Happy New Year 2020...4th-5th Grade Math

This product worked great on our first day back to school in 2019 and is now updated for 2020! I have included 2 versions (addition and multiplication).  

 

My plans include time for the kiddos to reconnect and review classroom routines. We will also need to review what we learned before the two week break! This is how I use this product... 

Every 5-7 minutes we will line up in a different order. They take their packet and a pencil with them. This is how we will line up...

Round 1: Number Order
Round 2: Even Numbers First, then Odd Numbers
Round 3: Birthday Month Order

This gives us multiple opportunities to practice how we line up!

When the music starts, follow the leader (me) around the room. When the music stops, find an empty seat. Kiddos can chat and work on the review until it's time to move again. I selected activities that I know they will enjoy...challenging but they are familiar with the format. Since the pages do not have to be completed in order, they should all be able to work independently or with a little help from their shoulder partner.

Table groups all have bins of shared supplies in case a pencil breaks or they need a crayon. This eliminates the need to leave their group.

The packet will be used throughout the week.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog...and Happy New Year!

Valentine's Day and More

Valentine's Day is on Thursday, so I'm adding hearts galore to what we are doing this week!

We have worked on properties of addition and multiplication, so I incorporated the concepts into a valentine bag. Students will decorate hearts showing examples of the properties and fact families...perfect for math stations. This includes a planning sheet, template to decorate bags, name tag, review sheet, and a homework pass.

Every month I like to have something that students can work on independently for morning work, at a station, or for an unexpected meeting. This includes fractions, decimals, and multiplication so I can easily differentiate. My students enjoy this format, and I always hear great math talk as they complete the activities.

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch is available on Storyline Online. It will be the perfect ending for our valentine exchange...and gives me a few minutes to pull things together for dismissal. We will listen to the story on Thursday...and then use the book to review characterization and cause and effect on Friday.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Check out my store for more February ideas and this freebie!

Word Problems...Happy New Year (Post #4)

After completing quarterly tests in December, it was clear that we need to work on word problems. This mixed set requires addition, subtraction, and multiplication. There are also 7 multi-step problems. I will be using these next week in a center.

This is a new product that has been in the works for far too long! I used this in my classroom earlier this year. The step by step process helped my students understand word problems involving money. I'm posting a sample in my store. My goal is to complete the resource before heading back to school next week.

And I have added another page to the New Year's Review. My kiddos always need more practice with function tables. This resource is still free...but just for a short time. If you download, I would love to have your feedback.

Thanks so much for visiting by blog. Tomorrow I will be working on my plans for Social Studies...focusing on Colonial Life and the American Revolution.

Read Alouds...Happy New Year (Post #3)

Ramona Recommends has the best suggestions for picture books. I can't wait to share these with my class.

I will also be reading one of my favorites from Chris Van Allsburg. Queen of the Falls fits right in with our emphasis on nonfiction in January. This biography tells the story of Annie Taylor Edison... the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

I always begin with a video showing Niagara Falls to build background knowledge. Use safeyoutube to omit the ads.

This 3 minute video is for another day. Van Allsburg discusses Queen of the Falls, his writing process, and gives an office tour.

The next page in the New Year's Flash Freebie has been posted...a quick review of finding factors.

I hope you like this product and would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I will have a new post tomorrow!

Let's Review Classroom Routines...Happy New Year (Post #2)

I'll be honest...the last few days before break had moments of absolute CRAZINESS! My hope for our first day back is to embrace the excitement but reintroduce the calm.

To help transition back to school, we will be reviewing ALL the classroom routines we spent time learning at the beginning of the year.

We will start with some fun...

Minion Video...Classroom Rules

To avoid the ads, I always make a link for videos using safeyoutube.

After watching the video, we will review the class rules poster we made the first week of school. This will give new students a chance to sign the "document".

I am continuing to work on the review sheets...see the previous post. Here is the freebie for today. Feedback is always appreciated.

 

Please check back tomorrow. I will be sharing read alouds...and another freebie!

Happy New Year!

Plans for the First Day Back to School...Happy New Year! (Post #1)

I hope you are having a fantastic break!

I'm preparing for the first day back to school for my 27 fourth graders. The kiddos will be anxious to catch up with their friends, so I want to allow time to reconnect while easing back into our routines. My room is small so a version of musical chairs is an easy way for me to mix up my groups.

I am working on a few of their favorite review activities. Here is a sample of what I will include...

This fraction maze is currently a freebie in my store. I will be adding freebies every day this week, and would love feedback. When the product is complete, it will be a paid resource.

Everyone will have a packet to work on as they travel to different groups. They can do the pages in any order.

Every 5-7 minutes we will line up in a different order. They each take their packet and a pencil with them. This is how we will line up...

Round 1: Number Order
Round 2: Even Numbers First, then Odd Numbers
Round 3: Birthday Month Order

This will give us a chance to practice how we line up!

When the music starts, they follow the leader around the room. When the music stops, they find an empty seat. I will include 3 icebreaker questions at each table so that they can share about their break. After a quick discussion, everyone continues working on their packets until it's time to move again.

Each table group has a bin of shared supplies in case a pencil breaks or they need a crayon.

Check back tomorrow for another freebie and ideas for the first day back to school.

Happy New Year!

First Week of School (Back to School Post #2)

I always like having a couple of activities on hand that give my new fourth graders time to interact...and me a few minutes to prepare for what's next or handle those little hiccups typical of the first few days of school. We always begin with a geography review so I use United States map puzzles from Dollar Tree. Students can work on the puzzles in pairs or on their own. The conversations always flow as they are busy putting together their puzzles. I review geography as part of our first Social Studies unit...always great when you can incorporate the curriculum into beginning of the year fun!

This Name Glyph is a great way for students to get to know each other. They color their names according to the directions, and the finished product brightens up my cabinets. I always point out how different our name glyphs are...and that's what will make us a good team. Directions for this Name Glyph Back to School Activity can be projected to help students with the steps. I use this as a way to go over routines and following directions.

We play games throughout the week so we can work on routines for math stations. One game that I go back to again and again is "war". We can use the same cards to compare, order, and round. I have a set of money cards that my fourth graders will have an easy time comparing. We can also practice using task card recording sheets by using the cards for addition and subtraction. Since my focus is on routines, I want something that the whole class can do together. In a few weeks, I will pull the cards out to introduce rounding. There is an answer sheet included for rounding to the nearest dollar.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog.