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First Grade Gallery- Lessons for Little Learners

A blog for creative classroom ideas and lessons for K-2 teachers!

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Saying Goodbye~End of the Year Poem for Parents Freebie!

Ending the school year is bittersweet, especially when it means saying goodbye to the children and families we have grown so close to. Parents trust us to care for, nuture, inspire and protect their precious little ones. During the year, we help them to grow in every way. This sweet little poem is something I like to print on colored paper to send home on the last day inside my student's keepsake boxes!


 Saying Goodbye~End of the Year Poem for Parents Freebie!

 Isn't it so precious?
There are a few different font options too!
 Saying Goodbye~End of the Year Poem for Parents Freebie!
It is sure to bring tears to your parents' eyes when they read it!
 If you would like a copy, you can download it here

For my teacher friends who start in a month other than September, or don't end in June, leave me a comment and I'll post a revision for you!
 You'll want to check back again for the link!
:)



Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Fan Freebies

Today is officially Dr. Suess' Birthday and so to celebrate and kick off our March reading month festivities and Read Across America, I made this cute poster to display in our classroom window!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Fan Freebies
graphics by creative clips

It's a Fan Freebie on my Creative Lesson Cafe Facebook page. 
Click on the picture to grab a copy if you like! 
From there find the Fan Freebie tab.
Hope you can use it!

I do miss the grins and groans serving up green eggs and ham to my kinders and getting gooey making Oobleck with my firsties!
 Those were some great times! 

You can download this freebie Oobleck recipe from my Dropbox if you feel like rolling up your sleeves for a little gooey green fun! Click on the image below!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Fan Freebies

What are your plans to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day in the classroom? 


Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

What can you do with a card set of numbers 0-10? Maybe more than you can possibly imagine for good, simple math fun! They can be used for addition, subtraction, comparing numbers, even/odd practice, place value and more! 

I made a set of number cards for each of my students to use for various math activities and partner games. I like them better than a deck of playing cards because we don't have as many face to cards to take out and sometimes you just need a ZERO! 

If you like, you can download this FREEBIE set from my dropbox for your kiddos to use by clicking on the image! 

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

The file includes a list of some easy peasy activities to use in the classroom. Read below to see how I used them!

Cards in Action

For a cute and colorful set, I printed mine on colored cardstock and laminated them. I store them in library pockets from Creative Teaching Press and keep them in this cute box from the Target Dollar Spot. 

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

 Some activities start with a shuffled deck turned upside down in a draw pile. 

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

We lined them up in order from greatest to least and then turned over some to show only odd numbers.

Next, the students had to show a two-digit number that was even.

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

The cards went back into a pile and then they were asked to flip up three cards. The task was to show the greatest number with those cards. It got tricky when those zeros turned up. Zero is not nothing! Zero is something!

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

Elbow partners had to work together and compare numbers to see who made the largest. 

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

 When a ten was turned up, it lead to some great discussion regarding place value to the thousands place.

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

 Hmmm...what to do with that zero?
 The rule was set that it can't be taken away. 

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

  Yes, that works!

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

Next, four cards had to be turned up. The students could create a double digit addition problem of their choice and record it and solve it in their math notebook. Next, they were asked to rearrange some or all of the cards to create a different problem in which the sum remained the same (most saw that it could be the turn-around), and again in a way that would result in a different sum


Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

 The next challenge was just that, but it was such a great one for getting the kiddos really thinking. 

I called out a direction to create a two-digit subtraction problem where regrouping would be necessary. This is a new concept that was only recently introduced.

One student showed this problem. They were on the right track with the digits in the ones place but failed to look at the entire problem. This was a great opportunity for questioning.

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

 This student got it right away!

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

  Another student made a model using his pencils to help himself to better see tens and ones in columns as he had seen on many practice papers. Because he had trouble with the concept of regrouping, I was able to pull out another card from my teaching set of extras to use as an overlay to demonstrate what we had done days prior when we decomposed cubes stacked in towers of ten. 

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

I cannot wait to get the cards out again!
 My students love all card and dice games, basically, any opportunity to get away from a worksheet and so do I! 

In just 15 minutes, we had a wonderful math review and I learned so much about my each of my students and where they each were in their mathematical thinking and skill

Enjoy the freebie! Hope you can find some great ways to use the cards with your class!

 Remember the Giveaway Friends!
Math Activities with Numbers 0-10

There are a few more hours to enter the TPT gift certificate GIVEAWAY
The winner will be announced on Tuesday (possibly my fifth snow/cold day this season with -25 degree wind chills this year... brrrr...)
Hope you are reading from somewhere toasty warm! :)

A Thanksgiving Freebie for My Friends

Hello first grade friends! It's been a while! I've been posting at my other blog, Creative Lesson Cafe, lately and this one is so sadly neglected! Good grief, I need a new template! Now, that's an idea for my Christmas wish list! Hopefully you are following one or the other blog via Bloglovin by now!

I have been reminiscing about Thanksgiving plays, feasts and all of the fun times spent teaching first grade lately! You might want to look back at a few of my previous posts here to see photos and read more about our November festivities!

My second graders are learning about life long ago in our new unit. I made these anchor chart printables to add some pizzazz to them.

A Thanksgiving Freebie for My Friends

It's a freebie at my Kidsrcute TPT store! Just click on the image above to download a copy for your classroom! I hope you like it! 


 Why printables for anchor charts? You can read about my time-saving tip here: 

A Thanksgiving Freebie for My Friends

I also made this game of I Have... Who Has? for the holidays for little ones to practice reading seasonal words. I thought that this would be a fun thing to do for those few extra minutes on feast day or for a November center!

A Thanksgiving Freebie for My Friends

If this is something you think would be a fun reading activity for your class, click on the picture to see more! 

What fun do you have in the works for Thanksgiving? I've been busy Pinning loads of fun stuff! You might want to check out my Thanksgiving Pinterest board for some cute crafts, party treats, printables and freebies!



Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

Wouldn't it be dreamy if all students did exactly what they needed to do, made good, kind choices and respected the learning environment? 

In years past, I have used a token economy, rewards, praise, incentives, special tickets, coupons and more.... the popular red, yellow, green color changing cards in a pocket chart and table cards and points, marbles in a jar, the traffic light reporting system and all sorts of plans and combinations of plans. Last year I found this cute We Show Great Bee-havior chart by Really Good Stuff and decided to try that out. 


Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
I loved the fact that the bees were magnetic, that it was cute and it worked out perfectly on my whiteboard. I was excited too that the colors went with my traffic light take home card and chant for the end of the day:


Red on Top
Green below
Red says stop
Green says go
Yellow says wait
Even if you're late


 I wrote each student's name on the bee with a marker as recommended and all went well for a few days....


A side note;
I have a thing with displaying names on a behavior system. The counselor in me wants to protect the self-image of all of my little ones. Even if it is posted in an inconspicuous place, everyone in class knows every bee that was moved. A few students who had difficulty on a regular basis almost seemed to relish in the attention of moving their bee. 

 But in a matter of time, the names began to rub off anyway. I really did not want to have to purchase replacement magnets year after year, so avoided writing on them with a sharpie. Instead, we had nameless bees and the students were required to take responsibility for remembering which color they were on at the end of the day. This worked out pretty well and my little ones were very honest, so that part was not an issue.

Once their bee had moved, I struggled with the decision to let the children bargain, as they tried to do, for a chance to improve and move their bee back to green. (I am thinking that they may have been able to do this in kindergarten). Part of me thinks that in real life, the choices we make, good or bad, have consequences. We do not always have the opportunity to make amends, especially when our choices affect or hurt others and the damage is done. Everyone needs to stop and think about those consequences before acting and that is something that has to be learned.  The problem with not allowing my students to move back was that some "frequent fliers" lost motivation to make better choices and "gave up" for the day. I hated to see that happen and then created a separate plan for those children. 

 I still would highly recommend the chart to anyone who loves their red, green, yellow behavior system! 


After doing some reading and research, I've decided that I like the philosophy on behavior management offered by Rick Morris and want to give it a try. I think my second graders next year will like it too! You can read more about the clip chart behavior system at his site:


http://www.newmanagement.com/ebooks/pdf/clip_chart_ebook.pdf


The only downside I can see is that many students will be moving clips up or down throughout the day and that takes the focus of some students away from the task at hand as they are watching others at the chart. We will have to see how that goes.

I made a clip chart for my room similar to the one Rick recommends. I've added it as freebie on Teachers Notebook. You can grab it there if you'd like to get in on the clip chart system! 



Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

The last last line is for students to reflect on choices made during the week and to set goals for themselves. I am a firm believer in learning from mistakes:)

***I'd appreciate it if you could take a minute to rate it if you like it!

It coordinates with my new Classroom Decor Set~ Classroom Colorful Swirls and Curls! This is the one I'm leaning toward...

Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

Here is one that I made to match the polka dot owls set:

Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie
Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie


Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie


I found some cute ideas for decorating the clothespins that I thought I'd share! I think we'll have a clip decorating day at the start of the year. Each child can decorate their clothespin however they like. They will know which one is their own, without a public display of names. Eventually, I will know the owners of the clips I need to know! Names may go on the back side just in case!

Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

It would be easy to glue a doodad or two on them and make them more special! I'll start with colored clothespins and go from there! 


Behavior Management Thoughts and a Freebie

These images are from the public domain.

 If you are using a clip chart, I'd love to hear how it has been working out in your classroom as well as any helpful hints you'd like to share!!


Enjoy the freebie!



Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!

With our cute Mother's Day projects finished and sent home (whew!), we are ready to start a new unit on plants. Today the kids were busy crafting away these big and bold flowers that will decorate our bulletin boards until the end of our school year in June.

Our unit will include this project for labeling plant parts. You can get it at my shops.

Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!

It was really great practice for cutting, gluing and planning out how to arrange the pieces. We did this whole-group and they turned out really cute!

I started the unit with this PowerPoint for the Smartboard. I found the most beautiful images to use for this. The kids just loved it!

Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!


There are also some Thinking Maps having to do with planting in my Spring Mind Maps packet.

Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!



This is our cute seed-themed May attendance for the Smartboard!


Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!



Here's a cute freebie for your planting unit! Enjoy!

Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!




Be sure to check out my Mother's Day post to see our cute pots and planting kits!

In case you were wondering what they were, here are the grass heads:

This activity is great fun! Have students bring in a colorful sock. The colorful socks should be bright but dark like blue, red or purple or the dirt stains will show through. Fill it with dirt and grass seed. Tie the end and flip it over. Push straight pins through button holes. Set them in a small cup of water or a saucer and watch your grass heads grow! I made these with an entire grade level of students so I rested them in an aluminum tray until they sprouted.


Time to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!


The kids love giving them a haircut! If you don't want to use socks, the dirt can be put in a cup and students can add wiggle eyes or draw a face with sharpie marker. I can't wait to do this!









Halloween Bulletin Board

Halloween Bulletin Board
This will be our new Halloween bulletin board! The sign says:
Trick or Treat? Smell my feet. Can you guess who's under the sheet?
The children cut out ghosts and orange shoes. Behind their ghost will be a picture of each child. I will try to post a picture of the project when it is complete!
 Saying Goodbye~End of the Year Poem for Parents Freebie!Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Fan FreebiesMath Activities with Numbers 0-10A Thanksgiving Freebie for My FriendsBehavior Management Thoughts and a FreebieTime to Plant, Grass Heads and a Freebie!More Halloween Clip ArtHalloween Clip ArtHalloween Bulletin Board

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