Easter Holidays are nearly over and I managed to accomplish most of the things on my "To Do" list, including my newest TPT product.

It's 50% off until tomorrow night.  Check it out.  I'd love some feedback!

What Would Leif Say?

I came across this cool (and free) app called ChatterPix and thought it would make the perfect review activity in Social Studies.  Before the students got their hands on the iPads, they had to pretend they were Leif Erikson and write a paragraph explaining who they were, what they accomplished, and why they didn't stay in Newfoundland very long.  Once I approved the paragraph, they were ready to create their ChatterPix.  Here are a few examples:

Canada Biggie Sized!

Way back in the summer I accidentally came across the Canadian National Geographic website while searching for something totally unrelated.  Well, I'm sure glad I found the site and spent a few minutes looking around.  I found that they lend giant floor maps of Canada - for FREE!  So, I signed up and kinda forgot about it all during the rush of the fall.  I was reminded by email after Christmas that I had signed up and was asked if I was still interested in having the map delivered. I replied with a definite YES and waited for the map's arrival.

The map was so big I couldn't even get the whole thing in one picture.  You get the idea.

The map also came with a trunk full of lesson ideas and materials like bean bags, pylons, picture cards, and chain links (to outline the watersheds).

My fifth graders had just finished learning about the six geographical regions of Canada, so the map arrived at the perfect time.

Who Doesn't Love A Sale?

I'm sooo excited that Teachers Pay Teachers is having a sale!  I have my shopping list ready.  Do you?

Thanks Strawberry Shake for the super cute clipart :)

Right Angles

We did a quick review of right angles today in math class.  The kids really enjoyed writing their names using only right angles.  Some of the letters like "K" and "R" were a bit tricky.  This activity was one of the things I had them do while at the Teacher Table during math rotations.

For a quick wrap-up at the end of class I sent the kids off in pairs to find examples of right angles around the school. They took photos with the iPad and used the PicCollage app to show their understanding. 

Here are a few examples:

I liked how this group drew the arrows to point out the right angle in each picture.

I thought this group's title in the shape of a right angle was a clever addition.

This group used their hand to form the right angle shape for a lot of their photos.

Overall, it was a simple enough activity to do in the last 10 minutes of class.  The students were thrilled (like always) to use the iPads and while they were hunting for right angles, I was able to do a quick assessment of who "got it" and who didn't.

3 Math Must-Haves!

Did you know I love the letter D?  Disneyland, driving, dreaming, and of course, my name Dorlisa.  Well, my love for the letter D is evident in my math class, too.  I have 3 go-to items that I use almost every day in my math centres:

Dominoes

Dice

Deck of Cards

Partial Products Practice

I LOVE using dominoes in math class.  Here is how my Grade 5 students used them this week to practice 2-digit multiplication using the partial products method.

A New Year ... A New Look

Each new year I set a few goals, some personal and some professional, that I try to work towards throughout the year.  Well, it's only two weeks into 2015 and I've completed a goal!!  My new and improved blog is up.  Thank you so much to Albemarle PR for the amazing work.  I LOVE everything about it.  I'm hoping with the new look that I'll be more motivated to blog on a regular basis (which is another goal of mine).

Step-by-Step

My Grade 5s have been mastering 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication using the distributive property this week.  While at the "Teacher Table" during math rotations today, I checked their understanding of the steps with a simple activity.  I posed the question and the students wrote each step of the process on a separate strip of paper.  

The final addition step was done on the Boogie Boards.  Easy peasy!