New Math Packets

I've added some new math packets to my shops. I hope you'll check them out.

I have to give tons of credit to my wonderful team for this packet. We got together and decided what our I CAN statements should be for each week of the school year for math. This is a set of posters with each I CAN statement in KID-FRIENDLY terms with pictures and examples. It will be great for our ELL kids too. I like to use my snipping tool on my computer to take a picture of the poster I'm using that week. Then drag the picture onto my Smart board slide. I use this when I'm introducing the new objective for the week. Then I put the poster on my focus board for the week. Then the poster will go onto my Math bulletin board for the rest of the year so the kids can refer to it when needed.
This packet also coordinates with my Common Core & More Math Vocabulary Cards. You can check out a post about these cards HERE.

This next packet I created to help me with the number sense routines I'm teaching this year. I wrote a post earlier about this great book-

You can check out that post HERE.

I love how the author Jessica Shumway says when you start to teach Quick Images to have the dots in different colors so the kiddos can understand that you're trying to see groups of dots. She also talked about using ten-frames and dominoes for Quick Images. This is a great way to teach subitizing. So I made a little packet of Quick Image Cards that have those things.

You can check out all these new packets and more by clicking on my shop side bars or the picture of the packet above.

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Number Freebies

Hi all! It's been a week since my last post but I've been a little busy.

I took a little road trip with my hubby to beautiful Lake Tahoe! Wow, was it gorgeous!! Now I'm  rested, relaxed, and ready to get to work. I'm heading back to my classroom on Monday to get things ready for the new year.

I've been doing a lot of work on math this summer because our district is implementing the new core this year.

Number sense! Number sense! Number sense!

That's the BIG focus for first grade. Whenever there is a curriculum change I have a struggle with what to keep and what to let go of. Do any of you have that problem? I have lots of games and lessons that I love but I've found some really cute, fun, new ones. So what of my old ones do I keep and what new ones do I embrace. Sometimes I just wish I could do them all. Our district is really good about not making us teach a textbook but encourages us to teach the core and gives us many resources. I LOVE that concept. The only problem is deciding from all the great resource what to use. Our team has meet several times this summer to hash out our new math map and I think it's all coming together. I'm getting excited to try out new things and new ideas!

Here's a little something I'm using at the beginning of the year after I teach and review 'Ways to show a number'.

If you'd like to grab a FREE copy click HERE and HERE.

P.S. I'm soooo excited to attend the Utah Bloggers Meet Up tomorrow. Can't wait to meet all the cool teachers and blogger in Utah! Hope to have pictures in my next post!

Things I CAN'T Teach Without Part 4 Equipment and Technology

I hope you're still with me. This is part 4 of things I CAN'T Teach Without. Today is all about Equipment and Technology. Most of the technology we really don't have a lot of control over. My principal gives us what the district lets us have. So hopefully I'm not too out-dated.

This is my NEW LOVE- My Smart board. I don't know how I taught without it. I'm still finding cool new ways to use it. I had to write a grant to get it but it was soooo worth it!!!

I also couldn't teach without my 'Elmo' document camera. And of course, neither would work without my projector. 

Our district bought us some Kindles last year and I'm finding cool apps and ways to use them more. My kiddos have even taught me a thing or two. 

Of course, I couldn't teach without my computer and I LOVE my iPearl hard shell case. It helps protect my MacBook Pro.

I LOVE my label maker! I use it for tons of things cause I'm a little OCD when it comes to organizing and I like things neatly labeled.

My second year of teaching, I bought my very own paper cutter with my own money. I CAN'T teach without it. I use it all the time. I even bought one for home so I can use it for school and church stuff.

Last by certainly not least, is my KIVA! (aka benches) My hubby made it for me about 10 years ago. There is even storage in the back. It's been re-carpeted and painted twice. If I had to pick only one thing that I CAN'T teach without it would be my KIVA. It's our gathering place, it's where I do over 80% of my teaching. It's more comfortable for my kiddos to sit for a longer period of time. It's easier for them to see because of the two levels.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!

Well, there you have it, some of the Things I CAN'T Teach Without. What things do you need to teach? I'd LOVE to hear your feedback.

P.S. Don't forget to follow me on Facebook!

Things I CAN'T Teach Without Part 3 My Packets

Here are a few of my TpT packets that I just could NOT teach without:

Last year I had a BIG problem with tattling so I put this little packet together. It has fun games and activities along with posters I kept referring to throughout the year. It really helped!!! Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

My word family charts are a great reference throughout the year. I even use the snipping tool on my computer and put them on my Smart board for daily calendar activities. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

My number charts have been a great help when my kiddos needed to refer to them. They are up there in my room and are as important as my alphabet charts. I've made them in several different themes. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

This is an essential in my room for organizing my math stations. It's a FREEBIE on TpT. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT. 

This is my newest CAN'T teach without- Math Vocabulary Cards. We are jumping into the new math core this year and these will be very helpful. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

Of course, there are lots of other packets I CAN'T teach without but that's probably enough for today. Check back tomorrow for part 4- Equipment and Technology.

Things I CAN'T Teach Without Part 2 TpT

Here is part 2 in my 'Things I CAN'T Teach Without. This one is about all those great packets on Teacher Pay Teacher. I've found very valuable stuff that make my teaching SOOOOO much easier.
Here are just a few of my favorites: (I had to limit this to just a few or this post would have been super long!)

Lori Rosenberg created this packet about things to write about. I put these cute cards on a big ring, hang them in my writing center and when a child needs an idea for a story they can easily find one. Last year I NEVER EVER heard one of my kiddos say, "I don't know what to write about." Thanks LORI! Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

This is a darling book by Rachelle Smith from What the Teacher Wants. It makes a cute little ABC book about school. A great springboard into discussing tons of stuff the first few days of school. There are also some great activities. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

I just found this great packet by Miss Giraffe called 'Writing for the Year Word Charts'. I've had folders with words for my kiddos to use in Writing Center. But these have cute little pictures to go with the words. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.  

This is a packet by Abby Mullins from the Inspired Apple. This is a very valuable resource that can be used several ways. It contains 20 double sided review activities that focus on 1st grade foundational skills in CCSS and 25 activities for math. It's a great way to keep track of where your kids are, or use for morning work, or review before testing. You can buy them separate or together. I love, love love these! Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT. 

My BFF Fredia from Frogs in First makes adorable word wall packets. She made this one for my happy camper themed room. LOVE IT!. Click HERE for a link to this product on TpT.

Sorry this post is getting kind of long. But this is only a few of my 'CAN'T teach without' stuff. I have lots of great math & reading center packets, fonts, borders, and background packets too. I CAN'T teach without TpT and all the great stuff I find there.

I hope you'll check out some of my favorites. Come back tomorrow for part 3.

Things I CAN'T Teach Without! Part 1 School Supplies

I'm kind-of getting in that Back-to-School frame of mind. Counting the Mondays I have left did it. Only 3! YIKES! I'm starting my shopping this week and was making my list. It got me thinking about all the wonderful things I have or need that I simply could never teach without. So I decided to post them in a couple of posts. So here is part 1- School Supplies.
I LOVE these:

If you've read my blog you know I've posted about these before. But I could not teach without them. They are 'Do-A-Dot' paints. We use them for graphing, making ten frames, and number sense. My own grandkids love to make pictures with them too.

These are the book bags I use from Really Good Stuff. They have a medium and a large size. I like the large. My kiddos store all their 'just-right' books in these inside their desks and take them to Daily 5 with them. I've had other brands but these are made really good and last much longer than just one year. 

I got my ABC magnetic letters several years ago and could not teach without them. They are made by Scholastic and are very durable. We use them for all kinds of making word activities.  

10-Sided Dice are a must in my room. I use them for tons of games. My firsties always miss place a few so I add 5 or 6 each year. 

Last year I bought Vowel Tubs from Lakeshore. They were so great to teach/review vowels. My kids loved them. They are a bit pricey at $69. But you could easily make your own. I think there are blend and digraph ones too. I'll have to check them out.

I bought my laminator last summer. I don't know how I taught all these years without it. I L.O.V.E it!!!

Love stamps! I let my kiddos use these after we've checked our papers. 

But my favorite stamp is my 'name' stamp. I learned about this little goody my first year teaching. I went and had one made with my first and last name. It makes it so easy to stamp my name in ALL those new books I buy. It helps me keep track of what is my personal stuff and what's the schools. This is a picture of one from Amazon.com. You can customize it up to 3 lines. Just click on the picture for the link.

I love finding new school supplies. I'd love to hear about what you just CAN'T teach without. Leave me a comment and check back tomorrow for part 2.