Research Differentiation for Students

With Black History Month and Presidents' Day both in February, it's a perfect time to introduce our younger students to research. Think primary students are too young for a research project? Guess again! Continue reading for resources and ideas for differentiating research.

Every year in second grade, we do a Famous Black American research project. I created research sources for students to use. I like to have students use both the QR Codes and books to locate information and facts.Click on the picture below for a closer look at this product in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.

This product is designed to be used and broken apart as needed for your class. Each research passage includes two graphic organizers, and an optional interactive notebook page. 

I look forward to seeing these posters every year! The students work so hard on putting it all together just right. I'm always blown away by the dedication and hard work that goes into the finished products.

Students can use the research passages individually, or work with partners. Look at the amazing work one third grade class did with my MLK Jr. Research Freebie!

I love how the groups were able to personalize their posters! This year, we'll dive deeper into research for Presidents' Day. 

Each website linked through the QR Codes are from kid friendly websites. If you're looking for quality picture books this month, click on my Amazon affiliate links below of my recommendations. 

                                         

                                                       

Counting Coins

Happy Fall all! I don't know about you, but this is one of my favorite times of year. Students start to settle into class routines and the weather cools off. It's also time for one of my favorite units in math, teaching money!

Are you looking for some new resources to add to your teacher toolbox for money? Here are some amazing activities that are guaranteed to keep your kids engaged while learning about money. Lots of pictures and links are coming your way!
You can easily integrate some ELA with counting coins with picture books. One of my favorites is The Coin Counting Book. This picture book uses pictures instead of illustrations and easy rhymes to help students count the value of coins.

Click on the book cover or here to get your own copy. 

Another great picture book to use is A Dollar, a Penny, How Much and How Many? 

This book teaches readers how to count combinations of coins and bills. My students love the illustrations and silly rhymes! Click the book cover or here to buy your own copy. 

When I first introduce coins, I like to use an anchor chart with an easy to remember poem. 

I used large cut outs to show what the front and back of each coin looks like. Notice the curlicues on top of each coin? My team uses "hairy coins" to teach students how to count coin values. Each curlicue or "hair" stands for five. The kids always giggle when they discover the penny is bald because it's only worth one cent. 

I have a FREE set of posters including this poem in my TpT store! 

If you can't find a set of coin cut outs at your local teacher store, you can pick some up on Amazon.

While teaching students how to count money, I think it's important for us teachers to show them a variety of ways money can be seen and read. Students don't need to know just the value of coins, they need to be able to compare them as well as practice with them in word problem settings. During math stations this week we began using my Coins Task Cards.

I break up the three sets of task cards based on the ability and needs of my students. One group works with me in small group to continue mastery of basic coin counting.

Another group works on comparing the value of sets of coins.

A third group of students works on coin word problems. 

You can take a closer look at this resource in my TpT store.

Looking to integrate technology for your money unit? Counting Money is a free iPad app my kids can't get enough of! 

You set the app to practice or quiz mode and select the level of difficulty. 

This app is perfect for practice of coin combinations to equal the same value. 

Another great free app is Count Money!

This app is similar with the added feature to let students check their answer. 

For students who need more hands on practice, I use Counting Coins Two Ways. 

Do you students love challenges? Mine do, especially when I show my excitement about them. 

 QR Code Coin Challenge combines brain power and technology! 

To complete the challenges, students can only use a certain number of coins to show amount of money. 

Students can use manipulatives or draw on the cards to show their work. Students get instant feedback by scanning the QR code. 

What are some of your favorite resources for teaching money? Leave a comment below! 

Welcome Spring!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope you're all enjoying your day, and have had a great weekend. I think the cooler weather in my part of Texas is finally over for the year which means plenty of sunshine and sandals ahead!
In honor of Easter, a few teacher friends and I are throwing a TpT sale! Stop by our stores and check out all the amazing resources we have for you.

Here's a sneak peek of what we're learning in my class.
Tuesday and Thursday of this week is STAAR testing. We don't take the test in second grade, but we're going to spread some encouragement to our class of fourth grade buddies. I just posted Treat Tag Freebies in my store. Simply fill a baggie with cereal or cookies and you're done!

We're also tackling the skill of telling time on an analog clock. Telling time is one math skill that certainly takes practice and patience to master for students. One way the minis are practicing time on an analog clock is with Time Task Cards.

In addition to tackling the basics, we're digging deeper and learning about elapsed time as well. Spring Forward can be used during any time of year to teach or review elapsed time skills. 

Check out two of my minis working in small groups. They LOVE using the iPad to self check their answers.

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead! 

Snapshots of History

Happy Saturday everyone! My poor 'lil blog has been so neglected lately I had to clear away some cobwebs! I've had the opportunity to collaborate with some AMAZING bloggers on a project. I'm happy to share our Black History Month Digital Sampler is now available!

The sampler is full of links to resources  perfect Black History Month supplements for  K-2 classrooms. Each resource will help your students dig deeper into learning about important people in Black History. Students will dig deeper and extend their knowledge beyond well known people such as MLK. Click on the picture to learn more!

What's Cookin' In Your Class?

Happy fall y'all! I couldn't wait to start pulling out the October classroom decor today! The wonderful Tamara from Mrs. Russell's Room has started a new monthly linky called What's Cookin' In Your Class. I'm so excited to be linking up and sharing some of what's happening with my minis.

My TpT store has only been open for a week. Needless to say I don't have that many products yet, but no worries I'll start building it up little by little.

I finally got my October listening center prepped and ready for use today! The minis love scanning the QR codes and listening to the stories.

Head on over to my store to grab these for your class.

The minis have also been reviewing common and proper nouns during learning stations this week.

Next week we begin learning all about money and counting coins. I'll use these posters as a refresher when the minis start doing their money math stations. 

Don't forget to link up and share what's cookin' in your classroom!

Classroom Reveal 2014-2015

Convocation and Wildcat Welcome (our meet the teacher night) made for one loooong Thursday. When a parent you've just met hugs you and expresses how happy they are you know it's going to be a great year. The good news is I can FINALLY share my classroom pictures!! Be prepared for lots of pics in this post!
Before I get to the pictures, I've got to take a moment and share the one and only Ron Clark was our guest speaker at convocation today. This was my first time hearing and seeing him in person. His passion for what we do is contagious!

I wish I could have recorded his entire message. I'd love to visit the Ron Clark academy in Atlanta one day. Hmm, maybe I can convince a teacher friend or two to take a trip to Atlanta....

Moving along to classroom pictures. I kept my cupcake theme with coordinating colors. Come on inside and take a peek. :)

Eventually the welcome banner will be replaced with our class schedule. We're required to keep the black shade for lock down drills.

Student supplies were beginning to be delivered yesterday so I decided to leave them be instead of fighting with moving and removing to take pictures. I have one teacher area in the front at my computer and another at the back with my small group table. I chose to arrange my furniture this year in a way that allows me to monitor and move around all areas of the room.

I hand write my class rules poster every year. On the first day of school each mini will sign at the bottom and this handy dandy little poster then becomes a contract for the year.

I have supplies located at each area. Yes I can have supply overload but it saves me time bouncing from place to place getting what I need. We all know minutes count especially when working with our small groups.

Each group has their storage area along along with a caddy. The crates are for any class library books, privacy folders, and white boards. We'll put smaller supplies like glue sticks, spelling dictionaries, and dry erase markers in the caddies. 

Sorry for the not so great pic quality here! Every year I like starting with student names on the word wall and build throughout the year. Freebie alert! I got the cupcake letters from Kinder Confections.

A new addition this year is our "Tech Talk" bulletin board. Minis can find login information and library resources here.

Eventually I'll get around to jazzing up my class jobs, but for now it's all good. 

I use Filetastic hanging folders for student mailboxes since table top space is at a premium in the classroom.

Our listening station location (says that 5 times fast) is now at the front of the room. I'm so excited to begin the year with iPads! No more tapes or Cd's; all stories for this learning station are through QR codes. I plan to share more about my revamped listening station soon. The pillows were made for me by a friend a couple of years ago; the iPad rules freebie is from The Imagination Nook.

This file cabinet used to be by my computer but now it's used for spelling station. Storage for materials and games plus space for minis to work is a win win. Ignore that crate!

Boggle is one of the most popular activities in class.

The sign in clipboard and welcome sign were put out for tonight only. 

Loving my new calendar bb set I got from Lakeshore. My only problem is the calendar numbers. My old bulletin board had individual numbers as well as the 24th and 31st as one die cut. Calendar is an important part of our daily routine and I want it to be done correctly. I'll have to figure out how to fix this, bleh!

 

Another freebie alert! Hand signals courtesy of the always amazing Miss Nelson.

Birthday chart, second grade bucks poster, and sweet treats for classroom management. Ten class compliments equals a sweet treat party of some sort; almost always cupcakes!

My objectives frames and library sticks I made over the summer. The green bin was going to hold student earbuds, but aren't big enough so I'll have to find another use for them.

Our community supply shelf. Minis can simply grab what they need when they need it. Side note: I spent time organizing math games and materials with these same bins on the shelf underneath the calendar. I was pleased with the results and I promise you I took pictures of the organization greatness. The problem is the pictures are nowhere to be found. I'm 100% sure I took the pictures and am now upset I can't share them. So just imagine this neat colorful display in another area! Ugh, teacher brain. I'll have to share again in another post someday.

My writing process display is in the process of being jazzed up so this area will change to better meet the needs of the class.