Winter Math Centers

I am going to be honest...I had hoped to have this post up back in December...I had a bunch of winter/holiday center ideas using goodies I purchased at Target, as well as freebies I found on blogs and TpT that I wanted to share with you to help make planning easier...BUT some little things like motherhood, teaching, being a wife/running a home and life in general got in the way!

So I pulled out the things that were winter and could continue to be used to share with you!

Let's hope I can be better prepared next year!

Let's start with these snowman plates I found at Target!  They were in the holiday party goods section.  THEY might even be on clearance now!

I found the white pom poms in the Dollar Spot.  If you can't find white pom poms, cotton balls would work just as well!

The double dice are from Lakeshore and can be found HERE.  I have the Jumbo Double Dice (12 to a package) although they also sell regular size double dice where there are 70 to a package!

The tweezers are also from Lakeshore.  I have used them A LOT this year...we've needed a lot of fine motor work.  They work great for picking up Target Dollar Spot erasers too!

Take a look at this video if you need a 'visual':

Here's another way we used the plates as I reference in the video:

And if you don't already own this tape you want it...NOW!

We used it for interactive writing to cover up 'mistakes' but I have found it's great for making center activities when I don't want a permanent mark!

(I used them on these puzzles too!)

And if you were lucky enough to find these erasers (and I even read some teachers found them in Target Christmas clearance for 30 cents a bag!!!!!) you can use them instead of the pom poms/cotton balls.

Speaking of clearance....I am SURE these Santa plates are on clearance now!

I purchased present gift tags and simply removed the string part.  We also used these candy cane erasers with the Santa plates.

The dice were great but I also wanted my kids to work on numbers to 10, so I created this spinner that we used with the plates too.  You can find the spinner in the download pack at the end of this post for FREE!

The other goodie I found in the Dollar Spot were these 2-sided wooden trees.  Of course we called them Christmas trees, but you could also call them 'winter' or evergreen trees!

And for my readers that need a visual...

And a few other things that popped into my head on how you could use them:

Next up is these number ordering cards.  My kids L-O-V-E these because they get to use the fun links!  We have been practicing these since Fall.   I know this picture shows the Christmas stockings, but the winter center pack download (free at the bottom of this post) will have the snowflakes to order.  We'll be using them starting next week!

I don't have a 'counting by 10's' set but they would be easy to make..go to Google images (if you don't already own snowflake images) and find a snowflake image, insert a text box and print them on cardstock.  Cut & hole punch just like above.

Back to the famous Target Dollar Spot erasers...

This is one of my students' FAVORITE early finisher basket activity and I also put it out for morning stations/tubs.  The directions on how to play are included in the FREE download pack.  If you don't have the erasers- no big deal!  You can use chips, cubes, flat glass 'marbles' (you can find them in the florist section of craft stores), pom poms/cotton balls, buttons, etc!

I just added this to my TpT Store for practicing numbers 10-20:

It is a follow-up to the New Year Theme for Numbers 0-10 that I posted for FREE!

Think these are some things you'd like to try out this winter?!

This FREE download includes:

*snowflake number ordering cards (0-10)

*Roll & Remove instructions & game boards for 1-6 and 2-12

*Snowman spinner for 1-10

*Snowman button cards for 1-10

We also used this freebie from Life Over C's:

I printed the Christmas and Winter sets she offers back to back.  We used the Christmas version and will now be moving onto the winter side.  We used the glass gems to help find and count all the items and I put the recording sheets into clear sleeves so we could use dry eraser markers:

I have been pinning a lot of cute center and project ideas on my Winter Pinterest board:

I'd love to have you follow the board so you can grab some of the ideas, as well!

Well tomorrow is 'back to school'!

I hope everyone had a wonderful break and enjoyed down time with those you love!

Until next post,

New Year FREEBIE...And Some Magical Deals!

How is it possible that we are getting ready to ring in 2017?

As much as I dread the end of my winter break, I do love the start of a new year and all that comes with starting fresh!

I prepped my 'New Year' goodies before I left for break so that I wouldn't have any 'work' hanging over my head.  I 'prettied-up' this math center I prepped and am offering it as a New Year gift!

My students just finished our 'comparing and ordering numbers 0-10' unit before break so I know they'll need a bit of review and 'refresher' when we return before we dive into numbers 11-20.  We completed something similar for Christmas and I saw they needed a bit more practice with this skill.  SO, I made one using some fun new clip art I purchased from Little Red Schoolhouse!

All the directions and suggestions for use are in the FREE DOWNLOAD!

Students identify what the 'missing number' is and then write it on the recording sheet next to the picture that was in the missing number's place! 

If you are in a paper crunch, or trying to be more environmentally friendly, you can also have them use magnetic numbers to cover the picture...they can then record it on a dry erase board and/or a laminated version of the recording sheet so that it can be re-used! 

After we use this in math center next week, I plan on putting it in one of our morning tubs with magnetic numbers and a dry erase board for them to practice writing the number (aka my trick to squeeze in some extra number writing practice!)

You can click the pictures above or HERE to download it for FREE!

(There is ANOTHER FREEBIE at the bottom of this post too!)

If you LOVE the New Year one for Numbers 0-10, be sure to check out my Winter Theme for Numbers 10-20 too:

But that's not the end of the New Year fun!

I have teamed up with 30 other sellers for a 'Magical New Year' promotion!

On Saturday December 31st we are each offering a dollar deal!

I am offering my New Year's Early Emergent Readers Pack!

It is normally $3, but will be reduced to $1 for ONE DAY ONLY!

Much like the Winter Express Readers Pack I offered back in November (see post and video here), this pack comes with word cards, word and picture cards and 2 versions of the reader to aid differentiation in the classroom!  

It is also offered in both color and black & white: 

We will be reading and coloring our books the first week back when we discuss 'New Years' and then they will be added to our Readers Workshop book baggies for independent reading, sight word recognition and fluency practice!

If you are like me a 'visual' always helps!

This shows what is included:

And here is my son reading the book that is included:

Be sure to check out all the DOLLAR DEALS for 12/31/16 HERE:

In addition, each author is also offering one of their bundles for 50% off on 1/1/17!

From me you will find my EDITABLE SIGHT WORD PUZZLES BUNDLE for only $18!

We use these puzzles EACH week in centers and it has really helped with being able to identify, read and write our 'tricky' words!

I pair it with this great editable FREEBIE from Resource Ranch:

It is editable too!

After the kids complete their puzzle, they take this to complete- we call it 'shake and write' because I put the dice in small plastic containers so that we aren't chasing them off the tables!

I started by making a fall set and continued through the year.  I recently added a 'non-seasonal' set and then bundled them all together so you will never be without a puzzle!

You can read more details about the puzzles HERE and find all my posts that contain sight word puzzles by scrolling through HERE!

Basically- you decide on what 2, 3, 4 or 5 letter word you want your student(s) to practice.  Because they are editable, you can change around the words so everyone has the same picture, but the words are different!

Follow the instructions in the pack to edit and then print:

Students color/cut on the dotted lines: 

  

And then glue the pieces to spell the word: 

They practice writing the word 3 times: 

And can even use it in a sentence on the back: 

There are also full color puzzles included that can be used at a center, during word work, etc! 

And in each pack there is a free sample to download so you can try it out! 

AS A SPECIAL HAPPY NEW YEAR GIFT...

Try this New Year Puzzle (for the word 'have') for FREE!

Using them is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4! 

This video explains how to use them as well:

Searching for more New Years resources?

Just click this picture to be brought to all my paid and free resources!

You can also check out these blog posts for New Years projects!

One of my favorite things to do is have this puzzle on the kids' desks when they come in the first day from break!  It's super easy- they cut, build the new year and color!

(Click the picture to find it in my TpT Store- I edit it each year so you'll always have it!)

We work through these New Year goodies during the week back

The kids each make a pair of monocles (see in picture below) and I take their picture wearing them with a New Years hat and blower in hand!  Then I print the pictures and mount them with their New Years resolution foldable (see above).  It makes a great bulletin board/hallway display!

We also make and read these books:

and watch the ball drop via YouTube!

In addition to the FREEBIE at the beginning of this post, be sure to grab my New Year Countdown FREEBIE in my TpT Store too!

AND DON'T FORGET TO GRAB YOUR:

DOLLAR DEALS- Sat 12/31/16

HALF OFF DEALS- Sun 1/1/17

Wishing you health, happiness, peace and serenity as you head into 2017!

I would like to say that I am resolving to blog more in 2017 but I don't want to break my resolutions TOO quickly this year!  I post a lot of ideas on Instagram and my Facebook page because it is easier and less time consuming, so if you don't already follow me via those social media outlets, I would love to have you join me this year!

Until next post,

Let's Make Learning 'EGG'-citing!

Spring is (nearly) here so grab those plastic eggs and...

Today I am here with 10 ways to use plastic eggs for ELA, Math and Science!

I always do an Oviparous Animals unit in my kindergarten classroom each spring.

Because I am a 'theme nerd' and have a need (sickness maybe?!) to make everything connect, I have my ELA and Math centers include eggs, as well!

Here are 10 simple, relatively no-(major) prep ways to incorporate plastic eggs into your centers!

They range in grade level from PreK-2 depending on how you offer support and/or enrichment!

You can also have a recording sheet that has 'Real' and 'Nonsense' listed on top.  As students twist and read a new word, they can record if it is a 'real' or 'nonsense' word!

Focus on just one vowel, a combination of a few students are having trouble with or a mix of all 5!

Don't have enough magnetic letters?

Click here to download this FREE editable pack!

You can type in sight words, CVC words, vowel pairs, vocabulary words, spelling words, digraphs, blends, letters, etc!  Print, cut, stuff!  

Your center is all set!

Use it both ways for differentiation!

Target words your students are working with, or need more practice reading and writing!

Type, cut, stuff and you are ready to get crackin'!

So easy to set up!

Want to make it more appropriate for upper elementary?

Put 2 'blue' and 2 'green'

Students make the blue number from both dice (either add the two numbers, use it as 'tens and ones' or multiply) and do the same for the green.

(Ex. roll a 6 and 2 for blue.  It could be 8, 26 or 62, or 12)

They compare the numbers they created to find the greater/less than number!

I made 0-5 dice so that the greatest sum would be 10 for my kinders.

To support students, place counters or manipulatives for them to use to assist their computations.

To make it more appropriate for upper elementary students place 10, 20 or 30 sided dice in the egg for students to add/subtract!

Decomposing is a difficult skill for many kinders to understand, but I found using the double sided counters really helped them!

You can read more about how I had my kinders use eggs and counters on THIS POST.

(You can even find free recording sheets to download!)

Recruit parents and fellow teachers to save egg cartons for you (and maybe even donate some plastic eggs since this activity requires quite a few)!

The idea of making an egg carton into a 'ten frame' came from a post back in January 2014 by Laura at Differentiation Station Creations!  

And it works PERFECT for this activity of using eggs to make groups of 10!

You can read all about how I used it in my kindergarten class, and download the free spinner and recording sheets on THIS POST!

You can make the eggs match on the same color (top/bottom) or mix the egg colors for a bit of a challenge!

This is just a few ways of using the eggs with numbers!

There are so many other ways to practice numbers with eggs!

So now we are back to the oviparous animals unit!

I use the eggs to introduce the unit to my kinders!

Each child cracks open an egg (I do have some duplicate animals in eggs because I simply ran out!) to learn about what animals are oviparous!

I use different size eggs (the tiny ones to the extra large) to show how eggs can be different sizes.

I highly recommend reading Chickens Aren't The Only Ones by Ruth Heller if you plan on conducting an oviparous animals unit with your students!

You can find some easy non-fiction readers for your oviparous animals unit here:

and a supplement pack of activities here:

I also have several lifecycle crowns that are a great way for students to display what they learned about oviparous animals!

and there is also a butterfly lifecycle freebie available for download:

I hope you and your students have an 'egg'-citing time learning math, words, letters and more using plastic eggs!

Do you teach your students about oviparous animals?

Are you a 'theme snob' too- and feel the need for everything to coordinate?

I'd love to hear from you!

Until next post,