Number Sense

So many of my students didn't feel comfortable with numbers.  They saw numbers as something to fear.  I did the following activities with my second graders and then again when I taught fourth grade.

I made a set of cards asking questions about a number.  Each set of cards was printed on a different color of tagboard.  I usually made one set for a group.  Because each set was a different color it was easy to keep the sets of questions together.  If a card ended up on the floor, I knew who to give it to based on the color.  I kept the number of questions to less than twenty.  Each group was given a number to use with the questions.  Sometimes they took turns flipping a question over and all would write the answer on their boards.  Sometimes one would answer the question with the others checking, then another child would answer the next question with all checking, and so on.

I also printed the cards on blue paper.  (There's nothing special about blue, one year I printed them on green.) I printed enough so that each child in the classroom had a set.  I gave a set of 'blue cards' to parents at conference time and explained how to use them.  I explained how the 'blue cards' were now a part of homework in the evening.

I put a picture of some of the cards below.  To use them, choose a number.  I expected second graders to use a number between 1 and 50 to start with and we worked our way to larger numbers.  Actually, I started the same in fourth grade, but I worked them to larger numbers faster than the second graders.  The cards are using the number 6 as an example.

The purpose behind the cards was to get the students thinking about numbers in more than one way and to become comfortable with them.  Questions could be removed from the stack and new ones added as the year progressed.

My highest level students were allowed to use much bigger numbers and some of the cards were not used with them.

Fractions and Money

I'm not sure exactly where this would fit in the common core standards.  Feel free to comment.

I like using a dollar bill for fractions and created a quick Who Has game to review what was learned.

I know most people play the Who Has games as a whole group.  I like for students to play it individually.  I give each student a set of cards to play the game and walk around to help those who need help.  To extend the game above, ask students to create more cards to go with the game.  Remove the question on the last card and create more questions with answers.  Remind them to keep track of their answers as they can't use an answer more than once.

       

Sheila Ray, The Brave (words for said)

Sheila Ray, The Brave
Author:  Kevin Henkes

Possible Common Core Standards:
RL.4.3
W.4.3

How many times have you read a student's story and the word said is used for every conversation?  Use Sheila Ray, The Brave to help your students understand the usage of other words make their writing much more interesting.  First, cover all of the said words in the story with a sticky note with the word said.  Read the story.  Go back through the story page by page removing the sticky notes and logging the word 'substituted' in the story on chart paper.  Talk about how it makes the event interesting.  Ask students to watch for more 'substitute' words for said in other text.  Keep the chart in the room for use when writing.

I like the way Mr. Henkes uses other words yet also uses said in his story.  I think it is important for students to know it is okay to use said....just not every time.  :)

Sheila Rae, The Brave (Word Study)

Sheila Ray, The Brave
Author:  Kevin Henkes

Possible Common Core Standards:
RF.4.3

suffix -ed

Go on an -ed word hunt as a class or in small groups.  Put each word on a card.
giggled
walked
tied
stepped
attacked
no-handed
closed
yelled
and more

Ask students to study the ending sound of the word.  Do they all end with the 'd' sound?  Ask them to sort them.  This is a great springboard activity to getting the students to understand the sounds of -ed.  I frequently had students spell words wrong just because they didn't understand this.  You can continue the learning by adding to the word sort when reading other text and finding more -ed words.

Whistle for Willie

Whistle for Willie
Author:  Ezra Jack Keats

Possible Common Core Standards:
RL.4.2
RL.4.3
W.4.3

This idea could be done in one or more writing sessions depending on how much you want to develop it in your classroom.

This is a great story about perseverance.  Read it and discuss it.  How does the author let the reader know how much Willie wants to whistle?  How do you as the reader know he is trying?

Ask students to think of something they had to work hard to learn how to do.  My favorite example is my youngest son wanted to hit a ball with a bat.  He spent hours in the yard throwing the ball up and swinging and missing.  One day he finally hit it and he rarely missed after that.  It could be learning to read or learning to subtract.  For the students who tell you they didn't have any problems learning anything, tell them to make something up.  :)    

Ask students to think of either something that truly happened while learning or to make something up that would make the story more interesting.  In Whistle for Willie, Willie hid in a box trying to whistle for his dog. In my son's story he could spin every time he misses and make himself dizzy.   It's up to you as to whether or not it has to be realistic.

    

Sheila Rae, The Brave

Sheila Rae, The Brave
Author: Kevin Henkes

Possible Common Core Standards:
RL.4.1
RL.4.3
RL.4.4
W.4.3
W.4.4

Read Sheila Rae, The Brave.  Ask for one characteristic that describes her...looking for the word brave.  Look for and log examples of where she was brave and discuss why those events characterize her as brave.  Was she brave throughout the story? Discuss.  Talk about how the story revolves around the word brave.

Choose a word as a class to write a story similar to Sheila Rae, The Brave.  Brainstorm and list possible examples displaying the characteristics of the word.  Think of a few situations that would be the opposite of the word for the problem in the story.  Write a class story using the examples thinking of a way to solve the main character's 'problem' and end with the character defining the main word again just as Sheila Rae does in her story.   Title the story patterned the same as Sheila Ray, The Brave and make sure to put 'patterned after Sheila Ray, The Brave by Keven Henkes' with it.

Ask students to each (or with a partner) choose a word to base a story.  I posted a link to a list of possible words below. Sneaky or messy come to mind as fun words to use.   If the words seem too easy, use a thesaurus to find a similar word but not as well known.  Have fun with it!  After choosing the word, start logging situations that would make a reader think of the word. Think of a few situations that would be the opposite of the word for the problem in the story.  Put the situations into a story.   Make a bold statement using the word to start the story and include a solution to the problem along with an ending to the story.  Title the story patterned the same as Sheila Ray, The Brave and make sure to put 'patterned after Sheila Ray, The Brave by Keven Henkes' with it.

List of character traits:
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson175/traits.pdf

Common Core Standards

I found the following website with a checklist for the CCS.  How cool is that!

http://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/2012/08/18/common-core-checklists/