New Year's Dollar Deals Resources

 We have finally finished the year 2020! My family spent these past two weeks at home in quarantine, as my son was exposed to a positive case at school. Spending Christmas in quarantine put a cherry on top of our 2020 year, but we are so thankful to all be healthy and well. 

To help get 2021 off to a positive start, I am joining a group of incredible TpT author's for a dollar deals sale that only lasts two days! Just head to TpT and search for #ByeBye2020.

Being prepared is one of the main ways that I keep myself sane in the midst of chaos. I always make sure to have all of my resources prepared before I set foot in the building after a long break. These dollar deals are the perfect way to save yourself HOURS of time, so you can soak up the last few days of your well-deserved break. 

Here is a quick preview of the two resources of mine that you can grab during this sale: 

#1: Winter Math Packet for Third Grade

This year my students have done 75% of their work on the computer. Although I do believe computer skills are important, it is also essential for students to practice writing and use manipulatives at this young age. This is why I try to give students practice packets for review work. 

Surprisingly, many of my students let out a squeal of excitement when I show them a fresh math packet. They LOVE coloring in the little pictures, which is great for their fine motor skills. They also love the different activities and riddles. 

Click on the links below to see a preview of this resource.  

Click here to view this resource! 👈

#2: Create Your Own Word Problems with Division

Word problems are often a bump in the road in a math classroom. Students not only have to apply math concepts, but they also have to comprehend what they are reading. 

To help my students master both of these skills, I made mad-lib style forms that allow students to create their own silly math word problems. 

Click the link below to check out my division version of the Create Your Own Word Problems. I also have a bundle available if you decide that you want more. :)

Click here to view this resource! 👈

I hope everyone has a safe and amazing start to the New Year! May 2021 be infinitely more amazing than 2020. 💕

Teaching Students How to Set Resolutions

 The New Year is right around the corner! With a year like 2020, it seems like we should only have one resolution: survive. When things get difficult though, setting goals and can help us look toward a brighter future. 

It took me a few years of New Years resolutions activities with my students to realize that they need to be taught how to make quality goals. Most students would write things like, "be nice" or "get good grades". But I wanted my students to dig deeper than that. 

So, that next year I decided to read them a few books that had strong central themes. As we read these books, we discussed how we see those themes in our own lives. Providing students with vocabulary words to describe the different experiences and emotions they have everyday is the first step in writing a quality goal. 

I've created a resource that can help you guide your students this new year, and it is tried and true. Here are the steps I follow for my unit:

#1: Choose 2-3 themes that you want to focus on and grab some books

Read books is an easy way for students to apply new vocabulary and observe how character's learn and grow from life's lessons. 

#2: Discuss theme vocabulary and practice using it 

Students need multiple opportunities to practice new vocabulary words and use them in various contexts. Interactive notebooks are one of my favorite ways to do this. 

#3: Apply themes from literature to student lives and set new years resolutions

After discussing each theme, give students the opportunity to share and discuss where these themes appear in their own lives. Ask students to think about how they would like to improve on these specific areas of their life. 

 

Teaching theme is such an amazing way to give students the vocabulary they need to set meaningful New Years resolutions in such a chaotic world. Not to mention, it ties into state standards at the same time! 

Here's to a bright and hopeful future in 2021. 💗

Multiplication Practice that Kids Actually Enjoy

 I've been teaching third grade for seven years now. Each year that I introduce multiplication, there is a magic feeling in the air. All of my eight-year-old babies straighten up and glow with confidence. They are ecstatic at the thought of doing "big-kid" math. They are chomping at the bit to learn their facts, and learn them well. 

Fast forward to December. The newness of multiplication has warn off. What was once thrilling fact practice, is now a burden. Instead of cheers when I say the words "multiplication facts", there are groans. Keeping the students excited about multiplication can be a difficult task when Christmas is in the air. 

To help with the winter blues, I've compiled my top 4 favorite multiplication activities that students will actually enjoy when the standard fact practice starts to get boring. Best of all, they are little to no-prep for the teacher! 

1. Multiplication Scavenger Hunt

One of the best ways to keep students engaged is to get them UP and OUT. When they are required to move, the buy-in is SO great! 

My multiplication scavenger hunt has students buzzing around the room, or their home if you're remote learning. Each factor is an item they must count before they can solve a multiplication problem. 

This activity keeps students engaged, moving, and learning! 

🌟 Click here to check out my Multiplication Scavenger Hunt Resources 🌟

2. Skip-Counting Jump Rope

Sometimes when students feel run-down and bored, all they need is a little fresh air. One of the easiest no-prep activities you can do is to skip-count while exercising. 

Doing this activity is easy: (1) Pick a movement. Some of my student favorites include jump rope, jumping jacks, squats, and side-stretches. (2) Repeat the movement by skip-counting until you reach 100 (or close to it). If we are working on our 8's facts that week, then we will skip count by 8's until we reach 96. 

3. Write Your Own Word Problems

Word problems not only require students to know their multiplication facts, but they also require comprehension. One of my favorite ways to get students excited about practice word problems is to help them create their own! 

My Create Your Own Word Problem resource is a great starting point for doing this. It shows students where to insert names, items, and descriptions, while helping them create a quality word problem for them to practice with. Similar to mad libs, it is very easy to use, and best of all... NO PREP! 

🌟 Click here to check out my Create Your Own Word Problems Resources 🌟

4. Multiplication War

If you have competitive students in your room, you can bet that they will LOVE multiplication war. All you need is a deck of playing cards. 

Students play by separating the deck of cards into two piles, one for each of them. Both students will pull two cards from their own pile. Then, they will multiply their two cards together. Whichever student has the highest factor, gets to keep all 4 cards. Play continues this way until one student has all of the cards. 

Beware: This game is addicting! 

If your sweet little muffins are growing bored of their multiplication facts, use any of these no-prep strategies to spark their interest again and keep them growing!