Place Value

Hey Everyone,

It's time for our Winter break and boy am I ready. One of the things I like best about my job is the breaks we get. Not for the reason you might think, time off, but because of the new beginnings. I love the fact that if something wasn't working quite right on Friday, you have a week off to figure out a new plan and start over. Isn't that the best????

We have been very busy since Christmas vacation so I thought I would share what we have been working on in grade 2. For those of you who don't know I have moved on up this year from 1st to 2nd grade and I am lovin' it!!! I started out in 2nd grade many years ago, but always wanted to teach first. I loved teaching first for 14 years but decided I was ready for a change. I had the opportunity to "move up" with my class this year and I'm glad I did!

Enough about that.......Here's what we have been up to....

Place Value

 We started place value before Christmas. We worked on the Smartboard. Students rolled the dice and put the numbers in the column below it to make a number. Simple activity, but great way to jog their memories on what we had already learned in first grade. They loved that it was interactive and the kids not at the board were writing the number on a sheet of paper. Once we had two numbers we talked about which one was greater and how could we show that with a symbol of  <  or  > .

 

We have also been working on writing numbers in expanded form.

In December I made these cute Place Value Christmas lights to use with our iPads. I gave each table 10 cards and they used the app Number Pieces to make the number with base 10 blocks. It was great practice for them. 

We used the Show Me app to take a card and then write the number on the card in expanded form. They loved it!

When we came back to school after Christmas break we used snowmen to show place value. I made these cute little snowmen to use in centers. They had to match the numbers with the place value blocks. I also used them for early finishers.

I also used these snowmen just like I used the Christmas lights above. 

We worked in groups. Each group got a stack of snowmen cards. They would take turns to pick a card and write the number in the middle of the sheet below. Then they would write the number that was 100 less on the left and the number that was 100 more on the right.

You can check out my Snowmen Place Value Unit by clicking on the picture below.

The 100th Day, Valentine's Day and PJ'S

We always think it just might happen BUT it usually doesn't. What, you ask?? The 100th Day ends up on our Valentine's party day. Talk about an exciting day! Then just to add a little more fun we decided to celebrate by wearing our PJ's to school. All I can say is,

Oh Boy!

There is nothing better than getting to wear your pj's and favorite slippers to school!

We started out on Thursday making our Valentine bags. Of course I headed right to Pinterest to get my inspiration. I was looking for something that would be easy since I did leave it to the last minute. 

I found these adorable Valentine Heart Bags that 1st Grade Fantabulous did a few years ago. They were simple, easy and adorable. This is what they looked like when we were done.

Aren't they the cutest???

The night before the party I made there valentines. Again, I was inspired by Pinterest. I found the sweetest valentines that you put on a glowstick. So cute! You can find them at Moms By Heart

 I didn't want to do color prints so I made my own version that I could copy onto red and pink card stock and then add the glow stick. I liked how they turned out.

Since we were arriving in our pj's I thought it would be fun to have a morning snack when the kids arrived. We had cereal to start our day with some bacon and eggs.

 My sister-in-law helped me make these cute little candies that look like bacon and eggs & sausage and eggs. You can find out how to make them by clicking here Rambling Wren 

We watched Froggy's First Kiss while eating our cereal and bacon & eggs. Don't you love the Froggy books? My kiddos do!

We made these adorable 100th Day hats.

We used 100 marshmallows with toothpicks to make some great creations. They loved this activity!

We ended our day by delivering our valentines and opening them.

Overall, it was a GREAT day!!