Comparing Numbers Anchor Chart

This is the first anchor chart I did with my kids that I liked well enough to not have to redo before hanging it up and posting and then...I ripped it.  I decided to hang it up and post it anyway!  Still not as cutesy as it probably should  be but I like it.  I have the students copy these anchor charts into their journals so they can use them as reference.

New Student Folder

So, I really have a goal of staying organized next year.  To be honest that is my goal every year and then normally I make the same resolution in January.  Anyway, at the end of this year I made a bunch of these folders so that hopefully every kid will have one on day one of next year.  I also decided to make a few extras that I can have ready for when I get new kids.  I got this idea from Two Things in Common: Teacher Tips on a Snow Day and I love it!

Word Sort

So this year, I tried to make my journals more interactive and do more foldables.  So, I did what I always do and searched Pinterest.  I came across the website My Journey to 5th Grade: Math Foldable, New Task Cards, and a Giveaway and loved the ideas she has.  The foldable she used was for Math but I decided to use it for a word sort.  It turned out really cute and the kids seemed to really enjoy it.  It is now in their journals.

Word Garden

We read The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and did this activity with our vocabulary words.  They had to make two flower pots, label one synonyms and one antonyms.  On each stem they wrote one of the vocabulary words.  On each flower they had to either write a synonym or antonym.  They really enjoyed it and it got them thinking!

Realistic Fiction Anchor Chart

Here is another attempt I have made on making an Anchor Chart.  I'm still not sure I like it.  I feel like its not quite cutesy enough.  This Anchor Chart is going to continue to grow throughout the year as we read more and more Realistic Fiction.  At least that is my plan for next year!

Student Information

At the beginning of the year I send several things home for the parents to fill out so I can learn more about my students.   I, of course, looked all over Pinterest for ideas before creating these.  I found the student information sheet at The First Grade Parade: Meet The Teacher Ideas & Downloads and fell in love with it.  I created one with her template in mind.  This is what I came up with although I believe hers is cuter!  I was very grateful I sent one of these home those as the information is invaluable.  I wanted to attach this so it could be downloaded if anyone wanted it but I do not seem to be able to do that.  If you want it email me and I will send it to you!

Place Value Anchor Chart

So I have always admired teachers who make beautiful anchor charts.  I am not a good artist and have always been reluctant to make anchor charts.  Well, that is not entirely true.  I make them with my students and then I throw them away because I never really thought they looked presentable enough to hang up.  This year I decided that was going to change.  Here is my place value anchor chart.  It is not perfect but I did decide to hang it up and I have enjoyed being able to use it as a reference.  Although to be totally transparent, this is the second one I made.  I didn't like the first one and remade it.

Newsletter

     I have always wanted to do a class newsletter but was always afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up with it.  I finally decided to just do it and make it a priority.  I am so glad that I did.  Once I got it started it wasn't that difficult to keep up with and the parents of my students really seem to appreciate it!
     To get started I did, what I often do, went to Pinterest for ideas.  That is where I found Ginger Snaps and her amazing newsletter template.  I took her great idea and changed it a little to meet my needs and this is what I have been using all year!

Updated Comprehension Packet

I updated my comprehension packet to include the prediction chart!  This packet also includes the important events graphic organizer, narrative elements graphic organizer and the story map graphic organizer!

Prediction Chart

This is a simple prediction chart that can used with any story!

Place Value for Multi-Digit Numbers Packet

This packet includes everything you need to practice and review place for multi-digit numbers.  It includes, posters, games, centers, worksheets, and extras!

Adding and Subtracting Whole Numbers Notebook

This notebook/workbook is a great way for students to review adding and subtracting whole numbers.  After it is completed it is also a great reference they can use at home or school.

Updated Language Activities Packet

This packet now includes the Using Synonyms/Antonyms Activity!  This packet also includes Related Words Activity, Word Pyramids Activity and Word Lines Activity!

Using Synonyms/Antonyms

Here is another activity to practice and review synonyms and antonyms!  This includes a graphic organizer and a synonym and antonym list.

Estimation, Mental Math and Word Problems

This packet includes everything you need to review and practice estimation, mental math and multi-step word problems.  This includes my estimating sums and differences game, my mental math game and some multi-step word problems!

Adding and Subtracting with Whole Numbers Packet

This packet includes everything you will need to practice and review adding and subtracting whole numbers.  It includes my adding whole numbers game and my subtracting whole numbers worksheets.  I also included some vocabulary flashcards and word problems!

Updated Language Arts Packet

I updated my Language Arts Packet to include my Word Pyramids Activity.  The packet also includes my related words activity and word lines activity as well as related word list and synonyms/antonyms list.

Word Pyramids

Review related words with word pyramids.  This is a great activity helps students understand that learning a new word can help them understand related words!

Updated Comprehension Packet

I updated my comprehension packet.  It now includes the story map graphic organizer along with the important events graphic organizer and the narrative elements graphic organizer!

Rounding Packet

This is a packet I put together to with all of my rounding practice and review activities.  This packet includes an estimating sums and differences game, rounding to the nearest 10 or 100 game, and a hundreds chart the students can use to help them round!

 

Subtracting Whole Numbers

Here are some fun review worksheets that I use as bellwork and/or homework to review subtraction.

Adding Whole Numbers

This is a great center activity to review addition.  This games includes one digit by one digit, two digit by two digit, two digit by one digit, three digit by two digit and three digit by three digit with and without regrouping.  I bring these out randomly all year.  My kids always need more practice with addition!

Letter Angles

I gave my students a three circle Venn Diagram.  None of my students had ever seen a three circle Venn Diagram before I so spent a few minutes explaining how the circles intersected.  Then I told the students that they were going to look at the alphabet and place the letters in the Venn Diagram where they fit correctly.  If the letter didn't have any angles they wrote that letter outside the Venn Diagram.  It was really interesting to see them try to figure out the Venn Diagram at the same time as they figured out the letter angles.  This was the first time I had done this activity and it was really successful.  This is something I will definitely being doing year after year.

Decimal Card Game

I have found that my students can not practice decimals enough!  They are required to have a solid understanding of decimals in fifth grade so I try to spend some time practicing decimals with them.  This time I game each group of two (and one group of three) a deck of cards and a counter.  They used the counter as a decimal.  They each put down three cards-one to the left of the decimal (counter) and two to the right of the decimal.  They then compared each decimal.  The person who had the greatest number got all six cards.  The person who had all the cards (or the most cards) won the game.

Decimal Game

We played this game to review decimals.  This was one of the most popular games I played with my students all year.  They asked to play this game over and over again.  I gave them an empty board and had them put decimals in the spaces.  It did take time for them to put numbers in their boards so if you decide to play this game make sure you build in time for them to write their own numbers or create boards in advance with the numbers already in place.  I then called out the decimals and they covered the numbers that matched the numbers I called out.  We played several time and every time once of them won I gave the winner a pencil.

Metaphors and Similes

This was a fun way to practice metaphors and similes.  I gave each duo different sentences taken from stories we read over the school year.  Most of the sentences had a metaphor or simile while a few did not.  The students then asked each other if each sentence had a metaphor or simile and if it did what it was.  If they got it right they got the sentence and if they got it wrong the partner got to keep the sentence.  The person with the most sentences in the end won the game.

Perimeter and Area

Here are some pictures of a fun game we played in class today.  I try to make review before the big tests fun.  I had thought about doing this with geoboards originally then decided I wanted them to be able to work out the perimeter and area on the paper next to the shapes they had drawn so instead decided to do it on the graph paper.   The kids had to make a square or a rectangle with a given perimeter.  Then they had to figure the area of each of the shapes they drew.  Then they got points based on the area.

For example: Draw a square or rectangle with a perimeter of of 20.

                      Earn one point if your area is greater than your partners.

Story Map

This is a simple story map that I use all year!