The Gift of Math

Hello all-

After all of the merry-ness of yesterday it is a full out, unapologetic pajama day today.  The rainy weather hitting the east coast just makes my PJs that much of a better choice. 

I was cleaning off the old Canon and realized there are so many pictures I haven't shared with you.  One such event is "The Gift of Math".  It is a festive bulletin board that I use for those students who are done in five minutes when you planned 20 and to review the different skills we have already learned this year.  

The display consists of a paper Christmas tree that I attach ornaments and lights to.  It looks like this.....

Oh so festive, isn't it?

Here is a Hanukkah present

Around the tree there are 6 presents that I made using Disney Scrapbook paper that I found at Michael's.  I made these presents a few years ago and laminated them for durability.  However, I had to change some of the presents to align with the new Math Common Core but that was an easy fix.  

The scrapbook paper looks like wrapping paper and I used
scraps to make ribbon.

The back of each present has a multi-step Math problem that reviews skills that we have already learned so far in the year.  Most of the problems require the application of more than one skill and in many cases my students refer back to their Math binder to review their notes on the different topics.  This helps to keep all the Math skills alive all year long.  I incorporate many activities like this to allow my kids time to review the skills so that we are never putting past skills away in the deepest parts of their brains.

Here are some examples of the questions behind the present.

I try to include teachers from the building,
this one is about my blogging buddy Kelly!

I love to create festive thematic activities for my kids (and me) even in fifth grade!  Hope you had a very happy holiday!

Damien 

Grinch Day Technology Glitch

The other day Kelly and I joined our classes together for "Grinch Day".  

With Kelly teaching 2nd grade and having 1/2 of her 1st grade class last year we had to come up with a whole new day of activities.  Particularly if we wanted to avoid the dreaded 
                              "We did this last year".

So after a week of e-mailing, texting, pinning, and chatting about our ideas during recess we had a plan.  The plan involved me creating a 42 page SMART Board day to anchor our lesson, read the story, and show some video clips.  If I do say so myself, it was pretty cool.

Two days prior to this lesson my mounted projector was acting a little weird.  The tech was notified and then it stopped.  (Can you sense where this is going?)

Fast forward to Grinch Day where Kelly's students arrive and I have 43 students in the room awaiting a great day filled with Merry/Grinchy activities.  I turn the projector on and...

               -buzzing!

                              -blinking!

                                             -flashing red lights!

                                                                            -Nothing!

My projector light bulb blew.  I had no way of conducting the days lessons and had 43 kids staring at me.  The tech guy, a nice guy who is thoroughly overstretched by our district, was nowhere to be found.  When the custodian called he said he couldn't be to my room until much later in the day.  We have no spare bulbs (though I requested them many times) and no one has ever been taught how to change the bulb. 

So I did what any resourceful teacher with 43 kids would have done-took matters into my own hands.  With 43 kids watching (and Kelly snapping pictures) I stole a projector bulb from the computer lab.  I climbed up on chairs and desks (in my Grinch Day attire-complete with PJ pants) and started taking apart my mounted projector.  Within a few minutes I had figured out how to take out the old bulb, replace a new one, and put my projector back together.  

Notice how annoyed I look in this picture. 

Just a normal day for a teacher .

Thoroughly stressed out and annoyed, Grinch Day was ready to begin. 

Anyone ever have any serious technology glitches that you had to solve yourself-PLEASE SHARE!

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

Merry Thanksgiving?

Hello Buddies-

A bit late, but better late than never!

This year Kelly and I have been forced to down size our Thanksgiving celebration.  (Thanks Federal and State Government). So this year, we had a turkey sandwich luncheon.

I saw this on Pinterest and we had to try it. 

It's a Turkey Sandwich

The kids sat with their Reading Buddies and had lunch together.  Parent volunteers made turkey sandwiches and cut them round.  The kids had a variety of healthy items to make their turkey sandwich look like a turkey.  Pretzel sticks, carrot sticks, and celery sticks were all used for the feathers.

Raisins were used for the eyes and cheese was used for the beak.  Lastly, fruit by the foot strips were used for the waddle.  

It's not the turkey feast we are used to, but it was pretty adorable!

Your buddies, 
Damien and Kelly.