How To Make Ice Cream Writing Common Core

Let me start by saying, I'm not crazy! I know that it is snowing and freezing almost everywhere this week. Thankfully, I planned and taught this lesson last week. Let me remind me you,  I live in Florida. Last week we had beautiful, sunny, hot weather! It was perfect for making ice cream! The idea do to do it on a full moon Monday, well, not so brilliant. =) But we did it...

 We began first thing Monday morning reading this book...

Which is hysterical. They loved it. 

Then we read  this cute ice cream poem...I could not find the author, but if you know who it is, please leave me a comment so I can credit them!

From the poem, I told the students it was time to make ice cream. 

Then we made ice cream, step by step! 

 The students were loving this, of course! They got to mix all their ingredients.

 Here they are just a shakin' away!

 After about 15 minutes, we had ice cream! They were beyond thrilled.

(I, with the mess, not so much. But it was so worth it.) 

 After we ate our ice cream, the kids gathered on the carpet and we charted our ingredients and materials. The students then went off to draw and label the list of ingredients. 

The next day, we reviewed how we made ice cream. I modeled for the students how to draw sequenced pictures of the steps to make ice cream. They illustrated the steps on a graphic organizer. Here is my model. 

These are the students illustrated steps. 

How awesome is this one below!?

The next day, we reviewed transition words and a complete sentence. Here is my model. 

The students then went off to write sentences to match their illustrated steps. 

(Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this step!)

The following day, we reviewed topic sentences. We brainstormed a list of topic sentences they could use for their writing. (At this time of the year, most of my students can develop their own topic sentence. I have a few ELL students who are still struggling. So I find that it's important to brainstorm several and then they have a choice as to which one to use.) 

Here is my anchor chart with my topic sentence. We also read this great informational book about making ice cream. It had a great topic sentence!

These are the students' organizers for their topic and conclusion sentences. 

The next day, we began our draft. 

I was out sick on Friday, so Monday we reviewed the entire process so far. The students finished their drafts. Later in the day, we went back and reviewed conclusions. 

They added their conclusions. The next day, we edited their drafts and created the matching craftivity. They had two choice for a craftivity. 

These are some final pieces. 

This is what my wall now looks like. It is surrounded by the kids' writing. I am so happy with how this writing project turned out. 

You can find this lesson on TPT by clicking the photo below. 

First three people to comment and leave their email will get a free copy! =)

Math Assessments Common Core Style

AHHH...implementation of the Common Core Standards is a huge project. Each week we are realizing the need for different assessments. A few weeks ago, I tackled a math assessment.

The CCSS is Number and Operations in Base Ten  1.NBT

Extend the counting sequence.

1.  Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read

and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Our math textbook has little to none in the way of counting lessons or assessments for counting. This year, we are relying heavily on Kathy Richardson's Developing Number Concepts for the majority of our math lessons. Her program relies heavily on manipulation and inquiry with math manipulatives. Once a student begins to show mastery, the written component is added in. I have had great success with her program in my classroom. 

Based on the lessons we have been teaching, I created an assessment for counting to 120.  Our district has divided the counting sequence into 1 to 30, 1 to 60, 1 to 100, and 1 to 120.  I hope you will find it useful! 

Calendar Math Madness

   Well, hello there friends! I don't know about you...but it's been a hectic end of the year for me! Between ending the year and packing up, it has been nonstop.  The classroom is packed and the kids are off for summer break. I think I have finally found a moment to breathe!

    Onto some exciting news, well, for me at least! I have finally finished my Math Madness, a Common Core calendar companion unit. I have had many questions over the years as to how I do calendar math. So now I am FINALLY read to share! 

     I used to do the typical program. I quickly realized, this just wasn't enough. While calendar math has some great components, there was just not enough spiraling in it or in the many math programs I have used. End of the year testing comes, and the students no longer remember how to do many skills. 

     I have gradually added skills to the morning math routine. (I used to just quickly draw or type out the new skill. Not cute at all! I would love to show you pictures of what it used to look like, but I have none, and besides it would now be embarrassing!)

 Over the course of this year, I have cute-sified my Math Madness and aligned it to Common Core for first and second grade. (I teach a split class.)

When I began this year, I would introduce and teach the skill, after a few modelings, I would have a student come up and complete each skill every morning.

  But...I believed it could be even better for the students. There was still a component missing. Then one day earlier this year, it hit me. They were not recording or mentally participating in the actions of mathematical thinking. They were just responding to a series of questions and patterns. The entire structure of calendar math was based on patterns. 

 I took it a step further and had the students record with me, and eventually independently. So Math Madness was born and quickly grew. I have seen phenomenal gains in math, and my students are working independently and loving Math Madness. Both my first and second graders showed proficiency in most, if not all the skills.

          Here is my plan for next year, based on how I implemented it this year.

Beginning the first day of school, we begin with calendar math time. On day one, I will model the date, days in school with place value, money, and a pattern on the calendar. After I will model, the students record on their response sheets. By the second week, students usually have a pretty good idea of how this goes, and they begin to work independently on the Math Madness. As they complete it, I then have students present their thinking and answers to the class.

  The third or fourth week, I add a new skill. This can be either a review from the previous grade OR a mini-lesson on a skill coming up.  As a mini-lesson, it gives me a good picture of who already has some foundation for the new skill. It also gives me good insight as to who needs remediation in certain skills.

   In the beginning, the numbers will tie into the days we have been in school. This won’t last more than a few weeks, as the kids begin to figure that out, and then they just go on automatic with the patterns. NOT what I want happening. =) Then I will just start changing up the numbers I use. I try to tie it into what ever math skill I really want to hit that day or week.  For example, when I  taught even/odd; besides just that skill card- I would do a day where ALL the numbers were even on the Math Madness cards.  The next day, I would make all the numbers odd.

  Once I have established a routine the first few weeks of school, I can start adding skills. As the year progresses, I will move from 4 skills to 6 skills and finally 8 skills. By February this year, both my first and second graders were completing the Math Madness as they arrived. I would check their work, and send them back to make corrections. **Corrections are huge for me during Math Madness.  It really gets them to think about and rework the math.** After most are done, we go about the normal calendar math routine and include the Math Madness skills.

I have to say this is by far one of my students favorite times of the day. Please check out my sample and let me know what you think. I love feedback! 

You can find a sample of Math Madness in the preview file at TPT.

It's Calendar Time!

Just a quick post...I will have much to share this week! As we are gearing up for the end of the year, we are already planning for next year. I know, we all do this. One year hasn't even ended and we are already reflecting on how to do it better/different next year. 

The Kindergarten team at my school has been searching high and low for calendar cards for patterning, with no luck. I made some for them and thought I'd share with you all. I mean, if we can't find them, then I'm guessing no-one else can either!

 I'll be back later with some more stuff!

Just click the picture to download!