Standardized Tests and Word Problems

Right now I am teaching a remedial math class for 3rd graders. With the big state standardized test around the corner, I was racking my brain trying to think of new and fun ideas to get them ready.

Years ago with my old 3rd grade math team we had put word problems around the room like a scavenger hunt. So I took this idea tried to expand on it.

I was given a resource of math problems that were similar to the test. BORING!! Both for the kids and me. I cut them apart, glue and laminated them, and made a worksheet to help them show their work and also cross out the wrong answer choices. This was on green so I gave it a "recycling/green" theme. I added a clock for the time problem. I also added the graph because I want them to write all over the graph to show their work. Ill tape the problems around the room and they can go find them and solve, or you can rotate them.

Then I became a little more creative (I use that word loosely) and involved the dicut machine. Since it is close to Easter and the bunny dicut was one of the largest. I glued the problem to the bunny. For the large problem, I used two. I also created a student response page (it is at school, not home for me to take a pic tonight, but it was really cute).

 

My final idea is an actual Easter egg hunt with word problems in the plastic eggs hidden around the classroom or outside if the weather permits. They can use notebook paper or teacher made response sheet and clipboards.

Facebook for news and free ideas

First: Thank you if you happen to be reading this.

Second: I apologize for not keeping up with the blog like I should. Facebook, Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Teachers Notebook are filling up my time, along with my regular teaching job. (Websites can be great, but overwhelming). :)

I wanted to let you all know that I have been posting some great freebie links on my facebook page to share with everyone. Be sure to "like" my facebook page so you can get access to those right away.

Black History Month

For Black History Month, I have 2 great PowerPoints for sale. These make a great addition to your lessons.

Check out my Ruby Bridges ppt this one includes a video link of her in the White House with her famous painting.

I also have a ppt on George Washington Carver. This tells about his life and his work with peanuts and much more!

Don't forget I have a tab on the top of my blog with ALL my PowerPoints that I have made. You can check out my listing here.

Homemade Christmas Dishes

Each year I use my two boys' handprints or footprints to make myself Christmas dishes. I opted to do this once I had kids as a cute keepsake. Plus the penny pincher I am, never jumped in and bought a set of the cute pricey dishes.

This year I decided I had enough plates from previous years, a platter from last year, so this year I began bowls. Here is the finished product:

To see my previous post and pictures of my previous dishes click here.

Tip: I've seen all the pins on pinterest about using a regular sharpie and baking it on your dishes. DON'T!!! I did that last year with red for a red scallop on the edge of my plate. When I pulled it out and rinsed it off to dust it off, the red all ran off. Yes, I had baked it like the pins said. 
So instead, I found in the Walmart craft section, that Sharpie actually now makes pens for dishes. I don't remember the cost, but I think it was about $8 for a 4 pack. So far so good with those, and the ink is holding tight.

For the bowl, I painted the green with my new sharpie paint pens, and used the red paint on their fingertips and they dotted the red berries.

Now, my next trouble is figuring out what to do next year on the bowl. I need more bowls and I'm short on ideas. Also, at this point my kids' hands and feet are getting too big to make more plates. :)

December Funnies

I had to share these two goodies I saw on Facebook.

Merry Christmas and hang in there teachers!! We can do it!!

Elf on the Shelf - Minecraft Style

I'm pretty proud of this one. Not just the typical move him to another location. :)

For more ideas, check out my Elf on the Shelf December calendar. Or find me on Facebook.

Elf on the Shelf 2014

My boys begged me to put up the Christmas tree yesterday. Once that was finally done (4 hours later...stupid pre-lit trees that are no longer pre-lit!! UGH!!) I realized, that in our house, once the tree goes up, Max our Elf on the Shelf returns. Panic set it.

Last year I made a nifty little calendar to help me keep track and not worry about ideas as my head hit the pillow. It worked out great, minus the days we were snowed in at my in-laws an hour away.

So, I have made my 2014 Elf calendar to share with you at dropbox.  You can click on this link and it will take you to dropbox where you can download the calendar for free. You can also see last year's calendar here for more ideas.

With the calendar, I have extra pictures and websites that I used to compile this year's list/calendar. Almost everything I pulled from my personal pinterest board, so I don't take any credit for the ideas.

The above picture is a little hard to see, but tomorrow my boys will find "Max" helping out the Paw Patrol pups. Max is inside their lighthouse, if you can't tell. This was one of my own personal ideas. I had to come up with a few because my calendar begins on Dec 1st and today is Nov 29th.

I hope you can get a few useful ideas from my calendar. Merry Christmas!!