Wednesday 26 February 2014

TPT is celebrating

How very exciting - TPT is 3 million strong!

So in recognition of this great milestone everything in our store is 28% off.

That means all our work is greatly reduced. Remember that this is USA time, so get your wish lists ready.

So head on over to our TPT store by clicking here or the button below.

Enter the code TPT3 at checkout to make sure you get 28% off each item.



Sunday 23 February 2014

Sunday Night Games

This week we are launching a series of Sunday Night Games that will be published over four posts. The posts are specific to year (grade) levels and can all be played using a standard deck of cards.
 
We are continuing our 'Foundation' (Prep) theme this week and are posting 3 card games suitable for the newest members of our school communities.
As always... lots of modelling, discussion about the rules of the game and how to be a good winner and participant is essential before students play the games independently.
Let us know what you think!


School Snap
Number of players: 2 - 6
Cards: standard deck - remove picture cards

How to play:
Choose a card dealer. This player deals all of the cards around the group until there are no cards left. Players keep their cards face down in front of them.

The player to the left of the dealer starts by turning over his/her top card and placing it face up in the middle of all players. The next player does the same. This continues until a player notices the two cards on top of the pile are the same (such as two aces or two nines). The first player to notice, places their hand over the pile and shouts out “snap!”. That player then collects all of the cards in this pile. Before adding them to the bottom of their own pile – they read out loud each of the numbers on the cards – any they do not know are returned to the middle pile and play continues.

If two players shout “snap!” at the same time, the player with their hand on top of the pile first, collects the cards to read.

If a player has no more face up or face down cards he is out of the game. The winner of the game is the player with all of the cards.



Concentration/Memory
Number of players: 2 - 6
Cards: standard deck of 52 cards – remove all picture & black cards (leaving only red number pairs). As students’ progress – include black number cards as well.

How to play:
Shuffle and spread cards face down on a table (randomly or in rows) between the players. The object of the game is to find the matching pairs. 

Players take turns turning over two cards and letting all the players see and study them. If they are not a matching pair, try to remember what and where they are, then turn them back over. The next player turns over another two cards. If they are a matching pair, that player removes them from the table, keeps them and then has another turn. When all cards have been removed from the table, each player counts up the number of cards they have collected. The player with the most cards wins.



Make Me The King!
Number of players: 2 - 8
Cards: Deck of 52 cards – remove all Jacks and Queens (leaving only numbers and Kings)

How to play:
Shuffle and turn over top card. Students use available materials (eg MAB, unifix blocks) to make that number as quickly as possible. The first student to make this number and correctly count it out loud gets a counter. When a King is turned over – the student with the highest number of counters at that time is the winner – they become the King. Shuffle cards and play again.

 
Enjoy the above card games for Foundation students and feel free to contact us with other card games you love.
 
Look out for next week's Sunday Night Game - this will include card games for Year (grade) 1/2's.
 

Wednesday 19 February 2014

0-10 Number Bingo

For our fabulous Foundation (Prep) teachers...
This week we are continuing with our resources aimed at Foundation teachers and are adding 1-10 Number Bingo to our collection.
 
Number Bingo includes two sets of 8 placemats and number cards (0 – 10).
Bingo Set 1 includes: numerals, number names and 10’s frames (great for number recognition and developing subitising)
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/0-10-Number-Bingo-1120487
Bingo Set 2 includes: cards as above – however, 10’s frames are replaced by pictures to further develop subitising with  random items.
 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/0-10-Number-Bingo-1120487

Print placemats (choose the most appropriate set for your students) and cards in colour and laminate.
Model and play Number Bingo with small groups until students understand how the game works, the rules, how to play fairly and how to be a good winner/participant.
To play Number Bingo…
q  Groups can have up to 9 people playing – 1 to shuffle and deal out cards , 8 with Number Bingo placemats
q  Elect one person to shuffle and show the Number Cards one at a time. Students use a counter to mark off the matching numbers they have on their placemat. Cards that have been shown are placed in a neat pile and will be used at the end of the game to check the winner’s Bingo placemat
q  When students have 3 in a row - they call out ‘BINGO!’
q  The person showing the Number Cards checks their answers – if they are all correct, they are the winner. Students pass their placemat (and the dealer’s cards) to the left, then play again
Variations…
q  Students can match the whole Number Bingo placemat before calling out ‘BINGO!’
q  Set a time limit for how long each Number Card is shown for e.g. 10 seconds (use an egg timer)
q  Speed Bingo – set a timer for 2 minutes, cards are only shown for a short amount of time, the player with the most counters at the end of the 2 minutes is the winner
q  Include the ‘Free’ Number Card in the pack – students must be able to correctly say the number they are putting the free on before placing a counter on that square
q  Number Cards can also be used as flashcards
q  Placemats and Number Cards can also be used as a matching activity
 Enjoy 0-10 Number Bingo!
If you have any requests for Mathematics activities or units of work - please feel free to contact us!
 

Sunday 16 February 2014

Sunday Night Game - 16th Feb


This week we had a go at using Jigfits. I should have taken more photos, but we were so involved that I forgot. 

This photo shows a simple Jigfit using pictures and you can also talk about lines of symmetry.

There is a real process to solving these. 

You need to know if there are 9 or 16 pieces. 
9 means a 3x3 square and a 16 means 4x4 square.

If it is a 9 piece, then you need to find the centre piece that has 4 parts on it.
Then work you way out from the centre. 

A 16 piece one has 4 centre pieces! 



This book is a great support and has copies of place value jigfits you can copy and use. 

item image



Wednesday 12 February 2014

Assessment - Foundation Level

We have been working hard on getting some assessment grids ready for you. 

Our first one is for Foundation and enables you 

This pack will help you track the progress of your grade.

You will be able to record across all three dimensions
Number and Algebra – 6 pages
Measurement and Geometry – 5 pages
Statistics and Probability – 1 page

Follow the sample provided to assist in completing the checklists. We often talk about three sources of data and this will enable you to record and assess against this.

Decide what tasks you will use to assess each elaboration. Then record what they have achieved within each of the Content Descriptions.

The information you collect can be used to assist in individual goal setting and planning for focus teaching of individuals or groups.

Use the appropriate level Tracking Sheet for each student/group. If the student is above this level they need to be accessing the level that is appropriate for them.

This may mean that you have multiple levels within the one grade.

The positive outcome is that each student will be challenged appropriately.


Keep an eye out for our other levels.......

         



Sunday 9 February 2014

Sunday Game - Garden Beds


We are making a slight change to our Sunday Night Game post. It will no longer be a linky - just a post to share a game idea. If you have a game you would like to share, you can email us and we will mention it in the next week's post.

We presented this task to our grade this week. 
The Queen had three rose gardens. 
Each one has a different rose. 
She had a fourth rose to plant and wanted to have each in a separate bed. 
Can you move just three sides to create four beds?


Happy problem solving!


Wednesday 5 February 2014

Number Sense 0-10

We hope everyone in Australia has had a safe summer, and wherever you are, we hope you were out of harm's way and the fires. Our firefighters have done an amazing job.

Kerry and I have had a great break with our respective families and have both been out of the country seeing other parts of the world and recharging our batteries. 

As we start back at school we hope you have taken advantage of our school bundles - check out our previous posts.....

Here is a new product for our Foundation teachers using the Australian Curriculum.


31 pages which includes a weekly planner and an assessment recording sheet

This is a vital skill set for students and without it there will be no place value understanding.

This unit assists students
To understand that each object must be counted only once
Know that the arrangement of objects does not matter
To know that the last number counted answers the ‘how many’ question


Each day use the ten frame cards. Use as flash cards and ask how many children there are on each card. If the card is 7 – ask how did you know that? I can see 5+2 or 2+5. Record the strategies they use before each lesson this week. Cards can be used to sequence and discuss which is more or less?

Monday - Use the ‘Ten Frames – Make to 10’ sheet. With a partner and take turns and check each other’s work. For extension record the equation.


Tuesday – Thinkboard task – roll a 10 sided dice to complete the task. There is an example to share and you can model one before the students complete their own.  Share in small groups. Roving to check that students are completing the task correctly
Wednesday - Interactive Notebook task - view the example and model the task for the class. Students roll a 10 sided dice and that is the number they use. Repeat for the second flap.


Thursday - Draw the collection under the flap. Use the cards with numerals, word names and random collection cards. These cards will help to complete the interactive Notebook page. Copy the cards onto coloured paper to make different sets. 


Friday - Copy the ‘Roll and Colour’ Sheet. While students are working through this it is an opportunity to work with small groups to complete the ‘Student Progress Record’ Sheet.