Five For Friday - Valentine's Day

I'm linking up today for Five for Friday!   

One - MORE SNOW

That's right... we started off this week with more snow AGAIN!  Two Mondays in a row we had no school. Two Tuesdays in a row we had a two hour delay... we haven't had a full week in weeks!  I'm ready for this winter to end!!

This is my back patio... the picnic table is just about buried in snow!  While this week was warmer, and when I say warmer it was only around 25 degrees, this weekend the DEEP freeze is coming in.  Wind chills this weekend are expected to be minus 15 to minus 25... yikes!  OH, and there is more snow coming this weekend as well!!   

Two - Winter Break
That's right... next week is our winter break. A whole week off!  I have a ton of planning to do for the upcoming weeks as well as a list of TPT projects I want to accomplish.  I guess it's a good thing it will be too cold to go outside.  

I did get a ton of report card assessments completed over the last few weeks.  Hopefully I can get a few sections of my report cards completed over the break as well.  

Three - Problem Solving 

My kiddos rocked problem solving over the last two weeks.  I'm so impressed by the strategies they use and how well they understand how to solve word problems.  

I think one of the best strategies we have used this year is using a part-part-whole model or a number bond to help us problem solve.  Once the kids fill in one of these models with the numbers they know, they are better able to use a strategy to solve the problem.  

We begin and end each math workshop with problem solving... lots of practice has resulted in great results.  We always begin with a word problem on the Promethean Board.  We read and discuss the problem and them my kiddos solve it on their work mats.  Kids learn math by doing not by watching.

This little sweetie showed me her "math thinking" on her mat as well!  She was so proud!

Lately we have been using these Construction Problem Solving Printables at the end of each lesson.  The kids love the theme and have done a great job solving the word problems.  This pack only includes addition but I'm hoping to finish the subtraction pack over the winter break next week.  

Sometimes I project the colored version on the board and we solve it together at the end of the lesson.  Other times I print out the black and white version and my kids hand it in so I can take a look at their math thinking.  A change of pace is always welcomed in our room!  

Four - Math and Valentine's Day
For our math journals this week we used some Valentine's Day interactive journal activities to practice skills we have been working on over the past few weeks... the kids loved the Valentine's Day theme! I think we'll probably use these until the end of the month... live up the Valentine's Day theme all month!

Five - ELA Resources 
This week we have been working on contractions.  My kiddos loved using these broken heart puzzles to match contractions.  

My kiddos have gotten bored with building words with letter cards or magnets so I needed to think of some new ideas this week.  To build contractions we used clothespins with letters written on them.  The kids found the letters they needed and clipped the letters on each card.  

I found this great organizer at Walmart and it's big enough to hold 4 clothespins for each letter.  The drawers are a bit hard to open but after a few minutes the kids got the hang of it.  

I also let my kiddos build sight words this week with conversation hearts.  They begged me to let them eat one... then we talked about germs and how everyone in class had touched the candy.  Mission accomplished... they no long wanted to eat them.  I had one kid ask to build with the cupcake erasers too!

Happy Valentine's Day :)

Thanks so much for visiting!  Have a great weekend! Stay warm if you're in the great Northeast!