Camping Week

Three and a half more days!!  I cannot believe it.  Last week was Camping Week and I'm popping on to share a few highlights from the week.

Teacher truth... this was the third straight week of themes and with trying to clean up the room and prep it for summer painting, I didn't do a ton of classroom transforming.  I need to be putting stuff away, not taking more stuff out!

That being said I did put up a "tent" on our word wall that I created using a blue table cloth from Walmart that cost $.97.  I reused the flame from last week's torch to create a fire!  Little prep but it did put us in the camping mood.  

For math tubs this week we played two camping themed games.  The first game was a review of place value.  The kids needed to read and build the tens and ones to determine the different campsite numbers.

The second math tub game this week had my kiddos practicing their doubles facts with a game called S'more Doubles. Little prep and the kids had a ball using marshmallows as markers.

 

During our literacy block we worked on putting different camping words in ABC order.  

We also reviewed several vowel patterns this week.  We built words using our red and blue magnets and then the kids had to record the words on these camping themed pages.  After building and recording 9 words, the kids had to use three words in sentences. Clearly it's the end of the year and I need new markers!

To finish out the week my kiddos got to write about whether or not they liked s'more as well as a campfire story they wnated to share with the class. This was a great way to tie paragraph writing into this themed week!

The kids also listed all the words they could think of that had a camping theme.  Some of them came up with a bunch of words!

This is the first year that I have done themed weeks to finish out the year and I am so happy we did it!  It was so much fun and it gave me a chance to enjoy the last few weeks with my kiddos!!

To all of you that have a few more days left, hang in there, we're almost done!! 

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First Grade Olympic Games Week

This year I decided to end the year with three themed weeks and I am SO glad I did this!  This was week two of the themed weeks and my kiddos were so excited and engaged and the week flew by.

First Grade Olympic games commenced on Monday morning and we began by starting a week long scrabble game.  Kids were separated into two teams and the teams were asked to spell and build words that contained patterns we reviewed each day.  

I also wanted my kiddos to be participating in some kind of physical activity so these Olympic games were "authentic".  That being said after each word was spelled and built we had to complete some excercise challenges.  The kids loved this and it kept them moving around during our word work block.  This was so important for this time of the year! 

Our math workshop time also included some Olympic themed games to go along with our week long fun!  The first game my kids played this week is Addition Battle-Olympic Edition.  Each kid picks two cards and then finds the sum.  The player with the larger sum gets a point.  Play continues and the kids can reshuffle cards when necessary.  

I have posted this game to my TpT store along with another version of this game so your kiddos can add two-digit numbers vertically.  Always trying to stretch and challenge the kids.  This is great because you can differentiate this game for different learners in your classroom. 

The other game my kiddos played this week was Place Value Battle-Olympic Version.  Much like addition battle the kids picked 3 cards and built the largest three-digit number they could with the cards they had.  The player with the larger number wins the point.  Play continues and the cards can be reshuffled when necessary.  

I have also posted this game to my TpT store with the Addition Battle game.  

To end the week I had my kiddos work on a spelling inventory so I could see where they are in terms of phonics skills and spelling.  

After our "closing ceremonies," I also gave each of my kids a medal for all their hard work in the First Grade Olympic Games.  I found 24 of these medals on Amazon for less than $5.  The only issue was they were an Add-On item... but don't worry, I found something else to buy!!

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Olympic Scrabble Game

With three more weeks of school, I am looking for any way to keep my kiddos engaged and working hard!  Last week was safari week and the kids LOVED it.  This week is our First Grade Olympic Games.  During the week we'll be reviewing many of the skills we've learned throughout the school year. 

To review several of the vowel teams we learned we played a week long scrabble game that the kids were so excited about!

I set out two sets of cards and divided the kiddos into two teams.  This week I gave the kids words to build because I wanted them focused on particular vowel team patterns each day.  In previous weeks I let the teams come up with their own words.

After each team member recorded the word in their Olympic notebook, then I selected 1 student to grab the necessary letters to build the word.  The team that built the word on their board first got an extra point for their team. 

After each team built the words, we added the points together and then recorded the score on the scoreboard.  This was also a great time to review math skills, particularly regrouping when adding!

To add to the game this week we also did some exercises to give the game an even more Olympic feel after each round. 

 Check back later in the week for a post about all the Olympic activities and games we took part in this week. 

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Safari Week and a Freebie

Safari week in first grade was a HUGH hit and we loved all the safari themed activities we took part in this week!  

I'm popping on the blog tonight to share a safari-themed math freebie that I've posted to my TpT store. I'm hoping to post all the resources to my TpT store soon but I'd like to use all the resources this week, make some changes, and then get it posted! Click the cover to download the freebie!

We used this game during our math rotations each day this week.  The game is a snap to prep and it's a great way to give your kiddos some review of missing addends as well as fact families.

Just print the cards on colored paper... I printed on two different colors but you can really print on one color.  Laminate the cards, pick a recording sheet and you're ready to go!

To play the kids pick cards and figure out the missing part.  I included these hippo counters with the tub in case some of my kiddos needed counters to help them solve.  

I've also included two different recording sheets depending on what you want your kiddos to work on.  I'm having my kids find the missing addend and then write the fact family for the three numbers.  

I also included a recording sheet for the kids to write just the missing part of the number bond.  Once you decide what sheet to use, just print, copy and you're ready to go.  If you're looking to save some paper you could always put the recording sheet in a page protector and have your kiddos use dry erase markers to record their answers.

I'll put a detailed post up soon with pictures from our first of three themed weeks as we round out the school year!!

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