Getting to the Core

Let's Play A Math Game!

Dominoes are an inexpensive and fun math manipulative to help your students practice simple addition and subtraction facts.  Dominic the Domino Snowman makes it even more interesting.  He needs buttons for his belly! 

Here's how to help him:

  • dominoes, math game, snowman activities, math centers, centers, games with dominoes, math games with dominoes,snowman ideas, math facts, addition and subtraction activities, addition and subtraction games, If you want all of your students to play as a whole group, run off a class set of snowmen. Have students play in groups of 2-4 so they can share dominoes.  They sell them at The Dollar Store.
  •  If you don’t have dominoes, use my template and print off a class set, or some for your students so they can have a Dominic and dominoes to practice at home.
  •  You can color the snowmen, or have students color them and then laminate the playing boards so you can use them every year.
  •  Children will use dry erase markers to record their answers and then wipe them off with a wet wipe.
  • Write the directions: Roll, Find, Place, Write, Solve on the board.
  • Demonstrate how to play the game.
  • Students obtain the dominoes by rolling 2 dice twice and finding the appropriate dominoes.
  • i.e, If they roll a 1 and a 5, they find the domino with one dot and five dots and place that to the side.
  •  The student then rolls the second time and rolls a 2 and a 3.
  • They find that domino.
  • dominoes, math games, math games with dominoes, snowman activities, snowman ideas, snowmen, games, math centers, center ideas,Since the first domino has larger numbers, they put that domino on top so that they can subtract. They put the smaller numbered domino on the bottom.
  • Students add the “buttons” of the domino to get the first number to add and and then later subtract and then add the “buttons” of the second domino to get the second number to add and later subtract. 
  •  Students write these equations vertically on their snowman and solve the problem.
  • On a sheet of  paper, students write the equations horizontally and solve the problem.
  • Set a timer to ring after about 10 minutes.
  • The student with the most correct answers wins the game.

Do you have a math game that you play with your students? I'd enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com and if you use one of my freebies I'd really enjoy a comment.  Thanks in advance.

Be sure and pop back tomorrow for more creative teaching tips.

sock snowman, snowman activities, snowman ideas, measurement activities, listening and following direction activities, winter crafts for kids, I’ve been making “Stuffy” the snowman since the late 80’s when I used to sell lots of them at Christmas craft shows. I finally decided to post him on the blog, as he is do-able for a student activity, even for younger children + he's a great source for reinforcing measurement, as well as listening and following direction skills.

Here's How To Make One:

Send a note home to parents that you need a clean washed white tube sock and another colored sock.  Heaven knows we all have wash machines and dryers that seem to literally eat a sock or two so that the missing pair is nary to be found.

I include “socks with out mates” in a “Please Save” list, that I send out at the beginning of the year as a “heads up”.

tube sock snowman, sock snowman, snowman ideas, snowman activities, snowman crafts, Christmas gifts, Christmas crafts for kids, winter art projects, winter crafts for kids, January crafts for kids, listening and following directions activity, measuring activity.If you get tube socks like the ones pictured, you can use the striped part for the hat and don’t need an extra sock! 

I also have a list for parents to sign that’s entitled: “I’m willing to donate something for a special activity”. This project would fall under this category, as you’ll need a bag of “fluffy stuffing” the kind that people use to stuff pillows.  You can purchase it at any fabric store.

You’ll also need a cup of un-popped popcorn or rice per student.  This makes Stuffy stand up perfectly. 

While at the fabric store, look for remnants of plaid flannel that’s on sale.  I’ve tried ribbon and it just doesn’t look as cute for a scarf as real flannel does. 

Each student needs an 18-inch long by 1 ½ inch strip.  I pull a few strings off the ends so it looks like a real scarf.

Loosely tie the scarf around the middle of the snowman, tight enough so that it makes a “head” appear.

sock snowman, snowman crafts, snowman art project, snowman gifts, Christmas gifts, snowmen activities, snowman ideas, measurement activities, listening and following directions activities, Cut your tube sock so that it is 9 inches long if you want to make a short “Stuffy Snowman” like the one pictured.

I have made larger ones using the entire white tube sock, but the smaller ones sold better, stood nicer, and looked more “adorable”.

If you want to make a “family” of snowmen as I did for us, then you’ll want to use the entire sock for the “daddy” snowman.

Pour the cup of popcorn in the bottom of the sock.

Lightly stuff with fluff.

Tie the top with a piece of yarn and knot it.

sock snowman, snowman activities, snowman ideas, Christmas gifts, Chrismas crafts, winter art projects, winter craft projects, snowman craft ideas, Cut the top of the colored sock off so that you have 6 inches of sock.

Tie the top with a piece of yarn. Knot it, and then tie a bow.

sock knit caps, sock snowman, snowman activities, snowman ideas, snowman crafts, snowman art project, winter crafts for kids, winter art projects, measuring activities, listening and following direction activities, Flip the bottom edge up 1 inch for a brim.

Some socks are harder to cut and get a straight line.  This doesn’t matter.

It’s a knit cap and ragged looks country great!

You can always roll the brim edge in if you’re picky.

No need to sew on.  Just stick it on the snowman’s head and it will stay put.

For the eyes, I paint eraser-size wiggle eyes black; for the nose, I paint a mini wiggle eye orange and hot glue them on.  I used burgundy puffy paint, and squeezed on a smile.

2 dark buttons and a painted wooden heart, also hot glued on, complete “Stuffy”

Click on the link to view/print the article's directions and pix. Stuffy the Sock Snowman.

Scroll down for more fun activities and ideas, and be sure and pop back tomorrow to see how Dominic the Domino Snowman will help your students with simple addition and subtraction!

Do you have an idea to share?  I'd enjoy hearing from you: diane@teachwithme.com and if you use a freebie I'd really appreciate a comment!  Thanks in advance.

Wally the Welcome Doorknob Dangler Snowman

paint stick snowman, snowman crafts, snowman activities, snowmen, snowmen art, snowmen projects, recycled art, recycling activities, Popsicle stick activities, Posicle stick art, Christmas gifts, Christmas crafts, snowman crafts, As promised, here is my other recycled snowman project.  This is as inexpensive to make as the tin can snowman.

I went to the Home Depot, told them I was a teacher, showed them my project and asked if I could please have 20 paint sticks.  They said, “No problem.”   Wal-Mart, Meijer’s and other places that sell paint have also been generous.

Later, my class composed a thank you card and everyone signed it.  If your parents don’t have a problem with photographing their children, it’s always cute to include a photo, with students holding up their adorable creations.

paint stick snowman, Christmas gifts kids can make, Christmas crafts, snowman crafts, snowman activities, recycled art, recycling activities, snowmen, Wally the Welcome Snowman is a “doorknob hanger”.  A dab of hot glue or a large glue dot will hold the yarn tie in place on the back.  Simply slip him over the doorknob and declare whether you’d like it to snow or melt.

Preparation:

paint stick snowmen, snowmen, snowmen activities, snowmen crafts, snowman art, snowman activities, recycled art, recycling activities, Christmas gifts, Christmas crafts, Run off my heart templates on red construction paper and laminate.

Students cut out two.  They’ll need two pairs of Velcro dots.

After they have finished painting, one Velcro dot will go on the backs of the hearts, the other on the front and back of the snowman.  (Whatever heart you are not using, gets tucked away on the back so that you don’t lose it. )

You’ll also need mini Popsicle sticks.  To expedite things, glue them to the paint sticks.  This will help your students know what to paint white and what to paint black.

Even tho’ a hot glue gun works extremely fast, I find that young children are rough with what they work on and these little sticks have a tendency to pop off, so I glue them on with E6000.

It’s a stinky glue, so make sure you have proper ventilation.  Short of breaking them off, they will stay put!

Directions:

Children paint the bottom of their stick white.  I use the acrylic paint that comes in the little bottles for less than a dollar at Wal-Mart.  You can also get the larger size for around $2.  If you want your snowmen shiny, buy GLOSS paint.

Students can hang on to the hat part to paint the back of their paint stick, the front should be dry by the time they are done, so they can lay them down to dry.  In the afternoon, paint the hats.

I buy plaid ribbon during the after Christmas sales.  Cut 6-inch long strips and wrap them around the paint stick where you feel the snowman’s neck should be.

I glue these on with Aileen’s tacky glue.   Do this BEFORE students paint on a face, as it will help them know where to put their face on.

snowman activities, snowman crafts, Christmas gifts, Christmas crafts, paint stick snowman, snowman art, snowmen art, snowmen crafts, snowman gifts, Using Q-tips, have students dot on a face, heart and buttons.  I put a tiny dollop of the various colors of paint on small paper plates in the middle of their table.

Toothpicks work best, if students want to make a little snowflake or holly on the hat.

Be sure and model how to paint these things, so they have step-by-step directions of “how to”.  Just as with the tin can snowmen, it’s a good idea for little ones to practice on a piece of scrap paper before they paint their face on their paint stick.

I use a fine-tipped black flair, to write the children’s last name on the bottom of the paddle, as many of them have long names and this would be difficult for them to accomplish.

Click on the link to view/print the pattern, directions and pix for the Snowman Paint Stick

Be sure and pop back tomorrow for how to make an adorable snowman out of a sock!

Do you have a fun snowman project that you do with your students? I’d enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

recycling activity, recycling, recycled art, snowmen, snowman art, snowmen activities, tin can snowmen, tin can snowman, Christmas gifts, Christmas crafts,

Connie Container Snowman A Recycled Gift

I’m big on recycling so I try to dream up some sort of hands on activity for my students each month involving recycled items.

recycled art, recycling project, snowman project, snowman art, snowmen, snowmen activity, Christmas gift, winter art projects, Since everyone has tin cans at home they are one of the easiest things for a parent to save for us.  Cans are also a way to review the cylinder shape and make handy holders for a variety of things.

recycled art, recyling activities, Christmas gift, snowman activities, snowman art, snowmen activities, snowmen art, snowman gift, snowman pencil holder, snowman can, Connie Container Snowman is perfect for rulers, scissors and other tall “stuff”.  She’s made out of an asparagus can.

We eat a lot of asparagus at my house so I find it easy enough to simply save enough cans for my students.

If you don’t, simply send a note home at the beginning of the school year with a list of “SAVE these things” and explain to parents that their child will be doing projects through out the year involving these items and you just wanted to give them a heads up; that way you’ll always have a few extra’s for those children who don’t bring things in.

My Y5’s LOVE to paint and I find that even though their “mess-terpieces” are not as “perfect-looking” as I’d like them to be, they have fun, are learning, and are more of a keepsake because they did the entire project.

However, if you want to expedite things you can pre-paint the white bottom and have really little ones simply paint the top hats black. I use glossy acrylic paint.

An easy way for students to paint is to put their hand INSIDE the can and rotate as they go.  Make sure there are NO rough edges on the inside so they won’t get cut.

My mom gave me a smoothing tool from Magic Chef that goes around the lip of cut cans and presses down the edges so I never have a problem with this.

In the morning, paint the white bottom first. Let dry and then paint the black in the afternoon or on another day. 

snowman can, snowmen, snowmen art, recycled art, snowman pencil can, recyclihg, snowman activities, Little ones will drip and slop paint, so make sure they are working over newspaper and have paint shirts on.

On a file folder, trace around the top of your can to make a circle template. Decide how wide of a brim you want to have.  Mine is just shy of an inch.

Draw the brim around your traced circle.  You will be cutting the circle out so that you can slide it over your can and rest it at the base of the snowman’s hat.  No gluing is necessary if you cut it so that it fits snug.

Pre-cut your black hat brims.  I used black foam.  Tag board and construction paper are cheaper, but you really have to be careful that they don’t tear apart when students slide them over their cans.

Using a Q-tip and the dabbing method of simply dotting on a small amount of paint, model how to paint on a snowman’s face.

I find that it’s a great idea to have students practice on a sheet of scrap paper before they paint their can.  This also allows them to design a few different faces to see which one they like the best.

Hobby Lobby, Michael’s Crafts and JoAnn Fabrics all sell ribbon by the bolt for a dollar or less.

Choose something that looks like a snowman’s scarf and tie it on the bottom of the cans for that finishing touch.  You’ll need a little over 12 inches for each student’s scarf.

Another Recycled Snowman Idea!

snowman can, snowmen art, snowman art, recycled art, recycling activity, winter art, Christmas gift, cyclinder activity, snowmen, snowman activity, snowmen activity, Use shorter veggie and soup cans, and instead of making a head of a snowman, students can simply paint the entire can blue, black or even brown.

After they’ve painted their cans, using a toothbrush, splatter the dried cans with white paint to look like falling snow.

Using a Q-tip and toothpicks, students paint a snowman.

I used a nail and hammer to punch holes in the sides of my can and then simply added a bit of wire with a rag bow on the top.

Craft stores have a huge assortment of colored wire if you want to make your cans less rustic looking.

You can put just about anything in these cans to give as a gift, including student work, a photograph, little “I love you notes”, a paper heart with a poem on it, candy etc.

Later parents can use them to hold markers, pens and pencils etc.

Click on the link to view/print this article's directions and pix.  Recycled snowman: Connie the Tin Can Container Snowman

Be sure and pop back tomorrow for another recycled snowman made out of a paint stick!

Do you have an activity that you do with recycled "stuff"?  I'd enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

    Gabby The Number Apple Slider: A Fun Way To Count On 100 Day
    • 100 day ideas, 100 day activities, 100 day charts, 100 day traceable number grids, 100 day counting activities, 100 day math activities, 100 day apple slider, apples, apple activities, counting by 5's, counting by 10's, I specifically set up this 100-grid with the numbers starting with 10-20-30-40 etc. instead of ending with those numbers like most of the 100 number grids you’ll find.
    •  traceable numbers, 100 day activities 100 day ideas, 100 day centers, 100 day math ideas, 100 day math activities, apple activities, apple ideas, apple number slider, counting by 5's, counting by 10's, I don't want students to be able to see that number coming at the end, so they are indeed memorizing it.  This is a difficult concept for some.
      •  I also wanted to be able to take one strip at a time and focus on that complete set of numbers if I wanted to.
        •  Another reason is that my students are learning to read from left to right so if I want to count by 10’s to 100 it’s easier for them to “see” that if the numbers are on the left going to the right.
        •  I made this number grid horizontal so that I could make the squares bigger so that my traceable numbers could also be larger.
        • traceable 100's chart, 100 day activities, 100 day ideas, 100 day math centers, 100 day counting activities, 100 day art project, apple slider, apple activities, counting by 5's, counting by 10's, apples, I've also included a traceable 100's chart, which is often hard to find.
        • After I got these grids designed I thought they’d be perfect for a slider.  So I made “Gabby Apple” with wiggle eyes.

        I hope your students enjoy making and learning with her. Click on the link to view/print the pix, patterns and directions. 100 Day Apple Slider and 100 charts. Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others may find useful.

        "What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens." -Thadddeus Golas

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