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Daily 5: Working with Words

Last week we started our transition to using the Daily 5 model during our reading centers. I was a little bit worried about how it would go. I was worried about letting go of full control... but it turned out great! Not only are all my centers differentiated... but my room is q-u-i-e-t! Like hear a mouse sneeze quiet. Also, it is so nice to pull students to work in a small group as necessary, instead of having a set schedule.

Here are pictures of how my centers are set up!

Word Work

Read to Someone

Listen to Reading

Read  to Self

Work on Writing

My class is crazy about the new word work centers. The center drawers are divided up into three bug  groups. Each student knows if they are a bee, grasshopper, or ladybug. Their bug level was chosen based on their DRA score. This system of grouping helps students to choose a word work job at their level. They also choose a book for partner reading using their bug level.

Here is a sneak peak of the inside of the drawers!

For a free copy of my digraph stamping cards click here!

Number Bonds

Number bonds are a great way for students to see the part-part-whole representation of addition. This week I have created a matching game, where students have to match the number bond to the addition sentence with in combinations of ten. The pieces will be laminated and cut apart. Children who struggle with number bonds will play with the cards face up. The others will play as a normal matching game. 

For a free copy of this activity click here!

Pumpkin Thinking Maps

This week we will begin our pumpkin writing! I am so excited! After this we will do our double bubble map comparing apples and pumpkins. At my school we use the write from the beginning curriculum. It is a three day writing process that has a heavy focus on structure. A typical write from the beginning lesson lasts for three days in first grade.

Day 1: Circle Map- First we do one whole group and then I let the kids record their own ideas on their individual map.

Day 2: Tree Map- This map helps students organize their ideas from their circle map in a very clear way. They must organize their ideas into three categories. Again, we do this one whole group first.

Day 3: Sentence Writing/ Brace Map- On the last day students transfer ideas from their tree maps into complete sentences. They must write at least one sentence from each category. After they finish this they complete their brace maps that gives the labels for the parts of the picture.

Here is a preview of my FREE pumpkin writing thinking maps! If you grab a free download please follow my blog!

 For a free copy of this activity click here!

Spooky Addition

Tomorrow is the start to my favorite month! Not only is it my birthday month, it's time to celebrate Halloween! We are not really allowed to celebrate holidays at my school... as in spend the whole afternoon dressing up and eating candy. My solution is to create cute Halloween themed standards based lessons. This activity meets the CCSS.Math.1.OA.1. I plan to do one prompt a day with my class for the whole week. They will cut the prompt out and glue it in their math journals. We will then color and solve. You could of course make them into a booklet as well. We simply do not have enough time to do them all in one day. If you grab a free download please consider follow my blog! 

 For a free copy of this activity click here!

A Bunch of Boys

This year I have double the amount of boys as I do girls  My class is composed of 16 boys and 8 girls. Needless to say we are a very active bunch. There is one thing that my class is absolutely wild about, and that is Star Wars! They are obsessed! They read, write, wear, and talk it all day long. So when I saw the new phonics Star Wars book set in the Scholastic book orders I had to have it. Yesterday the book orders were delivered!

As I expected they love the books! I figured I would try to add some Star Wars love into one of their math centers for next week. The focus of the activity is to tell if the addition equality is true or false. Students will use the R2D2 and C3PO counters to help them solve! Grab a free copy of this printable below!

For a free copy of this activity click here!

Fall?

Today is supposedly the second day of Fall, here in Arizona it's over 100*! Since we have no signs of changing leaves or cooling weather, I am posting a sumer-ish freebie my class did last week. We did this as a teacher led whole group activity. However, I think it would be great for a small group guided math center. It focuses on the common core standard 1.OA.3, which is the commutative property. To prepare this activity, I simply copied it two sided and stapled to make a booklet.

 

For a free copy of this activity click here!