Have you re-downloaded the REVISED first grade CORE math units?! I am so excited about how they turned out! I had several teachers ask me to change the font from D'Nealian to a more traditional font AND... I got a little carried away making a few improvements. These units have been totally revamped and renewed!

These first grade CORE math units include:

A daily math journal with word problems (perfect for math warm-up time)

 A daily lesson plans with all printables (flashcards, math mats, gamecards,etc...)

A daily guided practice page and independent practice page

Vocabulary Cards for your math word wall

 and unit ASSESSMENTS! 

For the first grade units, I have also created a quarterly pre-assessment so parents, students, administrators and teachers are able to see the amazing growth that students are making!

Not sure if this product will work in your class? Here are a few comments from teachers who use these CORE math units in their class: (quotes taken from TpT)

"Angie, you are spot on with the common core! Thank you for sharing all of your activities!"

"Thank you for putting the lessons together to match up with the CCS. Your time and efforts are so appreciated."

"My kids and parents love it- thank you!"

"Have purchased all the first grade units and couldn't be more pleased! Loving that our expectations are higher and that curriculum mapping is a breeze!"

"I have purchased all of the Common Core packets that are posted and they have been wonderful. These packets are WELL worth the price!"

"My MAP test scores were through the roof - thanks!:

"My kids are really enjoying your units. The hands on activities are perfect and I love the review on the practice pages."

"You make me smile! Thank you!"

"Super thanks for working hard so I can reap the rewards!"

"Excellent! Professional quality! You are very talented! Thanks!"

Read more comments by visiting my TpT store. Download the preview to see a yearly Scope and Sequence.  If your school is interested in purchasing multiple licenses please contact me (fallintofirst@gmail.com), I offer discounts on large purchases!

ZooPals Animal Reports

We finished our ZooPals Animal Reports today! These are my favorite reports to write because my kids do ALL of the work and they are so proud when they are finished. 

 Let me tell you there was a lot of training involved. We spent a week writing an animal report together our the desert tortoise. Click here to read all about it.

Here is a outline of how our Animal Reports went:

DAY 1

I made groups with 2-3 kids per group, I tried to mix ability levels so the groups would be more successful. To determine which animal each group got, we used these "Grow Capsules" that I found in the dollar bins at Target! 

(I gave one capsule to each group)

 Simply place the capsule in hot water and watch as the magic begins! 

(We only have access to cold water in our classroom so it took slightly longer for the magic to begin, but they kids were mesmerized and SILENT as they were watching and waiting...AHHH quiet time) 

Then...

So cute right?!

Then we wrote our planning page for our animal report. We did this whole group and students just changed the animal name to fit their report.

Page 1: What a __ looks like

Page 2: What a ___ eats

Page 3: Where a ___ lives

Page 4: Cool facts about ____.

DAY 2

Let the research begin! We began whole-group by reviewing the topic we choose on our planning sheet.

Each group was given 2 non-fiction books about their animal. They had to work together to write 3 facts about what their animal looks like. They did an amazing job of working together! 

Here is a sample of what the lion group wrote for page 1 (What a lion looks like)

DAYS 3 - 5

Research and writing days. Each day we began by reviewing the topic on the planning sheet and the kids got to work scouring their books for facts that fit the topic. 

 

 DAY 6

We spent day 6 editing and revising our reports. I met with each group that day to read and help them revise their reports. 

Day 7

Publishing and Presenting! 

I am a techie teacher and I try to get my students really excited about using technology. We went to the computer lab and typed our reports. It took a little time but the kids were so proud of themselves!

(WARNING: THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST TIME TYPING and this may set you over the edge if you don't have helpers). Having students work in their groups to type is also a great way to publish these reports. 

To be sure kids are engaged during their peers presentations, I have created a little Wild About Animal Reports Book that students complete while their peers are presenting. This just revised my ZooPals Packet on TpT to include this book. Please re-download if you already own this packet.  

The kids were little animal experts reporting their information to the class. It was AWESOME! Click on the picture below to get this packet! 

2014 Update: We took our projects one step further this year and created a large diagram for each animal. Here is the diagram and report that the giraffe, cheetah and elephant groups created. LOVE!  

First Grade CORE Math

Celebration Time!!!! It is 11:37 p.m. and I have FINALLY finished the last of the First Grade CORE Math Packet! YEAH!! They have been a major project this year and a lot of work but I so appreciate all of your support and encouragement. I have had just an outpouring of positive comments and words of appreciation from other first grade teachers! To celebrate this very exciting event I am having a 20% off sale! The sale will last until Monday so stop by this weekend. 

In case you do not know about my math units, there are 16 units, 4 units per quarter. Each unit contains everything you need for 10 days of instruction. Each unit targets specific CORE standards but the units are spirally reviewed so students don't lose previously mastered concepts.

All 16 units begin with a CORE Standards page, so you know exactly which standards are being taught during the unit. Some of the standards are new and some are review from prior units.

Next, you will find a problem of the day. Students use their Math Journal to collaboratively work out the problem of the day. 

Then it's on to calendar time! Before creating these math units I HATED calendar! I found myself rushing through it because the kids were not engaged and it was monotonous. With students all having their own Calendar Companions they are engaged and learning and I LOVE IT! There are many versions of Calendar Helpers and Notebooks but I was not able to find anything specifically geared to the new CORE standards, so I created this.

Then we move into our daily mini-lesson. These lessons usually take between 10-20 minutes and are engaging and interactive. The lessons vary, they may be games to practice previously learned concepts or lessons involving the use of manipulatives or technology to keep kids excited about math.

Finally I have created a daily Guided Practice/Review Page. This is a worksheet to be copied back-to-back. The front page we do together and students complete the back independently. The back of the worksheet is always review and this helps students retention of concepts. Here is a sample of a daily worksheet. 

Each unit has a Unit Assessment, so students are assessed every 10 days. 

I have had several teachers ask me if I know anyone who creates these types of math units for kinder or second. GOOD NEWS! I am teaming with my former teammate and friend to begin working on these packets for kinder. I taught kinder for 7 years and my colleague has been teaching kinder for the past 14 years, together I think we can create something amazing! If you have colleagues that teach kinder and you think they may be interested, spread the word!