Take Home Math Kits

Sometimes you are in the right place at the right time. 

About a month ago I was on social media and saw Casey from Second Grade Math Maniac asking for people to review her new take home math kits.  I responded and was chosen!  I was so excited because I have been less than happy with our Envision math program.  Many of my kids need practice on skills already learned, but some are ready for some challenge.  This product was just perfect for that!

It was designed to be sent home for the parents to do with the students, but I used it in math stations since we are almost finished with school.  My parents might have mutinied with more at this point!  Haha!  I will certainly use it both ways (for home and math stations) next year.  

Casey thought of everything in the organization of this pack.  The table of contents lists the CCSS as well as what supplies you will need!  There are also already-made-up Sign Out Sheets and Parent Letters.  Love it!

There are 257 pages to this product so I chose a few for extra practice and a few for challenge. 

 We have already covered measurement so I printed Measuring Down on the Farm which practices inches and Measuring in Outer Space which practices centimeters.  

Measuring inches Down on the Farm

Measuring centimeters In Outer Space

We are forever working on estimation so we tried the Estimation Sweet Shop.  I flashed the candy jars at them so they didn't count them.  Are mine the only ones who try to cheat?  :-)

Then we counted the candy.  We quickly discovered the easiest way to do this was mark through the candy as we counted it, otherwise we lost our place (even I did)!  I had laminated the pages so this was very easy to do.  Journey did pretty well here except for the smaller candies/jar.  Which tells me I need to talk about this much more!

I printed the 3 digit Aliens vs Astronauts even/odd practice and really sold it to them that they were doing SECOND grade work in this station.  You should have heard them!  They were so excited when they could do it (and had to go brag to their friends that the SECOND grade station was so easy).  Love them!

Emojis are covering my mess I didn't see until I saw the pictures! Ack!

Time to the half hour has been a thorn in my side!  I still have a few sweeties who are off an hour no matter how much we have practiced.  So that means....more practice!  This is Tick Tock Time the Half Hour.  I modified it even more for these two who are REALLY struggling.  I limited the number of cards/matches so they would feel successful.  Our next step was to add all of the cards.

There is just so much quality material in these math kits!  It is perfect for 1st graders as well as 2nd.  I can't wait to use it all year next year to kick my differentiation up a notch!

 Thanks so much to Casey for letting me review this!  You MUST check it out!

Class Dojo Messaging

I am so excited to announce that the wonderful people at Class Dojo are unveiling a new feature today.  

Messaging for iOS and Android!

I know from conversations I have had with other teachers on Facebook and at conferences that many of you are hesitant to give out your cell phone number to your class parents.  I completely understand your reasons!  I have been lucky enough (knock on wood) to have no negative experiences with giving mine out yet.  But this feature will allow us to message with parents as easy as a text!

But better than a text!  We will be able to send out mass messages via Messaging just like in Remind 101.

As you can see from the picture above, we will also be able to privately message with individual parents as well.  

I can't wait to use this feature!  

It goes live this morning!

To learn more about Class Dojo Messaging:

Click Here

Sunday Funday Linky

Good evening, friends!  I should really be in bed since I have 3 alarm clocks set for 4:30 in the morning but instead I am blogging and Facebook Freeforall Hopping. So fun!  I am really trying to be a better blogger (because it makes me a better teacher).  

I am linking up with Lucky to Be in First and A Burst of First for their new linky:

So fun!  I am actually going to share something that happened a few weeks ago.  

As a first grade team, we are always saying that we need to fun fellowship more.  We decided to go to dinner and take a painting class together.  A few things you need to know about me:

1. I am not an artist.

2. I am not an artist.

3. I am not an artist.  

LOL, get it?  I went into the experience fully expecting to have a Jackson Pollack-ish painting at the end of the night.  And I was okay with that!  I was just there to have a good time.

We went to a place called Painting with a Twist.  I knew I was going to have a good time when I saw the rules on the wall.

When in doubt, have another glass of wine!  Yes, please!

There is an artist who walks you step-by-step through the entire painting process.  

My process: The pictures are a little blurry because the lighting was odd in the studio.

Final Product:

Not bad for a non-artist, huh?  I was SHOCKED at how pretty it turned out!  We took them to school and had a 1st Grade Art Gallery in our school foyer.  We had such a good time with this that we are now registered to do it again on March 16th.  A beach scene this time!  

Here are my girls (minus one who got cut out of photo somehow):

Does your grade level team do fun things together?  Give us some new ideas!

Have a wonderful week,

Show What You Know

She's alive! 

 I swear I think Blogger did a "Say Whaaa?" when I just logged on to the site.  It's been a very long while. 

 Friends, I have been in a rut.  Do you ever have those times as a teacher blogger where you feel like you don't have anything to share?  Nothing worth sharing?  Who cares what I think, do?  

That has been me.  <insert sad face>

But I do have something cute today!  This is my Show What You Know board.  

Phone picture--BAH!

The kids have Post-It notes at their seats.  Periodically I will ask a question related to our current topic/lesson and they will write an answer on a Post It.  They place their answer on THEIR number.  I can very quickly look and see who has it/doesn't and whether I need to reteach or just pull a few sweeties to work individually.  It is a handy little tool!  Owls are from Carson Dellosa (I think) and the alphabet is from Lettering Delights.  It's hard to tell from the photo, but the owls are large enough that a regular size Post-It fits on their sweet little bellies.  :-)  

Have a great week!