Monday, February 25, 2013

Booking Across the U.S.A.

Ready for a road trip?  Although I WISH I could take off and visit all 50 states, I'll have to settle for a blogging road trip to grab some amazing literature activities across the United States.  A blogger from each and every state is ready to share a book and activity related to their state.  I am SO PROUD to be representing the great state of Tennessee.  (Suddenly I feel like I need a sash and crown.)  ;-)

As I began my search for what book I'd like to share with you, I knew I wanted it to be mountain related.  The beautiful Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee are a combination of breathtaking, adventurous, serene, and loads of fun!  Join me on an adventure with a curious bear cub in the Smokies who thinks wandering away from his mother is a good idea.  Unfortunately, he learns the hard way that  investigating human garbage might not be all that it was cut out to be.  This children's book The Troublesome Cub in the Great Smoky Mountains by Lisa Horstman (see photo), would make an excellent resource for environmental awareness activities, a study on animals and their habitats, or even rhyming words since the book is written in rhyme!  I created a FREEBIE story related "foldable" where students can practice key story elements such as character analysis, setting, problem/solution,  predicting, and cause and effect.  A rubric is also included.  Be sure to click on my Troublesome Cub literature activity below to grab your FREE copy!  Don't forget to keep BOOKING ACROSS THE U.S.A. for more amazing reading resources!  Blog hop is below!
Bananas for road trips that I don't even have to pack for,


Alabama: Everyday Snapshots Alaska: Little Wonders’ Days Arizona: Simply Kinder Arkansas: Homeschooling in Arkansas California: Juggling with Kids and The Outlaw Mom Colorado: Learners in Bloom and Living Montessori Now Connecticut: The Teacher Park Delaware: Mama Miss Florida: Teaching Stars Georgia: Fabulously First Hawaii: Teaching With Style Idaho: True Aim Education Illinois: Growing Book by Book Indiana: Teach Preschool Iowa: Surviving a Teacher's Salary Kansas: KCEdventures Kentucky: Chicken Babies Louisiana: New Orleans Moms Blog Maine: Maine Adventure Mom and Country Fun Child Care Maryland: Picture Books and Piourettes Massachusetts: Mama Smiles Michigan: Play DrMom Minnesota: The Wise Owl Factory Mississippi: Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk Missouri- Ready. Set. Read! Montana: The Honey Bunch Nebraska: The Good Long Road Nevada: Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy Crafts New Hampshire: Elementary Matters New Jersey: The Pleasantest Thing New Mexico: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom New York: What Do We Do All Day North Carolina: Realistic Teacher Blog North Dakota: ND HealthWorks Ohio: Smart Chick Teacher’s Blog Oklahoma: Herding Kats in Kindergarten Oregon: Journey of a Substitute Teacher Pennsylvania: Land of Once Upon a Time Rhode Island: Smiling in Second Grade South Carolina: Cookies and Kiddos and JDaniel4’s Mom South Dakota: The Wise Owl Factory Tennessee: No Monkey Business Texas: Curls and a Smile and Kid World Citizen Utah: Teach Beside Me Vermont: Burlington Vt Moms Blog Virgina: Once Upon a Story, and The Freckled Homeschooler Washington: Home Learning Journey and Boy Mama Teacher Mama West Virginia: This Week @ Great Peace Academy and Mamas Like Me Wisconsin: Reading Confetti Wyoming: No Twiddle Twaddle USA: The Corner on Character        

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Fraction Frenzy Freebie

Fractions were always challenging for me growing up.  Maybe it's because I was simply expected to learn them through memorization and procedure.  I don't recall teachers giving me fractions to manipulate and compare.  I think times have changed!  Teachers are putting fractional pieces in the students' hands for them to see firsthand how they work.  One of the things I like to do when teaching fractions is to break out the pizza boxes from Pizza Hut.  Pizza Hut donated some personal pan pizza boxes to my classroom.  With a little help from parent volunteers and the laminating machine, I created a baggie full of fractional pieces for my students.   Students dump all their fractional pieces into one side of the box that serves as a holding station.  They "SHOW ME" what I ask for on the other side of the pizza box.  You can do a lot of different activities with the pizza boxes and fractions.  1.)  Identify fractions-Simply ask students to show you what 1/3 or 2/4 look like.  2.)  Comparing fractions-Ask students to pull out two different fractions and compare which is larger/smaller.  3.)  Reducing fractions-Pull out fractions that can be reduced and find the fractional pieces that match.  For example, have students show you 4/8.  Then ask them to find another piece that matches the same size as 4/8.  (1/2)  Demonstrate the mathematical procedure for reducing on dry erase boards or Smart board as you go. 4.) Adding or subtracting fractions-Pull out fractions with like denominators and add or subtract.  5/8 + 2/8 = 7/8.  5.) Identify fractional pieces that are MISSING.  Have students show 2/3, but ask what part of the pizza is missing.  If you're interested in learning more about the fractional pieces that fit into the Pizza Hut personal pan boxes, just click on the Fraction Frenzy image to grab them from my store!  :-) 

If you're into interactive notebooking, then be sure to investigate the newest addition to my math interactive notebooks.  This 27 page unit is full of  foldables, flips, cuts and sorts, etc. that allow students to be creative when learning about fractions, but adds the component of explaining their thinking.  If they can write about it successfully, they know it!  You can grab the Math Interactive Notebook-Fractions unit by itself, by clicking the image below OR if you want all 7 interactive notebooks bundled together, you can click that image as well (Cheaper to get them bundled!).  They are designed for 3rd, but I'm hearing great success stories with 2nd  and even 4th grade classrooms using them to either challenge kids or create a review for their students.










Bananas for Fractions that aren't so scary! 

nomonkeybusinessmichelle@gmail.com

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