math miseries

I've never considered myself a math person. I've always got it but to say it's my favorite subject is a stretch.  Fast forward 20+ years.  Things have changed so much in how the operations and order works. So when I started getting calls and texts from parents, I knew I had to do something to make it easier for my kids and my parents.  One - my kids were learning it one way at school and then going home and the parents ( my husband included) were helping them how they were taught.  Two-it's imperative to make the lives of my parents easier! So here is a link of the same video the kids watch to get understanding on how to do this math in this chapter.  Please text me if you need more information. Hope this helps!

https://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/learn/navigateIDP.do?method=toc&newServiceId%20=10363&product_isbn=0-328-52259-7

Click on this link and scroll down to topic 7.  Our topics this week are 07-02 (finding parts of 100) and 07-03 (Subtracting on a hundred chart).

Paging Dr. Cardinal

Our classroom was a wreck today.  If that's any indication of how much fun we had, we blew the top off the roof! We've been studying contractions and we decided to take it to the next level today.  We wrote the two words of the contraction onto sentence strips and then performed surgery to create the contraction using scissors, band aids, and tape.  A special thanks goes to Amy Wolfenbarger for the gloves and surgical masks. 

Spelling words

Spelling words for the week of Oct. 29 - Nov. 2.

note, notes, lunch, lunches, story, stories, tune, tunes, switch, switches, baby, babies, crumbs, centuries, supplies

I heart visitors!

We were so lucky to have Dominick's Grandpa ( how was that Julie?) come in today and carve a pumpkin for us.  He usually carves a pumpkin in the New York school system but he's here in Tennessee visiting and boy are we glad! We loved getting our hands gooey. Check out his apron.  I loved it!

Dominick was all smiles and so was everyone else including me.  Thanks grandpa for our beautiful pumpkin.  It's out beside our classroom door welcoming everyone to our room.  I hope we can start a tradition!  

Best. Class. Ever!

These kiddo's are the best kids ever.  I'm constantly telling co-workers about the funny and witty things they are doing and saying.  Yesterday was no exception.  A student brought Halloween treat bags and we gave them out.  A few minutes later, I went to the bathroom.  I noticed it got quiet.  You know, that quiet that can't lead to anything good.  So I open my door and this is what's staring at me.  I had to get my camera and get a picture.  FYI: They are all wearing black because it's DARE week and it was all black day.

Spooky Spider leg graph

I would love to take credit for this cute idea but I just can't! Our county had the best math training for K-2. I honestly didn't even want to take a bathroom break because it was so engaging! Here's one of the many ideas the trainer shared.  

This activity covers so many standards in math and it just happens to be festive for Halloween (and look great on our walls for parent visitation!)  Each student blindly picks 8 legs.  There are two colors available in the bag.  When they pick their legs, they hole punch 4 holes on each side.  After everyone has assembled their spider, we graph according to the 2 colors of legs.  

 You can see that I put the math sentences up and write them by color to help them find where their spiders belong.

I was amazed by what my kids saw as we looked at our graph.  I used little scaffolding at first to see what type of conversation they would generate.  They discovered that the doubles had the most spiders because you had a better chance of pulling a little of both colors out.  We also discovered that both 0+8 and 8+0 didn't have any spiders because it would be harder to draw out eight of the same color of pipe cleaners.  We also discovered doubles and near doubles, the greatest and the least and so much more!

I think we may leave them up for a while and I may create a paper so my quick finishers can read the chart to find data.  Oh, disregard the finger in the picture below! 

Spelling words for A Walk In The Desert 9.17

SPELLING WORDS:

talked, talking, dropped, dropping, excited, exciting, lifted, lifting, hugged, hugging, smiled, smiling, dragging, amazed, danced

Spelling game links:
http://www.quia.com/jg/1103559.html

Punctuation rap! Word!

We are learning about punctuation marks this week.  For most, it's a review from first grade.  I found this great rap from The Electric Company on PBS.  Take time to watch this video with your children and help them review at home! You will have to have a flash to view.  Here's the link if you have trouble viewing. Happy learning.
http://pinterest.com/pin/273664114828074628/

Test Taking Geniuses!

Due to the state tests this week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday), there will not be any test in spelling and reading.  We will resume spelling and Scott Foresman reading next week. Please make sure your little sweetheart gets plenty of sleep and grabs a good breakfast!

Spelling: Week of August 26

Here are the words for this week. Please remember that our test are on Monday and all spelling homework is due Friday. Have a great week!

tune, page, nose, space, size, fine, mice, late, cube, blaze, home, vote, erase, spice, confuse

*The last three italicized words are bonus.

Groovin' back to school!!!

Hey parents! Don't forget the back to school dance THIS FRIDAY! The theme is 60's and 70's so it should be F-U-N! Admission is 3.00 and there is going to be face painting, finger nail painting, concessions, feathers, glow sticks, T-shirts, and so much more. Please note: K-2 must have an adult with them. I can't wait to see you there! I hear Mr. Wright will have the big hair again!

Spelling Words for the week of August 2-

 Spelling in my class is always considered homework.  It is always the same every week.  It is as follows: ABC order, 5 times each and use each word in a sentence.  They are due Friday.  Please note that spelling and reading tests are always on Monday unless it is a make up test or unless there will be no school on a Monday.  Please look for a paper coming home to help further explain spelling.  Below are the words for the week that go with the story, Iris And Walter. I've also included a link that has four spelling games with this week's words.  Have fun studying!

1.  drum
2.  rock
3.  list
4.  desk
5.  job
6.  sad
7.  chop
8.  sack
9.  tag
10. rib
11. mess
12. dust

BONUS:

13. picket
14. lettuce
15. engine

Spelling word games link:
http://www.quia.com/jg/1103570.html

I'm so EXCITED!!!!

I say this every year, but I really do have the. best. group of kiddo's this year! I'm already in love with them and their great personalities! I've already gotten so many love notes and flowers and even a delicious red, ripe tomato that one sweetie grew herself! (Thanks Haily. It was so good on my sandwich for lunch). I really do consider myself a lucky gal to be able to do what I do and to be surrounded by the best of the best at Caryville Elementary - both staff and kids.  I'm so blessed.
So..... enough of my my head being in the clouds, here's a little about me. I am married to Robert whom I couldn't live without.  We have two wonderfully crazy kids - Mac who is 4 and starting Pre-K this year (good luck Mrs. Kathy and Granny) and Sophia who is 7 and is lucky enough to be in my class (even though she may not see it that way).
I really hope you are able to use this blog to its potential this year.  You will find homework assignments, spelling words, updates, pictures of what's going on in the classroom, snack schedules, and so much more.  Feel free to sign up and become a follower.

New blog look!!!

I'm so excited to announce that my blog will have a new look next week!! I must say that I had blog envy when I saw my good friend Becky's blog so I had to go snatch me one up too! Thanks Beck!
Please go check out www.dreamlikemagicblog.com. She has some amazing designs! Check back to see the cuteness!

Calling all parents!!!

Next week is TCAPS.  I would love to have some inspirational snacks to help motivate the students.  If I have any parents out there who wouldn't mind to get a bag of smarties, 20 packages of individual gold fish and some red mints, please message or call me at 423-494-9065.  I would need the smarties by tomorrow so I could get them ready for Monday.  Thanks again for all you do!  We almost have 3rd graders.  Can you believe it?

Really interesting study.....worth reading!

Parents, I stumbled across this on pintrest.  Please take a minute to check it out.  Below is the link. Once you are there, click on the picture to take you to the article.  Happy reading!


http://pinterest.com/pin/273664114827142186/

Mr. and Mrs. Comma

As writers, our class is in one of two categories - comma kings and queens or Nate the neglectful.  So we, as writers, decided to make a plea for commas.  First, we addressed everywhere you may see a comma. Then, we wrote a story entitled, If I Were A Comma.... from the point of view of a comma.  We then made comma people.  These are the cutest stinkin' comma people I've ever seen!! (I say that like I've seen a lot of comma people don't I!) One even had a purse, earrings, and high heels! I'll try to get a picture of them on here soon.  I'm having difficulty with the iphone and loading pictures.  Looks like I'm gonna have to drag the old Nikon out and bring it to school.


                    The kids got to make commas and turn them into people.

We brainstormed all the places you would see commas in a book as a reader and also where you would use commas as a writer.  They folded their paper into four sections and chose four examples. They used the commas in an example for each section.

We also done some creative writing with a prompt of If I were a comma....... We talked about how commas feel when people read over them or don't use them in writing.  The kids created some really cute stories! We've got a great group of creative authors this year!

Spelling words for the week of March 26

1. talk

2. because

3. August

4. caught

5. draw

6. walk

7. chalk

8.  auto

9.  taught

10. thaw

11. fault

12. launch  

Bonus:

applause

audience, 

awkward

Spelling words for the week of March 19

I hope everyone had a great spring break spending time with their families.  I know I sure did!  Here's this weeks spelling words.

1. phone

2. enough

3. stuff,

4. laugh

5. puff

6. giraffe

7. graph

8. tough

9. photo

10. rough

11. cough

12. cliff

Bonus:

dolphin, physical, autograph

1. knock

2. sign

3. knee

4. wrong

5. write

6. climb

7. wrap

8. wren

9. gnat

10. lamb

11. comb

12. knob

Vocabulary is more than important, it's key!

Our Literacy coach held the best staff meeting last week.  Her main focus was about Vocabulary.  She had an excerpt from Hatchet.  30% of the important vocabulary was in french.  She asked us to read it and then tell what the story was about.  I couldn't.  This is how some of our kids feel when they read non-fiction.  If they don't understand the vocabulary, how are they going to get the content!! My eyes were opened.  So here is what we have in our room to help us grow our vocabulary and get us excited about understanding new words and also using new words in our writing.  It's our Big Juicy Words chart.  It includes the word on an index card along with a quick definition (generated by the kids) and how it is used in a sentence.
So here is where you as a parent comes in.  As your child reads a page, ask them if there were any words that were tricky.  Ask them if there were any words they didn't know the meaning for.  When they write, encourage them to use bigger adjectives and words they have heard in familiar stories.
It sounds simple, but we have to expand their vocabulary in order to increase their learning.  Whew! That's a good place for an AMEN! I'm so fired up about it right now! Thanks Erma!  You're the best.  I'm so thankful that Caryville has you.

Sorry for the picture. I could not, for the life of me, get it turned right side up!!

(It killed me and I had to give it another go! Fixed it!)

1. unsafe 

2. preheat

3. rerun

4. disappear

5. unlock

6. retie

7. rewind

8. unpack

9. unplug

10. regroup

11. preschool

12. disagree

BONUS:  

13. prehistoric

14. unfortunate

15. reunion 

spelling words for the week of February 13th

Sorry!! Somehow the spelling words didn't load this week.  Just now noticed.  Here they are.  Happy studying :)

1. cheerful

2. visitor

3. slowly

4. weekly

5. teacher

6. helper

7. hardly

8. graceful

9. yearly

10. quickly

11. fighter

12. sailor

Bonus:  

13. gardener

14. competitor

15. extremely

Geometry

We are beginning a new unit on Geometry so we will be moving away from two-digit addition and subtraction in our Math lessons.  I will continue to do a quick review of addition and subtraction during our Journal time so don't think we are totally leaving it.  There are still students who need extra practice with their addition facts.  These need to be memorized so that students can recite them quickly.  Please continue to use flashcards at home if your child is struggling with them. 

During our Geometry lessons, we will be studying the shapes in space and spatial relationships.  This is important because it offers children opportunities to relate mathematics to the real world.  Research suggests that spatial ability is related to problem-solving ability.  Developing your child's geometric concepts and spacial sense will hopefully allow them to benefit from the use of models and diagrams in other strands of Mathematics.

I'm excited about this unit and I think the kids are going to enjoyit as well!

Author's Books

A quick reminder - author's book money is due no later than this Friday if you wish to purchase one.  The amount is 15.95.  It is a hard back book (annual style) that houses a collection of stories from each child in the classroom.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at frittsb1@k12tn.net. 

Spelling words for the week of February 6th

Wow!! It's already February?  Time flies when you're having fun.  Please don't forget the spelling homework each week - sentences, 5 times each, and ABC order.

1. too
2. new
3. fruit
4. blue
5. true
6. cool
7. suit
8. spoon
9. clue
10. juice
11. drew
12. flew


BONUS:


13. cruise
14. nephew
15.  shampoo

Spelling words for the week of January 30

Spelling game links:


flash cards - http://www.quia.com/jfc/1115553.html

matching - http://www.quia.com/jfc/1115553.html

concentration - http://www.quia.com/cc/1115553.html

word search - http://www.quia.com/ws/1115553.html


1. joy 
2. noise
3. royal
4. moist
5. broil
6. cowboy
7. spoil
8. joint
9. foil
10. enjoy
11. destroy
12. loyal


Bonus:
13. employee
14. corduroy
15. turquoise

Parents,
When you child is writing at home, please make sure they are doing the following three things correctly:
1. Punctuation
2. Capitalization
3. Correct spelling of basic sight words

These are a few things that you can help reinforce at home.  They should already have these tasks down but when involved in the writing process, they tend to forget. 

Week of January 23

around, about, gown, sound, flower, howl, ground, pound, crown, south, mouse, downtown, mountain, boundary, drowsy

spelling words for the week of January 9

ankle, title, apple, cable, purple, able, bugles, bundle, bubble, giggle, sparkle, tickle, mumble, scramble, twinkle





spelling game link:
http://www.quia.com/hm/316897.html