New Work Station, Winner, and Class Updates!

Congratulations Liz! You are the Winner of "Dot Cards for Math Workstation" Packet! I will be emailing you shortly with the goods! Sorry I did not get to announce the winner earlier, I was busy cheering on my Tigers for a victory against Oregon! 

I also have a new Math Workstation to introduce you to! This week we are learning how to make numbers from five to ten. Therefore, looking to Debbie for inspriation I found a workstation that would help my littles understand this concept! 

 This workstation deals with the beginning process of introducing addition to your students. Students will  use the Dot Cards to create the numbers five through ten. Therefore, if a student is making the number five they would put one color of one Tens train on one side, and another color on the other side of the same card. They would then use the Math Talk Bubble to state, "Four and One is the same amount as Five". See the pictures below to check out my kids working on this workstation today. (We started with just making five today)

Included in the Packet:
-45 Dot Cards that make the numbers five through ten
-3 Math Talk Bubbles
-Recording Sheet
-Instructions and Pictures of how to implement this workstation!

If you would like to check out this Math Work Station click here!

In other news, like I mentioned before this weekend I went to the LSU vs. Oregon game. So I was *forced* to leave my littles with a substitute. Luckily, she was their teacher from last year who is retired, so I trusted her fully! The day before I left I did the "Miss Nelson is Missing" activity I saw on another blog! (which I cannot remember whose blog, so please let me know if it is you) Not only did the story scare my students into good behavior out of fear of Miss Swamp coming to school, but their Miss Swamp pictures came out adorable! Afterwards, I had the students write "I can show Rock Star behavior by..." I chose Rock Star in our writing since I call my outstanding students Rock Stars and we have the Rock Star Rules! 

Here is some pictures of my trip to Dallas! Have I told you yet that I love football season! 

More exciting news.... my planner came in. Dear Lord I was beyond thrilled to see it at the door! And she is perfect. Just look at her with her hot pink stripe. Makes me so happy. I did somehow convince Ms. Thomas she needed one as well... but she swiped that credit card all on her own! 

Lastly, here is one of the anchor charts I created about being a good writer. When Ms. Thomas and I went to the Debbie Diller Workshop this summer one suggestion she told us was to tell our young writers is to write about what you KNOW about and what you CARE about. Great advice.  

Hope you are having a great short week!

Classroom Happenings/ Math Workstations...

I just wanted to do a few updates of our classroom happenings! This week I have focused on introducing Math Work Stations to my kiddos. We have not only discussed the rules and procedures of Math Work Stations but I have slowly been introducing our first set of workstations. I will have nine work station tubs and the 10th work station will be an activity on the computer. 

The Math Workstations will change out as our focus in math changes as well as if my observations of the students show mastery in certain areas. If the students are breezing through certain workstations then this usually means that it is time to introduce another workstation! However, some workstations are great to keep all year around and just modify the materials such as using more difficult numbers, etc. 

Our focus in Math is currently Number Concepts: comparing numbers, more than, less than, least, greatest, ordering numbers, and so on. I have introduce a few of Cara Carroll's Math Workstations which the kids loved! I also introduce one of the workstation I created with dot cards. This is definitely a more simple work station but it was a hit with my kids! They loved the idea of using the pocket chart during this time! 

To see the post about the Dot Cards click here! 

To go to my TPT store click the picture below: 

In order to have the students rotate through workstations I use the back side of Debbie Diller's Literacy Work Station chart. I love this system! I will simply turn around the pocket chart and math will be on the other side. On this side there will be numbers 1 - 9, and a computer workstation card which I will rotate down each day. Simple right? Which is exactly what a teacher needs! 

Here is my example from last year... I only had to use one side last year however, now that my class size has grown I will have to use the other side. Luckily, Deb being the smart woman that she is made it two sided! 

Here are the number cards and the Meet with Me cards I created for the rotations. 

 My Math Work Stations were stored in these Math Tubs last year. The size is perfect for large papers, and materials and I like the lids! I am trying to find the perfect home in my room for these now! 

We are also in the process of introducing our Literacy Work Stations, more to come on that next week as we finish up! Also, below is a picture of the Good Listener poster I created with the kids to remember to be a good listener (Thanks Mrs. Jump for the inspiration)! Lord knows we could use some help in this area , but they have come such a long way already! 

Happy Wednesday!

Winner!

You correctly guessed how many students I have! 20! Hope you enjoy the Five Frame and Ten Frame Fun!

I am also doing another giveaway for the Dot Card Activities! That contest will be ending tomorrow, so hurry and enter before you miss your chance! Click the link below to go to the post!

Giveaway and New Math Workstation!

I have been busy planning and creating for Math Work Stations so far this year! We are beginning our year with Number Concepts. Therefore, we are learning words such as more than, less than, before, after, greater, least, etc. We are also learning how to put numbers in order as well as how to make numbers! So keep checking back for more Math Work Station activities to come!

Today I created an activity to be used with Dot Cards. Your students can either simply count the numbers, flash the cards to each other to quickly identify the correct numeral, make numbers using the Dot Cards, or match the Dot Cards to the Numeral Cards!

Click any of the pictures below to go to my TeachersPayTeacher store!

I will also be giving away this activity to a lucky follower! Here is how to enter:

- You must be a follower of First Grade Fresh, then leave  comment for an entry!

- Share this with your blogger friends by posting about the giveaway! Then leave a comment with the link to the post (twice) for two more entries! 

Good Luck! 

Also, check out my post about Five Frame Fun and Ten Frame Fun for another Math Activity/ Work Station as well as another giveaway! 

Hope you can use these activities in your Math lessons/ Work Stations!

Five and Ten Frame Fun for Workstations

I created a workstation based on an activity from Debbie Diller's Math Work Stations book. This activity is to be used with either Five Frames or Tens Frames. Students will learn number concepts as well as  beginning addition concepts! 

Click the picture above to go to the link on TeachersPayTeachers!

The first person to correctly guess how many students I have in my class this year will win the packet! Please be sure to leave your email address! 

I will be posting a Dot Card activity for Math Workstations later tonight as well!