Christmas Presents, iPads, and Math

I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner.  I swear, the older I get the faster the year goes.  Here are somethings we have been working on and up to.  

Oh Math!!  Oh Math!!  Oh Math!!
This week we worked on ways to make 10 to add.  
You talk about tricky!  This is a concept that is very tricky.  I spent a lot of days helping the students understand how to do this.  We started out using manipulatives and our song...

We're moving on up!  Moving on up.  To the top tens-frame.
(My kiddos love this song and it seems to really up them)

Once the students were understanding this concept better we practiced ways to make 10 to add without manipulatives.

I have always been a big fan of the snowman ornaments.  This year I did a twist on them.  I made them out of construction paper and then had them laminated.  I love how they turned out.  I hope their parents do too. 

This past week we didn't have a lot of curriculum we had to fit in so I was able to work on somethings that my students needed to work on and also make some Christmas crafts.

Here is a great free project.  It is called Stocking Stuffers and is from A Cup for the Teacher.

The students made a stocking and then decided what they would put into their stocking.

I had them pick 6 different items and then they had to color their stocking. 

This year I decided to make a different kind of project.  I decided to have the students draw on plates with Sharpies and this would be one of their Christmas presents for their parents. I had the students make a rough draft on paper first.  This way I could check it out.  I learned that less is more on the plates.  I think this would be a perfect gift to be displayed year after year.

I am originally from Ohio and I love Buckeyes.  One of my friends surprised me with a bucket of Buckeyes!!  It made my day!

They were SO delicious!!  I had a difficult time sharing them. 

This year I had to figure out a gift for my child's teacher.  I wanted something she would like and treasure.  Although I always love gift cards I wanted something homemade to give her.  His teacher loves  Dr. Seuss.  I thought up an idea in my head and started creating it.

First, I went to The Home Depot and got my supplies.  I got wood and had them cut it into 12 inches.  Then I got a thinner piece of wood and then had them cut that.  I laid all the pieces on the floor so I could see what I was visualizing in my head.  It was working out.  Then I grabbed some paint and headed home.  

Next, I painted all the wood black.  I was very impatient.  I had a difficult time waiting for the black paint to dry.  While the black paint was drying, I created the words on my Silhouette Portrait.  I cut the words on vinyl.  Once the words were all ready to place on the black wood, I took them off the backing and placed and pressed them down where I wanted them to go. 

Then, I painted the different pieces of wood either red or white.  Whatever color it needed to be so it would look like a hat.  The next day, once the paint was dry, I pulled off the vinyl.  Then I glued the pieces together with wood glue.  I also screwed a rod to help all the pieces stay together.  Once the glue was dry and it was staying together I sanded it a little bit.  I wanted it to have a little bit of a worn look.

I love how this turned out.  I don't think the picture does it justice.  It looks SO much better in person.  My son was super excited to give this to his teacher.

We had a very excited week in class because our iPads were finally set up and we were able to use them.  I did my first lesson with the iPads, The Basics from the iPad Essentials- Series 1.

Then we got to practice our math with Smart Cookie Math.

I loved watching how engaged all the students were. 

Check out their faces.  They are really into what they are doing on the iPads.  I think it is just want the kids of today need to make learning fun. 

This year my classroom parents ROCKED at gifts.  Check out what I got for Christmas.

A wreath of gift cards!!  What??!!!  Awesome sauce!

Mustache ornament!!  Awesome sauce! 

Mustache necklace.  Awesome sauce!

Tervis Tumbler with a mustache and Wolfelicious on it.  Awesome sauce!

I got SO many amazing gifts!!  Thank you all so much!!

I hope you have a great Christmas!

Have a Wolfelicious day!

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