Number Lines

We've been getting to know all the cool tools we will use in math this year!  Last week we really focused on number lines and began exploring the strategy of "counting back."

I love using the songs from Have Fun Teaching to help engrain skills in my students minds.

We've been shaking our tail-feathers to this Counting Down From Twenty video for DAYS!  They're still asking for more, I love it!

We kicked off our lessons using these Write & Wipe Number Lines from Lakeshore.  They were part of my most recent Donors Choose project so I was excited to break them in!

If you use Math Investigations you may be familiar with the game Start With/Get To.  These number lines helped students count forward and backwards and create equations during the game.


Later in the week we started working with adding 0, 1, & 2.  To keep it consistent I had students use the number line to practice this.

Last Fall I created Hop Along the Number Line and thought it would tie in well.  Click on the caption to download this game for free!

Grab this game for free here!

To wrap up our number line practice I decided to take it outside!

Students worked in groups with number cards (1-9) and dice.  We played 2 versions:

1) Students drew 1 card and stood on that number.  They drew a second card and hopped to that number.  Finally, they had to state an equation to represent their movement.


2)  Students drew 1 card and stood on that number.  They rolled the die and hopped to that number.  Finally, they had to state an equation to represent their movement.

Students are now using the anchor chart we created last week as they continue to practice using number lines this week with subtraction story problems.

We are getting familiar with the rituals and routines for math center time this week so I added a few number line games to one of the center buckets!  I'm looking forward to differentiating this time more as students become independent and I finish collecting data for tiering!

How are you using number lines with your students?!?

Testing Blues

We've been waist deep in baseline testing for 3 weeks now.  While I'm looking forward to some good data, I can't wait to switch from tester to teacher and get down to some serious business!

My question for you is, how do you shake off the testing blues?  

My kid-lets look like someone punted their puppy off a bridge, Anchorman-style, by the time we wrap up testing each morning.

The best solution I've found for this is a little dance party sponsored by Just Dance Kids on YouTube.

Here are a few of our favorites!

Last, but not least, the Sid Shuffle!

How do you kick the testing blue?!?!

First Day Pictures!

This has been one of the craziest starts to a school year I've ever had.  That's one of the things I like most about this job though.  Anything but routine.

I like my job like I like my kids, the weirder the better :)

I totally spaced on the "First Day of First Grade" pictures so we took "Second Day of First Grade" pictures.  Luckily, they're adorable everyday so it worked out!

Here's a little peek at my sweet, silly students (only the ones whose parents gave me permission to post, of course).

I mean, seriously, are all first graders this adorable or is it just mine?