Currently....I'm Running Out of Time!

This was a looong winter.  I mean, it's rare that we see snow in March - especially late March!

It's nice that Spring has finally arrived and things are getting back to normal here in Central VA, weather-wise.

However, it's put a bit of a rush on our studies as we approach Spring Break next week and *gasp* end of the year tests!  Granted, it doesn't sound like much - finish fractions, time to the nearest 5 minutes, and measurement.  Yes, we do have time to finish - unfortunately, they want us to take an end of the year test May 6 (and our last day has been extended to May 30).  

Is it that way at your school?  It frustrates me since we had to literally bulldoze our way through regrouping and half my kids are still clueless!  I'm trying to use the power of competition (especially with some of my boys).  We have about 10 minutes before my collab teacher joins us for math groups, so we go over the calendar, number of the day, etc.  I've added in "board races."  Such an old tried and true game, but the kids love it!  I have the "champion" from the day before go up and they get to choose their "victim."  

I've noticed some of my kids getting really good with regrouping because they want to be a champion!  We have behavior tickets in my room, and they get a ticket for each student they "beat."  It's surprising to me who some of my champions have been!  Pair that with homework each week on regrouping, and it's slowly coming about.  We keep it fun, and the kids enjoy themselves, even some of mine that have a lot of anxiety about math!

So, on to time....and yes, that's our next unit that I have to teach in, oh, 3 days, and half my kids don't have the hour/half hour they were supposed to master in K and 1st grades!  So, I'm not going to have time assessed before break - sorry admin!  However, I can't stand just plowing over my kids and dragging them behind me.  Maybe I've taught collab for too long, or maybe I see the struggles my own child has had with math, but I just can't do it!  So, we're behind every other class but I just have to shrug my shoulders and keep on truckin'!  

Okay, so looking at time, I have a lot of great centers and activities that I purchased last year, but sometimes, knowing just what your kids need....well, I created a few of my own that I wanted to share!  But first.....Currently.....

 

Yes, my personal hours are a bit much (and that does not include weekends).  However, I like to be at school by 7:30, since it gives me "down time" before the kids come in.  I am NOT a morning person, so it's hard to roll out of bed and get there - especially with a poky 7 year old - but it's my time.  Well, when I don't have an IEP at 7:30 :)  I usually leave around 5, if not before (but there are times I've stayed later), depending on what the family schedule is!  

Well....grand reveal....here are my "time creations" that I'm going to use to try to rush along the process this year and help my kiddos who are struggling with any concept of time!  

The first, I had a brainstorm and connected the clock to fractions (our current unit), so I'm hoping the connection will help some.  I've included posters to share with the students (I'm printing 4 to a page and my kids will put it in their interactive notebook), as well as an activity.

The second....my kids LOVE when I have familiar characters in centers, so that explains this simple match the analog to the digital clock time game (with an activity sheet for each theme, of course!). I may make more, depending on my time, but although each set is similar, it has different times so students can do both!

The last, I had another brainstorm....my kids LOVE  the BUMP games, so I made some for them based on time (hour, half hour, 5 minutes, and a blank one for differentiation).  I had purchased time dice from "Nyla's Crafty Teaching" on Teacher's Notebook last year, and it's another great way to use them!

So that's it for today...whew!  I wish I could create as fast as I think of things :(  Just like I've always dreamed of having that pen from Harry Potter - the one that writes as you talk!  If only I had a magic wand...or a wizard friend.... :)

Oh, and if you're interested in any of the above, you can click on the pictures, or find them at my store on TPT and Teacher's Notebook!