Items filtered by date: May 2011

I launch into a big measurement unit during October when we go on a fieldtrip to an apple orchard that happens to have a huge pumpkin patch.  We get a class pumpkin.

If my A group picks a short-fat pumpkin, I steer my B group into choosing a tall pumpkin so that we can have a great comparison contrast activity.

I know lots of teachers who introduce measurement, with non-measuring instruments, like how many teddy bears long is the Kleenex box?  I just jump right in with rulers, measuring tapes and scales.

The children catch on quickly. I have them choose a partner to measure and they have a blast running around measuring each other and everything in sight.

Click on the link to view/print an I Measured My Friend page.

Later in the year we review measurement again with a Bob The Builder Day.

One of the fun things you can have your students do is make an Isabella Inchworm. 

Run off the master on green construction paper.  Students can add wiggle eyes and color the face.

Send them off on a measuring adventure to find 3 things that are exactly as long as Isabella.

Have them tally things that they find that are shorter than Izzy and then fill in another tally box that is longer than she is.  You can graph your findings.

Another fun activity to do is to weigh and measure all of your students.  Find out who is the lightest, heaviest, tallest, shortest and what the average height and weight of all of your students are, as well as the total pounds and inches of the entire class.

You can also graph these results.  I keep these statistics so that when I do this activity again in June, we can do all sorts of fun math extensions.

Click on the link to view/print Isabella Click on the link to view/print some measurement Certificates of Praise.

Just like the article before, these will be free for the week (June 23-30) and then roll into a 123-page Back-to-school packet for only $1.79

I also have a cute September Daisy Yarn Keepsake activity that incorporates a child’s height.  It’s in the FREE September Stuff. Click on the link to check it out.

Two awesome booklets that make measurement fun are My Scale Booklet and My Measurement Booklet. Click on the links to check them out.

 As always, if you have a fun idea that you do, to learn how to measure things, I’d enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

Happy summer! It’s officially here and what are most of my mail rings talking about? This fall and working on things for the upcoming school year!  My husband thinks we’re all crazy.

I bet you never thought a teacher would dream up such an oxymoronic ditty!  I slapped it on a magnet for Russ Berrie for the sake of earning a few dollars back in the early 80’s, because I knew people who weren’t teachers would buy it.

Teachers of course knew vacations were “stay-cations” for cleaning, sorting, revamping, organizing, making stuff, and going to school to get SBCEU’s, our Masters or staying credentialed!

So I’ve decided to start making short little blogs about school stuff that might be of interest to the at-home “resting” teacher who is just dying to whip together a project or two.

This activity can be found in my Back-To-School Packet

The first little ditty for you to do is a big question mark with question words.  I don’t know about your students, but my Y5’s don’t know how to ask a question.

The librarian, after her introduction to the library, says: “Does anyone have a question?” and Corry “asks:” “My mommy reads to me.” Lanie “asks” “I have that book.” The librarian finally says: “We have time for one more question.” And Billie “asks:” “I wanna leave now.

The same thing happens in October when the fire department comes for Fire Safety Month and Aubrey “asks:” “I once saw a fire when…”

Now I teach my students HOW to ask a question and that those questions MUST begin with question words.  These question words make wonderful word-wall words too.

Header above question mark poster:  “Start a question with these words!”

Now…if you have questions, comments or suggestions; I’d enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

66 pages. This packet contains a wonderful assortment of cute behavior charts and notes, + self-esteem building and motivational ideas, to help modify behavior, while making your life easier and more organized.