Top 10 Math PINspirations

I am linking up with Ashley from Just Reed today, for her 10 PIN linky.

I honestly have just started becoming addicted using Pinterest, so I really don't have that many pins...10 might be stretching it, but we'll try!

Here we go, in no particular order:

I'm certain most of you have seen this pin, or maybe you even use it in your own classroom, but I just think the original creator of this time resource is a regular Einstein!

I love how the leaves are even in order of how we tell time: hour first, then minutes. And they are proportionally the same size as the hands on the clock!!

I'm telling ya, pure genius!

Since my first graders are only required to tell time to the hour and half-hour, I would probably add plain petals to all increments, except for the 15 minute markers (12, 3, 6, 9)...I hope that makes sense...

This is great, concrete way for first graders (or any grade, for that matter) to practice fact fluency. 

I am definitely adding this to a center this year:)

 I remember taking a screenshot of this exact anchor chart, back when I thought Pinterest was for Facebook-only people, and sticking it in a file on my desktop named "great ideas".

I forgot about it (as I did all my screenshots of ideas...thank you so much, Pinterest!), but I fully plan on utilizing it this year!

Another great, concrete way for students to practice number sense in a center. Love it!

Not to push a product, but I purchased this pack from Melissa last summer, forgot about, and only remembered I owned it when I backed up my computer this week!

I CANNOT believe I went all year without implementing these great kinesthetic ways to practice math skills!! 

You should check it out:)...just sayin'...

 Another good use of common resources (playing cards) to keep kids engaged and practicing facts in centers. 

Can you tell I'm all about math centers this year? 

I didn't do much with them last year; only when our program called for it (one day, every other week or so)

This marks a first for me! 

I have never before had the know-how/courage to embed a video in a blog post:)

Yay me!!!

So, this guy is hilarious, and what a great way to get your kiddos engaged than to be just as silly!

I am soooo doing this song this year...probably even for an observed lesson!

And the following pins will also be used for place value practice during that same lesson:

Whole group practice, also from the same "nut" who made the video above.

He may be a nut, but he's a genius:) If only my kids had him as a teacher!

Watch him...you'll feel the same way.

 I will be using both of the ideas above in centers and at my table with small groups to ensure place value understanding. 

In reflecting on my teaching during this past year, I really don't feel I hit/instructed place value as well as I could/should have.

I can only apologize to my class of last year....and make sure I do better about it this coming year!

This actually does include almost all of the pins I have on my math board! Ha!

I'm sure I'll pick up a few from you all that link up, or have already linked.

If you missed the boat, you're only 2 days behind.

Go ahead and link up with Ashley; I need a few more pins:D

Have a great Thursday, friends!

I'm off to talk Daily 5 & Common Core with my very good friend Melissa of Mrs. B's Bright Blessings.

If you haven't checked out her blog yet, look her up! 

She just posted some picture book favorites:)

Books & Read-Alouds {for the first week back}

So, it's almost July.
I always tell my oldest son that when the fireworks' tents go up around where we live, summer is almost over! (he hates that)
Now, for some of you, summer has only begun so hearing those words might bring a ton twinge of sadness.
Many of us have enjoyed a good 4 weeks off, and our minds are slowly starting to gear back into school-mode...or if you're like me, it never left:)

Before you know it, the somber days of August will be upon us, and we will start the definite process of planning for that exhilarating first week!

I love that DeAnne from First Grade and Fabulous is hosting a Picture Book Linky.
It's my hope that she will continue this linky with a different theme each time/week.
This week, the topic is books for the first week back to school.
Here are my favorite books and read-alouds for those precious few first days:

I'm sure most of you are familiar with this favorite story, and maybe you even use it on the first day.
 I love to include a discussion about what "jitters" are and what else may cause you to have jitters.
We make an anchor chart, and then have "jitter juice", which is really green Hawaiian Punch with a construction paper label:)
They all eat it up...or should I say, drink it up!

During the first few weeks of school, I use Made for First Grade's Color Days unit.
The colors we will be celebrating the first week: Red, Blue & Yellow.
The above are books we will use to help us with our color days/sight word kick-off!

Thanks to Amanda's (from First Grade Garden) suggestion, I use these three books to introduce the Sisters' 3 ways to read a book concept.

These titles are recommended for the Common Core ELA Unit 1 study of alphabet books and libraries.
I already own the alphabet books, and was very excited to find 2 "library" books that also tie into the Goldilocks theme that I use to introduce Daily 5....
 ...but I sadly do not own the bottom two titles yet:( They're on my (ever-growing) wish list, though!

I also read "Chrysanthemum" to introduce our Character Trait for the month (typically, Caring) and Loreen Leedy's "Missing Math: a Number Mystery" book to introduce the importance of numbers (math) in our everyday lives.
The last must-share is my favorite heroine, Ms. Junie B. Jones.
I love to start the year off with First Grader at Last :D...I'm sure they all relate!

I use several other titles throughout the year, as seasonally appropriate.
She is my absolute favorite read-aloud character!

If you can't tell by now, Children's literature is a deep-seeded passion of mine.
It's actually really hard to cut out books to include in lessons; I easily go overboard!

Anyone else with that problem?
If you've already got a plan you've used before, or a plan you're excited about this year, link up with DeAnne and share your picture book passion:)

Classroom Management Go-to's...and a clip chart Freebie

Seems like everyone's talking about Classroom Management this week!
The Applicious Teacher is who I'm linkin' up with, but I hear-tell there are others using this theme in Pinteresting ways:)
If I had much of a Pinterest board (just starting out...haven't become a full-on Pinsomniac at this point in time), I'd probably be doing double-linking-duty, but such is not yet the case.

So here we go with how I manage behavior in my daily routine.

Like so many of you, I use a clip chart.
Mine is very similar to Abby Mullin's, aka "Babbling Abby", rockstar-guitar themed one, but flipped in colors.
I believe the "downside" of hers ended in pink --- mine ends in "red".
YOU DO NOT WANT TO LAND ON RED!
This results in Principal and parent contact + a consequence (missing "Fun Friday" or lunch in the classroom, or possibly both).
Above red is "orange" ('teacher's choice'---typically parent contact, sometimes a consequence also, depending on the behavior).
Above orange is "yellow" (warning).
Above yellow is where everyone starts out the day:
"green" = Ready to Rock & Roll!
Above green is "blue", then "purple", then "pink".
That's right; I have 3 colors above the average.
With me so far?

I mainly use the chart to manage my Daily 5 (literacy block) time.
Students who work "above and beyond" during this time clip up.
We have 3 rotations, and that means they all have 3 opportunities to clip up.
And trust me when I say, I really try to push students to experience that clip-up feeling!
If for any reason, at any time, I have to write your name down during Daily 5, that is a missed opportunity to clip up.
You could be talking excessively (I'm a little forgiving about quiet, minimal talking).
You could be off-task.
You could be roaming the classroom constantly.
You could be sleeping:) --- never has happened, and I pray it never does! Especially on days when my principal decides to observe!!
Whatever the reason (and I take the time to explain/model/practice appropriate/desirable behaviors for several weeks before implementation!), if I have to write your name down you're not clipping up that rotation.
...and if your behavior is so off-task/distracting that I have to add a "checkmark" to your name, you may have to actually clip down (pretty rare, but has happened)!
I keep all these lists in a data notebook that I also use for anecdotal/monitoring notes for small group.

I'm very tough about this at the beginning of the year, and I actually get a little more lenient as the year goes on.
This may seem like backwards-thinking to many of you, but we start to utilize more partner-work/collaboration after Christmas, so the room does get a little "busier":)

There really aren't any other opportunities to clip up the rest of the day.
I REALLY like having it purely for the purpose of running a smooth, quiet Daily 5!
Occasionally, for extreme behaviors, I do have students clip down, even after Daily 5 is over.
For positive reinforcement the rest of the day, I give out gold tags for random/intermittent behaviors.
Which leads me to the next aspect of my management routine...

During pack-up (or often the next morning, because I forgot during end of day chaos), I hand out "Rainbow Rewards" which look like the following:
Orange/Red = turn in 1 gold tag (2 for red)
 Yellow = earn 1 gold tag
Green = earn 2 gold tags
Blue = earn 3 gold tags
Purple = earn 4 gold tags + sign the "Wall of Fame"
Pink = earn 5 gold tags + sign the "Wall of Fame" + get a 'star' on your clip
    ----when you have earned 5 stars on you clip, I wear your clip on my lanyard all day, and you get to take it home that night:)

What are gold tags, you ask?
I will let the Teeny Tiny Teacher explain that, since it's her genius system!
But SPOILER ALERT: My class LOVED it this past year!
Click HERE to read about this take on a token economy.
Last year, I used her Fun Friday system every week.
This year, I'm thinking of moving it to every other week. We'll see what my partner teacher says.

Oh, and speaking of my partner teacher, she has decided that she wants to do an "owl" theme in her room this year, but can't find any decor in the colors she's looking for.
I asked her what colors, and she said berry and mauve with some gold/soft yellow and brown.
So I created a rainbow chart system just for her with owls.
Can you tell I'm trying to sneakily peer-pressure her into the rainbow chart thing?
She currently uses a "traffic light" clip chart, so I did go ahead and make labels for that system, too.
Click HERE for the FREEBIE I'll be giving her, if you also want an owl clip chart:)

The download also comes with a job chart, the way she uses it.
How do you do jobs in your room?
I haven't found a real great system yet...I'll keep pinning, and maybe find a good one for this year.

Later this week, I'll be uploading some literacy block Freebies in the same color scheme she's looking for... kinda hard to make a "rainbow chart" in berries and browns, though.
I love my partner teacher, and want her to have an adorable room she can enjoy this year!
I honestly wouldn't be half the teacher I am without her...she was also one of my mentors when I student-taught...awww:)

Link up with Leigh and tell about your classroom management systems.
I think it's so nice to get some fresh, different perspectives for routines!