Hi friends! Hope you had a restful weekend. I sure did.
A few weeks ago I mentioned I would share my "pancakes" I made. I was to take a picture book and somehow turn it into a math game. At first I struggled to find a decent math book that I could make a game from. Then I realized I could take any book and create a game based on ideas in the book. Knowing me, I turned to my source for all things teaching and came across an idea that when along with "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" by Laura Numeroff. I would make pancake matching or a memory game for the students. What started out as requirement for my math course, turned into my CT wanting to use it as one of her centers for her math groups to do. I was pretty stocked that she liked the idea and wanted to use it for her kiddos. After talking with her and explaining the idea I had, we decided I should make three sets to differentiate for a variety of levels.
A few weeks ago I mentioned I would share my "pancakes" I made. I was to take a picture book and somehow turn it into a math game. At first I struggled to find a decent math book that I could make a game from. Then I realized I could take any book and create a game based on ideas in the book. Knowing me, I turned to my source for all things teaching and came across an idea that when along with "If You Give a Pig a Pancake" by Laura Numeroff. I would make pancake matching or a memory game for the students. What started out as requirement for my math course, turned into my CT wanting to use it as one of her centers for her math groups to do. I was pretty stocked that she liked the idea and wanted to use it for her kiddos. After talking with her and explaining the idea I had, we decided I should make three sets to differentiate for a variety of levels.
Level one was matching the number of stickers to the number word, 1-20.
Level two was matching the written number to the number word, 1-20.
The last level was meant to challenge those who had already mastered the 1-20 sets. Level three was matching the numbers 30-50 to their written number words.
I knew I wanted this to be something that would look nice since I was turning it in for a grade, but also hold up for the Kinders to use it. After much debate, I decide to trace 100+ circles on a roll of brown packing paper. I swiped it from home, thanks Mom! Next problem was how I was going to label them. Years and years ago my dad showed me how to print something on a mailing label. I have used this tactic for many projects as my handwriting is not pretty. I picked up some clear labels at the store that would look great on the brown paper circles. The circles are actually traced from a trail mix lib. I'm all about using what I have and in this case it turned out beautifully. I rolled out the brown paper on my kitchen island and traced away. 122 times of tracing the lid later I had my circles! I did this project in the course of a few days because, well I had work to do for other classes.
I took a pair of scissors and my circles with me to my clinical and used down time to knock out cutting all the circles. The kids were so curious as to what Miss Gathman was cutting. I can't wait to see their face when they get to "play" with them!
Another day I made the labels. Formatting the labels was pretty fast. I picked a fun font that would stand out, yet be easy to read for beginning readers. I printed them one page at a time since I wasn't sure if my printer could handle that many pages of labels at once. I applied them while watching TV that night. Time management :)
My CT was wonderful enough to help my laminate them before I left for spring break. My goal was to cut them out (again!) while I was at home, secretly hoping my mom would offer to help. Luckily it went pretty fast while I caught up with my parents one night.
I took a pair of scissors and my circles with me to my clinical and used down time to knock out cutting all the circles. The kids were so curious as to what Miss Gathman was cutting. I can't wait to see their face when they get to "play" with them!
Another day I made the labels. Formatting the labels was pretty fast. I picked a fun font that would stand out, yet be easy to read for beginning readers. I printed them one page at a time since I wasn't sure if my printer could handle that many pages of labels at once. I applied them while watching TV that night. Time management :)
My CT was wonderful enough to help my laminate them before I left for spring break. My goal was to cut them out (again!) while I was at home, secretly hoping my mom would offer to help. Luckily it went pretty fast while I caught up with my parents one night.
I hole punched them and threw them on a binder ring to keep the sets from getting mixed up. Staying in theme of pancakes, the red spatula is for the students "flip" over their pancakes and try to make a match.
Overall I am really happy with how the pancakes turned out! I think my Kinders will really enjoy them and they will be a great resource for my future classroom.
Have you ever made any "math games" for your classroom? Please share :)
Have you ever made any "math games" for your classroom? Please share :)