Telling Time with Common Core Standards

This was my first time teaching telling time with the common core standard.  I was surprised at the depth of knowledge about telling time that I was to teach to my 1st grade students.  Were they really being asked to tell the time by looking at the hour hand only?  In all my years (over a quarter of a century) of teaching, I had never taught this.  Well, time for a new game (no pun intended).

                                                      Click here to see this activity.

This game is aligned with the Common Core Standard1.MD.B.3 Tell and write time in hours and half hours using analog and digital clocks.

In this Fun and Easy Card Game, I have included the basic "What time is this?" cards for hour and 1/2 hour, cards that have a face and only the hour hand, along with in depth challenge cards.

Telling Time Card Game Fun has 60 cards.  You can use them all or choose the ones that meet your students' needs. Also included are 3 different practice sheets/assessments for you to use with the answer keys.

Look how much fun they are having...

 Go to my store and see this great addition to your math centers.

Snoopy and Banditt updates:

Little Banditt had to have a growth surgically removed recently.  Thank goodness it was nothing serious, but still it was surgery.  It was taken off of her leg in an area that couldn't be bandaged.  Our vet said to try a "onesy" to keep her from licking the incision.  So off to Target and we found this adorable onesy with puppies on it.  We cut off the legs and voila a doggy onesy.  Poor thing was still woozy from her procedure, but here is the Mommy and Me shot

and the Daddy and Me shot.

Now I must leave you with the greatest invention for pet owners.  Yes I am one of those dog owners that find her pets more than just pets.  This adorable doggy stroller just arrived and now I can take my little ladies almost everywhere.  No more leaving them home while we go out to an outdoor restaurant.  We are a very happy little family.  This might even work for teacher workdays??

Spring Has Sprung!

Well it has been so long since I blogged, but now I will get back to regular updates.  I know it is late but I would like to share a bit about our Spring activities at school and my Easter decorations at home.  Better late than never, right?  Here are a few of my First graders sorting and graphing jelly beans and bunny marshmallows.  I think a few might have gotten eaten before the data was complete.

                                                          Love my volunteer!

                                         I found this cute little bunny game at Michaels.  It was hit.

                                 Miss Bunny always makes her spring appearance.

So those were my Spring/Easter pics.

On to those fun moments to make me laugh.  So we were measuring with cubes and as an extension, the students were asked to go around the room and measure other things with the cubes using their knowledge of how to measure with cubes.  All of a sudden this is what I saw.....

OK, I never expected them to start measuring their heads.  LOL

 Now on to today.  We are studying the animal groups.  So we made flip books. (Take 4 pieces of paper, stagger them, fold and staple.)  Not so show off, but I think they did pretty well with fish and reptiles.  Tomorrow--birds and amphibians.

Thanks for stopping by!  More updates soon!!

2D and 3D Shapes & A Freebie

Well March has really been a whirlwind. (Keep reading to the end of the post for a chance to win some freebies.) We have done so many fun things.  We studied the 2D and 3D shapes.  Building the 3D shapes with toothpicks and mini-marshmallows sounded like a great idea.  The marshmallows were a little bit too soft (fresh) and their creations wanted to collapse.  Lesson learned- next time use small balls of clay, play dough or maybe stale marshmallows. In the end they did learn about vertices, sides and edges while having fun and sneaking a marshmallow here and there.

I created two new learning games which my students really enjoyed.

Click Here to See More

Click Here to See More

THE FREEBIES-To win these 2 great games, like me on Facebook and just leave a comment about how you teach shapes and I will randomly choose 2 winners to get both games each ( an $8.00 value).

Remember to leave your email address.  This quick contest will end at midnight on Wednesday, March 27, 2013. I will announce the winners on Thursday morning. These 2 games will enhance your teaching of 2D and 3D shapes and build your Math Center activities.  Good Luck!

Let's Get Acquainted!

I'm just exploring the "Linky Parties" and I think I am going to like it.  This really cute Linky comes from the FABULOUS LaToya Reed at Flying into First Grade.    The topic is sharing 3 things about yourself using your initials. This is sweet and easy!  
My initials are HBF so....
H-hot dogs- I just love it when there is a Nathan's hot dog cart outside of the Lowes or Home Depot.  There is something very special about Nathan's hot dogs and having one when you least expect it.
B-beautiful- No, I'm not that vain.  I have two adorable beautiful Shih-Tzus who are my little girls.  They bring me so much happiness when I come home tired from school.
F-frogs- My whole room has a frog theme. My collection started small and then grew, and grew and grew!!

Well that's it. Simple and Easy.  Link up and tell us about yourself too!

Don't forget to visit the last 2 on the list and leave a comment!  Or be like me and visit quite a few. Be sure to include the graphic and link it back to Flying into First Grade.  Making new friends is fun!!

Greatest Pencil Sharpener Ever!

Do you every feel the frustration that a simple #2 pencil can bring?  I mean hearing "my pencil is broke" "the pencil sharpener isn't working" and the famous "I can't find my pencil".  Well my friends I have found relief this week.  My daughter, who is also a teacher, shared this wonderful invention with me and my hubby rushed on line to get it for me. (Love you!)  Here it is...... the

X-Acto Teacher Pro Electric Pencil Sharpener, Blue/Black

The absolute best pencil sharpener around.  I am on my 29th year of teaching and have been through quite a few sharpeners, but this my friends, it the answer to my prayers.  It is quiet!  It has a little blue light that comes on when the pencil is sharpened!  And best of all-- it stops sharpening when the pencil is sharp!  I am no longer saying "Take your pencil out of the sharpener". An additional perk is that it can even sharpen those cheap foreign pencils without breaking the tips.  I see to have an abundance of those pencils this year.  It doesn't solve the "I can't find my pencil" but it does solve one big frustration of mine.  Now if I can just get them to stop chewing off the tops of the pencils.  This was $40.00 well spent.  I think I should become a spokes person for this wonderful invention.  Till next time....  Have a great week!

3D Shapes and Attributes

Hello Friends,
I have been extremely busy with trying to keep up with all the extra activities that I signed up for at school.  Note to self, next year just say NO.  My latest center activity pack is 3D Shapes & Attributes Fun.  Working with my students on 3 dimensional shapes last week pushed me into making this terrific center.  You can make it a sorting center of attributes or a fun card game.  It includes a recording sheet. The answer sheet can be used to make these activities self-correcting thus eliminating a "discussion" about who is right.  I am going to use the cards for reinforcing the attributes we learned last week tomorrow.  After that, they will be all set to play the card game or sort the attributes.  Check this new activity pack, by clicking below.  I always appreciate feedback about how this works in your own classrooms.

Click "here" to see more.

Greater Than, Less Than

I know my children need more practice with greater than, less than and equals.  Here are 2 new centers to help out.  And they can be used to teach these Common Core Standards as well.

Click here to see this set.

                                                         Click here to see this set.
Another fun way to practice greater than less than is to have each child bring in a small water bottle.  Remove the label and push 2 die into the bottle.  Add a pinch of glitter and fill with water.  Super glue the top back on.  This glittery bottle can be used in a variety of ways.  This time we are using the number on the die to create a 2 digit number.  With or without a partner they write down the 2 digit numbers and then write the correct sign, >, <, =.  A fun way to practice this standard.

Another fun and easy tip.