I Won!!!! (Not an Oscar)

I was on school vacation last week and went away for a real long week-end.  I didn't have any computer or cell phone access for four days.  I came home today and found out that I had won a Free Custom Blog Design!!!!

I have already heard from Barbara at Ruby Slippers Blog Designs and can't wait for her to get started.

Check out her blog for a free blinkie:

Opposites Attract: Study of Magnets

 The kids have loved studying magnets for the past two weeks.  I have to admit, I LOVE playing with magnets too.  We only had teach a few standards and cover some vocabulary: attract, repel, magnetism, poles, compass, types of magnets, magnetic fields, classifying things that a magnet will attract and not attract.

The lessons that I used were from the following AIMS book that was purchased by my school system.  I print out their resources at 78% so they will fit into their science notebooks.

There are some great videos on Brain Pop($) and Scholastic Study Jams(free).  

Click images for link:

We have a few DVDs in our library.

    

Here are a few trade books.  They are very basic and were used to reinforce the concepts. 

They were written for younger grades.  My favorite resource is Sciencesaurus which is written for grade 4-5.  It covers all topics of Science.

The last day I set up a few stations.  They used the iron filings to see the magnetic field, they experimented with the mineral magnetite, used a compass and a compass made with a needle and cork that floated on water.

  

Fraction Freebie!

We are working on FRACTIONS for our next math unit and I wanted to do something fun.  

 Here are my Fractinos' Pizza Stations that I just created for my class.  I have put the new product in my TPT Shop.  I will use them during guided math as center work.

It includes:

 Fraction Sort

Mixed and Improper Fractions

Personal Fraction Pizzas

Equal Fractions

Ordering Fractions

Click the image below for a freebie from the unit:

A Feast of Fractions

We will start fractions after February Vacation.  I have started gathering materials.  My students always have difficulty grasping this concept and I want to be prepared.

Here are some trade books that are good for intermediate students:

The more manipulatives and Hands-on...the Better!

Fraction Fringe

Learn the parts of whole and equivalent fractions through a clever hands-on manipulative, perfect for each student to keep handy for skill-building in math class. (Grade 1-6)  Cut out on the Ellison Machine.

Here are some great ideas that I have used in the past and some new ones that  I have collected:

Free Fraction Strips

Improper and Mixed
http://www.piratequeenteacher.com.

Lots of Ideas

Thinking Maps

E is for Explore- Many Ideas

Fractions of a Group Strategy

Mixed and Improper Egg Sort

Math Coach Corner Blog- Fractions

Two New Multiplication Games and a Store

 I am very excited to announce that I just opened a Teachers Pay Teachers Store.  I have been very apprehensive and finally got up the nerve.  I only have two products listed but I would love for you to check them out.  I am currently working on some new ideas.

 Here is one of my new products...

I printed the pieces, wrote the products on the bottom, and laminated.  I use the disposable plastic containers to store my centers.  I bought the spatulas at the dollar store.  This is a station that I set up during Guided Math.  They love to use them!

Here is my other math game...

I printed out the game pieces and boards and then laminated them.  The X's and O's are from Target in the dollar section.  Any game piece, seasonal erasers, or dry erase markers could be used to mark the board.  The children now enjoy practicing their facts!

Paint Chip Poetry

I love using paint chips!  I have used them in the past for books marks, reading incentives, and for brainstorming synonyms.  I used them last week to write Color Poems.  The kids wrote a metaphor and three similes describing a color.  They came out awesome!

Check out my color poetry post from last year! I read some trade books and we talked about how colors represent emotions and feelings.  I read the books and used the chart.

The next thing that the kids did was pick a paint chip.  

They used the following sheet to brainstorm their ideas.

Click for link:

I used a sheet from Writing Fix.  

The kids wrote similes using their senses.

They picked three similes that fit their metaphor.

(I did conference with them, although the mistakes reappeared!)

Here are some published poems: