11.26.2013

How I Progress Monitor for Math...

I thought I'd share a little bit about how I progress monitor for math
in my classroom. It's really nothing too complicated and my district
provides us with a program to do our math progress monitoring.
However, I found that I needed some "practice" tests for these
progress monitoring tests.
Not that we want to only teach these tests, but students needs
practice seeing and experiencing these quick, timed tests.
I also would have parents asking for extra copies to practice
at home with, but I couldn't send home the program the district used.
I also wanted to progress monitor some of my kids more than every other week,
so I just simply needed more tests to use.

Last year I made a set of Number Identification and Quantity Discrimination,
but never got around to making the Missing Number set.
These three kinds of data are typical for Kindergarten and 1st grade and are used to
screen for missing skills in math.
 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Progress-Monitoring-BUNDLE-996806
 

I finally made the Missing Number set and updated the look on the other two
as well. Now that I have all three made, I also bundled them to save you some money
if you are interested in purchasing all three.

Like I said before, I like to progress monitor my struggling learners every week
during math workshop, just to get more data!
So I use my district's program every other week, and my pages
in between those weeks as "practice".
 



I keep all of my copies that I will need in a file crate near my small group table.
This way, I can progress monitor whenever I get a free second, but usually during
math workshop on Fridays.
Each type of test has it's own file folder and I paper clip together the copies
of each version of that test.
{In each product, there are 20 probes for #'s 0-10 and 20 probes for #'s 0-20}



I also keep my reading progress monitoring materials in this same tub
to keep it all together!

It's pretty simple but just thought I would share how I do it!
Check out my math progress monitoing products by clicking on any of the pics
below!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Number-Identification-Fluency-Practice-Pages-483448

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Quantity-Discrimination-Fluency-Practice-Pages-536013

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Missing-Number-Fluency-Practice-Pages-995951


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Math-Progress-Monitoring-BUNDLE-996806

11.21.2013

NURSERY DECOR

So I've had friends ask me if I have a "feeling" whether we are having
a boy or girl.
It's an easy answer for me....no.
I don't get wrapped up into guessing that much because I know it will be
one or the other so I don't really spend too much time trying to figure it out!
 
We did go for our mid-pregnancy sonogram and tried to find out the sex.
Of course, baby was in a difficult position to tell, so we go back in a few weeks.
Our daughter did the same thing to us 5 years ago, so I guess we shouldn't have
been surprised to walk away without an answer that day, but I couldn't believe it happened again!

So, we still don't know, but I've finally started thinking about the nursery and looking
for inspiration on pinterest. These are some of my favorite pictures I've found and
I love the more gender neutral idea even though we plan to find out.
I'm just more drawn to those color palettes this time rather than pink for girl and
blue for boy.

Neutral Nursery

This is my favorite. I love the sage and turqouise. I'm leaning this way for a boy
or girl. And I think I might have the hubby on board with this one.


via Pinterest

 I love this one too...the cream and peach colors are so peaceful.

via Pinterest

I'm loving the deer/antler/arrow pieces that are everywhere these days.
The hubs is a avid hunter so he loves it too.

Psalm 139 print

Love this verse. :)

Colorful Arrow changing pad cover

I think I might do a solid color crib sheet, so this would be a pop of pattern in the room.

White Deer print



Hello Lovely print


Follow my nursery board or all of my boards on pinterest,
click the pic below!

http://www.pinterest.com/leanneprince/

11.18.2013

it's been a while...

Time for an instareview!
Actually, some of these didn't make it to instragram,
but I'm going to share anyway. :)


Our first and last Royals game of the year. Too bad they lost. We had fun anyway
with Aunt Laurie and Uncle Caleb.


Date night pit stop at bass pro to get his hunting tags.
Very, very important. ;)


A little fancier date night to celebrate my hubby's birthday!
I was surprised I stayed up past 1:00am especially since I'd been averaging 8:00pm.
Thank goodness for 2nd trimester energy!


Killing time on our pumpkin patch fieldtrip!


Lainey and Grandma at the pumpkin patch!


Always exciting for us Jayhawks when basketball season rolls around.


Our sweet little cupcake!


The cupcake and Uncle Tommy


Family of three this Halloween. :)


My teammates and I were rock, paper, scissors. Scissors got a little feisty!


My first bump photo. I just can't get into taking one each week.
I'll shoot for once a month!


Some of my students' pumpkin book reports. I thought they turned out great!



Come follow me on instagram!!!




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11.12.2013

Helpful Hint {A Quiet Classroom}

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' today to share one of my
most helpful hints {I believe} for teachers.

It can be difficult to get a classroom full of 6 year olds to work
quietly. I've tried lots of different things to get my students to work
without talking for 10-15 min. at a time, but nothing has worked as good as...
 
 

 
I discovered this lovely concept a few years ago from a 
good friend who also teaches 1st grade.
She had seen the idea on pinterest so I searched to see if I could find the original
source. I found a post from Teaching Chick that gave me a little info and a lot
 of inspiration! Check out her post here.
If you search for quiet critters on pinterest, you will find lots of ideas!

So, what are Quiet Critters?!
Cute, friendly, little pom pom friends!

They come out and sit on students' desks when they are working
quietly. I usually make up some sort of silly song as I'm setting them on my
students' desks. The find it very entertaining!
 
 
 
If a student is talking, their Quiet Critter gets "scared" and goes
back to its home {a jar where I keep the Quiet Critters}.
A Quiet Critter also gets scared and taken back to their home if they
are touched!

You would not believe how much the kids eat this up and how tranquil
your classroom can be when you need it to be QUIET!!!!!
My students love them!

I started out with one set of QCs, but then found more of these little pom
pom friends at craft stores during different seasons.
Now I have a whole collection of QCs and I change them out
by the season/month.
 
 
 
This year, I told my students that the QCs are magical and they turn into
a new version on the first day of each month. They totally bought it, ha!!!

Like I said, I've found several of these in craft stores. They come in a package
with all the pieces that you need to assemble them. I've had parent volunteers
put these together for me.
 
This year, I found several of these from the Oriental Trading website and they
came already assembled in the package, which was a pleasant surprise!
You can find some of the ones I have from them here.

I made a little printable for one of the versions of my Quiet Critters song.
I figured I probably should put it in print so I don't have to make it up
each time! Feel free to download by clicking the pic below. :)
 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2_vZ1SwmROxbktFZUJoM0RVcVE/edit?usp=sharing
 

If you have come across some of these pom pom friends, leave a comment
sharing where you found them!


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