Guest Blog Post - Day #6: Addition with Clothespins

It's Day #6 of Guest Blog Week!

Please welcome Leah from Lectura para Niños and check out her game idea below!

My sister (who is also a kindergarten teacher) saw this on Pinterest and I went with it!  My students LOVE playing this game!  They will play it over and over again and moan when it is time to clean up.  

1.  I purchased 2 sets of clothespins and a shoebox tub from the Dollar Tree. 

2.  Each student is provided with a clipart to “record their answers.” 

3.  Write your addition facts on each clothespin; i.e., 0+0=    1+0=    0+1=    1+1=    2+0=  0+2=   etc.  Throw your clothespins mixed up into the shoebox tub. 

4.  Create some number cards from 0-12 (or higher for when students are ready)

5.  The students use cubes, bears, or any counter you have to assist with completing the equation.  Once they have the answer, clip your equation to the answer.  Watch in amazement when the students find out that there are multiple equations for the same answer.  No matter how many times my students played this, it was always exciting to see the higher numbers were winning with the most equations.  If a clothespin breaks, no worries, toss it and create another! 

6.  The students record their equations on a piece of paper using their clipboards.  The clipboards are a MUST!  The clipboards make the students feel just like a teacher!  They CHEER every time they get to play this game!  Change it up using different counters, or different colored clipboards!  You can use Fancy Tape from Home Depot to decorate your clipboards as well!!!

If you'd like more ideas from Leah, please feel free to follow along with her at:

Lectura para Niños

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Teachers Pay Teachers

Guest Blog Post - Day #5: Money Scoot

It's Day #5 of Guest Blog Week!

Please welcome Stephanie from The Learning Chambers and check out her game idea below!

Hi y'all!  I'm super excited to be guest blogging today for Krista's "While the teacher's away, the blogger's will play!" week.  My name is Stephanie, and I blog over at The Learning Chambers.  This year was my first year as a Second Grade Dual Language teacher, so Krista's blog has been a new favorite of mine.

Now to get started on the post, and to share my game that I created especially for this weekly party.  I hope you guys enjoy it!

This year we just started a new math curriculum, and it has been a little challenging for my kiddos.  The best way I've found to review concepts is to play games that help the students practice the skills on their own or with their partner.  Their absolute favorite game to help them review is scoot.  I know what you're probably thinking....scoot is nothing new!  But I promise if you stick with me, you'll find a few new ways to make this scoot game into an engaging end of year review.

This scoot game is all about the money!  My kiddos really struggled with counting groups of coins, so I created this scoot game to help them practice counting a mixed group of coins.

To get started, you'll need to print out the coin cards and cut them out.  Since it's the end of the school year, I decided to make the cards using black and white coin clipart to make it easier on your printer.  I printed my cards on colored cardstock, but you could also print it on white cardstock and have your students color the coins.  That would be a great way for them to review the different coins, and give them ownership of the game.

Next, you'll need to place one coin card on each student's desk and give each of your students a recording sheet.  The students will start out at their own desk, and they will count and record the amount of coins on their recording sheet.  If they have card #6, they will record the amount in box #6 on their recording sheet.

When you say "scoot," the students will move to the next desk over, and repeat the steps.  The students will continue to switch desks until they have filled in their whole recording sheet.

I also included an answer key for this game, to help your students check their work.  Sometimes I project the answer key onto my activboard to help them check their work, and other times I have them check their partner's work.  I even use it as a quick check to see who needs to be retaught a concept in small group.

My kids also love when I let them create their own scoot games.  I will give them each one index card, and ask them to write an amount on the card.  Then I number them, and we play the scoot game again with a new recording sheet.  This time the kids will look at the amount, and draw a group of coins that totals that amount on their recording sheet.  I taught my kids to just draw a circle with the coin amount written in the middle to represent each coin.  This is a little more challenging and differentiated, because different coins can equal that amount.  You could even have the kids color, cut out, and glue on a set of coins onto the index card to play another similar scoot game.  My kids have really enjoyed creating their own scoot games!  Talk about creating ownership!

So are you ready to play this game with your kiddos?  Just click on the cover below to grab this coin scoot game.  I hope you enjoy playing this game with your kiddos, and remember you can only get this freebie here on Krista's blog.

If you liked my post and game, I would love if you would follow me on my blog to get more freebies and ideas.  If you are looking for an engaging beginning of school game using QR codes, click here to go to my blog and read a post about it.  I hope you have an awesome end of the school year and summer. 

Guest Blog Week - Day #4: Wild

It's Day #4 of Guest Blog Week!

Please welcome Krista (love the name ;)), from Teaching Momster and check our her game idea below!

Hello!  My name is Krista (from Teaching Momster) and I am SOOOO excited to be guest blogging for Krista (from Second Grade Super Kids)!  

As you may already know, the other Krista is away, so the rest of us bloggers are playing!  One of my FAVORITE games is Uno.  The rules are simple, young kids can play and older kids can still have fun!  

Young kids can use it as a great review of colors as well as number identification.  It also teaches taking turns.  My son, who is autistic, has been working on playing games and learning to lose gracefully.  Playing the same game over and over started to get a bit boring.  It got me to thinking that maybe I could change up the game a little to allow my son (and other kids) to have fun, but also practice necessary skills.  So, I created my WILD card series.  

So, what are these WILD games?  They are played in a very similar fashion to the old classic, UNO.  In fact, we started with UNO since the directions were already known.  Many kids love the simplicity of the game and others love the "special" cards that allow them to skip a player or make their neighbor draw extra cards.  So, I kept those important pieces in my WILD games.  But, for the kids who are beyond just numbers and colors, I added some extra skills.  I have several versions available, from basic number skills all the way to fractions.  Although most of my versions are math based (my son's favorite subject!), I do have some versions for ELA and Science as well.  They are sold individually as well as in bundles.  You can grab this FREE sampler so you can see how it works for you and your kids!

 I am so excited to see what games everyone plays!  We are always looking for new games to play.  And, if you would like me to customize a WILD game for you and your kiddos, just let me know!  I would love for you to follow me at my blog, on FB, or on TPT!  

Guest Blog Week - Day #3: Hedbanz

Today is Day#3 of Guest Blog Week!

Please welcome Mynda from B is for Bilingual and check out her game idea below!

Hola! My name is Mynda from B is for Bilingual. I teach 1st grade Dual Language in Texas. I teach Spanish to Native Spanish speakers and Spanish learners. I have found that hands-on activities and visuals are great for my second language learners.  I love to make my lessons fun and interactive!

I would like to share with you one of my favorites games! This game is similar to "Hedbanz". 

Your students need to pick a card without looking and put it on their forehead. Then they need to guess what picture they have by asking the correct questions!! 

I like to use objects that we use in school. It's easy for them, but you can always change or add more objects.

The students have lots of fun formulating questions, inferences and practicing vocabulary.

It's easy to get this game ready for your students to enjoy! You just need center strips, Velcro and print the cards.

Once you have your materials ready, divide your class by partners or small groups and let them start the fun! To challenge my students, I give them 1 minute to try to guess their mystery object!

You can find the cards set in English & Spanish {HERE}.

Thank you Krista for having me today! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me! You can leave me a message on my blog or  FB page! Also I would like you to follow my TPT store to find more resources in English & Spanish!

Have fun!

Mynda

Guest Blog Week - Day #2: Spot That Word

It's Day #2 of Guest Blog Week.

Please welcome Shanon from OCD in First and check out her game idea below!

I would first like to say CONGRATS to Krista Carlson on the new chapter in her life that she is beginning this summer. Then I would like to say thank-you for including us in your great adventure by allowing us to be your guest bloggers while you're away.  ENJOY your honeymoon, Krista!!

Guest Blog Week - Day#1: Let's Play!

As I shared in my most recent post, I got married this past Friday! My hubby and I are heading out on our honeymoon today, and I wanted to make sure that you (my amazing readers) had some great content available still while I was away. 

Six other awesome bloggers volunteered to write a guest post to celebrate in my "While the Teacher's Away, the Bloggers will Play!" guest blogging week, each sharing an idea for a game they love to "play" with the students in their classrooms. I figured this would be the perfect topic for this time of year as you may be able to use some of these ideas as a fun way to wrap up the year (for those lucky ducky's still in school), or use them as a great way to start out the next year!

That being said, I am here to share the first game idea with you all today to kick off the week!

One of my favorite games to play with my students is "Four Corners". This one is such an oldie but goodie. I remember heading to the roller skating rink as a child and skating from corner to corner hoping they would not spin my corner's number so I could continue the fun!

The game in the classroom can be used similarly as a game of "luck" or "chance". I generally use it this way when we have classroom parties or for a little brain break. For instance, for Halloween in my second grade classroom last school year, we played a game of Four Corners using Halloween themed vocabulary. Each corner of the classroom had one of these 4 posters hanging in it. I usually give the kids a time limit or in this case, I played holiday themed music and when it stopped, the kids had to choose a corner to reside. I then use my handy magnetic spinner on my wipeboard and spin away to determine which corner will be eliminated. 

You can see my previous post with more details about this specific version of the game here.

Another way the game can be used is to review key concepts. This version is less about luck and more about the students understanding ideas well enough to choose the corner that represents the best answer. For example, last year in my classroom, I used this version after my students had been working hard to understand key vocabulary related to probability. 

In each of the corners I placed one of the following four posters: certain, likely, unlikely, impossible. I then read off a circumstance. For instance, "We will fly to the moon in the next ten minutes." The students must listen to the idea, and then in the time frame given (usually a few seconds) must head to the corner that they feel best represents the answer  - in this case "impossible". 

Yes, you may see some of the students following along with the others, but I always ask students to turn and talk with someone about why they chose the corner they did, and then I ask someone who ended up in the right corner to explain to us why this is the correct answer. Then no matter who ended up where, it gives us a nice review of the important vocabulary/concepts.

Has anyone else used this game in your classroom? 

How do you use it?

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the week as each day another blogger will be sharing a super game idea for your to take back to your classroom!

Hasta luego. I'll be back in a couple weeks- with photos to boot!

Moving out & up! Big changes ahead!

While I must admit I haven't shared too much about it since my "I'm engaged!" post back in September, for those of you that did not know, I am getting married in two short days! 

While I will most certainly share more about how all of the festivities this coming weekend go with you all my blog family, when all is said and done and I am a new MRS., there are other big changes that I am truly excited to share with you all today!

After we get married this summer, my fiancé and I will not only be moving to a whole new state, but we will also both we starting brand new jobs! 

I have learned so much as a Dual Language Coach this school year that has strengthened my skills as a professional. Not only that, but I have learned so much in my four years working in my current building  and made so many wonderful friends and while it is bittersweet leaving, we are ready to move forward on a new adventure and start our new life together in a place we both see ourselves happy and potentially starting our future family!

I took this photo on Monday - the last day in my current building, and last school year with my last name... All moved out.

That being said...

drum roll please...

Next year, I will be moving "up" to 3rd grade, and I will be back in the classroom again as a 3rd grade Spanish immersion teacher in a whole new setting! 

I am so incredibly excited for this new adventure (as I must admit I did miss the classroom and being with kids each day!) and I cannot wait to share in it with you all.

In order to help me prepare, as well as to be able to share just a piece of the insight that my talented colleagues from my building over the last four years possess, I asked the 3rd grade teachers, if they wouldn't mind sharing a few tidbits of knowledge with me so that I could share it with you all today as well! 

I asked them about the three following topics:

*Some essential understandings they thought all third graders should walk away with

*Some of their favorite Daily 5/Station ideas

*Why they love teaching 3rd grade

I must admit, these ladies have gotten me even more excited for the fall with their responses! Enjoy (and a huge thank you to Jen and Jessica for being good sports and participants in my little blogventure!)

1.) Essential Understandings for 3rd Grade:

*Time Management- knowing how to manage their time and juggle homework with outside activities. Sometimes students have the opportunity to work on their book club roles during Daily 5 or take it home for homework; it's the perfect opportunity to teach them to prioritize their work and manage their time.

*Multiplication - Automaticity of facts is key!

*Comprehension- have a true understanding of what they are reading.

*A sense of determination- knowing they can do anything they put their mind to!

2.) Daily 5 Station Ideas for 3rd Grade:

* Buddy reading- students love to have time to read with and discuss books with their friends

*iPads - students love creating books and they come up with such clever ideas

* Student Choice- When they can choose where they go, they are more likely to be engaged in the activity, however, you may still need to set up some rules for this like "at least 1 station a day must be read-to-self", "no more than 3 per station", etc.

*Being open as the teacher to new ideas presented by the students - For example, I taught the students the basic rules of the game Bananagrams and left the rules in the station. I also gave them the option to potentially develop a new way of playing it as well. They ended up adapting another Pyramid game I had taught them for magnetic letters and added a twist and incorporated it into Bananagrams. Guess which station is always busy? They love it and are truly trying to then spell words correctly using word walls, etc. 

3.) Why do you love teaching 3rd Grade?

* I love teaching 3rd grade because I see how Independent they start to become at this age. They seem to start venturing out on their own, taking on responsibilities and become little thinkers! I love hearing their thinking during Guided Reading. Book clubs are my favorite. I prefer listening to their thinking rather than focusing on building reading skills like in the younger grades. I am very interested in listening to their thoughts, their perspectives, and I feel I start seeing this more midway through the year once we get past the "learning how to read" stage. Of course you have those few low readers that still need that, and that's fine. But the majority, are reading to start thinking! :) 

* I love teaching 3rd grade because I love our reading group discussions. When you find a book that students really connect to, it's like discussing a book at book club with your friends!

I'm seriously pumped ladies and gents! Anyone else have some 3rd grade wisdom you'd like to impart - I'd love for you to share below!

Now after all of that excitement, there is still one more thing I wanted to share with you (I know I am full of fun today). As my fiancé and I will be heading out on our honeymoon after our wedding, I will be out of the country for the next two weeks! I didn't want to leave you all without content to kick off the summer in style, thus I have partnered with 6 other amazing bloggers to bring you a guest blogging series entitled "While the Teacher's Away, the Bloggers will Play", that will begin next Sunday, June 8th and run through June 14th. Each day a new post from a different blogger will be up to share with you all a favorite classroom game that you can "play" with your students! Seeing as it is nearing the end of the year for some and/or others are already prepping for the following school year, I thought this would be the perfect thing to share that can be used by all!

A huge thank you again to all of the participants and tune in for the first post on Sunday, written by yours truly, about how I used the game "Four Corners" in the classroom. 

Until next time!