All Things Green: Fresh Finds for March (Including FREE Literacy and Math Activities)

Can I just say how happy I am to see a little sunshine.  February was brutal.  It made me even more grateful for March's longer days, tiny buds, and early flowers.  Plus, spring break is next week.  

Before we left for spring break, we did plenty of green inspired learning.  One resource we've used (and will continue to use throughout the month) is my Oh So Lucky Literacy {10 Literacy Centers for March}.  With these centers, we're reviewing many skills that we've worked on so far this year, verb tenses, parts of speech, rhyming words, synonyms, antonyms, and syllables.

Students also practiced sentence sorting (determining if sentences are statements or questions).  We've worked on this type of activity in different centers over the few months.  It's encouraging to see how much better my young learners are at sorting sentences in this way.

We also did a favorite writing activity, How to Catch a Leprechaun.  These assignments are so fun to read.  It's a great way for students to practice using sequencing language in their writing.

For a FREE copy of my How to Catch a Leprechaun handout, click here.

We made these St. Patrick's Day themed glyphs to hang outside of our class.  Students answered various questions to create their glyphs.  Then, to get in a little math practice, we did some data collection and analysis, based on our glyph display.

This was the first year we made this particular glyph and they turned out terrific.  

If you are interested in making this project with your own students, click on the picture below for more details.  My Lucky Lad {A St. Patrick's Day Glyph} will be on sale at my Teachers Pay Teachers store through St. Patrick's Day (Tuesday).

Many of our math centers for March are green as well.  We've been using my Oh So Lucky {10 Math Centers for March} to review and sharpen our math skills.  

Students have been working on time to the half hour, fact families, missing addends . . .

number comparisons, fractions, addition, subtraction, balanced equations, place value, and more.  

These type of activities offer the ongoing review that my students need.  Before I started using math centers on a regular basis, students would forget that they learned certain skills.  But, with math centers, they can have that much needed review all year long.

Speaking of review, we did a little green themed nonstandard measurement write the room during math at the end of the week.  I printed two sets of these cards and placed them around the room.
I then divided the class in half.  One group rotated through one set of cards and one group rotated through the second set of cards.
I set it up this way because there are only ten cards to measure.  I wanted the students to work independently.  With our class size, two groups measuring at the same time worked out perfectly.

Students measured each picture with their clover rulers.  My more advanced students had to use a standard ruler on each picture as well.
If you would like a FREE copy of Lucky Day Measurement, click on one of the pictures.

March is passing by so quickly.  So many things going on, both in and out of the classroom.  I feel like if I blink, it is going to be April.  If that means pretty weather, green grass, and more sunshine, I'm a happy lady.

Oh, one more green goodie you'll want to check out is a awesome spring giveaway over at Primary Powers.  More than 20 fabulous products for your classroom and 10 winners.  Be sure to visit and enter.

Wrapping Up Read Across America (Ideas and FREEBIES to Celebrate Reading)

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Over the past couple of months I have been wishing for a snow day.  I live in an area that gets very little snow.  When it does come, we get out and take full advantage of it.  Plus a surprise day off from school is always welcome.

Snow-wise, this year was shaping up to be a total dud.  Then, about three weeks ago, everything changed.  We had ice and snow and then snow again.  Leaving us with more snow fun than anyone wanted.  Long story short, we haven't been in school for a full week since Valentine's Day.

Planning for these interruptions is a bit of a challenge, especially when special events are on the calendar.  

Our school celebrated Read Across America over the past week.  While everything I (and our school) planned for Read Across America didn't happen.  We still fit in some fun Seuss inspired learning activities to mark the week.

We started by reading The Cat in the Hat and making these writing craftivities to display in the classroom.  Students wrote about what would happen if the Cat in the Hat visited their homes.  I love how they turned out.

We also "played" a round of Seussical Scoot.  I placed word cards around the room; some on the walls, some on my shelves, and some on the desks.  Students read the words and determined if they had a long vowel sound or not.  Then they wrote the words on their recording sheets.
My kids love scoot and write the room activities.  They think they are playing a game.  I'm all for this format for many reasons.  It's a great way to get the wiggles out.

Of course we had a chance to read a some Dr. Seuss books.  We made this quick and simple graph on our white board of our favorite Dr. Seuss books.

Friday was Green Day.  We read Green Eggs and Ham.  We used this book as a jumping off point for a differentiated number order activity.
I put together four sets of green plastic eggs that had numbers inside.  Students worked in small groups to write the next three numbers, either counting by ones or counting by tens.  As a bonus, they colored the eggs on their recording sheets green if the number inside was even.
They kids really had a great time doing this activity.  It's definitely one I'll use again.

We had a green eggs and ham snack.  I saw this treat on pinterest.  I thought it looked simple enough to pull together on a weeknight and would store easily if we had yet another snow day.
To make them, I used pretzels, white chocolate chips, and M & M's.  I placed the pretzels on a cookie sheet with two chips on top of each one.  I melted the chips in the oven and them took them out.  While the chocolate was still hot, I placed an M & M on top.
I used mint M & M's.  The entire bag was green, which was perfect.

I found the perfect shirt to wear for Green Day at Teacher T-Shirts.  I ordered a couple of different ones for this year's Read Across America festivities.  But, because of the snow, this is the only one I got to wear.
The site has several cute shirt options.  They not only have RAA shirts, they also have grade level specific tees, 100th Day tees, St. Patrick's Day teacher tees, and more.

All and all, I feel like the interrupted week didn't dampen our celebration of Read Across America.  RAA is a great way to welcome March.  

If you would like a FREE copy of my green eggs math activity (you do not have to have a class set of plastic green eggs to make it work) or a FREE copy of my vowel discrimination scoot, click on the pictures below.

       

Well, that's it for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by.
Best.

Five for Friday with FREEBIES for Presidents' Day and Mardi Gras

Whew!  Made it through Valentine's Day.  We had a great time at school with different Valentine's themed learning activities and of course our little party.  The kids are always so excited to hand out their cards and to receive cards from their friends.  It is so fun to sit back and watch.
This Five for Friday I'd like share a couple user friendly Valentine activities we did and some freebies that I'll be using next week to celebrate Presidents' Day and Mardi Gras.

Number 1

We made Valentine bags in class to collect our cards.  This year we made mice out of hearts.  They were crazy simple to make and turned out really cute.  My firsties loved seeing the hearts transform into mice.

Number 2

Always a favorite, we graphed candy message hearts.  This year we also used them for patterns.  My kids adore working with candy.  It makes math time feel like playtime.

If you would like a FREE copy of the activities above, click on the picture.  If you would like to read more about some of the other activities we did for Valentine's Day this year, you can click here.

Number 3

As you know, Presidents' Day is this week one of the activities will be doing is a shared research project about George Washington.  We will research information about him and create a class bubble map.  After we create the bubble map will make the craftivity pictured below.
If you would like a copy of of my George Washington {A FREE Writing Craftivity}, click on the picture.

Number 4

Mardi Gras falls on February 17th this year.  Most of my students do not know what Mardi Gras is.  So I like to do a little something in class for my kids to learn about some ;) of the traditions involved with this holiday.

We'll have kings cake and make these Mardi Gras Kids spelling art projects to display in the hall.

We will also do some Mardi Gras themed word problems in math using my Mardi Gras Math {A FREE Math Mini Book}.

If you would like to have either of these activities to use with your students, click on the pictures.

Number 5

I have some news that I'm sure is only exciting to me, but I'll share anyway.  I hit 1,000 followers on Teachers Pay Teachers!  I really try not to pay to much attention to numbers because they can be a bit discouraging (in many areas of life).  But 1,000 feels like a number for a little celebration.  

As a token of my appreciation for this happy milestone, my my entire store will be on sale for the next 3 days.  Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by and thanks once again to Doodle Bugs Teaching for hosting Five for Friday.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Countdown to Valentine's Day

Believe me, I am not complaining when I say this year is flying by.  It seems like we just got back from winter break and now it's almost Valentine's Day.  I am fond of any holiday we get to celebrate at school.  I am looking forward to fitting in a few special Valentine learning activities with my firsties.
I started getting a things ready Friday afternoon before I left for a super busy weekend.  First I pulled out some of my Valentine read alouds and Valentine books for my listening station.  I'm a big fan of Gail Gibbons' Valentine's Day Is . . .  (for nonfiction account of Valentine's Day traditions).  I also love Love Splat by Rob Scotton.

I also got out the activities I made for partner work to see if I need to make more copies of anything.  I made these math and literacy activities last year as part of a free Valentine themed packet Cupid's Helper.
One of the activities students will do is the Valentine's Day Spelling Challenge.  Students will use the letters in the words Valentine's Day to spell and record as many words as they can.

We will also get a little review with initial blends with the Love Letters center.  Students will sort pictures according to if they begin with an L blend or an R blend.  (I made the cards so that they would fit these adorable Target dollar spot mailboxes, but you certainly do not have to have the mailboxes to do the activity.)
After sorting the cards students will complete the accompanying recording sheet.

As for math, we will do some  skip counting with these Cupcake Counting cards.  Students will order the cards skip counting by 2's to 100.  When they are finished, they will complete a recording sheet.

Another math goodie that is part of the Cupid's Helper packet is Monsters Love Math.  With this center, students practice determining the missing sign on basic addition and subtraction problems.  And yes, there is a recording sheet.

All four of these activities are in my Cupid's Helper packet.  You can have a FREE copy of it by clicking on the picture below.

If you are looking for additional Valentine themed centers, be sure to stop by my store to check out my Classroom Cupids math and literacy center packets.  Each packet has 10 centers for the month of February.

The sight word center pictured below is one of my favorites and is from Classroom Cupids {10 Literacy Centers for February} and you can have it for FREE by clicking on the picture.

In addition to all this Valentine themed, skill specific work, students will also make these Valentine Kid Glyphs.  I'm all about using glyphs with my students.  Students get to produce a fun art project for display.  They also get practice with listening, as well as data collection and analysis.

If you would like more information about my Valentine Kid Glyph, you can click on the picture below.

Well, I'm sure I have plenty more to get together before the big day, but at least I have a few things lined up.  Hope your Valentine's week goes well.  Thanks so much for stopping by.
Best.

Groundhog, Groundhog, What Do You See? (A FREE Craftivity & Weather Tracker)

I must confess, I am a fan of Groundhog Day.  It's so fun see the Groundhogs' predictions.  (Plural, because my class always compares Punxasutawney Phil's prediction to Chattanooga Chuck's prediction.)  Groundhog Day is a little reminder that winter will not last forever.  It is also a special day to learn about and celebrate one furry and adorable little animal.

This year we started off our Groundhog learning by making this simple groundhog prediction craftivity.  Students made their own predictions whether or not they thought the groundhog would see his shadow.  Students placed snowflakes in their groundhogs' hands if they thought he would see his shadow (six more weeks of winter).  They placed suns in the groundhogs' hands if they thought he would not see his shadow (an early spring).

Last year my students made this same craftivity.  However, I used it with a little half page writing prompt.  Students wrote what the groundhog's prediction was and then if they thought it would turn out to be correct.  The groundhogs held the writing sheets instead of the suns or snowflakes.  We made the project this way because we didn't get to make our groundhogs before Groundhog Day.  (We were out for snow).  This little tweak allowed us to still make our project even though we did not get to it before Groundhog Day (as originally planned).
As you can see, this craftivity is fairly flexible.  I'd say you could make it work sometime a week before or after Groundhog Day.
If you would like a FREE copy of this pattern to use with your students, click on one of the pictures above.


There are some really great groundhog themed read alouds for your class to enjoy.  I think my favorite is Go to Sleep Groundhog by Judy Cox.  I also really love using Gail Gibbons' Groundhog Day.  Since she is all about the nonfiction, her book is perfect to compare to the other books.  It is also a great illustration of various text features.

Since it was the beginning of a new month, we launched our new math and literacy centers.  Along with all of the hearts and Presidents, we are also doing some center work with groundhogs.  If you would like to get more details about my February math and literacy centers, click here.

We will also be tracking the weather for the next six weeks with in My Groundhog Weather Tracker.  Students will record the groundhog's prediction and the daily weather.  At the conclusion of the sixth week, students will compile their data and analyze it to determine if the groundhog's prediction was true.

You can have a FREE copy of My Groundhog Weather Tracker, by clicking on the picture below.  Don't worry if you get a little bit of a late start with it.  You can always go back and complete the days that have already past.

Groundhog Day offers lots of fun opportunities for learning.  Nothing hooks kids in better than cute furry animals.  I hope you can use some of these groundhog ideas with your young learners.
Best.