Give me half! A fractions activity!

If there is any math topic I love to teach, fractions is it! I love to teach my firsties all about fractions!

This year I chose the book, Give Me Half written Stuart Murphy. It is about two siblings that have to share their lunch! My kids loved it!

After we read the book, we then applied what we learned! The kids were given either paper to make a chocolate chip cookie or paper to make a pizza. These are the two foods in the book. 

After they made their pizza or cookie, I then went around and whispered how they were to partition it. They were told to either partition it in half or into fourths!

Then they wrote about it!

Here is our wall!!

Construction work is fun!

It has been a long time since I posted! Life got in the way! I was sick and then my car got stolen! Yes you read that last one correctly!

Standard measurement is difficult for firsties!! They understand nonstandard but they just have a bad time with standard. So I decided that I was going to make it real life! So they were construction workers! Did they have a blast!! 

First, we started our day off reading two books about construction and did a Venn diagram! We read Pete the Cat Construction Destruction and a book that I wrote!

We talked about nonfiction and fiction! They loved it!

Then we constructed our opinion writing pieces about being a construction worker.

The afternoon is when they really had a blast. They built structures and measured them. They did place value and time centers with the construction theme!

It was just an awesome day all around! Below are more pictures from our day!

Polar Express Day

The last day before we leave for Christmas break, I always do polar express day! We wear our pajamas, have hot cocoa, candy canes and watch the movie!! Love this day!!! 

This year however, I had 9 children out due to being sick!! 

(Backup) Skyping with Australia

Every year, I have a tradition! I teach my kids about Christmas in Australia and then we Skype with Rocking Dan in Australia!! The kids love it! He sings songs with them, talks to them and reads them an Australian Christmas story!! He is awesome!! 

Look how much fun they had!

Grinch Day 2018

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!! I love this time of year with my kiddos!! It is so much fun and they get to see us in a different light!! 

So I have to say by far Grinch Day is one of my utmost favorite days in December with my kids!!! First the set up!! 

I take green bulletin board paper and cover their lockers!! I write You have been Grinched! And this year I added a giant grinch head!! 

Years ago, I painted this grinch terra cota pot! Inside it I put their “grinchies” (treats) from the grinch! I also place this letter to them from the grinch with the grinchies!

I take away all the pencils in the classroom! I go through desks and all of the possible hiding places and removed all the lead pencils! I replaced them with green colored pencils! I put them in a grinch container I made and placed a letter from the grinch with the pencils!!

Throughout the years, I have gathered and made grinch items! I always add one or two new things each year!! Yo finish off my set up, I just place Grinch items throughout the room!

For curriculum, we read the book and talk about the central message, story elements and make text to self connections! We also review adjectives and describe the grinch! Click below for the link to the book (in case you do not have it!)

There is an awesome app that you can download onto your phone and it turns your kids into the grinch!! 

Here is what the pictures will look like!

Aren’t they adorable!!! 

We also make grinch ornaments! We take the clear plastic ornaments from michaels. They come 25 to a container. I got them for 60 percent off so it cost me 8.00. I used bright green tempera paint and red glitter heart stickers. 

Place done green paint inside the ornament and have the kids move the ornament around and tap it lightly until the entire ornament is green on the inside! Then give them a heart to place on their ornament! I have my ids write with black sharpie Happy Grinchmas with the year! 

Happy Grinch Day from our little family to yours!!