Same Sound Task Cards

In the first few weeks of school, I spend a lot of time reviewing the phonics skills my students learned in first grade. I've noticed in years past that the students often remember the basics, but forget the details...like knowing that there is more than one spelling for long vowel and other special vowel words. 

They usually just need a little reminder to get the juices flowing.

I love using task cards in my class. I have used them as a whole group "scoot" activity, for partners, and individual work. The best part about task cards is that I can get a quick assessment of my students abilities on any given topic.

How to use Task Cards:

1. Whole Group Scoot: Each student gets one card. Depending on the concept, I give them a minute or two to answer the question. Then I say scoot and they move to the next number and work on that problem(This does take a little practice). The students love any chance to move around. One year I had a problem with lice, so I sometimes have the students stay in their seat and just "Pass" the cards. At the end I collect all the cards and then go over them one by one whole group. Students correct with a pen or marker and then I can see what they know.

2. Partner Scoot: Same as above, I just have the students work with partners. I do this when I don't have 25 cards or when a concept is difficult (usually math concepts).

3. Individual: I put a sticker on the back of the card where the answer is, and the students use clothes pins to choose an answer, by placing the clip on the answer they think is correct. Then they flip over their cards and self-check their answers by seeing if the clothes pin lines up with the sticker. I usually do this once we have already used the set of cards whole group.

I usually print two sets of cards. One for whole group/partner scoot and one for individual practice.  

Here are some "same sound task cards" I just created...please let me know if you find any mistakes...its almost 1am and I have been up with my little guy since 6 this morning. I usually number them, but forgot, so I will just write numbers on them before I laminate them.  I also suggest printing task cards on cardstock for durability. 

Click the apple to download the task cards.

Off to bed I go....can't believe I almost have 100 followers...I may just have to do a little giveaway soon!

-Megan

If You Were A Plus Sign...and linky party

I am sharing a new math project I created today and would love for you to use it. If you have a blog of your own please join the link party and share a math activity you do using literature...Please mention and link my blog to the post. If you don't have a blog please leave a comment sharing your ideas...Thanks and Enjoy!

One of my goals this year is to incorporate more reading and activities into my math instruction.  One of the first math skills we start with in second grade is addition. 

I just love reading the book If You Were A Plus Sign written by Trisha Speed Shaskan. Each page in the book starts with "If you were a plus sign...", and then goes on to explain one of the key features of the plus sign in an addition problem, such as you would make a sum or you would help put things together, etc.

My plan with the book is to read and discuss it with my class when we start reviewing addition the first week of school. Then revisiting it a few days later when we go over adding doubles. I created blank pages with each of the key features Trisha talks about.  My students will create their own rewritten version of the story using addition doubles facts to come up with a word problem and number sentence to go with each plus sign feature. My plan is to have students work in partners or groups to create their rewritten story. The packet includes a cover page, 6 plus sign feature pages, and a back page for students to write all the doubles facts.  Click on the picture below to download it. I will also let each set of partners/group choose which doubles fact they will use on their page. 

(ok for some reason I can't get pics to upload so click here to download the packet...and I will try to figure it out soon.)

Don't worry if you have never read the book or don't have a copy of it...you students can still create a class book of their own. 

Now it's your turn to share....Please join the linky party and mention my blog!

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions feel free to leave a comment.

-Megan 

Word Work in My Class

Daily Word Work Activities:

 

Monday - Word Work 4 Times Each (click on the picture to download the activity)

Tuesday - Word Work Sentences (one of the teachers at my school gave me this great idea!) (click on the picture to download the activity)

Wednesday - Friday - Spelling Games (I have been working all summer to make spelling practice games)

 Here is an example of one of my games, I will post more soon!

(click on the picture to download the activity)

Keep Reading to learn more about how my class is structured and assessed  during spelling time.

I use Daily 5 as a guide for structuring my reading workshop. One of the daily choices for students is Word Work, where the students work independently to practice the weekly spelling words, vocabulary, or high frequency words...whatever it is you choose to use in your class. 

Our district uses Open Court for ELA instruction, so I use the spelling words that go with that program...I will also be having my students work with high frequency words that they still struggle with. I will assess all the students and then each student will use their own misspelled words to create a list of weekly words.  To read more about how I will be assessing my students individualy on high frequency words, check out Beth Newingham's Scholastic Blog...she is amazing! This is my first year using the high frequency word assessments and student generated lists, and I am really excited about it.

So, every week my students will have 10 spelling words, plus the next five words from their own high frequency word lists...I am really hoping to have a parent volunteer come in on Fridays to assess each student on their 5 high frequency words, I am not sure how I will make it work without parent help...I will not be giving spelling tests on the weekly word list. I hope this makes sense, if you have any questions or suggestion please feel free to share them!

- Megan

Odd and Even

When chatting with a friend earlier today about math workshop and the millions of things we want to do to prepare the activities before next school year starts, she mentioned an activity about sorting numbers into even or odd. It was just the idea I needed...reviewing even and odd numbers is one of the first lessons I will be teaching the first week of school and I had yet to come up with an activity for my students.  I made this file folder game using my new back to school graphics from Just So Scrappy Too. There graphics are so cute, check them out here.

Click on the picture below to download the game.

Thanks for visiting, 

Megan

Measuring Around the Room

Here is another quick activity I made while driving to the campgrounds...Measuring Around the Room. I'm still trying to figure out how to post the image from Google docs, but for now just click on the plant below to check out the worksheet.

Plural Noun Pack!

Oh my what a week...Only 12 more school days left!

       I know this year isn't even over yet, but I am already thinking about next year. The last few months I have been experimenting with both a math and writing workshop, and I LOVE it! I will post more about them later.  I already do Daily 5 during my reading block.

      I feel that teaching using a workshop style (small groups) gives me the chance to work closer with my students. I went back and forth with the idea for months. I kept asking myself, is it better to just do whole group instruction where I am teaching longer, or shorter small groups instructions? After much thought I decided I would try workshop because I do think that the smaller more concentrated groups will be more beneficial than whole group instruction that drags on and the kids stop listening anyways. So far it's been going great in my class.  The only problem I am running into is that I don't have enough stuff to keep the other kids busy with meaningful work. So hence the blog...I figure if I am making all these things anyways I might as well share them.

        Anyways...now that my baby boy is feeling much better I have got him back sleeping in his bed and have time to create. This week I worked on a Plural Noun Pack...This pack has lots of fun goodies from whole class games to worksheets and independent practice games. Check it out at TPT.  With this pack I even made my first set of task cards...I am a task card addict! 

Plural Pack includes: Task cards, I have...Who has...?, worksheets, plural ending sort, file folder game, and a memory/concentration game. The packet is 18 pages plus a cover sheet sharing ideas on how to set up and use activities in your class.  Click on the top robot to check out the plural pack at TPT.

      I also made some classroom posters with the plural ending rules. Click on the robot below to check them out for FREE!

Arrrr! Me Treasure!

I'm home today with my poor little baby boy who is sick...he has an ear infection, pink eye, and a terrible cough.  I guess one plus to me working and him being in daycare is that he will have a strong immune system by the time he gets to kindergarten. 

I was in mommy mode all weekend so I didn't have a chance to post anything new.  He is napping now and I actually have a pretty clean house thank you to my wonderful husband who scrubbed the den and kitchen yesterday while I took care of the baby. He even rented a carpet cleaner and cleaned all the carpet. I am not sure what got into him, but I like it!!!

Anyways...as the school year comes to an end I am noticing a few of my second graders are still struggling with counting coins. So I've been working on a few games for them to do during math workshop. 

Click on the pirate below to download the game.

ARRR! Me Treasure! A Coin Counting Game. 

Thanks, Megan

P.S. I am working on putting all my pirate theme ideas into one document so keep an eye out for it...I will post it on here (for free) as soon as it's done!

Pirate Puppy Place Value

My students are loving all these pirate themed file folder games that they get to practice during math workshop.

This game helps students with place value in the tens and one place. Students practice counting base ten blocks and match it with the correct numbers. Check out this game and others at tpt. My file folder games are all just one dollar and include directions for the teacher, directions and a title for the game, a title for the folder tab, game pieces, and a matching worksheet so you can check students understanding. Click on the pirate puppy to check out this place value game.

Thanks,

Megan