Organizing your Math Stations

Wow!  I don't think I have gone this long without posting something about what's going on in my classroom.  I had this little thing called "life" smack me right in the face these last few weeks.  Boy, when it decides to hit, it will knock you down sometimes!  I have to realize that I am not super woman and just have to put things aside for the more important things in life.  I am sure many of you can relate!

Organizing your Math Stations

I wanted to share this awesome idea I copied from one of the other First Grade teachers I work with.  Math Center Stations in cubbies!  I have my class broken up into 5 groups for Math centers because I have 26 students.  Yes, you heard right, 26!!  I have 5 of the same game for each group horizontally across each row of cubbies.  Then the students in each group will have a row vertically with 5 different games to choose from.  The games can be easily changed out without a huge amount of time taken from your planning time!
The reason I have these stations is to be able to hold small groups for students struggling with the math concepts we are learning while the others stay on task with the extra math practice.  It also helps with those speedy students who get finished before anyone else and encourages the ones who take their sweet time to finish more quickly.  No centers until work is completed and accurate.

Changing the subject.......

We have a Chrysalis (well, two actually)!!!

We have been pretty busy with our Butterflies!  We have been taking care of and studying them for 2 weeks now and a few have turned into a Chrysalis!  I will update you as things continue to change with these little guys!

Have a great week!!

Say hello to our little friends! Plus new literacy product!

I am so excited to be on a 3 day break after such a busy 1st week back after our Winter Break!  My students will be getting a big surprise when they return Tuesday!  Say hello to our little friends that arrived today!  We will be spending next week and more learning about the Lifecycle of Butterflies.  This is my next upcoming Teaching Unit that will include journals, Math games, Very Hungry Caterpillar game and more!  I'll post all this in the next week or so!

Thanks to Tucson's Botanical Gardens, we get to experience all this in our classroom! Not only did they provide the caterpillars, they also gave us samples of butterflies and the Chrysalises they form. We will be taking a field trip to the gardens in March to experience their exotic butterfly garden.  My daughter and I went last year and had a blast!  The butterflies even landed on my fingers and head!

My daughter enjoyed helping me get the caterpillars into their new home. 

Botanical Gardens with my family 2010

Last, but not least, check out the new addition to my Literacy Center Series!

Phonics Fun with ER, IR, UR.  There are activities in color and Black/White!
Click the picture link below.

I hope you all have a fantastic holiday break!

Liebster Award...so enough procrastinating!

I have several bloggers to thank since December for the nominations for the Liebster Award before I reach 200 followers.  Holidays are so hectic for me that I just plain forgot to post my appriciation and nominate a few of my own.  How embarassing!  A shout out thank you goes to Mrs Smyth at New Adventures in First Grade, Jill at Mrs T's First Grade Class, First Grade Delight, and School Box Treasures! 

Here's a little background on the award:

Liebster means “dearest” in German, and the award is intended to help up-and-coming blogs get the attention they deserve.

As with any award, there is a bit of ceremony involved. In order to accept the award, we must do the following:
1. Copy and paste the award on our blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who gave us the award.
3. Pick our five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers, and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs

So here is the love sent back to these 5 bloggers (in no particular order)!

An Open Door

Learning with a Happy Heart

Paste and Pearls

Dragonflies in First

Stickers and Stars

Favorite Go To Books - Linky Party!

Happy Weekend!  I stumbled on to this Linky Party by Stephanie from Teaching in Room 6 and want to share a few books that have inspired me tremendously too!

Math Work Stations by: Debbie Diller

You can read this book online!

Growing Readers by: Kathy Collins

This book and Reading with Meaning are almost falling apart but I'm not ready to give up for new ones because of all my notes inside!

Reading With Meaning by: Debbie Miller

Units of Study For Primary Writing by:Lucy Calkins

A parent was very generous years ago when I finished my student teaching in second grade and bought me this set as a going away present.  Very much worth the money if I were to buy it myself!!!!

Don't forget to Link Up Here and share your inspiration as well!!!

Phonics Fun With {AR} Words...and another FREEBIE!

I am sharing another newLiteracy Center product for AR words!  Oh, and it is Pirate Themed for those of you who are doing a Pirate Theme in your classroom...ARRRG!

The students love making their own game board design on the floor!



They also like the game peices!  Directions on how to make these are in this  new product .

Click the Picture link below to check it out. 

Click the picture link below to enjoy this "Read And Write The Room" activity for FREE!

Happy New Year and Freebies!

I hope all of you had a happy and relaxing New Year!  Whew!  I have survived the holiday frenzy and am ready for a fresh start!  I am bummed that the vacation is coming to an end though.  I have enjoyed the free time but now it is time to get my brain ready for the return of students and busy schedules again next Monday.  Since we are ringing in a new year, I have added a new product to my TpT store:  Math Fun with Time.  Click the picture link below to check it out. 

Here are a few Telling Time Freebies

 as well.  Enjoy!!