Apple Attribute Cards

Hi there!  Just a quick post to share something I made for my up coming week.  I am teaching that FREE NY Common Core math program for the first time this year.  You know the one I'm talking about, right?  The unit on numbers 1-10 starts with learning about attributes.  So I quick like made these little cards to help out.  I don't plan on going through my sock drawer each year to prep for the very first lesson.  Nor do I have room in my classroom to store a set of "teacher made plates, bowls, and cups in different patterns and colors".  I figure that along with my big chunky attribute blocks, these sweet cards will do the trick.  (I probably will go through my sock drawer tonight though ;)

I just wanted another set of tools that we can use to reinforce these concepts with games and activities.  I love using cards because they are easy to store, and easy for little hands to use when playing.  The cards above were sorted by the border style on the cards.

These are sorted by color.

These are sorted by design.  Some have hearts, some flowers, while others are plain.

These are sorted by size.  So that is four obvious attributes that can be identified, compared, and classified by your kiddos.  Plus, this set includes a few odd ball cards with a small heart and stripes.  Those will make students really think about attributes and have discussions about where they should be grouped.  Got to have some juicy discussions and critical thinking to make things fun!

Here are some examples of how I will teach the very first lesson with the concepts "exactly the same"  and "the same but...".  This lesson is all about noticing differences and attributes.  It also supports kids in verbalizing those observations.

These are the same but...  one is big and the other is small.

These are the same but... one is yellow and the other is green.

These are the same but... one is plain and the other one has a heart on it.

These are the same but... one has a squiggly line around the apple (different border styles).

You get the idea.  I printed two complete sets of these cards so that I can match up some cards that are "exactly the same" too.  I hope you like this idea.  You might want to use these in your classroom too.  They would be a great addition to any apple studies going on in your classroom.  This is a simple resource so it doesn't cost very much.  You can go get it in my TpT store by clicking on the image below.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Happy teaching!

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Daisy Designs Blog Launch and 500 Follower Giveaway

 
Hi there!  Amanda over at Daisy Designs is having a big celebration!  Her entire TpT store is on sale for another week and she is having a huge giveaway over at her blog.  You can enter to win three different prize packs with great products from lots of sellers including me.

I have my Print and Go! Back to School product in Prize Pack #2.  Head on over to her blog to go enter and win!  Daisy Designs 500 Follower and Blog Launch
Good Luck!
Happy teaching!

Five for Friday! 8-21-15

Hi there!  I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching again for some random Friday fun.  I am in the thick of back to school right now.  My first day back is Wednesday August 26th.  Only five more days, YIKES!

1.  So, I was happy to get these notes out to my new little students.  I keep it simple because it is one thing on a very long list of things to do this week.  You know how it is.  I was so glad to find these fun stamps at the post office to go on them.

They say from ME to YOU.  

2.  Yea!  My last supply order arrived!  Woo hoo!  OK, a girl can never have too many sharpies, can she?  The Velcro dots are sooooooooo handy.  I love the big post it notes with lines.  LOVE THEM!!!
Did you notice the fancy pencils?  Noir  by Ticonderoga.  LOVE!!!  Shimmery silver outside.  Black wood inside.  The most perfect no. 2 lead.  Need I say more?  Pure pencil LOVE.  Those are my special teacher pencils, btw.  The kiddos use the yellow ones.

3.  When I got home on Wednesday, I found the dishwasher  'clean' light on and I looked inside to see all the classroom stuff that I had brought home on Monday inside.  Guess who ran the load for me?  My sweet husband, Duane!   OMGoodness!  He is so darn good to me!  (I think he is feeling sorry for me that summer is over.)

Those are all my magnetic trays, scissors, and my classroom bowl.  The magnetic letters were on the top rack along with all my plastic clothes pins.  Now my tray for literacy intervention in the afternoons is ready.  I keep the other trays stacked without letters and prep the letters as needed for activities.

4.  My new printer came!!!  I ordered this specifically so that I could sign up for hp Instant Ink.  I like this printer pretty well so far.  But, the jury is out.  There were a few little glitches with the paper feed and a few pages had to be printed again.   Hopefully it will work well for me.  I printed some stuff...

... like my new cards for my Kinesthetic Alphabet.  I just put this on TpT and will be doing a more in depth post on it soon.  I am happy with how the cards turned out and I think the kiddos will enjoy learning our alphabet chant with them this year.

I printed my new Classroom Character Posters too!  I think they came out looking great.  The printer doesn't really do perfect photo quality, but they are good enough for me.  I got this printer because I think it will be a work horse and that is what I really need.  But, mostly I am really excited about the instant ink program from hp.

5.  This is my new teacher plan and prep tub.  It's where I keep my current thematic unit files along with all my prep for each day.  There are two full weeks worth of big folder envelopes where I put materials and papers that are prepped ahead.  I try to stay planned out a week ahead and prep the following week each day throughout the current week.   It works pretty well and keeps me a lot less stressed.  I know some people who prep for the next day each afternoon.  That is just a little too crazy for me and I also think it makes it harder to do more prep intense projects.  OK, just one more thing about my sweet hubby... he painted the tub for me because we couldn't find anything this size in colors, so we just bought a cheap clear one and he painted it blue for me.  Doesn't it look cute with the birdies on it?

Hope you are having productive and happy days back at school!
Go check out all the other great blogs over at Doodle Bugs Teaching.
Thanks for stopping by.  
Happy teaching!