Comparing Numbers... Common Core Style

Hello, Hello! Does anyone have that awful cold going around? You know, the one that never wants to go away... well the frugal girls can't seem to kick it. We're two weeks in and it's still sticking around. The worse thing about colds is that even though you're not too sick to work and do everyday things, everything is a little less fun when you're feeling under the weather. Speaking of weather, Brittany just did an adorable activity with our weather unit last week. I'll remind her to post it tomorrow! It's a group learning map about EXTREME STORMS. The kids loved it and my class couldn't wait to do it after seeing the posters her class made. She's so creative!

We're first year common core teachers and somedays we've found implementing the new standards to be very fun and exciting. However, due to our lack of resources we find most days to be challenging and we can't help but feel our students are missing big parts because we're all learning this together. One example of this struggle is our comparing numbers unit. The greater gator has always been one of the easiest concepts for our first graders. Sadly, this year they are struggling because common core asks for more (I need a shirt that says this, please)! Anyway, our county-wide assessments eww would like our students to compare equations with whole numbers. Since we were unable to find many activities that helped with this new standard online, well we did what any teacher/blogger would do and made our own! Hope all those teachers tackling the common core standards find this freebie to be helpful!


Enjoy!

Click HERE to download freebie!

Superbowl Sunday Funday

Happy Super Bowl Sunday frugal friends!!! I hope you are all prepared to watch the Ravens and the 49ners battle it out NOLA style!!! I wish both teams the best, but I must confess that I'm a PATRIOTS FAN all the way!!! GO PATS!!!  Well, since we're being honest here, I'd much rather watch college football any day over the pros.  I'm a true Gator at heart... goooo GATORS!!!  This is probably the only thing Melissa and I have ever disagreed on... that's right, she is NOT A GATOR FAN!!! hahaha  Oh well, gator fan or not, I still love her!!!  Matt and I have plans to relax at home and watch the game... nothing exciting this year! We are going to make some yummy (aka fattening) "superbowl food" later this evening.  I love any excuse to grub out!  I decided to quickly post some pics of my classroom before we (meaning Matt) started cooking. 

As mentioned in a previous post, I just got my very own fancy-smancy SMARTBOARD a couple weeks ago and I couldn't be more thrilled about it!  Buuuuut... this also meant that I would have to flip around my room to adjust where I did my whole group lessons.  Below is a picture of my word wall (framed in Christmas lights) and my math, science, and social studies focus wall.  Here is where I post my key vocabulary for each of these subjects and our essential questions.  Below my word wall I have my Whole Brain Teaching Rules that I snagged from Stephanie over at 3rdGradeThoughts (so cute and even better... they're FREE!)

 

Here's my behavior system I use in my class.  This clip system is used by soooo many teachers and I love it because students have the ability to move up and down throughout the day based on the choices they make.  I modified my to fit my FROG theme so...

PINK = Role model of the pond

 PURPLE = Frog-tastic behavior

 BLUE = Toad-ily good behavior

 GREEN = Leap into Learning

YELLOW = Splish, splash, slow down!

ORANGE = Don't be a bully frog!

  RED = Out of the pond! 

This is the first year I've used a system like this and it is working great!

 

Here's a quick look at my Book Nook!  I got those adorable reading genre posters from C L Hillard.  The "parts of a book" poster is from Linda McCardle over at A Teacher's Touch.  I sent mine through the poster maker at my school to make it bigger!  Comfy and cozy... the perfect place to curl up with a good book!  

 

Here's a glimpse at some of our anchor charts that we've made so far this year!  These are all inspired by things I've seen on blogs and Pinterest!  Thank God for Pinterest!  It's such a valuable resource... not only for our classrooms but did I mention we're planning 2 WEDDINGS!!!

Here's a shot of my listening center.  I took a normal rectangular table and removed the legs so that the students can sit or sprawl out on the floor and listen to a good book!  Above it is my CAFE board.  Melissa and I are slowly (but surely) integrating CAFE and daily 5 into our classrooms.  It's a work in progress, but we L-O-V-E how it's going so far!  We are continuously scouring different blogs and websites to get ideas on how we can become better at incorporating CAFE and the daily 5 into our classrooms. 

I like to think of my class as a colorful yet comfy and cozy learning environment!  After all, I DO spend a majority of my time here, so it's important it works for me!  And there you have it frugal followers... a quick glimpse of Ms. Peterson's pad!  Now, let the games begin!  I'm ready for a relaxing Superbowl Sunday Funday with the future Mr.!  He wants to watch some football and I can't wait for the commercials!  Hope you all have a Marvelous Monday!