Common Core Reading and Literacy and Math Centers and a few Freebies!

Whew!  What a whirlwind since school began!  We have been so busy so I wanted to share what we have been doing the past two weeks.  I'll start with reading.  Last week we read the story Frog and Toad Are Friends.  We started our reading notebooks with the Common Core Reading Standard RL 2.1- Asking and answering questions about a story.  I used Nicole Shelby's Interactive Reading Notebook. 

 

The kids enjoyed making their notebooks.  We talked about the kinds of questions we could ask about a story.  Then the kids each wrote a question on a sticky note about our Frog and Toad story and  played Ask then Switch.  They went to a classmate, asked their questions, their classmate answered and then the classmate asked their question.  The first student answered it and then the two switched questions and went to another classmate.  In one of their literacy centers, they did an activity called sentence sort.  Students sorted word cards into sentences from the story and then wrote their sentences onto their answer sheet.  Here is a look:

 

The sentences are color coded. The students sort the cards by color and then put them in order.  Students use their book to help them find the sentence from the story if they need to. I remind students to look for the word with the capital letter to begin the sentence and look for the word with a period or question mark to end the sentence.  I use this activity with different reading stories during the year. 

Next, we moved on to another Common Core Standard and skill.  We put Character Traits into our Reading Notebooks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We talked about character traits and how characters can change during the story.  We read the story Wilson Sat Alone and talked about how what character traits we noticed in Wilson at the beginning of the story, the middle of the story and the end of the story.  Along with Nicole Shelby's notebook activities, I am using Amber Polk's foldables.  So we did this foldable to describe what Wilson was like at the beginning, middle and end of the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In literacy centers, I put a variety of activities.  One center was an antonym matching activity.  This activity is in my September Literacy and Math Centers Unit that you can see in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  Here is a look at the game.

 

 

The kids had to match antonyms and then write the answers onto their answer sheet.  I've attached this game for free if you want to take a look. Click HERE!

You can see the entire September Unit in my TPT store by clicking HERE! 

This pack also includes a game that helps students practice punctuation a and another game to practice correcting sentences. 

 

Here is a look at the entire unit:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now on to math.  Last week I started my unit on the Common Core Math Standards 2.NBT 1 and 3.  Standard 1 about place value and helps students understand that the 3 digits in a 3 digit number stand for the number of hundreds, tens and ones.  On the first day, we used the counting mat and sorted beans into circles of 10. 

 

We counted by 10's to get a total.  We learned that 10 groups of 10 make 100.  Each bean is 1, each circle is 10 and the entire work mat is 100.  The next day, we counted craft sticks.  I put a big bunch of sticks on each table and the kids grouped them into groups of 10 with a rubber band. 

 

Once we got them all bundled, we came together and bundled the sticks into groups of 100 and rubber banded them together.  After we counted the sticks ( all 1,268 of them) I gave each student a base 10 work mat and base 10 blocks.  We talked about how the ones unit is like 1 stick, the ten stick is like one bundle of 10 and the hundred flat is like a bundle of 100.

 

 

 

You can get these class lessons in my math unit "Clowning Around With Math."  Click HERE!  This unit has almost everything you need to teach 2.NBT 1 and 3.  It has lesson plans, a student book homework, quizzes and projects.  This is a three week unit, all ready for you!

 

 

 

I math centers, I put a variety of games so the kids could kind of review and practice what they already know.  These were skills they were taught in 1st grade. 

 

This is a missing addend game from the September Literacy and Math Center Activity Unit. You can download this game for free by clicking

HERE!

 

We also practiced making addition problems with different combinations of counting squares.  The kids had a group of 30 squares. They sorted them onto the counting mat.  They counted one group  then the other group to get an addition problem.  Their total or course was always 30.  Here is a look at this game. It came from some resources that we have from our State Department of Education.

 

 

 

 

Another game was 10's Go Fish.  You play it the same way that you play Go Fish except to have a match, you have to have 2 numbers that equal 10.  This is a great review for sums of 10.  I also have the sums to 20 Go Fish game that we will play next week.

 

 

 

 

 

Whew!  That was just a few things that we have been doing the past two weeks.  I hope you found some ideas to use in your room!  Leave me some feedback and let me know!  This week is busy as well!  Oh, and one more thing...I'm having a SALE to usher in the Fall Season.  Everything in my TPT store is 10% off until Monday at midnight!  Stock up on what you need and enjoy 10% off!  I hope your year is going well!

Sharon

 

 

 

 

 

First Week of School and a Sweet Memory Book

Well, almost one week down.....lots to go!  I was so excited to meet my sweet kiddos!  We already feel like a family!  We got started right away talking about ....rules....you know....the stuff you have to do on the first day.  I didn't want to just bark out rules at the kids so I asked them to think about what they needed this year in order to learn.  What should the classroom be like?  They came up with some good things like no kicking, don't be a bully, take turns..so I gave each kid a sticky note and they wrote down something that they thought would be a good rule.  I took all of the sticky notes and came up with only three rules.  So the next day we came back together to talk about our three rules. Here they are:

So, number 1...use your manners.  This one rule just about covers EVERYTHING that anyone could possibly do wrong so we talked about how this rule applies in the classroom and at school, like no talking when someone else is talking, and of course the no kicking comment came up!  We talked about what good manners look like in the classroom, on the playground, in the cafeteria and at specials like music and P.E.   The next rule could really be in rule number 1 but it is don't keep others from learning.  The kids came up with some good examples of this also like not talking when the teacher is talking and not bothering our neighbor when they are trying to work.  And finally, ALWAYS do your best.  We zeroed in on always completing our work, doing our homework and staying on task during center time....you know, center time when you are working with one group and there is this one kid, or one group who loves to do everything except what they are assigned to do! Ha!  So we talked about how we may slip up occasionally but we would always try our best.  Finally, everyone signed their name and promised to do their best to keep these rules all year. I let them use my special fruit scented markers to sign their names so they thought that was cool! So for the past 3 days, I have been pointing out when I see one of our rules being broken...I tell you, use your manners basically covers EVERYTHING!  So we are well on our way to being the best behaved class! 
      I wanted to go ahead and start reading and math centers this week.  I used my Back To School Literacy and Math Centers.  These were basically easy enough for the kids to figure out on their own and I could be free to walk around and monitor so I could get the behavior that I want from center time.  Here is a look at a few of the centers.

 

Here is a look at the entire unit.

You can see the unit in my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking HERE!

Finally, we have Open House for Parents in a few weeks.  We started on our Sweet Second Grade Memory Book today.  The first page asks the kids to draw a picture of them selves.  Here are a few of the masterpieces that I saw today!

 

 

 

 

You can get the memory book in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store by clicking HERE!

 

I'm tired just thinking about all that we have done just in four days!  I hope you have all had a great beginning to this year!  Buckle up! Here we go!

Sharon

 

Free First Day of School Game!

Ok, pencils sharpened, desks ready, bulletin boards are practically perfect in every way....now, what will we do with the kids????  I love to use cooperative learning activities.  I love to let the kids get up and move around.  This game is perfect for both!  Just copy, laminate and cut apart.  Give each student a card.  Students then go around the room and ask another student their question.  That student answers and asks the first student their question.  The first student answers, then the two students switch cards and go find another student!  This game can be played as long as you want.  It is also a fun way to take a brain break during a long day!  To get the game, click HERE!  Here is a look at the game. 

There are 30 cards in all.  If you download, please leave me some feedback!  I hope you all have a great first day back!

Sharon

Back To School Sale!

Have you heard?  Teachers Pay Teachers is having a sale....and so am I!  My store is 10% off Sunday, August 18 and Monday August 19.  Hop on over there to save 10% from my sale and more savings from TPT for up to 28%  off!  Time to stock up!

 

 

 

 

 

Click HERE to go to my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Happy Shopping!

 

Sharon

Welcome Back to School and a Math Game for Free!

Yes, it sneaks up on me EVERY year!  Where did the summer go?  Next Wednesday is THE day that we return.  So, I guess I need to switch gears and get ready to hit the ground running!  I've gotten B2S Centers ready, Morning Work for August is ready and B2S Math is ready!  Now to copy, laminate and cut like crazy! 

Last year, I made these Popcorn Number Centers.  I ended up using them ALL year as a review.  They are all games so the kids loved playing them.  I don't think they can get too much practice using numbers to 1000.  I've attached one of the games from this pack for you to print for free.  Click HERE to print the free game.  If you want to see the entire unit, go to my Teacher's Pay Teacher's store by clicking HERE!  Here is what you get.

 

 

 

 

I plan to use these after the first few weeks of school.  They are correlated to Common Core Math Standards 2.NBT. 2, 3 and 4.

I am using by B2S Math unit for the first 10 days of school.  It is a review of Common Core Standards from First Grade.  Here is a look at this unit.

 

 

You can take a closer look at the preview by clicking HERE!

Also, I have Back to School Centers ready.  These unit has 4 literacy and 4 math centers.  They should be an easy review from first grade.  I like to have something in centers during the first week or two that students can do on their own.  I like to be free to walk around and monitor at first to be sure that I am seeing the behavior that I need to see during center work.   Click

 

 HERE.

 This will take you to my TPT store to have a closer look at the preview.  Here is what you get:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, for reading.  I love to use the book Chrysanthemum on the first day of school.  I was reading Amy Lemons blog yesterday, Step Into Second Grade with Mrs. Lemons.  She highlighted a Kevin Henkes Author Study written by Hollie Griffith.  I hopped right over to TPT and bought it.  There are activities for 5 Kevin Henkes books with cute craftivities  for each book.  I can't wait to use this with my students.  You can get to Hollies store on TPT by clicking HERE!

Here are some pictures of this unit.  I can't wait to use it with my kids!

 

 

Ok, one last thing and I think we are ready for the first few weeks.  I made a Morning Work for August book for my class.  I've also made one for September and plan to make one for each month for the rest of the school year.  This book has practice pages for 4 days and a quiz for the 5th day.  It is brief and to the point because I don't have a lot of time for morning work.  So, if you want to look at this book, click

HERE! Here is a look at what you get.

 

 

Here is a freebie of the first week of this book if you want to print. Click HERE TO GET THE FREEBIE!

 

Ok, so I think we are ready!  Leave me some feedback and tell me what you think!  Happy Planning!

Sharon

Back to School Memory Book

It seems to me that every year, I contemplate what I could do with this brand new class of students.  I don't know these kids yet and they don't know me.  We need to be engaged and do some fun things while we are learning how to be in second grade.  So, that calls for something not too hard and not too easy, but something that is still meaningful.  I've written a Back to School Memory book that I am going to use this year with my students.  There are 10 pages for students to complete so I am planning on doing one page each day for the first two weeks of school.  We can come together as a class when everyone finishes and share the page for the day.  This will be a great way to get to know each other! It is also a great book to have out at Open House.  Our school always has one in September.   Here is a look at the unit.

This is called "Super Sweet Memory Book" and is cupcake themed. There are cover pages for Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade. You can purchase the unit in my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking here!  This would be great morning work too!  I hope you are all enjoying the summer!
Sharon

Back to School Math

I just finished a math unit that I'm using for the first ten days of school.  I wrote it to review all of the major common core math concepts that students learned in first grade.  It is a complete unit with lesson plans, student class work, homework, quizzes and games.  I've attached a few pages for you for free.  If you want the free stuff, click HERE!  This unit is 76 pages long.  Here is a look at what you get:

 

If you want to see the unit in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store, click HERE! 

 

Let me know what you think!  Enjoy those last few weeks of summer!

 

Sharon