Monthly Archives: August 2015
Back To School Parent Pack
I decided to simplify my Parent Pack this year. I usually do a more complicated fold over pack:
This year I decided to do this instead:
I don’t have a template for you. 🙂 All I did was open up PowerPoint and create some text boxes with my information. I staggered them, keeping the bottom sheet at its original 8 1/2 x 11 size and then just cutting off the extra of the rest. For the blue and orange sheets at the top, I was able to get 2 or 3 copies on one page because they were smaller boxes of text. I just played around with it until something worked for me. You can see the green sheet is blank–that was a miscalculation on my part! I forgot to create a page to fit that space, so I put in a place for parents to take notes during my presentation-most of them used it, so it turned out to be pretty handy! 🙂
Look Who Came to School Today…
I found this awesome little poem/song on Pinterest and decided to try it with my kiddos on the first day–they LOVED it!!
Number Line
I created this Interactive number line to use this summer and we’ve already added the numbers 1-5 to it. The kiddos love it because they can check it to find out different ways numbers are represented. We use these cards when we are representing numbers with the items in our Math Tubs as well. 🙂
We use our Math Notebooks and my All About the Numbers pack to learn more about numbers. We then use my 1-10 Number Books to help us represent numbers in our notebooks.
Math Tubs
You may remember that I showed these awesome tubs I found in the Target Dollar Spot this summer:
We have been using them each day to help us represent numbers in different ways.
First, we use each of the materials (unifix cubes, homemade Rekenrek’s, two-sided counters, dice, pattern blocks, and 1 inch tiles) to show the number we are learning about. On this day, we were representing the number 5 in different ways. I do not show them how to represent the numbers, I just tell them to use a manipulative to show me the number and this is what they came up with. 🙂
I put the tubs on the floor between groups of 4 children and they use the materials that are in their tub. We store these on the floor under our Promethean Board.
Math Explorations
At the beginning of each school year, I let my students explore all the manipulatives that we will be using throughout the year. This helps get their excitement for the manipulatives out of their systems so that when it is time to use them, we can get right to work. 🙂 Here are some pictures of the manipulatives we used along with some of the creative ways my sweet kiddos used them:
Tpt Sale
Tpt is surprising everyone with a quick Back to School sale for those of you just going back!! All day Wednesday August 19th my store will be on sale for 20% off!! Be watching for the code to use to save even more–its so secret, I don’t even know what it is yet!! Stay tuned!!
Tweet Chat
Don’t forget to join us tonight for a great tweet chat practice with Deb Chitwood. Deb is an expert in the area of Montessori! I can’t wait to learn more about Montessori–I’ve been getting back to more Montessori type activities in my classroom recently. Use the #teacherfriends to find us on Twitter (or use TweetDeck for an easier time). Here are the questions that will help lead the chat today!
Back to School
I started the new school year 2 weeks ago and its one of the best starts I’ve had in the last 5 years! We have been able to learn routines and procedures much faster than in the past few years.
We got out our Literacy Work Station tubs the 2nd week of school and my sweet kiddos have handled them SO well!
Here’s a look at what’s currently in the tubs:
Can you tell we are working on the alphabet? I put a variety of activities out so that my different levels of learners can go at their own pace.
Teachers Pay Teachers Sale
If you haven’t heard, TPT is having a Back to School sale! The fun starts on August 3rd and runs through August 4th. I’ve put my entire store on sale…it would be a great time to grab my Interactive Number Line and my Stamp a Letter, Word, or Number!!
Don’t forget to use the code BTS15 to save 28%!!
And don’t forget to join us on Tuesday for a Back to School chat with Scott Wiley! Use the #teacherfriends tag to “see” us on Twitter!! 🙂 Lots of great prizes will be given away. 🙂
Kristen's Kindergarten 