Little Owl's Blog - Page 4 of 5 - Little Owl's Teacher Treats

$1 Math Center Spotlight: Save the Babies

Help the superheroes rescue the babies! Save the Babies is a distance learning activity that will help your students practice two subtraction strategies: thinking addition to subtract & counting back 1, 2, 3. Use this center to supplement any standards- based, 1st grade math curriculum! Compatible with Google Slides (™) and PowerPoint (™).

First Grade Common Core Math Standard: 1.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20

Directions: Students will practice subtraction strategies by moving the baby to the matching superhero on each slide.

This digital math center includes:

Access to 2 activities with 13 problems each- in Google Slides (TM) and PowerPoint (TM) formats

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as a distance learning activity!
Engage your students during math centers!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards- based activity!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade centers for subtraction strategies can be found here:

Find this center in the following bundles:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about comparing numbers: To the Moon.

$1 Math Center Spotlight: To the Moon

Send the astronauts and aliens to the moon! To the Moon is a distance learning activity that will help your students practice comparing two-digit numbers using tens and ones. Use this center to supplement any standards- based, 1st grade math curriculum! Compatible with Google Slides (™) and PowerPoint (™).

First Grade Common Core Math Standard: 1.NBT.B.3 Compare two two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, and <.

Directions: Send astronauts and aliens to the moon! Students will practice using tens and ones to compare two-digit numbers by sending the greater numbers to the moon.

This digital math center includes:

Access to 2 activities with 10 problems each- in Google Slides (TM) and PowerPoint (TM) formats

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as a distance learning activity!
Engage your students during math centers!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards- based activity!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade centers for comparing numbers can be found here:

Find this center in the following bundles:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about 2D geometry: Feed the Monster.

$1 Math Center Spotlight: Feed the Monster

Help the mad scientist feed the monsters! Feed the Monster is a digital, two-dimensional geometry center that will help your students practice: 1) recognizing the attributes of 2D shapes, 2) partitioning 2D shapes, and 3) analyzing composite shapes made with 2D shapes. Use this center to supplement any standards- based, 1st grade math curriculum! Compatible with Google Slides (™) and PowerPoint (™).

First Grade Common Core Math Standards:

1.G.A.1 Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size)

1.G.A.2 Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.

1.G.A.3 Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the shares using the words halves, fourths, and quarters, and use the phrases half of, fourth of, and quarter of. Describe the whole as two of, or four of the shares. Understand for these examples that decomposing into more equal shares creates smaller shares.

Directions: Help the mad scientist feed the monster! Match the two-dimensional shapes to the monster’s instructions.

This digital math center includes:

Access to 2 activities with 10 problems each- in Google Slides (TM) and PowerPoint (TM) formats

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as a distance learning activity!
Engage your students during math centers!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards- based activity!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade centers for two- dimensional geometry can be found here:

Find this center in the following bundles:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about subtraction concepts: Field Trip to the Zoo!

$100 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card Giveaway!

Little Owl is teaming up with other amazing educators to give away a $100 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card to one lucky teacher- continue reading for details!

Giveaway Organized by: Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher)

Co-hosts:An Apple for the Teacher, Mrs Wenning’s Classroom,Kamp Kindergarten, TheBeezyTeacher, Catch’em Early, Jackie Crews, Chocolate 4 Teachers, Angelica’s Resources, The Fun Factory, A Plus Kids, The Monkey Market, Sweetie’s,Star Kids, Lockwood’s Little Learners, Right Down the Middle with Andrea, The Pre-K Cafe, Teacherof20, In the Land of Teaching, Little Owl’s Teacher Treats, Trending Technology in Tennessee, Ms. K, Teach Me T, Little Learning Corner, and Mickey’s Place.

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter (see below). Giveaway ends 1/13/21 and is open worldwide. Be sure to subscribe to Little Owl’s newsletter & receive notifications about future giveaways!

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$1 Math Center Spotlight: Field Trip to the Zoo

What will we see at the zoo? Field Trip to the Zoo is a subtraction concepts center that will help your students practice taking numbers apart using pictures.

First Grade Common Core Math Standard: 1.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20

Directions: Place your game pieces on the zoo entrance. Shuffle the cards and place them face down. Choose a card. Figure out how many animals are left. Move your piece that many spaces. The first player to make it back to the zoo entrance is the winner!

This printable center includes:

3 game boards
12 player pieces
32 subtraction problem cards
Directions, storage label, and a record sheet
Color and black & white versions to help you save on ink!

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as an individual, partner, or small-group center!
Engage your students during targeted, small-group instruction!
Invite students to use when they finish other assignments early!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually, in partners/groups, or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards-based activity!
Print black & white copies to send home with your struggling students for extra practice!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade math centers for subtraction concepts can be found here:

Find this center in the following bundles:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about fact families: Pirate Parrots!

$1 Math Center Spotlight: Pirate Parrots

The pirate parrots are lost! Pirate Parrots is an addition and subtraction relationships center that will help your students practice fact families.

Directions: Help each parrot find its pirate family! Match the parrots to the pirates to complete the related facts. Find the missing numbers. Write your work on a record sheet!

This printable center includes the following materials:

4 activity mats with 4 fact families each
Matching parrot cards
Directions, storage labels, and a record sheet
Color and black & white versions to help you save on ink!

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as an individual, partner, or small-group center!
Engage your students during targeted, small-group instruction!
Invite students to use when they finish other assignments early!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually, in partners/groups, or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards-based activity!
Print black & white copies to send home with your struggling students for extra practice!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade math centers for addition and subtraction relationships can be found here:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about missing addends and sums: The Case of the Missing Number!

$1 Math Center Spotlight: The Case of the Missing Number

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? The Case of the Missing Number is an addition concepts center that will help your students use bar models to find missing addends and sums.

Directions: Help the detectives solve the Case of the Missing Number! Match the missing parts and sums to the bar models. Complete a record sheet when you are finished.

This printable math center includes the following materials:

36 bar model cards (12 missing large addend, 12 missing small addend, 12 missing sum)
“Directions” page, storage label, and a record sheet
Color and black & white versions to help you save on ink!

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as an individual, partner, or small-group center!
Engage your students during targeted, small-group instruction!
Invite students to use when they finish other assignments early!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually, in partners/groups, or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards-based activity!
Print black & white copies to send home with your struggling students for extra practice!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade math centers for addition concepts can be found here:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about organizing, representing, and interpreting data: Camp Puzzles!

$1 Math Center Spotlight: Camp Puzzles

Camping and hiking are my favorite outdoor hobbies, so I couldn’t resist creating math centers with an outdoor theme! Camp Puzzles is data skills center that will help your students organize, represent, and interpret data.

Directions: Match the picture graphs to the tallies and numbers to complete the puzzles. Choose a puzzle and complete a record sheet!

This printable math center includes the following materials:

10 puzzles
“Directions” page, storage label, and a record sheet
Color and black & white versions to help you save on ink!

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as an individual, partner, or small-group center!
Engage your students during targeted, small-group instruction!
Invite students to use when they finish other assignments early!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually, in partners/groups, or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards-based activity!
Print black & white copies to send home with your struggling students for extra practice!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade math centers for representing data can be found here:

In case you missed it, check out last week’s spotlight about adding 3 numbers: Teddy Bear Snuggles!

$1 Math Center Spotlight: Teddy Bear Snuggles

Teddy bears + a hands-on math activity = a recipe for success in first grade! Teddy Bear Snuggles is an addition strategy center that will help your students practice adding 3 numbers.

Directions: Choose a number card for each kid to show how many numbers he or she brought to the sleepover! Add the three numbers by placing the teddy bear counters on the 10-frames. Write your answers on the record sheet!

This printable math center includes the following materials:

10-frame mat
Number cards for 0-6
Teddy bear counters
“Directions” page, storage label, and 2 record sheets
Color & black-and-white versions to help you save on ink!

How to use this in your classroom:

Assign as an individual, partner, or small-group center!
Engage your students during targeted, small-group instruction!
Invite students to use when they finish other assignments early!
Prep your sub plans with ease- called away to a meeting? Unexpected sick day? Your students will love playing this math game individually, in partners/groups, or teacher vs. student on a document camera!
Fill extra time at the end of a lesson with a meaningful, standards-based activity!
Print black & white copies to send home with your struggling students for extra practice!

Stop by next Monday for another $1 Math Center Spotlight! More first grade math centers for addition strategies can be found here:

3 Ways to Use Word Sorts in Your Classroom

If you teach a primary grade, odds are you’ve used word sorts in your classroom. Word sorts are activities that require students to categorize words according to their features. These activities improve spelling by getting students to compare words they DO know to words they DON’T know. Word sorts are also a powerful way to improve a student’s reading fluency.

We know they’re important. How can we use them effectively in the classroom? Here are three ways to start using word sorts in your classroom today:

Small-Group Guided Reading Lessons. Every great guided reading lesson begins with targeted word work instruction! Engage your students in a word sort as a small group, or give your kids a few minutes to complete the activity independently. The small group setting allows you to spend time listening to your students read the words to ensure that they are applying the phonics sounds appropriately. Kindergarten is Grrreat offers a free, easy guided reading lesson plan that will help you keep track of the word work you’re doing with each group!

Literacy Centers. Words sorts are very effective teaching tools, but they’re also easy enough for most students to do independently (after you have explicitly taught the phonics skills). Take the time to teach word sorting routines effectively when you start your literacy centers, and you’ll have one low-prep center planned for the rest of the year! You can download 50 short & long vowel word sorts for free from Little Owl’s Teacher Treats to get started!

Spelling Lists. Rote memorization is an ineffective means of teaching spelling. By studying word sorts, your students will learn to transfer and apply knowledge of regular phonics patterns, which makes for long-lasting learning. Words Their Way by Bear, et al, is an excellent resource for implementing word-study routines in your classroom. If you’re looking for a simpler way to get started, there are loads of free word sorts online. Try a 5 day routine to help your students master new patterns:
1. Day 1: Introduce the sort in a whole-group or small-group setting. You can easily differentiate for your students by assigning different lists to your advanced, on-level, and intervention groups.
2. Day 2: Have partners do a “blind sort.” One student reads the words, and the other decides how they should be sorted (without looking at the words). Then partners switch and do it again.
3. Day 3: Students sort and write the words in a word study notebook.
4. Day 4: Students sort and glue the words on a sorting mat.
5. Day 5: Quiz your groups or the whole class to determine: 1. who has mastered the list, and 2. who needs to review the words before starting a new list.

If you’re not using word sorts in your classroom already, now is the time to start!