Easter Egg Line Plot Activity

Line Plots can be challenging for students. 

 

To meet this challenge, I made this a full set of 9 line plot task cards that I use when I introduce line plots,

as well as for review later. 

 

 

 

I've also made this Easter Egg Line Plot Activity 

for review practice,

as we get closer to the state testing,

and I'm sharing it with you to celebrate Easter! 

 

Click on the image below to get your free copy. 

 

 

Easter Egg Decimal Fraction Assessments

I missed it today!  I woke up this morning, rushed around the house like a typical Monday, and went off to school, youngest daughter in tow... and forgot it was St. Patty's Day!  - No GREEN! 

We had only made it in the school door a couple of steps when a kid, pinched my daughter!  Luckily it wasn't hard, and my daughter just thought it was funny!  Her daddy's the best though. All it took was a text, and before long, she had a GREEN shirt to change into. 

 

I had plenty of St. Patty's activities planned for my classroom, but forgetting to dress the part, just tells you how crazy rushed I am this week. 

 

We are being visited by a group of evaluators that are part of the TKES evaluation system, that we will be using next year.  For now, however, we are preparing for "guests" this week.  If a county visit for a full day does not get one's attention, there's more. 

Today, the 3rd Grade writing assessments were due to be input into the computer evaluation system.   That took a full four hours, and thankfully we were given subs to cover our classes so we could do it.  In addition to that, our grades were due into the computer by 4pm for this grading period!  Today we gave a Mock CRCT test in Reading.  Tomorrow we'll give a Mock CRCT Language Arts test and Thursday we'll give a Mock Math test. Let's see, what other deadlines and stressors are we having this week???  Oh, yes, Field Day is this Friday, and I need to buy snacks for all my kiddos during our rest period that day!

 

All of this in one week, really?  I know you are all feeling the End-of-the-Year pressure just like I am.  All sorts of things are coming due and there seems to be a shortage of time.  And still, that state test is quickly approaching!

One part of my day that is NOT crazy right now, is when my students arrive.  I already know what I am going to use each day for their morning seat work.  To help review many key math and reading skills, I am using my Daily Math and Language sheet from March.  There is a sheet for each day of  the month.  I love that its already to go.  No need for more planning!  I've done all the work already.  Each month's set features different skills in both Math and Language Arts.  These are the most important and difficult skills third graders face.  Many fourth graders need this same skill set practice.  Take a look for yourself to see if this would help you at this soon-to-be crazy time, if it's not already.   

 

 

 

I am currently finishing up the April edition, so look for it soon. 

 

I do have a new product to announce... wait for it...

I just posted it tonight and I plan on using it this week on our BYOD day (Bring Your Own Device), with our new I pad mini's. Our principal bought 3 mini's and one I pad for each classroom - Yeah!  Here's the newest addition to my QR Code Readers.

 

QR Code Task Cards:  Geometric Shapes

 

 

Well the next holiday approaching is Easter.  Can you believe it?  The year is flying by! 

 

 

 Here is a freebie for you now, even though Easter is still a few weeks away. 

Assess your students on their knowledge of

decimal fractions using a number line. 

 

 

Of course, you can use this for regular fractions as well.  The denominators will just stay 10.

 

 

Teaching About Magnets

My kiddos love experiments, and one of their favorites is when we do our Magnetic Sort.  Here is a copy I am sharing with you. 

 

Click on the image to get your copy.

 

 A friend of mine shared this song that helps her students remember what types of things are attracted to magnets.   Here it is...

 

What’s a Magnet?

(To the tune of “Ten Little Indians”)

 

A magnet is a stone or piece of metal,

North or South Pole on each end.

Like poles repel or push apart.

Opposites attract like friends.

 

Magnets attract things made of iron,

Also cobalt, steel, and nickel;

But not aluminum, brass, or copper,

Paper, glass, or a pickle!

Teaching Kids About Idioms

In recent years the number of ESOL students in my county has increased dramatically.  We now have an ESOL support teacher in every school.  The same is true in my own classroom.  Each year the number of students who do not speak English as their primary language at home grows.  Although many of these students sound like they have a good grasp on the English language when having a casual conversation, much of the language we use is in the form of idioms. They are far from mastering these phrases!  I had a father of one of my students, who is a US citizen and in our military, ask me for help in this area.  He knew he could not help his son in this area.  I gave him an Idiom Dictionary to borrow for a while.  For my students, I created Idiom Pirate Treasure Hunt.  

 

At first I show them to the whole class on the Smart board.  Then I use them as task cards around the room.  After that, I use them in my small reading groups and as center games.   Here is the response form I give my students. Grab your copy for free, here.

If you are interested in using the cards I use in my classroom,

here is a look at what is included in Idiom Treasure Hunt.

I have printed them in color for my task cards around the room, but I actually shrank them and printed them in black and white to make multiple game sets more economical (less color ink).  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

Have a great week teaching and remember to take time to enjoy your students!