Workshop Wednesday (math manipulatives)

I am linking up today with Ideas by Jivey.  She is an amazing blogger and always takes the time to make her bloggy buddies feel loved.  She is going through a tough personal situation right now.  Her friend could use everyone's thoughts and prayers at this time.  Prayer can be so powerful and I know Jivey would appreciate all the prayers you can send her friend's way! 

This week the topic is math manipulatives for Jivey's awesome linky party, Workshop Wednesday.

  

Some of you may already know this, but my favorite subject is math!  I love it.  

The most frequently used math manipulatives are stored in my room whereas the others are in my storage closet right outside my classroom.  

You don't want to see a picture of the storage closet.  

It is scary.  

I have BIG plans this summer to reorganize!

 Maybe I will show some pictures then if I am feeling brave:)

Here are pictures of my most used math manipulatives...

This is the inside of the tangrams bin.  Each set of tangrams are housed in a separate baggy to keep the sets organized.  We use tangram pieces for teaching symmetry, area (there is a relationship between the size of the pieces), geometry, congruent vs. similar, and other concepts that I can't recall at the moment.

The green basket holds chips used for games at centers or whole class games.

I keep my dice in a tub on top of my center materials cart.  The yellow dice are made of foam and I LOVE them.  You cannot hear them being rolled!

 Finally, I use the SMART board resources for so many manipulatives now.  The students love to use the SMART board during math lessons.  The only downfall is there is only one SMART board and each student doesn't get their own.  

For example, there are programs where students can manipulate items on the SMART board to demonstrate the concept as you would with manipulatives at your desk.

So, there are some ways to I store and use manipulatives in math!  I need to catch up on some major blog reading tonight!!  Tomorrow morning we have to be at the hospital bright and early at 7:00 a.m. for my daughter's tonsillectomy (adenoids out too)!  Please keep her in your prayers.  I know it is a routine procedure but Mommy is a little nervous:)

Tried It Tuesday (PowerPoint: Making Products the Easy Way!)

It's Tuesday and you know what that means! Another Tried It Tuesday!!
I am loving all the ideas linked up each week by everyone.
No idea is too small.
You know the sayings, "I learn something new each day" or "Why didn't I think of that?"
This linky has me thinking saying the above MANY times each week.
Like, literally, until I think my head may explode!
Thank goodness for Pinterest!

What is Tried It Tuesday?  Read more about it here.

<center> <a href="http://fourthgradeflipper.blogspot.com/"><img src=" http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/04fallingstar/3AM%20Blog%20Design/3am_triedittuesday_3_zpsd7a240d4.png" width=225 height=225 border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center> Awesome linky button above designed by the talented Michelle at The 3am Teacher! My Tried It: PowerPoint If I had to name ONE change I made in the last year that made the most difference (with the exception of starting a blog), it would be using PowerPoint to create products and resources for my class!  Disclaimer: I have only been using PowerPoint to create resources for about 8 months.  I am by no means an expert but keep reading if you could use a few BASIC tips:))

WOW!!  I can't even imagine my life before using PowerPoint for creating basically all my worksheets and resources!  I always used PowerPoint for, well, creating PowerPoints.  Which wasn't very often.   I was a Microsoft Word fanatic.   I knew all the tricks to manipulate pictures in Word except that it still didn't work that well!   My worksheets were pretty plain with a little graphic here or there.  Nothing too exciting.   When I started exploring the blogging world, I kept reading about teachers using Power Point to create products and thought I should give it a try. I'm so glad I did!!! I know that many of my readers already know about the miracles of powerpoint, but I thought there has to be some readers out there stuck in Microsoft Word Land like I was:) What is so great about powerpoint? 1.  Ease of Inserting and Manipulating Clip Art I use only png images when I can (jpeg often leaves the white space around the image).  It is super easy to insert pictures in powerpoint AND you don't need to worry about moving the image "to the back".  If you want a different image to appear on top, I just copy, cut, and repaste the image!   The images appear in the order you place them in the document. Also, there are these handy lines that line up images as you move them.  It is genius, I tell ya!

2.  Save your Power Point as Pictures When you save your power point as pictures, you can insert each slide easily into a new document as a picture for preview files on all your teacher's products!  How easy is that?

Once you save as images, you can insert the images into a new document to create a preview display.  

(Note: The screenshots below are taken on my Mac by pressing the shift+command+4 key at the same time.  Drag the little ball to surround your image and release.  The image is saved as a screenshot on your desktop automatically).

Add a border to each image to separate the pages by formatting the "object".  

This makes each page on the preview stand out as its own page.

 

One problem I have with PowerPoint is you cannot change the page orientation within the document (it would stay all horizontal or all vertical pages).  However I found THIS POST by Erica Bohrer's First Grade that describes how to merge PDF files with different page orientations!  

I haven't tried that yet but have it bookmarked for the future!

Here are the finished preview pages of two new centers on multiplying fractions by whole numbers!

Remember I said yesterday in my Monday Made It post that I would like to give away two of these sets?  I would like to try a "Pin It to Win It" (another first for me!).  Just leave me a comment with your pin URL of my new product and I will choose two winners by random number generator later tonight! Make sure I have access to your email:)

The WINNERS are:

Check your emails Ursula and I'm Lovin Lit!

What Tried Its have you tried lately?

May Monday Made-It and Winners:)

Yay for Monday Made-It with the absolutely amazing Tara at 4th Grade Frolics!

There are many items that can fit the "Made It" theme this month!

I always blog about some recent finds on TPT that I downloaded, printed, cut out, and laminated.  That totally counts, right?  These were a couple weeks ago.  I don't have my teacher appreciation sales items all printed and laminated yet!

This is Cell Phone multiplication by Brain at Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings!  

It is a great way for my intervention students to review multiplication facts in a flash with "cool" cellphone graphics:)

 Here are students working together to make their own version of the game.  

They decided to race each other to see who could finish first!

 A pair of students tallying their scores to see who had the most correct in the time limit:

I also downloaded, printed, and laminated this FREE Island Conquer Area & Perimeter math center.  It is a great way to review perimeter and area by Laura Candler.

(sorry, I couldn't get the pic to rotate)

Next, I worked on a home CAMP project for many hours!  We are so excited to have our first season this year at a site with the used camper we purchased last fall:)  The site came with a large deck (YAY!) but it wasn't in the best condition.  I could barely stand it!  

Can you see the chicken wire stapled around the rail?

BEFORE:

AFTER!  We MADE IT much more beautiful so that we can really enjoy spending time 

being lazy relaxing here.  That is me rolling at the end:)  We still have to finish part of the rail.

Picnic table BEFORE:

 Picnic table made beautiful! (Behr semi-transparent stain in sable color)

UPDATE!  After reading Jessica's post from Joy in the Journey, I remembered my little scrapbooking retreat from April!  I haven't scrapped in many months and it was a great overnight getaway!

Here is the little room at a local Christian camp for my roomie and I:

It was a cold weekend and even snowed!  That was fine with me because I was nice and room scrapping all day:)

 Here are a few of the pages I made!
I work much slower than my friends.  They always make fun of me!

ugh...iPhoto and Blogger don't always see eye to eye!

It has been months since I have added anything to TPT.  I FINALLY finished some math fraction centers that I have been working on for what seems like forever!  These two math centers are a fun way for students to practice multiplying fractions by whole numbers.  This was an important skill for 4th grade math this year aligned to the CCSS!

Don't you just love the cute monster graphics and backgrounds by Scrappin Doodles?

The adorable letters are a recent purchase from Little Red Schoolhouse!

Since it has been so long since I have posted a new product, I would like to give away TWO sets!!  Check back at Tried It Tuesday tomorrow for details!

Oh, and I finally made a facebook page for Fourth Grade Flipper!  

Wow...I hope I can keep up with all of this:)

Now, for the winners of my 500 Follower Giveaway!!  

There are FOUR winners, each winning an amazing array of prizes.  

The winners are:

Rafflecopter #1

Rafflecopter #2

Rafflecopter #3

Rafflecopter #4

Yay!! Congratulations to the winners!  You should be getting many emails soon:)

Thank you again to everyone who helped out with this giveaway!  You guys are amazing.

Math Mentor Text (Counting on Frank)

Happy Mother's Day everyone!  I had such a great day with my family and I hope you were able to enjoy a wonderful day too:)  I am linking up with my girls Amanda and Stacia at Collaboration Cuties for their Mentor Text Linky!  This week's topic is math.

I chose Counting on Frank to link up because volume is a skill that I like to touch on at the end of the year.  This book is just hilarious!  Frank loves to calculate things and tries to figure out silly facts like how many whales it would take to fill up his house.  With its quirky humor, this book will have your students laughing for sure and when they get confused about volume, just ask them, "Remember Frank?". 

In my google search for an image of the book, I came across this cute freebie volume activity for volume from Classroom Magic!  Check out her blog!

This Mother's Day we went on a train ride with Thomas the Train!  It was so fun:)
Here are a few pics!

See the rain clouds?  We took off our jackets to pose for this picture, but it was 40 degrees there today! At one time we were getting pelted by HAIL! Brrrr...

Stop by my NEW FACEBOOK page if you get a chance:)

Spark Student Motivation Linky (music!) and Facebook page!

I am linking up for a quick Student Motivation strategy with the amazing Joanne at Head Over Heels for Teaching.  There are so many great ideas shared each week for motivating students.  I am really loving them!  Thanks Joanne for hosting:)

This week, we were working on Mother's Day projects and seemed to be able to relax a little since the ELA and Math state tests are OVER (we still have science yet to come but that one has barely any pressure compared to ELA and Math).  I was quickly reminded of how well the students work while listening to music.  I try to let them listen to music at snack time or during projects that involve coloring, cutting, etc.  However, the past couple months have been so demanding with the state tests drawing near that it seems like there is less and less time for these moments.  Even at snack time, sometimes I am busting my hump to get students caught up with late work and corrections. Yes, I feel like I am working HARDER than they are to get them caught up.

Okay, back on track to the MUSIC.

I use music as often as I can in lessons and try to find catchy songs on youtube for certain concepts we are working on.  Students love that.

However, this is a basic music motivator.

I am talking about playing top 40 hit songs (that I buy from iTunes) during those moments when students are working on a project, or having a snack, or at indoor recess.

The KEY?  Keep the music playing very softly and it is like magic!  The students work quietly and sing or hum to the music.  This helps to avoid inappropriate conversations and the noise level getting too loud.  As soon as it starts getting noisy, you hear students start saying, "Shhh, I can't hear the song."  

Sometimes another adult walks in my room and wonders why the students are listening and singing quietly to "Call Me Maybe".  

But, they really ARE working!  If they get off task, the music goes off.

There are not many teachers that I know of in our school that let the students listen often to songs they know and love from the radio.  I say, "Why not?"  

I know I love to work to music, so why wouldn't the students?

Students are even encouraged to give me song selections (clean versions, of course) that I will buy and download for the class.  That is a motivator in itself too.  When the students see that you care enough about them to spend your personal money to buy them songs, it goes a long way in building relationships with them.  I don't let the requests get out of hand and so far, in the five years I have been in 4th grade, no one has tried to abuse it.  This might be something I can add to my ClassDOJO trade in points day too!  Maybe they can pick the song selections for an activity or pick a few songs to add to the iTunes library!

I was busy today working on finishing up some new math fraction centers and adding a facebook page for Fourth Grade Flipper!  Yay!!  Thank you to Amanda and Stacia at Collaboration Cuties for their awesome tutorial!

If you are interested in following me on facebook, click here (I hope that works).  I need to get a button for my blog so I am not talking to myself on my new facebook page! Haha!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway that ends tomorrow at midnight!

Five for Friday Flashback, Toliver's Secret FREEBIE, Mother's Day

Happy Friday!!  Wahoo!  

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and Amanda from Teaching Maddeness to share some tidbits of my week.  See a freebie in #4:)

1.  Teacher Appreciation

Our PTC, administration, and Board have really spoiled us this week for Teacher Appreciation week!  

 On Monday, we had a decorated water bottle delivered and the pencil in the pocket has a little flower petal stuck through the eraser.  How cute is that?

 Here was the M&M saying attached to a package of M&M's (the BIG sharing size!)  We also had a breakfast from the Board on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, we had parents hauling around breakfast snacks on carts and some of these yummy cookies to take back to our room.  They watched our classes for a few minutes while we enjoyed a yummy treat in the hall!

 Today we are having a luncheon provided by the PTC and it is always delicious.  

It is so nice to be recognized!

2.  Mother's Day Project

I just love how these Mother's Day Projects turned out using Wordle!  The fabulous Bethany at Fab and Fun in 4th blogged about it here.  The students were so excited yesterday that they wanted to take them home.  I told them they had to wait until Friday:)  They printed their wordle and mounted it on pretty paper.  Then, I laminated them.

Here are some pictures of the Mother's Day necklaces made out of paper clips and magazine cut out squares!  Just wrap the magazine square around each paperclip and it looks like jewels on a necklace!  We used 26-30 paperclips per necklace.  The students also made a box to hold the necklace.  There is a cotton ball inside to put the necklace on.

3.  Wellness Day

On Thursday we had Wellness Day all morning.  Our students rotate to six activities for 25 minutes each.  There are eleven activities total so the students do not get to go to all of the activities.  My class participated in a fitness challenge (cup stacking-very competitive!), board games, healthy thoughts, honey presentation by a bee keeper, healthy snack, and (our favorite!) martial arts!

Here is a snapshot of a black belt breaking two boards with a ridge hand strike.  Next, he broke the two boards on the other side with a different strike.  He is actually my kickboxing instructor and is an amazing black belt!!  It was so much fun to watch the karate presentations and the students were in awe.  Of course, some of my students wanted to practice their karate moves later that day and I had to put a stop to that!  haha!!

4.  Toliver's Secret   

We just finished reading Toliver's Secret.  You can read more about this book here.  When my computer's hard drive crashed last spring, one item I didn't have backed up was my Toliver's Secret SMART board notes, unit test, and internet activity on Revolutionary War Spies!  Luckily, I had a hard copy in my file.  I scanned them on the copier and imported the test and internet activity into power point.  The test is nothing too eye-catching but you can get it here for free:

Revolutionary War Spies Computer Activity and Unit Test FREEBIE

Yesterday, my teammate and I paired our classes up for an activity about the corncakes and oatcakes used throughout the novel (Revolutionary War times).  I made the oatcakes:

 Recipe called for 1 cup oats, 1 cup wholemeal flour (I used whole wheat flour), 1 tsp. baking soda, a pinch of salt, 2 tbsp. lard (I used Crisco), and 5 tbsp. almost boiling water to hold the dough.  I doubled the recipe and used more water than it called for.  It was a great activity to demonstrate the blandness of the food and we also showed the class pictures of sugar cane on the SMART board and discussed the use of sugar during Revolutionary War times.

 Baked:

Here is the worksheet we used to have students explore how corncakes and oatcakes were used in the novel, Toliver's Secret.

Corncakes and Oatcakes FREEBIE 

5.  Giveaway

 If you haven't checked out my giveaway yet, there is still time!  It ends on Sunday at midnight.  There are over 50 prizes available and FOUR winners will be chosen.  YAY!!