Array City: Ideas to Integrate Math Curriculum

This week I introduced arrays and repeated addition to my second graders. I explained rows and columns and how arrays help us to count things faster. The first day, I gave them stickers and they created their own arrays on index cards. Today we built a city! Read on to find out how...

I originally saw this idea on Pinterest and followed the link to Resources From the Hart. I just knew I had to adapt the lesson for my second graders. If there is a way to connect math to art, writing, and more, I am all for it!

Each student started with the following items: one sheet of black paper per student, colored construction paper, glue sticks, scissors, black felt tip marker, and a white crayon or colored pencil.

I modeled a sample array city for them. I showed them how to cut different size buildings. I explained that every window does not need to be the same size. I stressed the importance of lining the windows up into rows and columns to clearly model their understanding of what an array should look like. I also told them they could not repeat the same array. Each building needed to be different.

Students worked at their table with their partners. They needed to check each other's work, before any windows could be glued down.

After the windows were glued, they needed to write how many rows of windows there were on each building and how many window were in each row. This showed their understanding of rows and columns. Then, they needed to write a repeated addition sentences to connect their understanding to arrays.

When they were finished, their partner checked their writing and made corrections where needed. Then, each student traced over their writing with a black marker to "seal the deal." Finally, they used their white crayon to add a night sky to their city. Below is the finished product!

I extended this even further and had each student write a word problem to go along with their Array City. Tomorrow, during math, we will pass out the word problems to different students and have them solve them and share their answers with the class.

If you are looking for some other ways to help your students learn and understand multiplication strategies, here is a FREEBIE for you:

Multiplication FREEBIE

Array Task Cards

I hope you can get some inspiration from this project and adapt it for your students too. Enjoy!

Back To School Ideas

Back To School is in full force! And we all know, there is no tired, like teacher tired during the first month of school. I am going to share a few time saving tips with you that will help ease your stress levels and help you relax a bit during the beginning of the school year.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL SIGNS + PHOTO BOOTH PROPS

I love to create a sense of classroom community starting with the first day of school. I always take a first day of school picture of my students to send home to families right away. Creating memories and making the first few weeks of school unforgettable for students is crucial to fostering those new relationships. These photo booth props are also a fun activity for students and their families for: 

Meet the Teacher

Back To School Night 

Open House 

and the First Day Of School! 

KID FRIENDLY STANDARDS POSTERS

Are you required to post student learning standards each day? I was spending WAY TOO MUCH time writing the CCSS out on the board each day. It took up valuable learning space on my board and I was getting frustrated. To solve this problem, I created kid-friendly standards posters I could change out easily and quickly in a pocket chart. The front of each card has the standard, in kid-friendly words. The back of each card, has the actual standard written out with the standard number and strand. These are available for all the ELA and MATH standards grades K-5. Now, when I have my admin, a parent, etc. come into our classroom, they can easily see what skills we are working on throughout the day.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE FORMS

Do parent conferences stress you out? Do you hate prepping for them or don't know how to organize all the information you want to tell them in 15 minutes? I have the resource for you! Getting organized for conferences has never been easier, since I started using this personalized conference binder. It has all the forms and information I need at my fingertips. 

All the forms are editable, which helps save time too! This pack includes:

1. A conference note to send home with the date and time of the meeting. 

2. A reminder note

3. Sign in sheet

4. Missed You At Our Conference note

5. FIVE conference checklist options

6. Personalized binder cover

INSTACLASS: BACK TO SCHOOL BULLETIN BOARD

This is, by far, a new favorite in my classroom! Be the coolest teacher on campus with this Back To School bulletin board. Bridging the gap between school and social media will make you a hit with your students and their families. Each student will create their own Instagram page with a personalized picture, comment, and hashtag. This is a great student center bulletin board that you can leave up all year! I emailed the parents and asked them to email a picture of their child doing a favorite activity, on a summer trip, or just hanging out. They kids were so excited to see their faces up on the board as each picture was sent in. It is a great motivator and they love reading what each caption says.

COMPUTER PASSWORD CARDS

Do you get frustrated always having to stop your teaching to help a student log on to a website? Are you looking for a way to organize their user names and passwords? I have the resource for you! And the best part....it's FREE!

I was getting so frustrated every time we went to computer lab and I would always have several little kiddos tell me they couldn't log on to a site because their password didn't work. Nobody has time for that!  To solve this problem, I created individual student password cards! This was a game changer for me. Just write the student's name, user name, and password on the card. Then, laminate them and hole punch so you can put them on a ring. Each time I go to the computer lab, I grab the appropriate password ring and off we go. Ta Dah! Problem solved! Grab your freebie below:

I hope these back to school tips have given you some ideas that you can use in your classroom. Best of all, you can start implementing them immediately! Enjoy!

{DON'T FORGET IT! PIN IT!}