Counting by 10s with BoxTops

I just happened upon an activity the other day. My class and I were discussing how much each BoxTop for Education is worth (10 cents). As a group, we got out our bag of BoxTops that had been brought in and started counting. About half way into counting it dawned on my that we were doing a 10s activity AND a money activity. So, if you have a big bag of BoxTops, divide them up by tables and have each group count each BoxTop by 10s. Then you can have each table tell you the monetary value of their Boxtops counting by 10s.

This is a fun and easy activity and as a bonus, it keeps the BoxTops a topic of interest for the students. This might help them remember to bring in the valuable little items. Have fun!

I love handwriting!

I love teaching every part of Kindergarten but if I had to choose 2 of my favorite things to teach, I would choose handwriting and reading. Handwriting, at the beginning of the kindergarten year, can be trying but it is always amazing how quickly they develop. We use the Handwriting Without Tears program. I have been teaching this program for about 6 years so I know it like the back of my hand but the one difficult thing about it is the 2 line paper. It is a challenge to teach without a top line but it can be done and it can be done well.

I am currently working on an action research project for part of my professional development this year that will focus on handwriting. I am always looking for great books, articles, blogs, and any examples of different ways to teach handwriting. I am also constantly searching for research on the importance of teaching/learning handwriting and it's effects on other areas of growth. If you come across any resources you think are great, please share them with me. I want to have a great action research project but I also want to become well-versed in handwriting research for my own personal growth. I hope you all enjoy teaching handwriting as much as I do. It is an important skill that will be used long into the future...even if we to type most of what we share these days!

A Great Find for Whiteboards!

We recently purchase some Crayola Dry-Erase Crayons for our classroom and they have been a hit! They work and look just like Crayons you use on paper. They look great on the whiteboard and you can really jazz up your lesson with all the different colors. Clean up takes a little more than a dry-erase marker. I typically use 1 wet wipe to clean up but these take two or three for full clean up. I love these and highly recommend them to any teacher!