Preparing for school...

Hey everyone,

It is already July, can you believe it?  We are starting school in just over a month!  Where did summer go?

To start getting ready for the school year, I've made a few resources to make your life easier... Who doesn't love that, right? :)  The first is a Classroom Emergency Procedures Handbook.  This handbook has basic classroom and school information, procedures for each emergency drill, and can be easily filled in by you for your classroom.  I have written out the basic steps for emergency drills and things like that, all you have to do is fill in the blanks for your specific classroom.  This is a great tool to have in your sub binder or sub tub (whichever you have).  I can't wait to get mine in my sub tub!  I am going to feel so much better knowing that any substitute that comes in my room will be better prepared for an emergency.

Click HERE to check this out in my TPT shop!

You can see everything that is included in this emergency procedures handbook.  

It comes with a few different covers, so you can pick the one you like best or the one that matches your classroom! :)

To help me be prepared for each lesson, I have created some 2nd grade Common Core student friendly learning targets!  Right now I just have Math done, but ELA is on the way!  These learning targets are not just the standards written over again.  Instead, I have taken each standard and broken them down for individual lessons and in student friendly language.  For example, 2.OA.1 says "I can use addition and subtraction to solve one- and two-step word problems."  Well, I don't know about you, but when I start the year I don't teach addition and subtraction or one and two step word problems in the same lesson.  So I have taken that learning target and broken it down into seven different learning targets!  And they are super cute!  Each domain is a different chevron color and they have adorable owls on them, made by the fabulous Crystal from The Library Fox.  I'm so excited to use these this year.  Check these out in my TPT shop HERE.

How cute are these owls!!

Each domain is a different color and has a different owl on it so you can easily organize them.  They also come in grayscale!

Here are a couple of examples for what my student friendly learning targets look like...

 

And the standard number is written at the end of the learning target so you will know exactly which standard it addresses!

That's all I have so far... But keep watching for 2nd grade Common Core student friendly ELA learning targets.  :)

Enjoy!

Point of View Private Eyes & Some Subtraction Activities!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share some resources that my kiddos are loving!

The first is called Point of View Private Eyes.  Point of View Private Eyes is a poster set and a scoot activity that will help introduce first and third person points of view and help your students work on identifying first and third person points of view.  Check it out in my TPT shop by clicking HERE!  You can also click on the picture below.

Next is a set of activities that will get your students up and moving while they are working on their subtraction skills! :)  In Subtraction Detectives #1 students will practice 2-digit - 2-digit subtraction without regrouping.  In Subtraction Detectives #2 students will practice 2-digit - 2-digit and 3-digit - 2-digit subtraction without regrouping.  And in Subtraction Detectives #3, students will practice 3-digit - 3-digit without regrouping.  Cut out the cards and "hide" them around your classroom.  Students use the corresponding worksheet and search for each equation.  When they find one, they match the equation to a box on their worksheet with the same letter, and solve it in the box.  Then they go on to find another one.  They will love getting up and moving while still learning!

Click HERE to check this set of activities out in my TPT shop or click on any of the pictures below.

 Last are two subtraction games- Subtraction Circus and Subtraction Safari- that help your students work on subtraction without regrouping.  They are given a number and then a set of base ten blocks to subtract.  This will help them understand the concept behind subtraction and it will help them work on taking a whole number and "hopping" back by tens and ones.  Subtraction Safari focuses on subtracting multiples of 10 while Subtraction Circus focus on subtraction tens and ones.  These games are great for students to play in pairs or to use in workplaces!  You can click HERE to check these games out in my TPT shop.

I hope you and your kiddos enjoy these games!  I'm working on making similar activities for subtraction with regrouping!

Enjoy!

2nd Grade Common Core Aligned Assessments...

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share some math assessments that are in my TPT shop.  Each of these assessments aligns to second grade core content standards :).

Click on the picture or click HRE to my TPT shop to check out this assessment.

Click on the picture or click HERE to check out this assessment at my TPT shop.

Click the picture or click HERE to head over to my TPT and check out this assessment.

Click on the picture or HERE to check out this assessment.

Click on the picture or HERE to check out this assessment.

I have also made some tens frame decks for students to use during math centers.  The first deck you can use for a variety of games such as "Make 10 Go Fish" or "Make 20 Go Fish".  On that deck I have included a card front for both of those games... I even drew the little fishy myself :).  The second deck is specifically for "Make 20 Go Fish".  I found that when playing "Make 20 Go Fish" using the first deck with my students, they had trouble figuring out what number they needed to make 20 if the number was below 11.  This was because the tens frames on the first set of cards just showed how many empty spaces you needed to fill to make 10.  So, on the "Make 20 Go Fish" cards I added an extra blank tens frame to the cards 0-10 to allow students, who need them, to count all of the empty spaces to see what number they need to make 20.
Here are both of the decks...

Click on the picture or click HERE to check these out in my TPT shop.

Click on the picture or HERE to head over to my TPT and check these out.

Enjoy!

Tens Frame Cards

Hey everyone,

The other day I was trying to find some good tens frame cards to use in centers.  I wanted some that looked similar to a regular deck of cards except they have tens frames on them.  I also wanted them to go all the way up to twenty.  Well... after a night wasted searching for some that I liked, I decided to just make some.  Here they are...

If you like these, you can find them at my TPT shop.

I love to use these cards for centers.  I have my kids play "Make 10 Go Fish" or "Make 20 Go Fish".  They love it and they are learning ways to make 10 and 20, which is a great addition strategy to have.  You can use them for many other games as well.  I also love them because even my low kids, who can't add very well, can play.  All they have to do is count how many boxes are empty to figure out how many they need to make 10 or 20.

To make a full deck, copy four sets of the cards.  Then you will have four of each card, just like in a regular deck of cards.  I like to copy them onto cardstock so they are a little thicker.

Hope you find these useful!

Enjoy!

Shape Posters

Hey everyone!

My 2nd grade class is starting our geometry unit so I wanted some cute posters to introduce the shapes to them.  This set of posters introduces students to shapes and vocabulary they will need for your geometry unit. Each shape has a name to help students remember. The attributes of the shapes are in bold so they stand out to students. I just started using these with my second graders and they love them.

Here are just a couple of them...

   

You can find these at my TPT shop or my Teachers Notebook shop!

Shapes included are: square, triangle, circle, rectangle, pentagon, hexagon, octagon.

A Geometry Game

Hey everyone!

My second grade team and I are starting our unit on geometry, so I thought I'd make a game we could use in our centers.  This game is aligned to second grade core content for geometry standards.  It is fun way for students to review all the concepts we will teach in our geometry unit.  The game is Willy Wonka themed, which I think the kids will love.  You can purchase the game at either my TPT shop or my TeachersNotebook shop.  Included is: the game board, 27 lollipop cards (fronts and backs for each card), 27 golden ticket cards (fronts and backs for each card), directions for students, an answer key, and directions for setting it up.

The lollipop cards focus on shapes and their attributes.  The golden ticket cards focus on partitioning shapes and making fractions for shaded areas of partitioned shapes.  Each card has a number on it so students can find it on the answer key.  This allows students who are playing the game together to check each other's answers.

The game board comes in two pieces.  It is perfect for cutting out and gluing inside of a file folder.

Here is the game board...

This is an example of some of the lollipop cards...

 Here is the back of the lollipop cards.  You can print off the front (questions) and turn the paper and print the lollipops on the back.

This is an example of the golden ticket cards...

 Here is the back of the golden ticket cards.  Again, you can print the front (the question side) and turn over the page and print the back on the other side.

My second graders love any chance they get to play a game and they don't even realize how much they are learning.  If you use the game in a center, it is a great for cooperative learning.

A special thanks to Nikki at Melonheadz Illustrating for the cute Willy Wonka clipart and KPM Doodles for the game board.

Enjoy!

A Few Anchor Charts!

*The mistakes that you see in the images below have been fixed on the actual document, I just have not uploaded new pictures on here!*

Hey everyone!

Anchor charts are one of the best teaching tools, but it is so hard to make one just right when you're making it with your kiddos.  I like to make cute anchor charts to hang in the room, but kids learn so much when you make the charts with them.  So, here is my solution... I make the anchor chart ahead of time but then during instruction I make a temporary one with the kids.  It is outlined the same as the one I've already made, so when I bring out the cute one the next day to hang in the room, it doesn't look all that different from the one I made with the kids.  They have yet to notice it is a different chart :).  This way, students get the benefit of making the chart with you and learning from that, but you get to have an anchor chart that is cute and you can reuse again next year.

Here are a few anchor charts I have made and use in my classroom.  Enjoy!

Let's Measure It Poster

A great poster to help kids remember about how large each unit of measure. It allows them to relate these units of measurement to themselves. The poster describes a part of their body that students can relate each of the following unit of measurement to: centimeter, inch, foot, yard, and meter. You can teach them gestures to remember each as well! I have done this with my second grade class and now they can each show me about how large and inch is (they hold up their pinky finger and point to the tip of it). It also helps students become more active in their learning by doing the gestures. You'll love it as much as they do!

Strategies for Solving Math Problems Anchor Chart

 

Use this anchor chart to help students remember math strategies for addition and subtraction. Great for them to refer to after you've taught. Can print this as one page for a student handout or as a 18x24 sized poster.

Telling Time Anchor Chart

This is a great anchor chart for introducing telling time or use it for students to refer back to. You can print this as an 18x24 poster or a one page reference sheet for students. This is easy for kids to read and understand. Great to help kids understand each hand on the clock and the steps to telling time.

Giving a High-5 Retell Anchor Chart

 This is a great anchor chart for introducing/teaching retelling. Teaching students how to give a "High-5 Retell" is a great way to help them remember the key elements of retelling a story. Simple and effective. Can be printed to make an 18x24 sized poster.

Some Freebies!

Here are some freebies from my TPT shop.  If you like them, please check out the rest of my shop and follow me!  I would love any feedback and comments too!  Enjoy!

Primary Vocabulary Page

Find it at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Primary-Vocabulary-Page

Posting a different vocabulary word each day or each week is a great way to expand students' vocabularies. Being able to look up a word in a dictionary is a skill many young learners do not have but will need. This worksheet is simple for younger students to follow. They write the word, the definition, draw a picture of what it is/means, write one synonym and one antonym, and they write a sentence using the word correctly. Could use this in a literacy center.

Fact Family Poster

Find it at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fact-Family-Anchor-Chart

Use this anchor chart to help introduce what a fact family is. It can be printed to make a 18x24 poster.

Building a Graph Assessment

Find it at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Building-a-Graph-Assessment

Aligned with 2nd grade core content. Students use the data provided to build a graph.  Students can use a piece of graph paper if needed.

Two-Digit Addition Without Regrouping Assessment

Find it at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Two-Digit-Addition-without-Regrouping-Assessment

This is a great assessment for 2-digit addition without regrouping. The first few problems help students line up their equations in vertical form by given them a "guide line". The last two problems don't have the "guide line" so students must show they can line up their addition equations in vertical form. You are looking to see if they line up the tens and the ones places. This assessment aligns with 2nd grade core content.

Compare and Contrast Countries Graphic Organizer

Find it at:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Compare-and-Contrast-Countries

This document is great to use for a country study. Fill in one side with the name of the country you are studying. The other side says United States. Students can compare and contrast different cultural aspects of the country being studied to ours.

Recent Products

Hey everyone,

Here are some of my recent items posted to my shops.

The Doubles Rap Poster

Find this great poster at: 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Doubles-Rap-Poster

This poster is great for introducing the doubles facts.  My 2nd graders caught on to it quickly and loved the rap.  We also made up gestures to go with each doubles fact.  This is a great poster to refer to in your classroom or you can print it on a regular sheet of paper for students to use as individual reference pages.

 FISH Communication Book

(Family Involvement Starts Here)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FISH-Book

This is the most amazing resource for daily communication between home and school.  Each day students turn in their FISH book and I get a chance to look over them and circle their behavior toward the end of the day.  Students then take them home and get it signed by a parent and get their reading log filled out and signed each night.  This is a great way to keep track of students' nightly reading.  It also keeps parents involved in how their child is doing in class each day.  You can also include notes to parents, they can write notes to you (instead of having to keep track of all those little post-it notes that come in), and include any special days or events that may be coming up.  If you don't want to bind it into a book, you can just copy the pages front to back and use one page a week.

Once you get them made and started, you will love them!  I don't know what I did before these. :)  Once you start using these FISH books, you love them too!