Kindergarten Daily Math - January!

I just finished up and posted "Kindergarten Daily Math - January" to TPT.  I've been using Daily Math with my little people all year to strengthen and reinforce their knowledge on the Common Core Standards for kindergarten.  Each month builds on the previous math activities and introduces new standards, which we covered in our whole group mini lesson time the month before.  Here are a few pages to show you what's included and how I use each one.

The above page is one of the pages included that reviews and introduces new standards.  Last month in December, we started working on the standards of describing attributes of objects and also counting by tens and ones.  New this month is subtraction and decomposing numbers, which we've been working on whole group in class throughout December.

 The above page and the one below are on the back activities we work on every day.  One day might be writing their numbers to 20 and the next day to write the next numbers in a sequence.  I've tried to keep the numbers below the number of days we've been in school, so the little ones that need to use our number line are able to use it as a resource.

 There are 6 story problems included with the January packet.  I left out the numbers, so you could differentiate for your little ones using smaller numbers for those still needing support and larger numbers for those who are a little advanced.

And last, there are also 2 pictures included to do a short Math Talk with your little ones.  During Math Talk we discuss what they notice in the pictures.  My little guys are getting pretty good about using terms such as:  above, below, beside, etc. to describe where something is in comparison to something else.  We also count objects they notice in the pictures.  Sometimes it works out that we're able to count by 2's, 5's and even 10's.  I also like to pose questions or problems for the children to solve which go along with the pictures.  

What are some ways you help your little ones review and learn the standards?

Reindeer Magic!!

Dashing through the snow, on a horse open sleigh...

Well, Christmas is almost here!  Wow, it is amazing how time flies when you're having fun.  My little people and I have talked about what it means to "give" someone something special for Christmas and how good it makes one feel.  Not just on Christmas, but throughout the year, every day they can make someone's life just a little brighter.  It might be simply giving a helping hand or offering a smile.  

Each year I look for something cute for the little ones to give to their families for Christmas.  I want it to be something they will save and treasure in the years to come.  I still remember all of the little the things my own children gave to my husband and me.  So, while searching "Pinterest" I came across these adorable little reindeer.  This little cuties is one of our choices for our Christmas presents this year.  I plan on framing the picture in a dollar frame from the Dollar Tree.  I added a little sparkling glitter and snowflakes to make it look like "Rudie" had just been snowed on.  This little guy originated from "A Faithful Attempt".

Thought you might enjoying seeing how he turned out!! 

Destination Common Core

Wow!  I just returned home from spending 2 fantastic days getting geared up for Common Core with Kim Adsit!  If you have never attended a workshop by Kim of Kindergals you should definitely try to find one near you.  Well worth the time spent!!  She is extremely down to earth and fun to listen to.   I had been following her blog for about a year when I met her for the first time last year.  

My first experience hearing Kim was last March at the Illinois Kindergarten Conference.  Those sessions were short and sweet, but I loved the 2 days!  So much more information was shared and lots of examples were giving to use right away in our classrooms.   In the two days she covered writing, literacy and math ideas.  Whew!  Parts of me feel like I've been through a whirlwind, but in a good way.  Many of the things she shared with us you can find explanations of on her blog.  Some of the things I want to go back and check out are how she organizes her literacy centers and her morning routine.  If you're like me having time to fit everything in seems to be an issue.  

As teachers, we are constantly growing and changing.  Change is good!!  Common Core is good!!  We just have to figure it all out and help our little get there with us!  

Don't we look cute?!  By the way, Kim is the one on the left.  Me on the right!

Happy Holidays!!  

I wanted to share these cute little photo props with ya' all.  I was looking for different things to do with the little cowpokes this weekend and came across these little cuties!!  So, I just had to download the props and get some polka dotted wrapping paper to use as our background.  Then, I broke out the Silhouette and cute out my "Happy Holidays" signs.  And, look how adorable they turned out!!

Click on the "Christmas Props" picture to go directly to "Catching Fireflies" where I found this little goodie!!  Enjoy!

Central Illinois Tornado Relief Effort!!

Thought I'd share some pictures of some of our high school students working in Washington, Illinois last Tuesday. My husband's Building Trades Class and Mr. Snowman's Machine Tools Class took a "fieldtrip" to help with clean up. 

They began their day by being processed through the Tazewell County Volunteer Reception Center which was being manned by AmeriCorps. From there they were able to go to an area and see the damage that had been done by the tornado. They spent the rest or the day working in two different distribution centers. Because most of the students were under the age of 18, they were not able to be out in the fields cleaning up debris (which is where they really wanted to be). 

One of the things I found neat was Washington and Canton are rivals during our sporting seasons. During part of the afternoon these boys worked alongside students from Washington High School as teammates, rather than rivals!! It always amazes me how God takes a bad situation and makes it a great experience for all!!

If you're interested in donating to the "Central Illinois Tornado Relief Fund" just click on one of the pictures.  They will take you to a special TPT store where 100% of the funds raised are being donated to the Red Cross earmarked for the tornado victims of Illinois!!

Cyber Monday Sale on TPT!!

Hope you'll hop over to TPT to check out all of the wonderful sales going on Monday and Tuesday!!  Click on the button below to go directly to my TPT store.

While you're shopping please check out the "Central Illinois Tornado Victims Fundraiser".  There are lots of wonderful products being donated by some of your favorite TPT authors and illustrators!!

Happy Shopping!!

Kyp

Central Illinois Tornado Relief Fundraiser

On Sunday, November 17th terrible tornadoes swept through Central Illinois leaving many homeless and with nothing left except the clothes on their backs.  As an Illinois teacher, I felt the overwhelming need to do something for these people to help them rebuild their lives and to carry on during the upcoming holidays.  Two other Illinois teachers also felt compelled to do something.  So, the three of us (Amanda Pauly from Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten,  Cindy (Kinder Kay) from Love Those Kinders and I from Mrs. McLaren's Little Super Heroes) joined together to create a fundraiser to earn funds for the victims. We were overwhelmed and thrilled with generosity from many amazing bloggers.

Over at our special TPT store you will be able to donate to this cause by purchasing one of our bundles.  These bundles will be available from December 1st - December 31st.  All the proceeds will go to the Red Cross specifically designated to the victims of the tornadoes.

With the holiday season upon us, I urge you to give to this fundraiser and while you are at it you will receive many fabulous products.

Click on the image below to head to the store.  

I would also like to share a video by Green Shoe Studios entitled "Our Anthem (American Made)" with you. This is an awesome video about the strength of a small community pulling together after a tornado devastated their town on Nov. 17th.  Again, I hope you will stop by and check out the bundles some wonderful friends donated to support this cause!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HktAsroAq8&feature=share

Central Illinois Tornado Victim Fundraiser

 

As I was sweeping up glass from a table which was shattered last Sunday in the storm I just kept thinking this is such small potatoes in comparison to what my neighboring communities are cleaning up.  It also confirmed how important it is to reach out and help these communities.  Usually tornadoes are spring and summer events, not fall.  So many lost their homes and everything they own and with winter fast approaching offering very little time to recover.  

 

I felt an overwhelming need to help in some way and decided to contact TPT to see if there was any way they would help sponsor or support a fundraiser for these victims.  They have been wonderful helping me get everything set up and along the way I met two wonderful ladies who had the same thought as I did.  We have teamed up together and beginning December 1st will be offering to you a fantastic opportunity to help as well.  There will be several different bundles of products offered to you for a cost, but in return you will receive some wonderful products donated by many teachers and clipart artists on TPT.  Later this week I will post on my Facebook page, as well as here the store address.  I hope you will come check out our TPT store where these fabulous bundles will be offered for the month of December. 

 

A special thanks Amanda Pauley, Cindy Feeney who have worked with me on gathering donations and getting the fundraiser organized.  And, I can't thank all of you who have donated enough!!  Your generosity has touched me deeply and I know the victims of the tornadoes of Central Illinois will be thankful for any help we can offer. 

 

More news to come soon!!

 

This adorable little graphic was designed just for us by Nikki of Melonheadz!!

 

 

The little cowpokes and I just started our newest comprehension strategy. I usually begin inferring with the "No, David" picture books and then move on to riddles. My riddles are loaded with information about the creature or person, so the little people are able to find all kinds of clues. They use the clues to support their inference. For the next week this little item (it's really huge) it is my "entire" riddle collection will be discounted at $12. There are over 105 total riddles. This collection includes: Creepy Crawlies, Arctic Animals, Jungle/Rainforest, Famous Americans, Down on the Farm, Storybook Characters, Christmas Holiday Riddles. You can purchase each smaller collection separately for $4 each or get the all of my riddles here at a great price. Hope you'll check it out at my TPT store.  Have a great week!!

Math Talk!!

Each day we spend time doing an activity called Math Talk.  We talk about what the little ones notice in the picture first.  Sometimes we are even able to change our thinking (synthesize) as we gain more information from our peers.  Many times we are able to infer by looking at the picture clues tying in our comprehension strategies with Math.  

One of our Common Core Standards for kindergarten is to be able to describe objects in the environment using names of shapes and describing their relative positions using terms such as above, below, beside, etc.  I started using our Math Talk pictures to introduce and reinforce math skills last year.  This year after our initial District Common Core Math Assessment, I decided I needed to do something to help the little ones with describing objects in their environment, so I incorporated this standard into our Math Talk discussions.   

We also use our pictures to count by ones, two's, and sometimes we are even lucky enough to find pictures where we could count by 5's or 10's.  I provide them with problems to solve during Math Talk.  Some are easy and where others are more difficult to reach all levels of students.  

Also, each week I post a picture on my classroom facebook page for my little one's families to practice together at home.  I thought maybe you would like to see what one of our pictures look like.  I decided to include 2.  The first one is one I created using clipart and the second one is a picture I found on the internet.  My little cowpokes have been doing this since the first week of school and we do a picture a day, so I don't have to lead much of the discussion.  They are amazingly good at describe where things are now, looking for clues in the pictures and deciding what we count.  Let me know what you think or if there are other things we could do with our Math Talk pictures.  Happy talking! 

"Writing the Room"

My little cowpokes this year love writing the room.  They are so sweet going right outside our doorway to write "my" name or one of their little friends names off our spooky jack-o-lanterns.  I found these super cute little "bat" and "skeleton" glasses at Dollar Tree a couple of weeks ago.  Check out these fabulous little writers!!

"Frankie"  

 Found this super cute little Frankenstein on Pinterest to go along with our "Frank" Literacy and Math Unit. It was originally posted here.  So glad I found this post.  Don't you think they turned out adorable!?? My little cowpokes painted the tissue paper on wax paper last week during Centers and then we finished them up today! Tell me what you think!!

"My Friend Frankie Math and Literacy Unit"

(Common Core Aligned)

I just uploaded a cute little unit to my TPT store all about "Frankie" (Frankenstein).  If you've purchased my little emergent reader about "Frankie" it is included in the larger unit.  Here are just a few highlights!!

 Using descriptive words while reviewing 2D shapes!

 Working on labeling!

 Little emergent reader to work on fluency!

 Letter cards to use for 3 different activities!

 Addition and problem solving!

 2 pictures to reinforce positional words and numbers for math!

Normally this little packet will be $7.00.  On sale for the next 2 days for $5.00!!

100,000 Facebook Likes Sale!!

Teachers Pay Teachers is having a sell celebrating 100,000 likes on Facebook this weekend! So, I'm also having a sell on my little store for an additional 20%. That's 28% off when you enter the FB100K code everyone!! Happy shopping! 

 

Check out this huge giveaway over at "2 Brainy Apples"! She's just a few followers away from 1000 on her TPT and also celebrating her 1 year anniversary on TPT.

Several fantastic bloggers and TpT sellers who have donated 4 bundles of products for grades K-8 to win. You can earn several entries a day, so be sure to stop by every day for multiple chances to win! She has the Rafflecopter set to run from today until Sunday, Oct. 20, midnight EST. A winner will be chosen the following Monday. Hope you'll all hop over to her blog to enter!!

October Kindergarten Daily Math!!

Well for the past year I've been doing a daily math page with my little kinders. I finally decided maybe I should put the pages together for others who might be interested in using as well. So, last night I finally cleaned up my October Kindergarten Daily Math and posted it on TPT. Check out the thumbnails and let me know if there is anything new you'd like to see in November. I'm getting started on it a little early, so it will be up before November first, lol. You can find the link for the October bundle here!! Oh, I will also  be giving away 2 copies tomorrow night.  Just leave a comment here or on my facebook page.  And, remember to include your email address for me, so if you're one of the lucky winners I can email the file to you!!  Have a great night!!!  

Lewy Body Dementia Fundraiser!!

Check out this amazing fund raiser over at Ashley's blog. She is trying to raise funds for Lewy Body Dementia. She is half way to her goal and the fund raiser ends on Oct. 14th. 

Some very sweet people have graciously donated a fabulous product for the Team Lewy Body bundle.  The bundle is valued at over $163 and for a $25 (minimum) donation, it can be yours! Here's a peek at all of the fabulous goodies offered in Ashley's fundraiser bundle:

 

Happy Sunday!  Well, almost Monday.  I've been running a giveaway celebrating having home internet this weekend over on my facebook page.  I am so out of touch that I forgot to let you all know about it on here (my blog).  My last giveaway prize of the weekend is my new "Monthly Newsletter Template Set 2".  I will run the giveaway until tomorrow evening, so if any of you want to tag along please feel free.  You can either leave a comment "here" or on my facebook page with your email address and I will announce the winners tomorrow night!  Here's just a sneak peek! Or if you want you can see it on my TPT store page.  Have a great week everyone!!