Doggy Bone Addition and Subtraction Match

I really love a hands on approach to math, so it is important for me to make sure that I have a variety of games my students can use. Moving towards common core is giving me the opportunity to re-examine what I'm already using and create things that I feel my students will benefit from. Doggy Bone Addition Match and Doggy Bone Subtraction Match are two games I recently created to help my students with addition and subtraction within 20 and to help them build fluency. Here are the links if to both games if you are interested in checking them out.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Doggy-Bone-Addition-Match-709807

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Doggy-Bone-Subtraction-Match-709815

Prefix and Suffix Cut and Paste

While teaching my students prefixes I decided that I wanted my students to have a better understanding of what the prefixes meant. They were reading words with prefixes in them, but that was about as far as it went. 

I not only wanted my students to have a better understanding of the prefixes, but I also wanted them to be able to add a prefix to a word and read it. Along with that, I wanted them to be able to review the words they had worked on. This inspired me to create my prefix packet. It is an activity packet called Prefix Cut and Paste.

Using this packet allowed my students to focus on one prefix at a time. For example, I introduced the prefix “un” and explained that it means “not.” Then we discussed how it could be used. This allowed students to tap into their prior knowledge and think about how they had used this prefix before. 

After discussing the prefix I gave students a prefix page and a booklet with blank paper. Students could have gone on to do the cutting and pasting on their own, but I continued it as a whole class activity. I liked doing this because I was able to continue to talk through each word emphasizing the word “prefix” and what the particular prefix and new word meant. 

Students kept their booklets in their work folders. This was convenient as we continued to work on prefixes because I didn't have to keep collecting and passing them out. 

Doing this activity was a whole class activity that kept everyone focused. My students really enjoy it, which then motivated me to create a packet for suffixes as well.

You can visit my TPT Store to view these products. The prefix packet and the suffix packet are sold individually and as a bundle. 

Prefix Cut and Paste

Suffix Cut and Paste

Prefix and Suffix Bundle

Ocean Theme Ideas

I love this time of the year. Yes, partly because summer vacation is only a few weeks away, but also because it is the time of the year when I teach the ocean habitat in my classroom. Student love themed exploratory learning and I love providing them with the experience. There are a couple of things that I do to get my class interested, excited, and ready to learn about the ocean. I thought I would share some of those ideas with you.

One thing I do is I put an exploratory table in my classroom. I have a small table with seashells, rocks, plastic ocean animals, starfish, and a seahorse, which for the most part were purchased from Michael's craft store. I of course have some books, but most of my books are on my thematic book rack. The big thing is that I have live creatures. I have a couple of red eyed turtles, a couple of hermit crabs and a beta fish. This exploratory table becomes one of my center rotations. Students spend time observing, discussing, investigating and experiencing a hands-on approach to learning.

Here is what it looks like. 

Here is my thematic book rack.

Another thing that I do is I have my class help me create a large ocean mural. I use a large piece of blue butcher paper; paint the ocean floor; add a rock, a starfish, and some ocean plants/seaweed. I do this ahead of time of course so that it will be dry and ready when I go to use it. Then on a day when I am focusing on sharks I have students get creative and make sharks to add to our mural. I actually got the print out from Learning Page.com many years ago, so I don't know if they still have it. I know that they have dolphins though. Here is the link http://www.learningpage.com/free_pages/galleries/oceans.html if you are interested.

Here is the before and after of what my mural looks like.

I hope that you find these ideas helpful. It really doesn't take much to get kids excited about oceans. I've been doing this for many years and they always seem to really enjoy it.

Please feel free to visit my TPT Store for other teaching ideas.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Anna-Navarre

Ocean Themed Activities

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ocean-Themed-Activities-1880350

Animal Habitat Sort

I've taught about animal habitats this year and am beginning my ocean unit. I needed something that kind of ties all of the habitats together or at least serves as a review, so I created this Animal Habitat Sort. My students love learning and talking about animal habitats, so this game is perfect for them. As an extension to the sorting activity I'm having them tell a fact about the animal/habitat before the card can be placed in the correct habitat. Please feel free to check it out on my teacher's store.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Habitat-Sort-702021

or

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/animal-habitat-sort

Jungle Theme Compound Words

Compound words are interesting to teach. I find that my students have a pretty good understanding of what it takes to make a compound word, but they aren't really familiar with which words can be put together. Everything starts sounding correct to them. I even had one student use "andthen" throughout her writing, because it of course goes so well together. Anyways, what they really need is just more exposure to these words. In an attempt to provide my students with more practice and a hands on approach to compound words I created this Jungle Themed Compound Word set. It makes a quick and easy center activity. I have students create the words and then write them on their whiteboards. This activity is available on my TPT Store and my Teacher's Notebook Shop. Please feel free to check it out if you would like. You can also feel free to follow either one of these shops in order to get notifications of new product postings.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Jungle-Theme-Compound-Words

or

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/jungle-theme-compound-words

Phonics Sound Cards with Power Point

One thing I have learned about teaching phonics is that it is definitely not a one time deal. There is no "teach it and forget it." It requires lots of practice both in isolation and in context of a word. I use Phonics Sound Cards to help with that necessary repetative practice. As part of my daily phonics lesson my class review the phonics cards. I actually expose them to the cards before they have even had many of the lessons. I find the cards a helpful tool. It is even fun to watch my students use the cards during choice learning time. They use them to play school. 

This set also comes with an audio Power Point. I like playing the Power Point while I'm doing attendance and getting my day started. There are 38 phonics cards, which review short vowels, long vowel, diagraphs (ch, sh, wh, & th), vowel teams, and Bossy r (ar, er, ir, or, & ur). I have made this set available on my TPT Store and Teacher's Notebook Shop. Feel free to check it out.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonics-Sound-Cards-with-Power-Point

or

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/phonics-sound-cards-with-power-point

Root Words with -s, -ed, and -ing Endings

I went to pull out a packet that I had to help my students practice inflectional endings and I wasn't happy with it, so I had to create one of my own. I'm not really a worksheet person, so I often put worksheets in sheet protectors, place them in a 12 x18 folded sheet of construction paper and staple it to turn them into a reusable book for my centers. Students use whiteboard markers to write their answers and they are able to practice over and over if need be. The packet I created has four practice sheets and, because I prefer games, a sorting game. You can check it out on my TPT or Teachers Notebook Store.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Root-Words-with-s-ed-and-ing-Endings

or

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/anavarre/root-words-with-s-ed-and-ing-endings