Double Digit Multiplication - Planning My Progressive Anchor Chart

We've begun double digit multiplication!  I wanted a way to do an anchor chart with all the different strategies we'll be using, but I didn't want to reveal them all at once - talk about overwhelming!

I decided to go with butcher paper for this chart and wrote out all the strategies across the top.  As I teach each strategy, I'll put an example up on our chart.

I like to preplan my anchor charts in PowerPoint.

I type up examples of each and then save each as a picture.  I then put the picture in my lesson plan so that I know what I'm putting on my chart each day and don't have to "wing it".

Below are my example pictures if you'd like to use them in your plans too!

Have a great week!

How to embed fonts in PowerPoint - Video Tutorial

So how many times have you made a PowerPoint using cute fonts and when your send it to a different computer it looks like this:

YUCK!

Here's a video tutorial on how to embed your fonts so that it looks nice no matter what computer you send it to.

Classroom sneak peek!

So excited about my room this year! Better pics coming soon!  You can see my classroom pics in this post.

Using spray paint to keep your theme cohesive!

Got back in my classroom again!  And this time I brought my husband and some spray paint.
I got the rest of my library bins on Monday and have been hard at work organizing them.  Once I stepped back and looked at them, I loved the colors, but wasn't in love with the chipping/peeling eyesore that was my bookshelf.  My husband, being the wonderful guy he is, came along with me today to spray paint my shelves so that they would match my other book case.

Above is the other book case that I found... hidden in the depths of my school's supply portable.  It's hard to tell, but that is actually a black metal cabinet.  I told him that I wanted the other cabinet to match and not be super shiny.  He knew just the stuff - GRILL PAINT.  Who knew this even existed?  Men.

Not only is it cheaper than most other spray paints (less than $4), it dries almost instantly!  My husband was able to do 2 coats in 15 minutes and I had all my book baskets back in there before 30 minutes had passed.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

 I was also able to get all my Science Weekly Five resources put together!  I LOVE using resources from The Science Penguin and these bins from Really Good Stuff matched perfectly.  

I'll be posting some better pictures next week!

Setting up bulletin boards - Tips for easy board management :)

I got back in my room again today!  I wanted to get a couple more of my boards put together.  I wanted to share a couple of handy tricks that I use to help me.

One thing I do is use push pins to set up my pieces before I staple them down.  That way I can move them around easily and make sure I've got everything lined up how I like it.

Here's a pic of my AR board all finished:

It's a little fuzzy, but as my kids earn their AR points I plan on stapling a card with their name under their club.

Another trick I use on my boards is... VELCRO!  Velcro is great when you know there are parts of your board that you will be changing up often.

Remember my pin trick?

I lined them all up the way I wanted, but since I know I'll be changing them from time to time, I wanted to use Velcro to attach them.

Here's how I did it:

I used the sticky-back velcro, a little more expensive ($14 at Wal-Mart) but it was much easier to work with.  I cut it to size, then cut down the middle and stuck the two sides together.

  

Then, I adhered the soft fuzzy side to the schedule card and took the backing off the other side.

Afterwards, I lined it back up and stuck it to my board.  I peeled back the schedule card and put in a few staples to keep the velcro in place.

Once I got all the cards up I put a few extra pieces of velcro for special events that would shift my schedule.

Here's my board all finished!  You may notice my jobs - it's hard to see, but i have velcro pieces next to them to assign students with.

BTW - Those cute schedule signs came from Ladybug's Teacher Files.

Hope my little tips and tricks help you set up your own boards!

Rounding Robots! Interactive PowerPoint, Notes, and Worksheet!

If you live in Florida, you know that our state has withdrawn from Common Core.  Our new standards, the MAFS, are very similar though.  It still leaves me with the task of creating a few new things for my classroom.  MAFS goes a little more in depth with rounding than CCSS does, so I put together this little pack.

I just love these little robots from Creative Clips!  The main part of this pack is the interactive PowerPoint.  

The presentation comes with over 32 slides and corresponds with the note-taker.

I also included a mini poster that can be printed and added to math notebooks.  It has a fun little rhyme to help students with the steps of rounding a number.

Finally, I added a 15 question worksheet to assess the general idea of the concept.  This can be used as a quiz, in centers, or as homework!

You can get the file here!

Back in my classroom & getting Math Workshop set up!

My classroom is my happy place.  Math is my happy place.  This board makes me unbelievably HAPPY!!!

It started off plain...

I added some pizazz with a tissue paper pom and some bunting...

The bunting I cut out from this paper pack I got from Michaels for $2.50!  

Then I set up my headings.

 I laminated those Must Do/May Do cards so I can write & wipe as needed. 

Then I finally put all the pieces together!  The teams are also laminated so I can switch kids around throughout the year.

You can find the printables in my TPT shop!  Just click the picture below!