I am always on the hunt for new math apps to use for class, and I’m particularly happy when I find some that are simple and effective.
I attended a professional development session about math apps, and I’ve collected the most popular ones for primary classrooms. These were recommended for K-2 classrooms, and they are between $0-$5.
Click on the name of each app to see more information.
Name: Math Tappers
Skill: Addition with fixed sum (ie. friends of 10) Choose the sum on the [Read More…]
Here’s another fun and easy art project for those long winter days!
It’s all done with ripped paper, which gives the finished piece a unique look.
You will need:
1 sheet per student of colored blue and white paper (of the same size)
assorted colors of scrap paper
white hole punched paper
glue
cotton balls
First make the snow bank. Rip the white paper sheets roughly in half slowly, making a wavy line. Both sides of the white paper can then be used to create a snowbank. Just [Read More…]
Increasingly, integrated learning is becoming fundamental to teaching. Many schools are moving away from the traditional “single subject blocks” model to a multi-subject, project-based model.
Here’s a quick video from Edutopia to explain the benefits of this approach.
Click for Introduction Video
Project-based learning is perfect for this kind of approach. Why? Within each project there are multiple problems to solve. Each problem is drawing from knowledge of various subject areas.
Our school adopted Genius Hour as another way to facilitate project-based integrated learning. [Read More…]
Assessment can be difficult for both teachers and students, depending on how it’s done.
Here’s a super simple little trick for assessment that I call Hop Across the Pond. It can be used for a lot of different things, but I use it mostly for assessment of students’ sight word knowledge.
I used to ask my students to read through a list of sight words and tick off the ones they knew; I’d use this for reporting and to know which words to [Read More…]
When I taught Kindergarten, we always took time to do our daily math board as part of our Calendar routine. This was a way to practice so many essential math skills every day. We covered how a calendar worked, place value, basic addition and a lot of work with a 100’s board.
When I moved to teach grade 2, I created a Daily Math Board for our class to use for older students.
The idea of a daily routine is the same, [Read More…]
The first days back at school after the winter holidays can be hard to plan for. Everyone is thinking about goals for the new year, and this is a great topic for writing and reflection with students. Don’t be afraid to model that kind of goal setting with them!
First, we reflect back on the year that past.
We write the highlights, and think about things we’ve learned or experienced for the first time.
Next, we think ahead to the future with goals [Read More…]
Welcome to “The Chalkies” Turkey Trot!
We hope you enjoy a jog through our blogs gobbling up freebies, ideas, and recipes for some holiday joy!
We have a new blog name! We switched out the word “Primary” for “Elementary” so that we can meet the needs of any teacher K-6. Our blog has been thoughtfully designed to help you find what YOU need for YOUR classroom level! See what I mean in the screen shot below of our blog:
You can see the [Read More…]
Here are two of the science skills we are working on – they are hands on and super fun!
Oobleck
Just mix a little bit of corn starch and water and you have such a great teaching tool! Both a solid and a liquid, depending on how to hold it. It you squeeze it tightly, it’s solid and chalky. If you let it rest in your hand and warm up, it oozes out as a liquid.
Circle Fliers
These are [Read More…]
You know how some students (especially in the first weeks of school) just sigh when you give them writing or math jobs because what they really want to do is play with blocks or Lego all day?
Here’s how I got those students excited to do some writing and math (while still letting them build and use their imaginations.)
Just add a writing or counting task after they build! Create a recording page similar to those pictured below (or you can see [Read More…]
