Math Fact Fluency AND a Giveaway

I am SO SUPER excited to be here to tell you about a phenomenal teacher, inspiring blogger, and brilliant author/creator of teacher materials.  

I am also very honored and lucky to be able to call Molly from Lucky to be in First a friend.  How perfect that I had the opportunity to swap products with her and present them to you today?  

That's right --- right here, right now!  

So go grab a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or whatever snack sounds good right now and get ready for PURE AWESOMENESS!  

When I had to choose a product of Molly's for this swap it was such a difficult choice, because --- well, have you visited her store?  She has so many amazing products I didn't know which one I wanted more.  I was thrilled when Molly said I could have TWO!  The two products I chose ended up working perfectly together and when you see them in action, I am positive you will NEED them in your classroom too!  

I will start with Smart Cookie Math.

Smart Cookie Math helps students with basic fact practice and attaining fluency.  This seems to be something that isn't happening as much these days as I think it did when "we" were in school.  I still think it is very important for students to be able to attain fact fluency and so does Common Core.  Therefore, this product is just perfect! 

Allow me to let some pictures do the talking . . .

Molly gives a variety of options and has truly thought of everything you will need to get this set up in your classroom.  

This was so simple to get ready and you should have seen the looks on my students' faces when they saw these cookie jars with their names on them.  They just about died with anticipation for what we would be doing!  I explained to the class that they were going to have a chance to earn cookies for their cookie jars just by learning their math facts.  I assured them that they already knew many of these facts so earning cookies might start out easy, but in order to keep earning cookies they would need to practice (more on that later).  

Finally it was testing day (Friday).  I gave students privacy shields (file folders) so they could focus and passed out the Level 1 test.  

The students who got them all right were able to cut out a cookie and add it to their cookie jars.  I was so excited for the kids who did pass - which was half my class.  And when they got their reward certificate AND the cookie --- their smiles just lit up the room.

 I had also explained before passing out the tests that the goal was for each student to get better every time.  Therefore, even if they didn't pass this first time, their goal was to improve with each week.  They may have been a little disappointed, but they sure are anxious to try again next week to earn that cookie.  

What I'm about to tell you now will make your jaws drop.  Molly is so uber-talented that she even created an App to match this product.  You read that right --- there's an app for that.  Did I not tell you she thought of everything?!?!?

So in between test days my students can practice their level on this app.  

Another way we can practice in between tests is with the other product I am sharing with you today - 

Molly's Rockin' and Rollin' Dice Warm-up Game 

I loved how quick and easy this was to teach the kids and that I can do this whenever we have those random 5 minutes and need a filler.  As Molly explains in this pack, all she has to do is say to the kids, "It's Rockin' and Rollin' time" and they quickly take out the materials and get started.  By the way, the only materials needed are dice (the type of dice changes depending on the level) and paper.  How simple is that?

I cannot say it enough, but these two products are so extremely motivating for my students and are already making a HUGE difference in their fact fluency and number sense.  

Now for the fun part:

Molly and I are giving away the products that we swapped - all 4 of them!  Just enter below (or at Molly's blog) and you could win these two products from Molly:

AND these two products from Me:

       

To read more about my products you can jump over to Molly's blog.  

But just don't forget to enter our giveaway!  

Thanks for stopping by - Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, here are the details for the other giveaways!  Yes I said OTHER giveaways!  There's even more to win if you just keep reading.  

1. Start anywhere on the map below.

2. Stop by each blog and read about the products swapped between each set of bloggers.

3. Enter to win the resources that are featured by each blog pair. Each pair of bloggers has the same raffle, so you only have to enter on one of the two blogs.While you are at each blog, if you are not already a follower, sign on to follow!

4. The raffles are open until midnight March 15th.

SWAP A

      

SWAP B

       SWAP C          SWAP D           SWAP E

     

SWAP F
     

        

SWAP G     SWAP H

   

Math Fact Relay Race

This month I'm going to explain a super quick math activity you can do at any grade level and with many different concepts - Math Relay Races!

Math relay races are a great way to give your students practice with some basic math concepts likes counting forwards, counting backwards, skip counting, and SO much more.  One of my colleagues introduced this game to me and I was so impressed with how well my students did with it.  I just HAD to add this to my bag of tricks.  

Here are the basics of how we play in my room:

The point of the game is to work together, just like a relay race.  And the best part - there is only ONE rule:

When we first did this I thought for sure that my little chatterboxes would not be able to handle this one rule.  But they proved me wrong!  Here is a quick video of one of my groups.  No need to turn up your volume . . . unless you want to hear how quiet they truly are.  =)

This particular day we were practicing our skip counting by 10's and 5's.  I had them work for 1 minute, which was pretty good for my first graders, although I think we will add some time to it as we get better.

Here is the paper from this group:

We used a blank piece of paper folded in half and we used both sides of the paper.  Very simple concept, but definitely helpful and a quick way to practice.  We usually play 4 rounds and I keep track of points on the board.  I have each group add up their totals themselves at the end of each round.  

Like I said above - this game could also be played with variations.  

Here are just a few ideas:

Below is an example of how I used a phonics worksheet for a relay race.  

 

Believe me when I tell you, my students LOVE when I tell them it's time for Relay Races.  And if you are anything like me, you love finding those super simple ideas that you can implement into your classroom the very next day.  I hope you found this Bright Idea to be something that you could use in YOUR classroom.  

If you are looking for more Bright Ideas, you should check out this Pinterest board by clicking on the picture below.  You will find tons of great blog posts filled with Bright Ideas for the classroom.  

Thanks so much for stopping by and reading about my bright idea.  I'd love to read any comments you might have about more fun ways to practice math facts or skip counting.  

Sunday Funday

I'm back!

It seems that 2014 is a year of cluster blogging for me.  I might go weeks without blogging and then all of a sudden I blog two days in a row.  I can imagine this might be a little frustrating as a follower, so I apologize for that.  But let me just say, that I appreciate each and every one of you who chooses to visit this little blog and check out what I've been doing.  I really do love it all, but it's just hard sometimes to find the time for everything.  So thanks for sticking with me and coming back to visit!  

If you visited yesterday for my Currently update, you got to see how much fun I was able to have this month with my family.  Today, I am linking up with two of my favorite blogging buddies, Deirdre at A Burst of First and Molly at Lucky to be in First, for this Sunday Funday linky.  

Since I already shared my personal fun I've been having - today I will share some fun things we've been doing in the classroom this month.  

We finished up our Animals in Winter unit.  Here are just a few snapshots of what we worked on.  The kids had so much fun with this unit (and so did I).  

There was so much more that we did with this fun unit, but these are the only pictures I remembered to take.  If you want to see more about this unit, you can read this post about it.  

The next FUN thing I want to share is our 100th Day of School!  Can you believe that because of all of our snow/cold days off our 100th day of school wasn't until February 28th???  Usually for us it is around Valentine's Day (which, we also had a snow day on by the way).  So this was VERY late for us this year.  

Here are a couple Pinterest inspired activities.  I know Pinterest didn't create these, but I have seen them  all over the place and I do not know where the ideas originated.  If you know, feel free to tell me so I can credit them.  

Next up was some 100 second challenges.

And some 100th day writing. 

Yes, that last one says PEANUTS --- get your mind out of the gutter!  

But don't think I didn't giggle when I read it, too!  

Those kind of misspellings never get old with me =)

And for my last Sunday Funday share - I wanted to show a portrait one of my firsties drew of me.

Kid art is the BEST!!!  

Not sure where that hat came from.  I don't remember wearing a hat like that.  

But I do love my rosy red cheeks.  

I hope you are all having a FUN Sunday and that you will hop on over to check out the rest of the Sunday Funday links.  

March is here, so bring on Spring!

So here I am linking up with Farley for her monthly Currently.  It's a fun one - and she just got a new blog design by the amazing Michelle at 3AM Teacher.
Soooo cute - you have to check it out!

It's been a little bit since I've had a chance to blog lately, but I can't say that I am feeling too guilty about that since my time has been very well spent this last month.  Keep reading to find out why!

I'm wrapped up in a blanket right now with our heat turned up high because my body is having the hardest time readjusting to these freezing temperatures.  I know I have no right complaining because I did just go on the most amazing vacation EVER, but I don't care.  It's frickin' freezing out there!  Every time I set foot outside I feel as though the wind is ripping off a layer of my sun-kissed skin and sucking out the Vitamin D I was so graciously allowing to fill me up a week ago.  But in all honesty, I really cannot complain.  We had such a great time and I am so thankful to have had the chance to spend that time with my family - all 12 of us!  So I thought I would take a moment to share some of the memories we made.  

Starting with the airport.    

This was the first time my 2 year old was on a plane the my 5 year old was only on one as a baby - so needless to say I was a wee bit nervous about the plane ride.  I started packing our carry-on suitcases a month before we left because I wanted everything to be JUST right.  It turned out great with only a few minor moments of boredom.

We arrived to the most beautiful weather in the Dominican Republic.  We were staying in this gorgeous villa with our own pool, which was perfecto for the kiddos (mine and my sister's two kids).  

We spent most of our time on this beach - Serenity Beach!  There were beds, hammocks, and Lazy Loungers or bean bags with giant pillows to lay on.  I don't know about you, but I have never been to a beach like that before and once I was there - I NEVER wanted to leave.  Plus, I think I'm a little spoiled and will only be able to lay on a bean bag on the beach from now on.  I'll be Googling Lazy Lounger after I'm done typing this post.  

A Brazilian Steakhouse family picture.  This was the second night there.  We were really great about getting the sunscreen on the kids --- not so great about ourselves.  Just little bit burned that night! 

Sweet cousins!!!

My nephew's birthday party.  What better place to celebrate a birthday than in paradise??

We love to take silly selfies =)

And more beach fun!

Check out our little Island Girl in her braids.

So can you see why I wish I was still there????  

By the way -- this was also the reason why I need more time for my to-do list.  But I personally think it's a pretty good reason.  

And if you're wondering what my last one is---134 Days--- Farley decided to keep the question open and you could guess what the question/topic was.  So put your guesses in the comments if you feel like playing and then head on over to check out the rest of the Currently's for the month of March.  

Thanks for checking in!  =)

Organizing Student Data

Today I'd like to share a teacher tip of how I organize my student data in my classroom.  

In the days of Common Core, RTI, APPR, and whatever else is out there that I'm forgetting, a teacher can go a little bonkers trying to keep track of everything and have the evidence needed to support student performance.  It can be exhausting and stressful just gathering all the data you need, but it can also be challenging finding a way to organize that data once it's collected.  This year I decided to keep an all-inclusive Student Data Binder.

To get started, I went to Office Max and got a large binder - mine is only 2 inches and I think I need to upgrade to a 3 inch binder.  I also got these numbered dividers.  In my classroom, I assign numbers to students from the first day of school and we use those numbers for a lot like our lunch choices and behavior chart.  The dividers come with this Table of Contents page, so I laminated that page and each year I will just tape in a copy of my student's names and numbers into it.  This way I can reuse it for as long as it will last.  

I have tried to include as much into this binder as I can so I have one place to go when I need information on a student.  One thing I keep in the binder is any and all parent communication (that is not in an email).    

I bought this 3-hole punched, plastic zipper pouch at Dollar Tree this summer and they are awesome.  They are very sturdy.  This one is in the front of my binder and I put any notes that parents send in throughout the year.  I keep them all!  The only ones I don't keep in this pouch would be excuses that go to the office.  I'm always surprised when I need to go back and look at a note, whether it's to grab a phone number or email that I can't find anywhere else or if I just need documentation of correspondence with parents- I am always happy that I keep them.  Under each student's tab I also put in the parent letters I have parents write to me in the beginning of the year about their expectations, goals, and concerns.  I also keep our parent conference notes and other notes I take when making phone calls.  This is so helpful during report cards to remind myself of what our goals are for each child and what I've already discussed with parents.  

I also keep each student's assessment data in my binder.  This includes running records and other testing documentation like AIMSWEB or informal assessments.  I also tend to write anecdotal notes on post-its during guided reading or math and then I can just stick them in the student's section so I don't lose them. 

I don't keep copies of the actual assessments in my binder because they take up way too much space.  I keep these in a crate with numbered file folders.  So in my binder I do keep any grading sheets that have the scores for these assessments on them, but the tests themselves get filed away.  (I don't have a picture of my grading sheets, but they are very basic).

The last thing I keep in my binder is behavior data.

 I use a card system in my room for behavior.  Each day I very quickly take some markers and document what color card each student was on.  I will often write a quick note as to why they were on a different color or again use a post-it and stick it in there.  I keep these so I can look back at trends, for report cards, and so I can share this with parents if I need to.  I allow students to earn a sticker when they are on green and then earn a reward when they get to 5 stickers.  It might seem like it would take a lot of time, but actually it is only about 2 minutes at the end of the day and it is SO important to reinforce the child's behavior for the day - especially the positive!

 So that's about it for my Student Data Binder.  It has really helped me stay organized this year.  I can grab it when I have conferences or if I need to bring a student up for intervention support.  Last week when I was finishing up my report cards for the quarter, I was so, so happy to be able to grab this binder and just get to it.

I hope you saw something that you could use in your own classroom.  If you are looking for more Bright Ideas, you should check out this Pinterest board by clicking on the picture below.  You will find tons of great blog posts filled with Bright Ideas for the classroom.  

Thanks so much for visiting.  I'd love to hear any other great ideas you might have on how you organize your student data.