We've Got This (Activities and Freebies for Basic Fractions)

Hi all.
So happy to finally have a chance to touch base about some of the learning we've been doing.  Usually the last three or so weeks of the school year are extra busy.  But, something is going on this year that seems to have caused the craziness to hit a bit early.
Even though summer break is on the horizon, I need to slow down time with my young learners.  This year's class is an awesome group of kids.  However, some of them have consistently needed lots of lots of extra work with various math skills.

For the past few weeks, we worked and worked and then worked some more on basic fractions.  And true to form, quite a few of my little sweeties needed plenty of time and practice to grasp the concept of fractions.
Here are some of the resources and activities we used to understand halves, thirds, and fourths...

I used these simple anchor charts to introduce and discuss fractions.  We referred to them often during our fraction unit.  I took them down this afternoon, whole punched them in one corner, and added them to a ring.  They will be in our anchor chart tote for easy access for quick reviews.

If you would like a FREE copy of these anchor charts, click here.

Of course hands on practice is the best way for students to learn about fractions.  One fun activity we did was to use play dough to show fractions of whole shapes.
I made these quick and easy shape work mats.  Students used the mats to help them form each shape.  Then, using plastic knives, they divided the shapes into a specific fraction.
My firsties absolutely loved this activity.  Some of them actually asked to get it out during a rainy day recess.

If you would like a FREE copy of the shape work mat, click here.

In addition to our work with play dough fractions, we did lots of center activities involving fractions.

Students sorted food items divided into equal and unequal parts.

They matched fractional shapes with the correct fraction number.  

They sorted fraction/shape cards depending if the fraction on the card was correct (yes) or incorrect (no way).

They also worked with some print and go activities.  Students enjoyed making flip books to show what they know about fractions.

If you are interested, this flip book, the centers pictures above, and much more are available in my new packet, Fraction Friends {Centers and Printables for Basic Fractions}.  You can click on the picture below or visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store if you would like more details.

What are your go to activities and resources for teaching fractions?  I'd love to know.  I'm always on the look out for great ideas.
Thanks for stopping by.
Best.

Out Like a Lamb: Three FREEBIES to Welcome April

What a week!  The week after spring break always seems to be quite an adjustment at school and at home.  We had something going on every night.  Now that my daughter is in school, her extracurricular activities keeps us hopping.  Soccer, gymnastics, choir, ballet . . . you get the picture.

We were hopping at school is well.  I pulled out all of my Ezra Jack Keats books and we worked on various comprehension skills with his works.  The kids  l o v e d  his books.  Most of them new A Snowy Day, but the other texts were new to them.  We discuss character, predictions, and context clues. They really liked looking at the illustrations and finding common elements in all of the books.  At the end of the week my firsties made their own Keats inspired Willie artwork.  The pieces turned out fantastic.

We also made some April Fool's Day spelling art to hang in the hallway outside of the class.   The kids really enjoyed making this project. They turned out so colorful and cute.  If you would like a FREE pattern of this activity, click on the picture below.  There is a writing page as well as the spelling page included in the pattern.

In my spare time (ha ha ha), I put the final touches on my literacy and math centers for April.  I finished and posted them with two days to spare.  Pictured below are two freebies from these packets.  

First up is Carrot Loving Contractions from Hop to It {10 Literacy Centers for April}.  Students will match contraction work cards with the words that make up that contraction.  There is a recording sheet included.  Click on the picture below for your FREE copy.

The next free center is from my math packet for April, Hop to It {10 Math Centers for April}.  Being Green: Fraction Fun is an Earth Day themed center that focuses on students identifying and sorting fractions of groups.  For a FREE copy of this center, click on the picture.

If you like these centers, you may want to check out the full packets (which are on sale through Monday).  Hop to It {10 Math Centers for April} and Hop to It {10 Literacy Centers for April} are great ways to add fun spring learning to your math or literacy time.  Click on the pictures for more details.

I hope you have a great week.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Catching Up with Room 8

Hi all.  We finally had a week not interrupted with a snow day.  Although it was a short week, being off on Presidents Day, I think I'm about to get my first graders back on our regular schedule.  Of course, it is still February, so who knows about next week.
One thing I do know is that we were extra busy in room 8, making up for our unplanned off days.
We've been working a bit with fractions and still have a little more to go.  One of the activities we did was Fraction Mystery Bags.

I put different groups of objects or shapes divided into fractions, along with a question in each bag.  Students had to read the question, take out the objects, and answer the question on their recording sheets.
Let me tell you, they loved this activity.  It could certainly work with different math skills or different subjects.  Mystery Bags are just another way to keep things interesting.
If you would like a free copy of a recording sheet to use with this activity in your class, click on the picture. I kept the recording sheet very general, so it can be used with many different skills.

International Random Acts of Kindness was February 10th-16th.  Since we missed a couple of days during RAK week, my class finished up their random acts of kindness this week.

My firsties decorated doors and made goodie bags for some of the faculty and staff members at our school.  They also made bird feeders for our bird friends on campus.  It warmed my heart to see how excited they were to share their kindness.

We also spent the week with the Presidents.  There are so many wonderful nonfiction and fiction books about this topic.  Students worked on some Presidential math (from my February math centers, Classroom Cupids).   They also completed a research writing craftivity about George Washington.  .

You can click on the pic below for a FREE pattern of the Washington craftivity.

After such a busy week, I (as always) was totally ready for the weekend.  And hallelujah, we finally had some pretty weather.  My little family took full advantage of the sunshine.  We ate a picnic lunch outside on Saturday.   D and I had attended an event that benefited our daughter's school system.  I didn't even have to wear a coat, which makes me want spring to get here tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week.

Seeing Green (FREE Fraction Math Box and Printable)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Well, strike the best of times part.
Last week was moving along, despite the fact our wonderful first grade instructional assistant was out recovering from a surgery.  On Monday I led a system wide math box pd after school.  Things went pretty well. The sweet k-2 teachers participating seemed interested, which made me feel at ease.  Of course getting ready for something like that takes time away from my regular routine.
After checking Monday's pd off my list, I started thinking about prep for March.  Mainly, what math box (math stations, centers, whatever you want to call them) activities did I want for the upcoming month?  As visions of shamrocks, cat hats, and basketballs (The Final Four) danced in my head, the stomach virus struck!
My poor  A  has never really been sick before and at dinner on Wednesday night her lucky streak ended.  After lots and lots of, well you know, we made our way to the emergency room.  From midnight to 6:30 a.m. we sat and waited for a cure for our poor little girl.  After two bags of iv fluid and finally being able to hold down a cup of Sprite, she was discharged.
Needless to say, I missed school on Thursday and played catch up on Friday.  So now with  A  on the mend, I'm back on my March math box mission.
One box I will be using will serve as a review of fractions of a group.

If you would like a FREE copy of this math box activity, click on the picture below.

This activity includes six sorting mats, eighteen treat cards, and a recording sheet.  The recording sheet can certainly stand alone if you do not want to do the sorting activity.  The clip art is from Scrappin Doodles.
Contact me with any questions.
Stay healthy!

We Heart Fractions (A Fraction Freebie)

It's the weekend before Valentine's Day.  Next week looks to be pretty busy.  Before things get too crazy, I though I might share a little something we will be using in math.  My firsties have been working on fractions for a week now.  We have mainly focused on fractions of shapes.  Next we'll work on fractions of groups.
I love teaching fractions.  Lots of chances for hands on activities.  I really like bringing in food as manipulatives.  However, we do put pencil to paper on occasion.
I made a couple of free printable Valentine's themed fraction activities.  They cover halves, thirds, and fourths of groups.

Click on the picture below for your copy.

The clip art is from Melonheadz and Scrappin Doodles.  Please email me if you have any questions.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.