Common Core Math

I love Math! Of course, I enjoy Reading and teaching reading, but I love teaching Math. I think because it can be so hands on, especially in 1st Grade, and the children enjoy it. I love that my struggling readers usually understand Math Concepts well. Some of my lowest readers (due to learning disabilities) have been my highest Math students. It just involves a different part of the brain. My son Jake (22) had a wonderful grasp of Math Concepts almost from birth, but he really struggled with reading. He had such a hard time learning the letter sounds that I briefly considered trying to help by giving each letter a numbers and having him associate numbers with the letters. (And I read to him from birth). He finally caught up and excelled in Reading, but never Spelling. Thank goodness for Spell-Check.

Anyway, I was on my school's Math Committee which studied the Common Core Standards and correlated it with our resources. I created a Daily Math Journal for my school that we used last year and will use again this year. I like it because it starts as a review and continues to spiral review through the year. It follows the order of our Curriculum Map. I posted the Math Journal in 4 parts on Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook. I removed the dates so you can change the order to follow your own Curriculum Map. You can click on each picture to see one of the parts of the Journal at Teachers Pay Teachers.

If you are looking for a Math Journal, these may work for you. I had time last Summer to go through the Standards and make sure they are covered in the Journals. Enjoy!

Getting Ready for Writing

Today I have been busy buying (& finding free things) and printing resources to get ready for the school year. This past school year, I had to follow the Common Core Standards as well as the Sunshine State Standards that were not covered by the new Standards. This year, we will only be focusing on the Common Core Standards. So, with one year's experience with the Common Core Standards, I know better what resources I want to find.

I am looking at Writing today. Writing has always been the hardest for me to teach. I have always enjoyed writing and found it easy so it is hard for me to help the struggling writers because I am not sure why they are having a hard time.

So, I am putting together a Writing Notebook that includes divider for all of the Common Core Standards. I found 2 great resources on Teachers Pay Teachers that I printed out. I divided the papers by which Common Core Standard they cover and put them in those sections. I am providing links to the 2 resources I bought. I am sure there are more great ones out there and I will continue looking for them. I'll post them as I find them. I would love to hear of other Writing resources you have found that relate to the Common Core Standards.

Class Organization

In between Wedding planning this Summer (for my daughter) I have been trying new crafts. I have always enjoyed being creative and with both of my kids grown, now I have time to find crafts I enjoy. I always helped my children with crafts, but they weren't necessarily things I would have chosen.

Anyway, these are pictures of 2 glass canister-type containers I decorated for my classroom.

I used my new Cricut machine to cut out the "H"s and "Mrs.Hogle" as well as some of the small dots. I used a 1" circle paper punch for the larger circles. I am having a blast with this Cricut machine. It is the mini one- since it was cheaper than the large one and I wasn't sure I would like it. For Becca's wedding, I made some personalized cups for people who helped in the wedding. Everyone loved them.

The large container holds 52 oz and I'm not sure about the little one since I already pulled the sticker off the bottom, but it was the smallest one of that type. I got them at Walmart in the kitchen section. It was about $5 for the large one and $3 for the little one. I plan to use them near my "Teacher Table" (for lessons) to help with organizing small items. I ordered the adhesive vinyl from Amazon. You could even do this without the Cricut machine and cutting out the shapes (or name) you want out of the adhesive vinyl.