Math Tools

Click the picture to download this FREEBIE!

As an educator, I'm always looking to develop best practices in my classroom to benefit my students. Our Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice (MP5) require students to use appropriate tools strategically.  "Mathematically proficient students consider the available tools when solving a mathematical problem. Proficient students are sufficiently familiar with tools appropriate for their grade or course to make sound decisions about when each of these tools might be helpful, recognizing both the insight to be gained and their limitations. They are able to use tools to explore and deepen their understanding of concepts."

Basically, students should be familiar with a variety of math tools and be able to choose one to effectively and efficiently solve a mathematical problem. 

*Interactive Journal pages to introduce math tools. 

*Ten frames are incredibly useful tools to help students develop 

their number sense within to context of ten.

With this in mind I decided to develop a printable set of my favorite first grade math tools. It made sense to share this as a FREEBIE to compliment my Growing Bundle of Math Supplements a plethora of interactive journal pages, math games, activities, and assessments to cover all first grade math concepts and skills. 

Check out all of my Math Supplements here!

*Hundred and 120 charts assist students in counting, skip counting, adding, subtracting, 

rounding, place value and they begin to notice patterns within our number system.

*Place Value charts help students understand the value of each digit within a multi-digit number.

*Part-Part-Whole Mats help students add, subtract, and find number combinations.

This FREEBIE includes interactive journal pages to introduce math tools as well as a multitude of basic tools to help students begin constructing cognitive models for math concepts and processes. Math tools engage students and increase both interest and enjoyment of mathematics. Students who are presented with the opportunity to use math tools are more interested in math and that interest translates to increased mathematical ability!

Printable manipulatives help engage students and 

encourages them to persevere in problem solving.

For many of the tools there are large mats for teacher modeling and math centers. There are also mini-tools perfect for individual student math tool bags! To manage materials, I print mini-sets of tools on a variety of colored copy paper so one student in a group has green, another has yellow, blue, and so on.  I also print and laminate these math tools for durability and repeated use.

You may also want to add connecting cubes, base ten blocks, counters or two colored chips, dry erase markers or additional manupulatives to use with these tools.

What math tools do you use in your classroom?!?

The Polar Express Book Companion

This past weekend I was 86ing old documents from my computer and I stumbled into a book companion I've flirted with for a few years but never seem to wrap in time for the holidays!  I decided to hop right on updating clipart and adding new (more relevant to my current teaching style) activities.

This 41 pager is PACKED full of reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, crafts, and math activities!

In the Reading Comprehension section you will find large picture cards for a whole group retelling and a sequencing cut and paste to provide students with individual practice.  There is also a beginning, middle, and end graphic organizer for students to use to retell the story through pictures and summarizing.

Finally, there are 3 variations of the story map.  Each map asks for characters and setting but they differ in requesting problem & solution, plot & conclusion, or main idea & supporting details!

The Vocabulary section provides words that are used in the story and extension words such as "caribou" to extend your students vocabulary on beyond "reindeer".

There are puzzles and mini-vocabulary books for students to practice using the language of the Polar Express!

There are 2 very simple crafts available in this book companion.  The first craft is a gift that you can print on contrasting paper and allow students to decorate.  Add the narrative writing prompt to the front for a fun little holiday display!  The second craft is a ticket that students can cut out and use to "board" the Polar Express!  Each year I put the tickets on a string and have my students wear it while we read the book and watch the movie.  This makes for an awesome and extremely adorable keepsake!

To round out the pack and provide cross-curricular themed activities I added some math activities!  In it you will find common core addition, subtraction, and data based games for your students to participate in.

The addition and subtraction activities include a battleship game, part-part-whole game, ten frame game, and story problem game with work mat.  There are also printable numeral cards and printable manipulatives for students to use to build models for each problem!

The data activities include 3 questions where students will collect, represent, and interpret information on a graph, and tally chart.  There are also sets of questions for students to answer about their data sets!

Last but certainly not least, there is a FREEBIE in the product PREVIEW on TPT!  Just click PREVIEW and scroll to the end to snag this sequencing activity for FREE!

Math Supplements

Hey there!  It's been a minute...err well, actually it's been about 3 months.  Yikes, sorry about that!  I've been drowning (literally and figuratively) in work.  Tough start this year.  Let's get down to business though!

This year I'm focusing VERY heavily on my math instruction.  It's amazing how much there still is to learn about the developmental level of students on a grade level you've been working on for 5+ years.  Every year I find a new way to challenge myself.  I can see how people can enjoy teaching the same grade level for their whole career.

The curriculum guide in our district for math this year is solid and cleverly laid out (for once :).  The only real problem with it is a lack of assessment pieces.  Because we jump around our curriculum materials (we use Math Investigations AND enVision Math) so much it isn't feasible to utilize the assessments in those resources.

We have been given more time to focus on math and implement math centers but again, our curriculum resources do not offer a variety of engaging activities to use during this time.

Our district has also moved into serious implementation of interactive journals, which I thought I'd hate.  As I have begun to understand their purpose and see my students engagement I'm really enjoying our work in creating them.

Click here to check out the Commutative Property Supplemental Pack!

I'm sure you can see the problems piling up.  I noticed these deficits a few weeks into the school year and started creating materials to fill the void for my grade level.  It's always hard to implement something new so I started out with the interactive journal pages.  I created one for the teacher-side (right) that served as a guided instructional piece.  Then the student-side (left) serves as a way for students to practice the skill either individual or with the assistance of their table mates.

I added a few games and activities that can be used in math centers to practice the concept/skill and I topped it off with an assessment and occasionally a craft.

Get this Flip Flop Fact free in the Preview!

 These packs have turned out to be exceptionally helpful so I thought they could benefit others!  I've got 4 supplemental units complete and packaged and plan on creating them for each Common Core standard/skill/concept we work on in first grade.

Click here to check out the Fact Families Supplemental Pack!

Download Domino Fact Family for free under the Preview!

Click here to check out the Missing Addend Supplemental Pack!

Download Missing Number Match up for Free in the Preview!

Click here to check out the Doubles and Near Doubles Supplemental Pack!

Download Near Doubles Game for free in the Preview!

Let me know what you think and definitely share anything you'd like to see added!

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?!?

Time Update!

Hey sweet friends!

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update.  I've been working on setting up a domain...I'm now JUST www.thecuriouscatfish.com!  I don't know why that's so exciting but it is!

You'll also see a new custom blog design going up over the next week or so!  Can't wait!

I've been working up a few new products but tonight I updated my Time for Fishing resources!

I first shared this unit in January.  All games, activities, and worksheets are black line masters and there are 6 colorful posters to display to help students with measures of time vocabulary.  In this pack you will find: 

-3 Fishing games
-3 "I have, Who has?" games
-3 Bingo games
-1 Make your own clock printable
-Black line masters and recording sheet for Can You Find the Time
-6 Worksheets
-6 Colorful time posters

The new activities include:
-3 Time Concentration games
-3 Time Snakes and Ladders game boards

All games, activities, and worksheets include separate sets for time to the hour, half-hour, and every 5 minutes.

As I was teaching this unit back in January I found myself wanting a few more activities for the time math centers my students were working on so I decided to add concentration and snakes and ladders to help round out the pack.

I feel like this has been my MOST successful year teaching time to the hour and half-hour.  All of my students have mastered 1.MD.3-Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.  I even tried to trip them up with mixed practice and they showed me up!  I'm so proud of them!

Check out some of their hard work!

Can You Find the Time

Time Bingo

Time for Fishing

 Springtime Math Centers by Rachelle Smith

Time Flippy by Christina Bainbridge

Finally, here are a few shots of the "Clock Corner" and some of the measures of time posters from my unit.

If you've already purchased this product make sure you download the revised file to get the new games and let me know what you think!

I'd love to share a copy of Time for Fishing with the first person to comment below, follow this blog and follow my facebook fan page!  Don't forget to leave your email address!

"Time" for Fishing: Games and Worksheets

Finished just in the nick of time!

I started this unit last summer and was only able to find the motivation to finish it when I actually needed some fresh activities to help my students grasp telling time.

Click here to check out "Time" for Fishing: Games and Worksheets in my TpT store!

All games and worksheets are black line masters and there are 6 colorful posters to display to help students with measures of time vocabulary.  In this pack you will find:

-3 Fishing games
-3 "I have, Who has?" games
-3 Time bingo games
-1 Make your own clock printable
-1 Can you find the time game
-6 Worksheets
-6 Colorful time posters

All activities and games include separate sets for time to the hour, half-hour, and every 5 minutes.

As always, magnetic fishing poles are available in my Etsy Shop!

In the "Download Preview" you will find these 2 FREEBIES:

It's "time" for fishing so check it out today!