Time Flies When You're Having A Good Time!
What Time Is It? Is a fun way to review time to the hour.
Make copies of the analog and digital clock mat.
Glue them to construction paper and laminate.
Students can either draw hands on the analog clock, or you can poke a hole in the center dot with a protractor, insert a brass brad and wrap a large and small paperclip around it, to use as hands so that students can manipulate the time.
I snipped off the extra loop of the large paperclip, so that it wasn’t so long.
You can buy dry erase markers with little sponges on the end so that students can erase their answers, or simply cut up washcloths into little squares.
Make copies of the spinner, cut out the circles, glue them to a square of construction paper, laminate, poke a hole in the center and attach a brad and paperclip.
Students spin the spinner. I purposely used a spinner to look like a clock so that they would get used to looking at the analog dial. Whatever number they are closest to, is the time that they will fill in on their recording sheet and work with on their clock mat. For example, their spinner lands on 3.
Students will manipulate the paperclips to show 3:00 on the analog clock on the mat, write 3:00 on the digital clock on the mat and write the word three before O’clock on the line, tracing O’clock to complete the laminated mat.
They will then record that information on their mini clock-recording sheet.
The student who completes all of the times on that sheet first, is the winner of the game.
I’ve made certificates for the winners of “Beat the clock” as well as certificates for those who participated.
You can also use the laminated clock mats to individually or whole group assess your students’ ability to tell time.
I’ve included a certificate of praise when they have accomplished that standard.
Click on the link to view/download the What Time Is It? Packet
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Do you have a telling time tip you could share with us? I'd enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com or post a comment here! Thanks in advance for your time.
"While we are busy trying to teach our chldren all about life, our children are easily teaching us what life is all about." -Unknown
Let's Keep Things Rolling! More Math Games With A Dice Theme
I made Dice Game Stuff to go with the addition, subtraction, greater & less than dice games featured in the last 2 articles.
Click on the link to view/download the packet.
Whenever I taught a concept to my Y5’s I liked to stick with a theme.
It kept things simple, organized and less complicated for them.
I also had everything I needed handy and things just seem to flow from one transition into the next.
I could also overlap the various subjects too.
Here are some things you can do with these items:
The Make your own dice is a nice home-school connection where students can practice their cutting skills, something for a sub folder, or that extra activity students can do when they’ve finished everything else.
Run it off on cardstock. Give students a jingle bell to glue inside for added fun.
The large red dice make perfect flashcards when young students are learning to identify groups with a number.
Print them off, laminate, cut them out and keep them with your calendar or story time “stuff”.
You can also punch a hole in one corner and put them on a split ring.
Run off the smaller copies for students to make a split ring flipbook as well. You flash your large number and they flip through their little ones to see who can find it the fastest.
Run off the Smaller Red-Dot Dice, laminate and cut out and make Memory Match Concentration games. Students can match them dice to dice or dice to number.
Laminate the number and symbol cards as well. These too, can be used as Memory Match games or have students make equations with them.
Students can roll real dice, make an equation with the laminated paper dice, and then write down the equation on a sheet of scratch paper.
Set the timer to ring after 5 minutes. Students can play individually or with a partner.
The person with the most equations completed when the timer rings, is the winner.
The traceable number flashcards offer a nice way to review skip counting by 2’s, 3’s and 5’s.
I’m always looking for easy and interesting ways to plug that concept in, for a quick review my kiddo’s would think was fun, so they’d want to continue practicing.
I made covers for the traceable flashcards so they can be turned into Itty Bitty booklets.
Run off extra sets on different colors to make Memory Match Concentration games. You can also play I Have; Who Has? with them as well.
I hope you enjoy getting things rolling with your little ones and they have fun with these activities.
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Thanks for visiting!
"Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint you can on it." -Danny Kaye
Is it greater than, less than, or equal to? Whatever it is, it's in the bag!
Yesterday I posted the fun addition and subtraction dice games.
While I was making those example Baggies, I thought how perfect this idea would be for the greater than, less than concept, as the Baggies are clear, and when flipped over would reveal the opposite symbol!
All I had to do was include a small square that said = on it, for students to cover the < > signs, when they rolled doubles, and I was in business!
Students can either work independently or choose a partner and play against them, seeing who can solve the most equations before the timer rings.
Here’s how to play the game:
Children roll 2 dice and find that equation on their paper.
They rewrite it, and then show it in their manipulative Baggie, flipping the bag to whatever side they need to show greater than or less than, or covering the symbol with an equals sign if they roll doubles.
If they roll the same 2 dice that they already have an equation for, they lose their turn.
Baggie Manipulatives:
Put 10 buttons, or whatever manipulatives you have, in large Ziploc Baggies. Draw a greater than sign in the middle. Trace a black line above and below it.
Give it a few seconds to dry and then flip it over and retrace to make the less than symbol. Using index cards or old file folders, cut squares and label them with equal signs. Tuck one in each baggie. I’ve also made greater than and less than label templates if you want to stick those on the top of your Baggies to help your students associate the words with the symbols.
Simply put a 30-on-a-page Avery label sheet into your printer and print. Students move the manipulatives to the right and left to show the equation they rolled. For example: 5 < 6, 3 = 3, 4 > 1
Click on the link to view/download Greater Than Less Than Dice Game
My Baggie idea was inspired by Mrs. T’s addition Baggies on her First Grade Blog. Click on the link to see how this creative teacher uses her Baggies.
If you like this greater than less than game, you will also enjoy Alligobbler. It's a quick and easy "craftivity" where you make an aligator out of a long envelope.
His toothy grin is the symbol. Students have fun "feeding" him numbers.
Click on the link to view/download Alligobbler.
Feel free to PIN anything on my site you find worthwhile.
Do you have a greater than / less than concept that helps your students understand things? I'd enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com You can also post a comment here as well.
Do drop in tomorrow for another teaching tip, until then, remember:
"Students don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care!"
Whenever you can think of a way to teach a concept via a game your students will enthusiastically want to learn.
Dice are the perfect way to introduce simple addition for numbers 1-6 and then move students to subtraction.
To make the game even more fun, I’ve included clip art to guide them. Because I want students to practice writing their numbers, I have them not only solve the dice equation, but rewrite it in all numbers.
I also feel that student need to “see” counters to visualize the true concept of addition and subtraction.
I have a variety of ways for my students to do this, but stumbled across bead bracelets and manipulative Baggies via 2 creative teachers on Pinterest.
I decided to incorporate the “seeing-is-believing” and the “doing-is-understanding!” principal to this dice game by making it even more hands on. After students write the equation they SHOW it, using either the bracelet or Baggie.
Ta Da! Hopefully the light bulbs will be going on while the kiddo’s are having a fun time.
Students can either work independently or choose a partner and play against them, seeing who can solve the most equations before the timer rings.
Here’s how to play the game:
Children roll 2 dice and find that equation on their paper.
They rewrite it, solve the problem and work it out on either their bead bracelet or manipulative bag.
If they roll the same 2 dice that they already have an equation for, they lose their turn.
After students have played the addition version of the game, have them switch to subtraction.
Click on the link to view/download Addition and Subtraction Dice Game
Bead bracelets:
To make a class set of bead bracelets for this game put 6 pony beads on 25 pipe cleaners. (Or however many students you usually have in class.) Twist the ends so they look like a bracelet. Students move the beads to show the various rolls of the dice. i.e. 3http://tunstalltimes.blogspot.com/2011/08/number-bracelets.htmlQ + 2 = 6
I got the bead bracelet idea from: Mrs. Tunstall’s Teaching Tidbits click on the link to check out her cute site and how else she uses her bracelets.
Baggie Manipulatives:
Put 6 buttons, or whatever manipulatives you have, in small Ziploc Baggies. I used poker chips becaus you can buy them at The Dollar Store. Draw a blue or red + sign in the middle of the bag with a black line above and below it so that the line runs down the center.
Make another set of Baggies for subtraction and put a minus sign in the middle. If you only want to make one set of Baggies, simply put a line down the middle.
I really believe that it is worth the few extra dollars to make separate addition and subtraction bags, because I think that the more students see thosee math symbols, the more the concept gets ingrained in their brains.
Students move the manipulatives to the right and left of the line to show what equation they rolled. i.e. 3 + 3 = 6
I got the Baggie idea from Mrs. T’s First Grade Blog click on the link to see her sweet site and how else she uses her Baggies.
Hopefully your students will enjoy this game and things really will start to add up in your class!
Thanks for visiting today. I hope you can drop in tomorrow for another teaching tip!
Feel free to PIN if so inspired.
Proud Pupil Peacock Progress Pals
Now there's a tongue twister to rival Peter Piper!
These adorable birds are a wonderful way to build a student’s self-esteem, show progress and let others know what students are learning in your class.
They are easy and simple to implement and can last the entire year, making a nice keepsake of all that a child has accomplished in preschool Y5’s, kindergarten etc.
At the beginning of the year, you can keep the peacocks in a student file folder or their portfolio.
As students learn new report card standards and pass assessments, earning feathers, the peacocks acquire lots of plumage.
Design a makeshift bulletin board in the hallway to display your students’ progress for the rest of the year and watch their self-confidence grow as they get to “strut their stuff!”
Your caption can include that concept:” _______________’s students are strutting their stuff. (S)he is so proud of their accomplishments”! Or “Look what ___________________’s students have accomplished this year! We’re proud peacock pupils who have earned the right to strut our stuff!”
Here’s how to make a Proud Peacock Progress Pal:
Run off the templates on brightly colored construction paper.
You can have students cut out feathers as they complete an assessment, or have them pre-cut by a room helper. To expedite things I have them pre-cut as well as the circles.
Students could also color these in, but I like the extra pizzazz the construction paper makes.
Students cut out their peacock and write their name on the tummy.
If you want to add some 3D pizzazz, students can add wiggle eyes, 4 rhinestones at the top of the bird’s head, a 3D beak and yellow construction paper feet.
When a student passes an assessment, the child adds feathering detail with a complimentary colored marker and the teacher writes down what report card standard they have mastered.
Feathers should be glued to the backs of the birds in an alternate ABAB pattern. The next row should be another set of 2 different colors.
Click on the link to view/download Proud Peacock Progress Pal
I hope you and yours enjoy showing off some appropriate pride this year, as they learn how to spread their wings and fly.
Do you have any tips of how you build your students’ self-esteem or show what they are accomplishing in your class?
I’d enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com You could also post a comment here. If we all add something to each other’s bag of tricks think of how much lighter the load.
Thanks for visiting today. Feel free to PIN anything on my site you think is worthwhile!
"Children learn more from what you are than what you teach." -W.E.B. DuBois
