Money Jars

Counting money could be fun...or painful.  I rather say it is fun because it reviews so many math concepts our students have been practicing since kindergarten (counting by ones using a hundreds chart = counting pennies, or counting/skipping by tens= counting dimes). Once they realize it is not such a brand new concept, they begin to believe it is easy.

When we talk about quarters and combining all the coins...well, I always tell my kids that is the brand new thing they must learn as second graders and that step by step, they will certainly be able to do it.

Counting money is not always easy, and this time, we used 'jars' to learn how to count money.

Check it out HERE :)

We began by exploring coins and looking for ways to describe them.  

After finding out that a few kids did not know their coins, we used these jar to find them. 

I made a quick reference half sheet for them to use when needed. 

Then the counting began...

We used our jars to count one type of coin at a time (only pennies, only nickels, only dimes, only quarters), then two coins (pennies and nickels, pennies and dimes, pennies and quarters...), and lastly three coins (pennies, nickels and dimes...). You get the idea.  I was taking  notes of where they got lots, and then met with them in small groups. 

The kids were told to put their coins on the top of the jar and move each coin while they counted nice and slow (one-to-one correspondence). Touch, count, move...

Once we got to having the four different coins together, they were told to put each coin with their 'relatives'. I told them I like to be with my family so if I was a penny I would like to be with all my penny family members. Then we put them in order from highest value to lowest value. I remembered to emphasize it is not about the coins size, but their values.

I showed them two strategies. On day one, we worked on using the counting up strategy or what you may call number patters.  On day two we worked on counting each family of coins, then using an addition algorithm to get the total.  We practiced both, but they are able to use the one that makes the most sense when it comes down to take any assessments.

We got busy using our money jars. I mainly worked with my kiddos who struggle at this point.  72 jars later and they can count much better than they did before.  

Would you like to check it out?

Find it HERE.

I will send this to two friends who help me pin this (leave your link and e-mail).  Any other secrets you use to help your students count money?

Measuring Tails

I spent all day doing things with/for my kids. Pool, bicycles, running, scooters, Subway, BBQ ribs, and ice cream sandwiches. They are tired and I am glad I decided to turn the computer off. The weather was beyond beautiful.

I wanted to share something super quick I did with my other kids last week. They loved it!

I found this mouse clip art in one of my measuring files. They got two mice and a half sheet of construction paper. The directions were to create two tails and measure them. One side in centimeters, the other side in inches. It was a hit!

 

What do you think? Should we call the exterminator? :) 

Tweet Arrays

I am back...breaking the double post rule a day . I could not wait to show you what my kids did this week!  It is very Tweet :)

We started with using many of the manipulatives we have in our classroom. Labeling row s and columns. Defining arrays (pre-assessment).

Created array books, used array task cards and took a few post-assessments....and so much more!

According to my kids an array is... (I copied these from their assessment sheets).

- Soldiers lined up in rows

- Organized ways of putting something away

- Something that is put together in rows and columns and it can help you count good

- Some rows and columns that are put together and help you count stuff

- A quick and organized of arranging something

- It has rows and columns and looks like an army of soldiers

I see a theme here....rows, columns and soldiers :)  Not sure what I said about soldiers, but it made a great impression.

Something so tweet!  Find here.

You can find all of these in there :)

What do you think? 

My tweet son will help me pick a winner. Leave me some love. I will pick 2 winners tomorrow night.

Shapestache Week.

All the single ladies, all the single ladies.... I guess I will be singing that for a while :)

Kids just went to bed. Bath time was delayed a bit. My daughter had a few new 'moves' thanks to 'all the single ladies'. I guess I am going to have to send them to bed earlier next year.

I promised to show you my latest. The kids loved the mustaches! I took some pictures of them with a mustache...but I can't post that. Just picture it :)

Here we go... picture style.

What do you think? Geometry at its best...isn't it? LOL.

Hubby got extended. Many of his coworkers are 'sick' so he did not make it home tonight. I guess we will have our yearly nacho night a day later.

49ers are waking up...gotta go. 

Geometry (2-D shapes) and Sale.

I just posted my latest product on TPT. I am so ready for the sale tomorrow!

The kids and I have been playing with shapes for the last two weeks. 

Find it here.

I will be back tomorrow to show you pictures of my students using all of these.

The Mr. went to work today. He had been home sick with some kind of cold/flu. I drove him to the airport trying to be a nice wife. We made the kids do all the chores we could think of, they were hyper today! 

Hope you are ready for the big sale tomorrow. I am on my way to decide how many of the 72 items on my wish list I can actually afford :)

Thanks for the button Ashley!

A Flat Estimation Jar?!

Raise your hand if you have ever used a flat estimation jar. Here, here!...(this is me raising my own hand).

The whole idea began with a small collection of  ... confetti!

They are organized using small Gerber containers. Gerber peaches are my favorite. Yum!

I used them to create a two dimensional estimation jar. 

This is how it works: I pick a handful of confetti. I project the confetti. My students estimate. We use sticky notes to organize our data using post-its. We decide how we are counting our data (by 2's, 5's, 10's). We find who got closest to the actual number and record it on our estimation books. We are making a book with the estimation of the month.

The kids LOVE it!  They keep begging me to get more confetti. I need to go shopping :)

But of course you can continue to use your 3 dimensional estimation jar.

Raise your hand if you'd like to try that? 

This is when you raise your hand and visit my TPT store to check this new product. 

If you are the first one to estimate how big my family is (cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents...) back home in Mexico City, you'll get it for free.

Number Patterns and Snakes (freebie)

What's the rule? and Number Patterns was the last math topic in my classroom before our break. I gave the kids markers, pattern cards, white boards, and hundred charts. Model, think aloud, practice, model, teach a partner, model...repeat.

We started with two digit numbers. I modeled how to find the number pattern step by step. We did a lot of these before moving on to three digits.

We used two color markers. The first marker was to find the pattern, the second was to extend the pattern. They loved it! 

Then came the snakes!  I printed the snake pattern using different color paper to make them pop. The kids 'planned' their number pattern before getting the snake sheet. They had to choose a pattern (+2, +5, +11, -12...anything they wanted), and then transfer that to their numerical snake.

Here's the snake pattern for ya'.

You can find all my number cards and much more here. Thanks Jaime for all your help!

Do you Woozle?

Math is my thing.  The one thing I wish I could teach all day, every day.  I love writing and reading too, but math is my thing.

The county I work for, has a math department that provides tons of professional development. This idea came from them.  I just added a few things here and there to make it fit my style.
Organizing data using a three set Venn diagram  is an easy task since I learned this new trick :)

I used:

3 Venn diagrams, 3 copies of the Woozles (different colors) and tons of modeling.

We made a chart with possible attributes to sort our data (Woozles).

I modeled how to choose three attributes. We used laminated Wozzle cards and the kids came up to the whiteboard (I really want a smartboard!!!) to tape them. They were sure to check that each Wozzle was placed in the correct spot.

Then kids worked in teams of 4-5 members.  Each team had a pile of Woozles to work with.  They decided what attributes to use for their poster and got busy taking turns/voting for the attributes they wanted, choosing who was cutting them, choosing who was gluing...

We created statements that described our data. The kids created statements for their posters too.

Each team created a poster including their statement cards.

                                          

Woozles are always a big hit!!

Oh Yes!  Math is my thing.