It's Shark Week!  Watching sharks through the television screen is about the closest I would like to be to a shark!  You can find out more about Shark Week on the Discovery site by clicking here, but for now I have a FREE "Counting Sharks" book to share with you!

 I created a "Counting Sharks" little book.  This book focuses on numbers 1-10.  It is great for early readers and kids can count the sharks on each page while reading.  They can then add their own color to the pages after reading.   Each page includes: high frequency words, repetitive text, and shark clipart images for one to one counting opportunities   This is perfect to go along with your summer school teaching, an ocean themed unit, or for your own little ones at home to read while watching Shark Week!

  To grab your FREE download, just click the image below! 

 

To check out more books for young readers, check out my Book Bundle in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!  Grab it at a HUGE discount for a limited time - 50% off!!

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Recipe for Teaching

I love looking through the Target Dollar Spot and looking through the Dollar Tree because they always have the best things to use in your classroom at bargain prices!  I was in the Dollar Tree the other day and spotted some alligator clips.  I instantly thought of greater than/less than math activities to do with the clips!  

*The clips are a little stronger than a clothespin clip, so I would definitely recommend reviewing rules and expectations for using the clips just as you would with any tool that students are using!  

I created some cards that you can use with your students to go along with the alligator clips.  I recommend laminating the cards for durability.  For the cards, students clip the greater number on the card.  You could put a dot sticker on the back of the card for students to self check.  These would be great for a math station or to use with small groups.  The green container in the picture is also from the Dollar Tree and came in a pack of 2.

  I also made some number cards (1-10) that students can use to find the number that is greater and less and then record.  Students can use the number line if they need and this is a great way to differentiate.  This would also be a great math station activity.  You could laminate these or put in a plastic sleeve for students to record with dry erase marker on.  You could also have students complete and turn in so that you could use as a way of assessing student understanding.   For the "Greater Than" recording page students would record the number that is greater on the left circle and the number that is less on the right circle.  This way it would read "__ is greater than __."  The alligator mouth is facing the greater number.

For the "Less Than" recording page students would record the number that is less on the left circle and the number that is greater on the right circle.  This way it would read "__ is less than __."  The alligator tail is facing the less number.

  These activities are meant to go along with the Common Core Kindergarten Math Standard K.CC.C.7, but could easily be used with pre-kindergarten or first grade students as well.

  To grab your FREE greater than/less than alligator themed activities, just click the image below!

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Recipe for Teaching

Do you use Next Generation Science Standards in your classroom?  We use the standards and I am always looking for new resources and ideas to support the standards.  You can read more about the Next Generation Science Standards by clicking the image below.

  This is one of the Kindergarten Next Generation Science Standards included with Weather and Climate.  I like this standard because it also incorporates STEM components.  Students are designing and building structures and it is always fun to see how creative young learners are!

I created some discussion cards that you could use to go along with this standard.  There are 10 cards and each card has a picture of a structure that reduces the warming effect of sunlight.  

  Some of the ways you could use these cards with your students are: *Whole Group Science Lessons - Show students the card, ask the question, give students time to think, give students time to discuss their idea with a partner, and share with the group. *Group Work - Give partners or small groups a card.  Have students discuss how the structure reduces the warming effect of sunlight on the area and then have students come back together to share their ideas with the class. *Science Centers - Put cards out at a science center and have students draw/write about the structure.  They can draw/write about how it reduces the warming effect of sunlight on an area.  You could also put materials out and have them design their own structure.     I also created a letter to send home to families asking for materials to build their structures and a poster that you can show your students asking them if they can design and build their structure.

  Just click the image below to grab your FREE discussion cards!

You can read more about Next Generation Science Standards in one of my other blog posts by clicking the image below.

Also be sure to check out these weather resources in my TpT store!

I would love to hear how you are using Next Generation Science Standards in your classroom!

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Recipe for Teaching

I always enjoy watching the Olympics!  The Summer Olympics in Rio begin August 5th and I'm excited to watch the different events!  Some of my favorites are Beach Volleyball, Gymnastics, and Diving.     I created some clip cards that have a sports theme.  These would be great to use when returning back to school or to use with your own kids at home when watching the Summer Olympics. 

 

I love clip cards because they are not only fun, but also help with fine motor skills.  These clip cards focus on sets 1-20.  Just cut out the cards and kids clip the number that matches the set.  I would suggest laminating the cards for durability.

 These would be a fun math warm-up and would be perfect for a math station. 

    I have also included an answer key for students to check their work!   To download your FREE set of sports themed clip cards, just click the image below! 

 

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Recipe for Teaching

I love using manipulatives in my classroom during math!  They are hands-on and really help my students understand math concepts.  I also like to make sure my students understand the rules for using math manipulatives.  I just updated my "Rules for Math Manipulatives" posters and thought they might also be useful for you to use with your students.  

  I always use these posters at the beginning of the school year when introducing math manipulatives to my kindergarten students.  My students that have pre-k experience are usually familiar with how to use manipulatives, however for many of my students, this is their first time using them.     Rule #1 - Share the manipulatives with your friends I definitely want my students to know they need to share manipulatives with their friends.  They should take turns and make sure everyone in their group gets a turn with manipulatives.

Rule #2 - Math manipulatives stay in the middle.  

This rule goes along with sharing manipulatives.  I like to teach my students to keep manipulatives in the middle of the space they are working.  That way one person doesn't always have the manipulatives in front of them the whole time.

 Rule #3 - Be responsible with the manipulatives.

We always talk about making sure we are responsible with the materials.  This includes using them in a safe way, not throwing manipulatives, keeping manipulatives on the table or in our work space, etc.

Rule #4 - The manipulatives are a tool to help us with learning. This is important because when we have inside recess days I let my students play with the manipulatives.  I want them to understand that when we are using manipulatives for math, they are a tool to help us learn math. 

Rule #5 - We are a TEAM!

 When we are together for 180 days, it is important for my students to realize that we are a team working together.  I want my students to support one another, be kind to one another, and work together like a TEAM!

  I find that my students even remind their classmates of the rules throughout the school year.  Just the other day, I heard a friend remind another friend of a rule (and we are at the end of the school year!).     To grab your FREE set of Rules for Math Manipulatives posters, just click the image below! 

 

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Recipe for Teaching