Area and Perimeter Fun

Last week I introduced area and perimeter to my third graders.  It seemed like they were catching on when it came to rectangles and squares but they just were not getting the irregular shaped figures.  I ditched my regular plans and just went with an idea that popped into my head at the beginning of math.  It turned out to be awesome and the kids were eating it up!!



My BIG objective was to have the kids understand that the perimeter can change when the area remains the same. 



I first started the lesson by having the kids draw a 8x3 rectangle.  We talked about finding the area with the formula Length x Width.  They wrote the area under the figure.  The kids then counted the perimeter and wrote it.  They then drew a 6 x 4 rectangle and discovered that the perimeter was different!!  How did that happen?!  Finally they drew and irregular polygon with and area of 24. I just has the kids count out 24 squares.  They really had fun with this. Since everyone had a different shape, the kids worked with a partner to find each other's perimeter.  By this time they were fascinated!

 

After the kids learned that the perimeters change, I had them create four closed figures with the areas of 12 sq. cm, 20 sq. cm, 28 sq. cm, and 36 sq. cm.  I told them that at least two of these figures needed to be irregular shaped figures.  They were so excited!!  Once all the figures were drawn, they cut them out.

 

I put posters around the room and had the kids glue their figures on the correct posters.  Since I literally changed my plans at the last minutesand came up with this lesson, I had to hand write the words.  Next time I will create a title on the computer and glue it on each poster.  But it turned out well!  Tomorrow I PLAN to hang the posters around the room and have the kids visit each one to find the perimeters of each figure.  We might even have a contest to figure out which figure has the largest perimeter!  

This lesson was a perfect hands on lesson to teach area and perimeter!

Cause and Effect

It is that time of year again....testing season!! Yippee! Can you tell I can hardly contain myself? (Hint of sarcasm)  I start testing a week after Spring Break which means it is crunch time, baby.  As I planned for this next week I wanted to focus on all of the major tested skills:  character, plot, text features, cause and effect, the list goes on and on.  I have discovered that I have very little when it comes to cause and effect.  Over break I tried madly to create a little something.  It was quiet difficult while trying to entertain four kiddos who want and need my undivided attention.  At this very moment I have a five year old quizzing me on addition facts while rocking a baby to sleep.  Who knew I could type, add, and rockabye at the same time…I have talent.  To my amazement I have created a fun cause and effect packet!  I have provided a link to a freebie.  The students in my classroom absolutely LOVE Knock Your Block Off.  I have created one for just about every subject.  They could play it for hours if I let them.  Hope you enjoy.  I am finishing up the final touches to the Cause and Effect Fun, but it should be ready in the next day or soJ  

Click HERE for the Freebie

   

March Freebie!

I can't believe that March is already here! This means that not only is testing season here, but that my sweet baby Edyn is turning 1...oh my! (wiping tears). I am not new to first birthdays as I have four kiddos, but I still get teary eyed at the idea of my littlest getting bigger. If only there was a way to bottle her sweetness up. She is just a joy! Ever since birth she has made silly growling sounds. We call her our little monster. It is simply hilarious to hear this dainty little girl making such funny noises. She still growls, but now it is on cue and she expects laughter. I absolutely love her warm breath in my ear as she snuggles close and her yummy baby smell. Can you tell I simply adore her?

Well enough gushing over Edyn and back to business! I have created a March Math activity to help prepare for assessments since it IS that season...ugh. My students love to play this game and I think your kiddos will too. It helps solidify the data words: median, mode, range, minimum, and maximum.  Those words are difficult for the kids to figure out for some reason.  This activity includes a poster to hang up during center time as a visual. 

 

Enjoy and happy teaching!

Emily

To get this activity

from my store

click HERE



Sequencing Fun

Our comprehension skill this week is sequencing.  I feel like I teach the same things over and over again when it comes to this skill.  Sure the kids can find signal words.  They can turn just about any story into a graphic organizer.  I needed something new to jazz this topic up!  I created a Mixed Up Story for the kids to create and share.  They LOVED it!!  FIRSTJ we talked about signal words and how authors do not use these words in every sentence.  THEN we discussed how each slip needed an event.  These events could be a couple of sentences long.  The students wrote stories and cut them apart.  AFTER THAT, I had the kids Stand Up Hand Up Pair Up. (All of you Kagan teachers know this as SUHUPUJ) After getting with a partner, students traded stories and put them back in order.  Once finished the kiddos found a new partner and repeated.  Fun Stuff!!  I have provided the link to this free template.  I am in the process of creating a Sequencing Unit with more activities like this.  It should be on teacherspayteachers in a week or soJ 

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sequence-Mixed-Up-Story-Reading-and-Writing-Activity

 

Happy teaching,

Emily

Author's Purpose Pie... Yum!

Author's Purpose

At one of our team meetings at school, we discussed Blooms Taxonomy and how to "bump up" our teaching. My mind instantly went into brainstorming mode! The strategy of the week in reading was author's purpose. Of course I was having my students find author's purpose in the passages and did all sorts of games....which are posted on my teacherspayteachers site:) But I realized that I really needed to get my kids to "synthesize" and "evaluate." Gotta love Blooms lingo! I came up with a writing activity which required the kids to CREATE a paragraph for inform, entertain, and persuade from a topic they chose. Then I thought, why not make it into a pie using a paper plate. The kids loved picking their favorite pie flavor to color! To bump it up to EVALUATE on the Blooms Triangle, I had the kids justify their paragraphs as they read it to each other. I am glad to share my Author's Purpose Pie Writing Activity. The rest of the Author's Purpose Unit is on www.teacherspayteachers.com Enjoy!!

 

(Ok, I haven't figured out how to create links yet!  If this doesn't work, please let me know!)

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Authors-Purpose-Writing-Activity-Bulletin-Board-FREE

Ok, so I have officially entered the world of blogging but what do I do now?? I have so many great ideas rolling around in my head...hence the name BigIdeasinTeaching!   This blogging stuff is complicated to my simple mind.  I know I will start getting the hang of it but PLEASE keep checking back with me and hopefully I will start figuring out how to get my ideas on here.