Teacher Appreciation Day at TPT and a FREEBIE

It is Teacher Appreciation Day at TPT, 

and there is a group of 150 TPT sellers giving away items today. Of course I read about this group about 1 hour before the the deadline to enter was due. I frantically put in my information, but I missed out. I forget about the timezone differences. Anyway Lori Rosenberg, who is a very talented teacher and blogger has the list for you, so I am sending you to her blog. Lori is a sweet blogging friend that always stops by my blog and gives me sweet comments. Thanks Lori! She has great stuff! Check out her TPT store, her freebie, and the rest of the bloggers on the list. 

Click here to get the list participating blogs

Even though I missed the group, I can still give something away. Today only I am giving my Ocean Compound Word Center away.  You can grab it for free at my TPT Store, today only.

Here is a preview. Get it TODAY ONLY FOR FREE!
You have until 4:00 today to grab yesterday's freebie also, 
Ocean Theme Word Sort - Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives. It goes with this Ocean Theme. 

Click HERE to down load from my TPT store

Then go and check out my new blogging friend Sara. She has great ideas and just started blogging. Be sure to share the love and encouragement by following or commenting.

Miss Sara has a cute Mother's Day word search Freebie for you.

Click Here to visit Miss Sara at her blog,
 Miss Elementary

And last but not least Sign Up for My GIVEAWAY

You could win a Thirty-One Organizing Tote

http://classroomcompanion.blogspot.com/2012/05/100-followers-thirty-one-giveaway.html

or

Just scroll down to MY MAY 3 POST  and ENTER

Happy Shopping Today!

Fractions and a Freebie

I love math.  I always try to teach my students that understanding math is kind of like comprehension in reading.  In reading if you are just saying the words and not understanding what you are reading, your are just word calling. In math it is much the same.  If you can compute numbers but really can't interpret data or graphs, apply  math strategies and skills, or solve word problems, you are just computing and not understanding math. In math, it seems that the emphasis is put on computation skills too often and the students do not use their higher level thinking skills enough.  I often create word problems that make the students understand the terminology and apply their skills and knowledge. I tell my students that need to "know" math.  How are numbers and operations all related?  We are now studying fractions. I asked my class, How are fractions related to money or telling time?  They looked at me like I was crazy. We talked about the clock and how it was a circle and when you cut it half or quarters we use the same terminology in fractions and in telling time. In money we have a quarter and it represents 1/4 of a dollar.  I think when kids begin to see the relationship of fractions, money, and telling time, they really understand the terms such as "quarter" or "half" and now they are "knowing" math. Not just computing.

Well, I saw this cute fraction pizza on Pinterest by Amy Lemons at Step Into Second Grade Blog. I just had to make them with my class.  The kids loved it.  As you can see by the pictures below, some like to load up their pizza, while others were very careful about the amounts they put on each piece. Here is my recipe for a Perfect Pizza in our class:

6/6 cheese

5/6 pepperoni

4/6 sausage

3/6 green peppers

2/6 mushrooms

1/6 onions

I think I will let them make their own pizza and pick their own ingredients tomorrow.

Here's a little freebie about fractions that I just made tonight.  It would work great at a math center.  Students have to count the eggs and answer the questions in a fraction.  You can grab it free at my TPT Store.

Click here to grab it FREE!

Free Easter Noun Sort

If you like the activity pictured in yesterday's post, you can get in now and much easier than yesterday.

Like I said I am new at this.  I have found that sending files with lots of graphics by email does not work.  My files are too big and I use a service that is great, but it takes you the teacher too long to download the file. I am so impatient. So to make it easy for everyone, I upload the Easter Noun Sort to my TPT store.  It is easy to download free from there.  I was wanting to see what kind of traffic and comments I would get here on my blog versus my store, which is getting lots of downloads.  So head over to my store where everything is free right now.  Thanks for your patience.  I would love comments and followers.

 Click Here to get to MY TPT STORE
for Free Noun Sort

FREEBIE! NOUN SORT!

Here is a little preview of a new center I created.  Since I am new at this and trying to get people to my blog. Please become a follower and tell others.  I plan on having lots of freebies and pictures to share.

Just email me at  swideman123@gmail.com

and I will send this little 14 page center pronto!  

Or leave me a comment, with your email address and I will get it to you quickly. 

 This is a great Word Work center if you do the Daily 5.

Below is a copy of all the pages you will receive.

 Thank you for visiting!!