Xtra math- a technology reccomendation

It's all about a balance, right?  So, yesterday was about my kids, today we're back talking about school.  Here an awesome new-to-me website that I used at school the last quarter and am now using at home over the summer. 

I'm loving this website that's for parents, teachers, and students.  It's the best way I've used recently to help my students and my own kids really cement those math facts into their brains!  The kids are motivated by it, it teacher friendly, and it's free.  That always helps!

Have you heard of Xtra Math?  It's a free website that runs kids through math facts.  The 'teacher' creates a class list in just a few minutes and sets the kids up to start on addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts.  The kids run through the facts at their own pace.  If they speed through addition, they move on to subtraction, etc.  There is a 'race the teacher' game that the kids seems to really like. 

They can work on it at home with a special log-in and then the parents and the teachers get update information as to their progress.  They also get printable certificates sent to them when they've completed a level.  I linked it up to my class website and had the kids work at school and at home for the most practice.  Parents liked it as much as I did. 

The kids can also work on it in the classroom.  There is a classroom log-in tab that the kids work under that tells the student's (when they are done) who to go get for the next turn.  If that student is busy, they can click onto the next person as well. 

I had several devices going on at once in the morning at school and got at least  half the  class through in the morning arrival time and the rest during extra time throughout the day. It's mobile friendly too, so they can work on it at their desk (we have a bring your own device policy) or in the car or wherever. 

This particular day, I took the whole class into the computer lab and had everyone run through a session before moving on to the next task.  They can use the keypad to type in the answers or pull up a on-screen keypad.

The kids first are given a placement test and then the programs gives them facts based on what they need to know.  Then, they are given facts based on how they do on those facts. 

They are timed as well and problems are sorted into one they know in under 3 seconds and those that they needed longer to solve. They kids don't really know about the timing part, so there is no added stress for them there, but it does let the teacher know what problems are immediate and what is taking them longer.

Another thing I like about this program, is if they miss the problem, or can't answer it in a certain amount of time, the answer appears lightly.  They still have to type it in move on.  They are then given that problem again almost immediately to train them to memorize, not try to re-solve in their head each time. 

This program has really helped my students memorize their facts during the last quarter.  I have left my class 'open' until August and many of them have been working this summer.  Bee and Lou are doing the same.  The plan is for them to go into next year, knowing their facts cold- with out any time needed to review to get back to where they were at the end of the year. 

Other Christmas- preschool style

 Here are some last minute Christmas goodies from preschool this Christmas.  I guess they'll have to save for next year.

Candy cane math.  This is one from my co-teacher.  She gave the kids each a white paper candy cane and access to bunches of red stripes.  She led them through math equations, helping them solve both addition and subtraction.    "Add four red stripes, good, now add two more...  how many stripes are there now?" 

 
Here are the pretzle wreath treats that Bee passed out to her classmates.  There are just 13 of them in her class, it wasn't a big commitment.  We used this recipe from a few years ago.  2009 actually.  No wonder Bee and Lou didn't remember them.  That's not technically preschool.

 The preschool kids made these lovely ornaments this season.  We used this recipe that we made last year.   I made up the dough and sealed it in ziplocks.  One doubled recipe made enough for 18 prek kids and 15 3-year old and few extra for my kids.  Each child made one ornament.  I baked them at home and the kids painted them with regular watercolor paint the next day.  To help prevent cracking, which I had so much of last year, I baked them at a really low temp for longer, my oven goes down to 170 degrees.  You need to dry them really, not bake them. 

I shared these Nativity pieces/blocks recently.  They were a nice addition to our morning table activities.

I think these stickers are from Oriental Trading.  We've used them at preschool the past few years to have an easy no mess craft on party day.   The kids used them to make cards.

We did have a little bit messy craft for party day, it was saved from a different day and it just worked out to do it during our party.  

The stars are tongue depressors.  The stars were already glued together and the kids just glued buttons to the front.  The white glue the kiddos used was the only mess.

We sang this cute song one day Christmas week.  It's to the tune of Bingo.  After each line you sing, "J-E-S-U-S, J-E-S-U-S, J-E-S-U-S, and Jesus is his name."   Bingo style. 

Here's another game we played.  The kids were handed cards with these letters, all the letters we've worked on until now.  There is a paper candy cane/J behind the cards.  There are lines drawn on it to show where the cards go, but there are no letters.  The kids had to pay attention and follow along with getting the cards up and in order. They are getting good at recognizing the letters.  Mostly. 

Here's a craft from early in the week.  The kids put their brown handprint on the page and added the pre-assembled baby Jesus in the manger.  We (or someone, not me) turned the handprint into a camel when it was dry.   I like the words around the edge, "I am the camel who followed the star with three wise kings from a land afar."

 On party day, we played this bingo game, which really isn't bingo, but it tells the Christmas story in order.  The clipart is from Prepared Not Scared.  I made up the bingo cards (all the same) using a table in word doc. and made a larger set for me to show the kids and I told the story. I liked it because it offered another way for me to tell the Christmas story.  Again.

We also played a bow toss game with a sheet as a parachute. I apparently have no photo of this, but we just had about 40 regular present bows on a bed sheet.

We read through the kids' Christmas story books .  The parents watched as the kids flipped through each page (and glitter and sequins flew everywhere).  These were sent home as well.  I wanted the kids to be able to have a chance to 'read' the book to family and friends at home. 

and then went to play some games in the hallway.  

First, we played a game where two kids at a time shoveled ping pong balls and carried them on their snow shovels to another bucket. 

The kids wore scarves while they did it.  Snow is cold.  Two players went at once. 

There was a 'bow in the box' toss.

Something was tossed at this little foam core tree.  It's been like a week and already I can't remember.  I used to have a really great memory.

Wooden balls were 'bowled" at these fancied up 2 liter bottles.

The stars were walked on in a 'cake walk' fashion. 

Here's what our tables looked like.  They always look so sweet on party days.

Here was our gift to the kids.  The whole school is the same, the teachers don't have to worry about that at all, which is nice.

They are sweet little J for Jesus candy cane ornaments.

I hope that is all the Christmas preschool related things I wanted to get posted. I still have many photos to go through.  I am showing my kids the James and the Giant Peach movie, so I have an hour and a half to get as much done as I can! Ready, set, go.

scarecrows -preschool style

I've been sporadic with posting school plans from this year.  I'm really gathering and reusing things from they past two years as most of the themes are repeats.  It's been a real time saver.  Instead of spending 4+ hours on a lesson, I'm spending 30 -60 minutes.  Which is great since Bee and Lou's homework has tripled!

This scarecrow theme was new to me though, so there was a bit of planning involved.  Here's what I did.

First I introduced the friends to my scarecrow. I used a home decor sort of guy from my house.  The photo above is just one for the flannel board I had in my files.  I Didn't really do anything with him.  I had my real scarecrow sing this little song (which I might add that the parent helper for that day video taped my whole lesson.  I did more singing than normal-  great footage for them.  If you like that kind of singing.... the off key kind)

Scarecrow (I'm a little teapot)

I'm a little scarecrow

stuffed with hay

Standing watch in my field all day.

When I see a crow

I like to shout

Hey Mr. Crow, you'd better watch out. 

Then, we acted like scarecrows.  I sang (more great footage for my leader parent) this little song and we acted out the song while being scarecrows with stiff bodies. 

Scarecrow, scarecrow (twinkle, twinkle)

Scarecrow, Scarecrow turn around,

scarecrow, scarecrow touch the ground.

Stand up tall and blink your eyes,

Raise your hands up to the sky.

Clap your hands and tap your knees,

Turn around and tap your feet.

Scarecrow, Scarecrow touch your toes,

scarecrow, scarecrow tap your nose.

Swing your arms so very slow,

Now real fast to scare the crows.

Touch your head, jump up and down.

Now sit down without a sound.

 I read this fun book, which was new to me. It's The Scarecrow's Hat by Ken Brown.  It was perfect for this day.  It's a sweet chain of events type of story with the chicken facilitating some trading of much needed items for some other farm animals.

We used pieces from the story as I read it to keep track of the characters and props involved.  I gave each child a different piece or character.  I had planned on using them for retelling too, but we really got them all confused on the felt board as they brought them up through the story.  I just gathered the props- a hat, a stick, a ribbon, glasses, a blanket, some wool, and a feather and printed out pictures of the characters- chicken, donkey, owl, sheep, scarecrow, duck, badger, and crow and attached velcro to the back of everything.

We did this little counting rhyme next:

We used these little scarecrows.  Theses were found searching a google image of 'scarecrow black and white clipart.'  I printed them out and colored them before laminating.

I thought this would be my favorite part, but the kids went silly on me and couldn't really follow along.  I shouldn't say that; a few friends followed along. 

I gave them each a sheet of paper with a scarecrow on it.  There was plenty of white space for 5 black paper crows.   The little song went something like this: (to which the kids were supposed to remove a crow when prompted in the song.)

5  black crows  (5 green and speckled frogs)

5 black and shiny crows

Sat on the scarecrows back,

eating some most delicious corn.  Yum, Yum. 

Scarecrow winked and shouted "Boo".

Scared one crow and away he flew.  

Now there are 4 black shiny crows.

 So several of the kids seemed to be in their own world and were removing the crows at will and not following along with the song.  Anyway, we'll keep practicing projects like that. 

Now is when there was knock on the door and hubby was there with these:

It was our anniversary!  13 years.  Good grief, that makes me old!

My own kids sent along these with hubby:

Back to school.  I had this book as my extra.  It was cute too and might be something I work in more next time.   

 The craft we did was from Parents.   

Here's another cute craft we did the next day (corn day- my partners turn to teach).  The kids dipped a pencil eraser in colored inks to stamp Indian corn.

My teaching partner and I really have been wanting to take a nice nature walk, but the area where we've gone in the past got really overgrown over the summer and hasn't been cut for us.  We keep asking, but it seems low on the priority list.

Mm math day -marshmallows and M&Ms- preschool style

Oh what a fun day we had. M&Ms and marshmallow math day.  How could you go wrong with such yummy treats?

I had a book, but we didn't get time to read it at school.  The kids and I read it at home and it's cute, just doesn't really happen to go with my activities.   This is Marshmallow by Clare Newberry. 

First, we looked at how much space M&Ms, mini marshmallows, and regular marshmallows take up.  I asked lot of questions about these jars and we made predictions.   We counted each and asked more questions and made more predictions.  

The kids were pretty good at guessing the marshmallows, we were all way off on the M&Ms.   We recorded our information and reread our results.   This information was useful in making predictions on our second activity.

Next, we weighed marshmallows and M&Ms.  The kids LOVED  using the balance scale.  I placed a certain number in one side and we made predictions about what it would take to balance it.   I also had a few examples written out and we made predictions and then tested to see which was actually heavier.

Then the kids wanted to just pour all of the items in the sides and see what happened. We did.  I left the balance scale out when we had some extra time and the kids flocked to it.  I will have to find other opportunities to use it. 

I did end up making this balance scale.  It wasn't hard and cost about $6 in materials.  I had the baskets from an old scale.  I think that you  could use pie pans or some other container in place if needed. 

Here's a side view.  The main vertical piece is three pieces of thin wood glued together with a space for the arm. The arm is a touch thinner than one of the stem pieces. 

My favorite activity was this marshmallow measuring activity.   I had several sheets prepared like this one.  We did one as a group.  I showed how to lay the marshmallows on the line and how to count those up and record it on the appropriate line.

  I divided the kids into partners and sent them somewhere in the room to work on their sheet.  They worked so well together today.  I think we're getting there!  Some groups finished early and got to measure the line with M&Ms too. 

After the groups were done, we came back to our circle and shared our results.  I think this was the most valuable part of this activity, to share the results.  This is the first time we've done something like this where the kids discussed their work orally after the activity.  

This was our end of the day activity.  The kids each had a sheet and a handful of marshmallows. We rolled the dice as a group and we worked on covering the numbers. 

Here was the craft today.  It is a mountain M to go with all the other letters we've been doing each week.  

For our snack, our leader brought monkey cupcakes.  Too cute!

I sent a M&M graphing activity home. It wouldn't have been fair to do all of these fun things with treats and not get to eat any.   The sheet attached just gives the parents some ideas about what questions to ask as they work on this activity with their child.  One of my parents emailed me a picture of their child working on the chart.  So, I know at least one family did it.

This is something that we display each day at dismissal time on a clipboard by the door.  I don't think I've ever shared it before.   Lou's classroom does this too.  They have a sign that says 'car talk.'  I though it was such a good idea, so my class does it too now.  It gives the parents some information about what we did in class and helps them guide the conversation in the car or at home.  It often says the book we read, a game we played, a song we worked on, something special the leader brought, etc. 

I ate more M&Ms this day than a person probably should.  Good thing I don't like marshmallows.