Smart Organizing Part 2: Common Core Math Materials List

My biggest pet peeve is looking for things! What a waste of precious time!  Since I'm moving to a different school next fall, I have made it my summer mission to have everything super duper organized before I move it into my new classroom! Last week I showed you my Math Common Core Bins!  Even though the bins will keep my math centers well organized, it is not enough!  I really need to know what materials I have to teach a certain standard so planning and lesson implementation can be fast and easy  faster and easier!  My Ultimate Math Organizer has been a great help this summer to organize my math centers. 



Available at my TpT Store

After writing down each center on the standard page, I keep the pages in my Math Binder.

Math Binder

I wrote down each center on the CCSS page!

Now, no more searching!  In fall, I will know where all of my materials are for each lesson and what materials I need to make or purchase!

                                                    Happy Organizing!
                                                     
                                                           Amy

Smart Summer Organizing Tasks: Project Common Core Math

As a teacher in 2013 there probably isn't a day that goes by without hearing those precious words "common core."  I am sure that you have some/many common core summer projects.  This year my head was constantly spinning with common core projects and ideas!  My experience tells me, however, that before I begin any project I need an organization plan.  Too many times in the past I have created plans and projects and then peppered them throughout the classroom and at home. Then I spent frantic minutes before/after school looking for items or spent my summer vacation time organizing everything! This time my organization came first!  My first organization plan began with a trip to the local Wal-Mart to scout out bins for my common core math centers.  I knew I wanted them clear, not too large, and stackable.  This is what I ended up finding.  I bought two--tested them out and then went back for more!



Amy's SMART Designs Common Core Math Bins

I have six total bins as I write this----in my home office since I am moving schools this year. But they are small enough to transport home to work on or fill up with centers. I will probably purchase at least one more soon as my "Operations" bin is getting quite full.  I will be splitting the four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in their own bins in the future since third and four graders work on all of these operations extensively.  To help you get started here are my bin labels for free.   Just print and slip in your bin for easy peasy finding! No more frantic minutes before school!





Free bin labels at TpT


                                                                 Happy Organizing!

                                                                        Amy

Using Classroom Technology in a Smart Way

I remember the purchasing of my first PC.  Amazing!  I was a teacher when the internet became a norm of life!  Super amazing!  Calling me a "techie teacher" is stretching it quite a bit . . . however at times I have been a "digital cheerleader."  Does technology motivate kids?  Is kid motivation your main objective of  using technology? I believed this at one time.  But if you have used technology long enough, like me, you soon discover the truth.  Here is a fantastic link to what I learned about motivation and technology.  It is our  weekly discussion for a class I am taking this summer--yes, a techie class.

  http://smartblogs.com/education/2012/08/17/are-kids-really-motivated-technology/

After you read the article you will discover, if you haven't already that our techie tools are essentially that--tools.  We need to use them in a smart way to achieve the best classroom results.  From my experience weaving in topics of interest with your techie tools is a must to motivate kids. 

How did my class learn perimeter?  Perimeter Pig! (on the SMARTBoard)   How was this the motivation?  The SMARTBoard is really old hat for my crew!  But for some reason they love to hear my farm stories from growing up.  When I weave a farm story into my lesson--BAMM! I've got them!  Here is my Perimeter Pig link:


 But more importantly--what can you weave into your classroom from your life that will motivate your learners and then I challenge you to connect it to technology!
    Now that's a smart way to use technology in the classroom!

                                               Happy weaving!
      
                                                                     Amy

Classroom Themes . . . Old or New . . . Which will you do?

As I close the classroom door on the year--weary and teary, it doesn't take too long before I am contemplating next year's classroom theme.  Since I teach a split third and fourth grade, my third graders return next fall into my classroom as fourth graders.  Even if I had all new students--as I will next fall at a new school--I would still design a new classroom theme!

Even though this year's nautical theme is one of my favorites, by the end of the year I was feeling a little "ship-wrecked!"      

New themes, however take time to plan, make, and shop for!  They also take  $$$.

Therefore, I try to incorporate as many elements from my previous theme(s) into the new one!  Sometimes it just takes a little tweaking!

Polka Dot Pier

I love my partner reading nook called "Polka Dot Pier".  The kids loved reading there.  It will be a  keeper in my new theme next year--which, dear readers,  as of yet remains a secret!

Happy dreams . . . of themes!

                                                                                       Amy