Hello there! I hope you are all having a great Sunday. In my classroom this week, our focus was on maps. My kids loved having the chance to get their hands on real maps, and different texts featuring maps. Since a map is such an abstract concept to a child, I thought I might try Angie Neal’s Me on the Map Craftivity from her “Me on the Map” Literacy Packet.
I thought it would be fun to make a flip book, so I just hole punched the top, and put a ring around it. My kids were thrilled to take this little craft home. I know this activity will further their learning because they were having “aha” moments in class and I know they will be asking more questions at home.
The finished product! These were absolutely stunning and so fun to make. Be sure to budget your time with this activity. I had my kids cut out the pieces as an early finisher on Thursday, and then for our Fun Friday activity, we put them together.
I introduced my kids to counting with the 120 chart this week during calendar time. We always count to 100, but this week, I decided to change it up and actually let them put their fingers on the numbers as we counted. This “hands-on” strategy will really help them with their number sense in the long run. The best thing about this chart is that it is free from Ship Shape First Grade! Click on the picture or the this link to find out more!
Just like emergent readers need to track their print, I believe that all children should point to the number we are on. This holds both the student and myself accountable. This way, I can see the kids are getting it, and the kids that are not.
As we count, I have found Harry Kindergarten’s videos to be so fun and interactive. The Counting Superhero Video can be found on YouTube. Be sure to click on the picture below or the link to save it as a favorite for your students.
I am always looking for ways to assess my kids on their understanding of the weekly skills. I decided to organize the Common Core assessments I use by binding them all together so I can easily find the skills I need for the week when I do my weekly copying. I am currently using my 2nd Grade Common Core Assessments for Language and Math. These have worked very well for my higher kiddos this year.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! If you would like more ideas from me, be sure to follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers, Pinterest, and Facebook to stay posted with fabulous freebies and ideas!
Follow Education to the Core: Emily Liscom’s board Free Educational Resources on Pinterest. Stay tuned next week for another jam packed post of ideas for your students! Free free to post any links or ideas you used in your classroom this week. Be sure to find more great Weekend Reflections by visiting the Linky Directory hosted by Cyndie from Chalk One Up for the Teacher!
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