Task Card Craze or CrAzY + Freebie

I gotta say I love task cards as much as the next girl, but I create soooooo many that if I laminated them ALL and cut them ALL I would go CRAZY! Lately, I only cut the ones I am going to use to play scoot or solve the room. If they are for small group there is NO WAY they are getting laminated or cut. I just slip the whole sheet into a clear report cover and call it a day.

That’s what I plan to do for the little rounding review center I created for my kiddos to work for St. Patrick’s Day. Click here to Grab your Freebie!

 

 

I am linking up with Tara at 4th grade Frolics for Monday Made it!

 

 

Word Problem Graphic Organizer

I don’t know about you, but many of my kiddos have a difficult time processing word problems—especially multi-step word problems. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been developing an 8 step graphic organizer designed to help my students think through the steps of solving any type of word problem.

• The graphic organizer may be displayed on an interactive whiteboard for whole class discussions.
• Students may keep a copy of the Problem Solving Strategy Graphic Organizer in their journals as a reference. Then, write the numbers 1-8 as they solve word problems.
• The teacher may choose to laminate the graphic organizer so that students may use fine tip dry erase markers to solve their problems.
• I have included a jpeg of the printable so that the teacher may order a poster from a company that makes poster from pictures. If you had a laminated poster, small groups of students could complete the Problem Solving Strategy Graphic Organizer together. One fun way is with sticky notes. 

Click here to get your FREE Word Problem Graphic Organizer! 

updated 1/11/16

February Currently

I am joining Farly at Oh Boy 4th Grade by linking up with her Currently!

 

Listening: Drip… Drip… Drip… My kitchen sink has been dripping for a while now. I had a plumber friend stop by and fix it about a week ago and it is dripping again.

Loving: We don’t get much snow here in Alabama, but when we do it really affects our travel. Tuesday, our roads were blanketed with snow and ice.

Thinking: Notice I am “thinking” about cleaning. I need to actually be cleaning. 

Wanting: I have been wanting a new laptop for awhile. I had pretty much made up my mind that I wanted to make the leap from PC to Mac. Now my school, has gotten a bunch of Chromebooks and they are really cool. Decisions…Decisions…

Needing: I really could use a nap right now. I have been having insomnia lately. Funny thing is I went for a sleep study on Monday night. I woke up in the middle of the night and could not go back to sleep. The next morning, I told the tech that I couldn’t go back to sleep after I woke up. He said that it didn’t take me that long for me to fall back asleep. Surely, I am not dreaming about not being about to sleep!!

2 Truths & a Fib:

• Over 11,000 students spent the night at school Tuesday night (Truth). The conditions on the roads became too bad too quickly and busses had to return to schools with students.
• I am a great cook (Fib). I love to eat, but I do NOT love to cook.
• There is snow on the ground and my son wore shorts to baseball practice (Truth). Teenagers?! BTW--It is in the 50s today.

Measuring Angles Freebie

Yesterday, we made wax paper protractors. I found this idea in Teaching Student-Center Mathematics Grades 3-4 by John A Van de Walle. Not only is it a perfect way to introduce measuring angles and reading protractors, my kiddos love making foldables. See my photos how to make a wax paper protractor below.

I made a set of six angles for my students to measure using their wax paper protractors. I copied a set for each group and put them into clear report covers. My students counted how many wedges were in each angle. Click here to grab your freebie {TPT}   Click her to grab your freebie {TN} On another day, we will go back an measure these angles with a protractor.

After students measured all six angles, I pulled one of the right angles up on my promethean board. I also drew a tiny right angle about an inch tall on my white board. I asked my students to estimate how many wedges would be in each angle and write their estimate in their journal. Next, one student came to the promethean board to measure the right angle displayed. He found there were 4 wedges. Another student measured the right angle drawn on the white board. She found there were 4 wedges. Many students were surprised that they had the same measurement.

How to Make a Wax Paper Protractor

 

Capacity Kingdom Foldable Freebie

Last week, my students started learning to convert units of capacity. I began by telling them a story I adapt from Voltz Math.

Far, far, away in land called Capacity Kingdom lived a King. This king was huge! In fact, he was a giant, so everyone called him King G. {I drew a Big "G" on my white board.} Then I asked my kiddos if they knew what a king’s wife was called. They did J.  Next, I told them King G was playah. I nodded my head and paused for dramatic effect. Then, I told them he had four queens. {I drew four "Q"s inside the Big "G" on the board.}

Next I asked my kiddos if they knew what the kids of kings and queens are called. They did J. I told my students that each queen had one prince and one princess. {I drew two "P"s inside each "Q" saying this queen had one prince and one princess as I drew each "P"} This is when I began to hear my kids whispering that the King had 8 kids.

Then I asked my students if they knew what princes and princesses wear on their heads. They did J.  I told them each Prince and Princess had two crowns. They had one they wore on special occasions such as a ball. They wore the other crown everyday to places like the mall. { I drew two "c"s inside each "P" chanting ball and mall as I drew each "c"} Next I told them each crown had 8 opals on it.

Finally, I told my kiddos that I told them that silly story to help remember how to draw the big "G" when you are converting capacity. Let me tell you, it did!! I spent 10 minutes telling that story on Monday. On Friday, I gave a quick assessment to see how many of my 104 students could draw the big “G”. I was AMAZED almost every student remembered it exactly!!

After telling the story I gave each a big “G” foldable to put in their math notebooks. We practice using the using the big “G” to convert customary units of capacity.

 

Click Here to Grab your Free Foldable {TPT}
Click Here to Grab your Free Foldable {TN}

King Gallon

Queen Quart
Prince/Princess Pint
Crown Cup
Opal Ounces

Finding Perimeter at School & Home

Click on the Picture to Grab Your Copy.

We have been investigating measurement. This week, my students were given the task to measure several objects around the room. I watched as pairs of students found the perimeter of the classroom door. With a meter stick in hand, students began to measure. Even though most of my kiddos can tell you there are 3 feet in a yard and 100 cm in a meter. Many of them decided to measure the door in inches using a meter stick. Turns out, this was a great opportunity to discuss efficiency. This assignment really helped my students begin to learn to apply their measuring knowledge. Measuring the door was also an opportunity for my kiddos to problem solve because it was taller than they could reach and I wouldn't let them stand in a chair. They had to figure out to start at the top of the door and work their way down. I also created a Finding Perimeters at Home practice sheet. 

Click the Picture to Grab Your Copy.



 

Want to Get on the Right Track with Word Problems?

I have been working on a set of 26 task cards involving multiplication and division situations. Each task card contains a picture and two questions. Some problems have extra information, require students to interpret remainders, or require students to use the answer from the first problem to solve the second. (Common Core Standard 4.OA.3) The set includes a student record sheet and an answer key. Since understanding word problems is a skill in which so many students need extra practice, I decided to share my task cards with my Facebook Fans. Not a fan yet? Go to Facebook, click "like" then access the "Fan Freebies" tab.

***Update 1/6/15 This resource above is no longer available on my Facebook page; however, it is available for purchase in my TpT store. Click here to check it out.  You are now able to get my Cooperative Table Mats when you like my Facebook. I love this set of table mats because my students are continually working in cooperative groups. These mats make partnering up a breeze. They are available for groups of 4 or groups of 6. Like my Facebook page to get your FREE set of table mats!!