We either have a special snack, extra recess, or everyone gets something out of the "prize box".  It is a great way to motivate the entire class.  I read it whenever we have behavior problems....and we talk about words that will Fill someones bucket or empty it.  

Another Great one to follow up with this one is:

http://www.amazon.com/Filled-Bucket-Today-Guide-Happiness/dp/0978507517/ref=pd_sim_b_3

This one is wonderful too!!!  Check them both out!  I have given you the links to get them on Amazon!!!  

Find me on FB!!!

Hi!  I have a page on Facebook now!!  I am hoping you will go to my page and Like it!!!   Hope to see you there!!!

https://www.facebook.com/CooperatingInFirstGrade?skip_nax_wizard=true

Summer......yikes it's expensive!

Wow!  Summer break is only in it's third week.....and I'm exhausted!  Do any of you "put off" most home improvements/projects until summer??  Well we do......and what a surprise we got this year!  After ordering new blinds we started washing windows and realized.....our windows are falling apart!!   Soooo......new windows are now ordered along with a new front door!  Blinds are on hold until the new windows are in......goodness.....

Anyway.....Are we ready for the New Common Core??  I'm excited to get started on teaching them all!  During the year to come we will be implementing the math common core for the first time.....due to our district adopting the Math In Focus - Singapore Math.  I'm excited to start this new program!  Do any of you use this program?  I would love to hear from you!!

I'll try to post more often this summer - and school year!!!  Sorry I'm not the best blogger :)   I have already made one new cooperative learning structure packet to go with our new math...it is Quiz Quiz Trade Number Bonds....you can check it out on my TpT store.....http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Quiz-Quiz-Trade-Number-Bonds-652516

Have a relaxing summer!!!

New TpT Item!!

I am happy to say I finally got a new product uploaded on TpT - it is Quiz Quiz Trade.  My kiddos love doing this structure!  If you are a Treasures Reading Series user....this goes with Unit 4 phonics skills.....if you don't use the same series....it is still good for long vowel reviews!  Each game covers a different phonics skill!  Here is the link to it!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Quiz-Quiz-Trade-Treasures-Unit-4

Have you had snow in your area??  We had our first snow day in 2 years here in southwestern Ohio today!!  I was so excited!

I am so bad at this!

Hello Blog Friends!  I am so sorry I haven't blogged more!  I just have a hard time thinking of what to tell you!!!  Well....last week my daughter and I went to the Kagan Cooperative Learning Winter Academy in Henderson, Nevada!  It was wonderful....a very fast 2 days of classes.  I am now an official Kagan Coach!!  I am very excited about that and hope that I can help my colleagues to incorporate Kagan structures into their classrooms.

Right now I am working on game boards for Unit 4 of Teasures....a little late..... I guess better late than never!

I am hoping to make some Structure materials to go with the Common Core and our SLO.....time is always the issue here....

So...what has everyone been doing this winter??  Any exciting ideas to get your first graders on target??

Leave a message!!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Eve.  I am ready to go back to school tomorrow......but I've been busy writing lesson plans and making new games for my class!

Here is my newest item on TpT.....I hope you can use it!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocabulary-and-Phonics-Games-Treasures-Unit-3


My kids love playing games with dice and since very few have board games at home, I try to turn a lot of games into board games!!

Enjoy this beautiful weather.....no matter where you are!  In Ohio we have about 6-8 inches of snow.....I LOVE IT!!!