Monday, August 13, 2012

Monday Made It...Brought me Back








So it's been a while since I posted....no real excuse just summer getting in the way of me being productive. I have been busy with some school stuff though and thought I'd link back up again today and share two projects.  

Math It Up! 

I've seen a lot of different versions on the web lately but this one I love! First of all - it was FREE! (I love free!)  I just printed the title and numbers from Teacher on the Loose (click here) on to some colourful cardstock and laminated them.  I just have the pieces laid out on a sheet of foam board for now.  I plan on keeping it on the foam board - that way I can just pull it out and use it as a station rather than have it take up precious wall space.  I'm undecided about whether or not to use sticky tack or velcro to keep the numbers in place. I want them to be easily changed, but no so easily that they'll fall off.  Am leaning towards the velcro...just have to cut 100+ pieces and get sticking! If you have any other great ideas, I'd love to hear them! (Okay...just finished writing this and then checked out Tara's post - Great minds thinking alike???? lol)

Next up...Quick Combinations 



 I love this! So quick, so easy and has so many functions!  My inspiration is a pinterest find (I've only just joined pinterest and it's been dangerous! Could be one of the reasons I haven't been blogging!) Anyway...the pin only had a picture and I don't know where it originally came from! If you know, please let me know so I can give credit! 
Sums of 10 
 I just used scraps of laminated cardstock (left over from my Math It Up! project) and stapled them around the clothes hanger. Added some clothes pins and a white board.  I can see this being used as a whole class, small group and individual activity.  It's awesome!  Thanks to the creator, whoever you may be! 

Well that's all for today.  I officially have 3 weeks left of summer and plan to make the most of it (and not spent all of it on Pinterest!) 

Happy Monday everyone! 
Sherri

Monday, July 30, 2012

Monday Made It!!!

Yeah! It's Monday!  Can't believe I'm happy about Monday but in blogland it's the greatest day! Why...Monday Made It!



Thanks again to Tara for this great linky! I've found so many wonderful projects and keep racking my brain to come up with something original to share but it's hard work with so much awesomeness out there. So here are my "made its" and they are my actual finished projects. I have lots of "almost made its" and hopefully they'll be finished this week. 

First up...

Open Number Line

I usually just quickly scribble open number lines on the white board when I need one. But I decided that having my very own classroom (for the first time in 9 years) I would create an open number line for everyday use.  It was quick and easy to create. 


I used a roll of fax paper (it was a glossy paper) and black electrical tape.  The tape was awesome on the glossy paper because it easily peeled off when I needed to move it - I wasn't perfectly straight on the first (second, third...) tries. 



 Once it's laminated I'll use dry erase markers to write on it.  Can't wait to see it hanging in my classroom! 




Next...


Count By Fives


I love these little counting by five posters.  A fellow teacher has a version using actual kid handprints in paint to create these darlings. But since I don't have any kids handy and I didn't think puppy would cooperate, I decided to use the cricut and create some hands. 




 The colours are hard to see in the pictures, but they are much more vibrant in person.  




On my agenda for this week...a floor version Hundred Chart.  I got the idea from Donna at Math Coach's Corner.  Check it out! I'll let you know how mine works out! Oh...and I'll probably try and make some of the rekenreks she shared as well! 

Now I'm off to play with the puppy...since she looks so bored and pathetic!


Happy Monday! Can't wait to see your Made Its! 


Sherri

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Fabulous Finds

 


I'm a little late but still thought I would link up with Elizabeth at Fun in Room 4B for her Fabulous Find Friday. 
I was reading my newly arrived Guided Math book by Laney Sammons (which I waited 3 weeks for because it was on back order....but it's well worth the wait!!!) Anyway, I was thinking more and more about how to store my math stations this year.  I've tried bins and baskets and plastic shoe boxes but nothing seems right.  I don't like that most baskets and shoe boxes are not the right size for regular sheets of paper so that instructions and recording sheets get wrinkled.  And those that are big enough take up a lot of precious shelf space.  


So what is a girl to do???? Well, obviously, go shopping is the correct answer!!! So that's what I did. Off I went to Michaels with my 25% off entire purchase coupon and found this little darling...which was already 50% off.  And I LOVE it!!! Ten stations, neatly stored. 

Regular paper fits and so do my recycled mushroom containers that I use to store my manipulatives for stations in. (Love mushrooms...and the fact that they come in great little plastic containers is a plus!!! I use these containers for everything...but that's another post.) 



I was going to put my cart together at home but decided it would be much easier to take to school while still in the box.  I'm sure I'll post more pics once it's up and running in the classroom. I'll let you know how it works out!  And if you have any other great storage suggestions...let me know! 


Happy Sunday! 
Sherri

What I love about blogland...



Ah....Sunday morning, cup of tea, sleepy puppy on the couch and blog time!!! I'm one happy teacher! Almost as happy as I am on Friday afternoons during the school year! 

So what do I really love about blogland...all the wonderful ideas, honest stories about what really happens in classrooms and freebies, deals and giveaways. As I was surfing through some blogs this morning I found Erin's adorable calendar set and she lured me into writing this post....in the effort to finally win something! But truth be told, I'd probably just end up buying the set anyway because they are just so cute and would brighten up my boring calendar! Want to check it out...and maybe win a set for yourself? Head on over to her blog! Good Luck! 
Creating & Teaching
 I have a feeling I may be breaking the one post a day rule today because I have a found a few other things I want to share. But I must hurry now and post...in hopes to be one of the first five! 


Happy Sunday! 
Sherri 

***Update***

Yahoo! I won Erin's awesome Calendar set! Thank you Erin! It's awesome.  Now to get some more ink and get printing!