Welcome Back!

Welcome Back to Fun in Second Grade!  I took a little break from blogging, and I am now happily back.

I have been enjoying my class of 15 boys and 6 girls.  Wow, I never knew that boys could really talk more than girls.  We have been having lots of fun learning!

We finally have decided on our Science Fair Project.  Our class is going to determine which camouflage is the best for the woods near our school.  Needless to say my kiddos were beyond excited!  Hopefully we will be conducting tests, this week.  That is if the weather and temperatures cooperate.  I guess this makes it the perfect time to be completing a unit on weather.  I am also excited about the storm unit we will begin in a couple weeks.  I am going to read Thunder Cake and make the cake too.

Some other things we have to look forward to is Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day fun!  I went to PF Chang's last weekend and got chopsticks and fortune cookies for all my students.  I will make rice again and check out their skills.  Below are some pics from last year.  Also, checkout my Valentine's Day -  Love Is Unit.

Leave a comment and you could be a winner of the Valentine's Dy-Love Is Unit!  I will pick a winner on Friday!

Turkey Time!

I just finished up my latest literacy and math unit for my students.  They always love these activities in centers, and they make great quick activities for last minute planning or even for a substitute.  I hope you will enjoy them too.  I am going to give away a free copy.  Just leave a comment telling me something that you are thankful for this time of year.

That's a Fact Jack!

What do you do with a class full of 15 boys that love hunting, camouflage, and creatures of any kind?  I also have 6 girls that love the outdoors too.  But my boys can tell you when opening day for squirrel hunting is and let's not forget coon season.

I came across some great items on TpT that are Duck Dynasty.  Without a doubt, I knew what to do.  I waited until the kiddos had learned some about facts and opinions and place value before we had a Duck Dynasty kind of day.

 

And wouldn't you know it, on the candy aisle at Wal-Mart, I found some special treats!  Yummy!!!  That's a Fact Jack!

Eating Our Way through Math

Carb Day in Second Grade, you ask?  By the looks of this, it may seem like it!  

We put up the plastic base ten blocks, and grabbed some food to help us with place value this week. What a yummy way to learn about place value!  We used saltine crackers to represent hundreds, pretzels sticks to show tens, and Cheerios for the ones place.  Each student made their own placemat for place value.  Then we started the fun.  One did a variety of problems. I called out a number, and the students had to show me a way to represent that number using the fewest pieces of food.  Then they had to show me a different way using more pieces.  Students also had to read word form to show some number  and expanded form.  I just wrote a bunch of different problems on the smart board.  Students also partnered up, and I gave them one number to show me two different ways.  Of course, every now and then I would tell them to eat five Cheerios or a cracker.  One of my students even told me that this was a great way to teach math!  Melt my heart!  

Making Words Fun

I love fun apps that are free!  Don't you!  This is one my students, and I love a ton.  Chicktionary is a make words activity.  You make as many words as possible and try to figure out what the mystery word.  The students love the clucking noise.  This is one of the apps we use during Daily 5, and it is a hit!

Fun Finger Pointers

Finger pointers are so much fun.  I always tell my students to get their fingers not their pickers ready when we read.  They love this, and if you teach little ones you know they love to pick their noses!  Yuck! Gross!  I know you are picturing that one student right now, hiding behind a book or their hand as they dig for gold!  Anywho, let's get back on topic...finger pointers.  The fall is the best time to pick up these fun things.  I have bat rings, witch fingers, star wands, and skeletons.   So go get you some pointers and try to stop some of those pickers!!!

Throwback Thursday Fall Freebies

This time of is year is always fun and exciting for us...pumpkins, bats, ghosts, candy corn, treats, tricks, owls, scarecrows, and so much more.  Check out this old post and go grab and an adorable witch writing freebie.  

Who does not love a treat this time of year (anytime of year)?  The other Throwback Fall Freebie I have is sweet to say the least.  It is a fun way to review adjectives and snack on some candy corn too.  Enjoy this tasty treat.

Happy Fall!