Playful Learning Brooklyn: Teachers Notebook

Showing posts with label Teachers Notebook. Show all posts

Monday, September 17, 2012

Halloween Math Centers

Fall is in the air, the temperatures are dropping and the leaves are changing. Mums and pumpkins are at the grocery store! I love fall and I love Halloween! Today, I want to share some items I have created that you can purchase at Teachers Notebook. Happy Halloween!

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/pumpkin-patch-concentration

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/bats-cats-and-owls-oh-my-halloween-concentration

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/jack-o-lantern-concentration

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/witchy-hat-concentration

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/jack-o-lantern-play-dough-mats

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/halloween-play-dough-mats

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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Play Dough

I have always loved play dough. I have never been a fan of the store bought kind - it crumbles and I don't like the smell. If only I could get the color of my play dough as vibrant as the store bought kind.

Following is a recipe that you can do at home right on your stove top! It lasts for about 1 month if you store it in an airtight container. I discovered this year, it will last a few months more when essential oils are added. I tried lavender oil. I thought it might have a calming effect on the kiddies :). I also doubled the recipe to accommodate more kids in a center.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
2 cup water
1 tbsp veg oil
2 tbsp cream of tartar

Mix your dry ingredients in your pan well, then add all the liquid ingredients. I use a wooden spoon to stir over medium heat. It gets a little sticky and clumpy. You will know when it is done when it doesn't stick to your finger. I have never timed it, but maybe about 10 minutes. I then turn it out on some wax paper to cool. If you want to add color, I add it directly to the dough and knead with my hands. I wait to do this at school so I can wear latex gloves. It is also fun to do with the kids!

On Pinterest I pinned someone using almond paste in place of play dough - It would be very expensive for a whole class - but just look at how vibrant the color is! She used a professional dye - really makes a difference!! If anyone has any tips for coloring play dough - please share :).

http://pinterest.com/pin/207587864044923300/

Since, this summer I have been obsessed with quick images I made some play dough mats with that thought in mind. Here they are:

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/going-on-a-safari-play-dough-mats

Open publication - Free publishing - More play dough

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/PlayfulLearningBrooklyn/down-on-the-farm-play-dough-mats

Open publication - Free publishing - More play dough

If you would like to read a little bit more about play dough, NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) offers a more in-depth look at play dough and the different learning standards it addresses. (Pre Common Core)

http://www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/TYC_V3N3_Swartz.pdf

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Saturday, July 28, 2012

My Teachers Notebook Store

I took the plunge and decided to dive right in! I invite you to stop by and check out the items I have posted. Any feedback you have, I would greatly appreciate it as this is a whole new world :)!

This one is a FREEBIE! Are your students working on recognizing and associating numbers and quantities of numbers 1-5? If so, this is a great game to use in a math center. Students can work in pairs - Let the learning and fun begin!

Quick images or dot images help children subtitize (develop automaticity with number and quantity - basically seeing four items and knowing there are four without counting). I have included two links to help demystify subtitizing.

This link is from Pre-k Pages - http://www.pre-kpages.com/subitizing/
Pre-k Pages provides a simple definition and easy activities to try either in the classroom or at home!

If you would like to delve a little deeper into the world of subtitizing, I would suggest reading the following article: Subitizing: What is it? Why Teach It? By: Douglas H. Clements. He is a professor at the University of Buffalo and has written over 100 research articles! WOW!

Clements suggests an activity, that helps develop patterning skills and listening skills. He suggests invloving auditory rhythms with numeral writing activites. For ex., ask your students to listen for the number of rings on a bell before writing the number down. What a great idea! http://teacherweb.com/WA/nachesvalleyprimaryschool/msclark/Subs.PDF