Pumpkin Measurement

It's pumpkin time!  My first graders have been learning about pumpkins for the past week and we are continuing with the theme this week.  One of my favorite activities is to measure pumpkins.  Usually I will buy a class supply of mini pumpkins, but this year I had students each bring in their own pumpkins.  So we had a lot of different shapes and sizes, plus we even had a white pumpkin.  I typed up some quick and easy measurement worksheets to use.  I had my students use Unifix cubes to measure the height of their pumpkins, then use the other items to measure the cubes.  For measuring how big around their pumpkins were, I measured each pumpkin with yarn and cut it for the students to measure.  Click here to get a set for your class.  I hope you and your students enjoy these!  Happy Halloween!

Jeannie

Teddy Bear Subtraction Activity and (FREE) Worksheet

I feel like it has been forever since I have posted, but school has been so busy I just had to give up something.  So I have neglected blogging.  But, I am back now and I have a new activity (for me, at least) and FREE (for you) worksheet to go along with it.  We have focused on addition for the first 6 weeks of school and have moved on to subtraction and I have really tried to find some more concrete and FUN activities to use with my firsties.  I have tons of teddy bear counters so I thought I would look for an activity to do using them, and I found one in a book called Math Step-by-Step Centers (Grades K-1) published by The Mailbox.  You can check it out here.

You will need the following materials (per pair or small group):

*a paper bag labeled with the numbers 6-12

*12 teddy bear counters

*1 dice

*a copy of the Teddy Bear Subtraction worksheet

(click here to download the packet)

The worksheet includes the list of materials needed, directions and a 2-page worksheet.

Basically, the activity works like this.  

1.  Students will choose a number written on the paper bag and write it in the first space on the worksheet, then display that number of teddy bears.  

2.  Next, they will roll the dice, write that number in the 2nd space, and take away that amount of teddy bears and return them to the paper bag.  

3.  Last, students will count and write down how many teddy bears are left.  

That's it.  Easy, squeezy, pumpkin peezy.  Plus, everyone has teddy bear counters, dice and paper bags, right?  So you don't have to buy any special materials to do this activity.  And, it makes a great center activity after the students have practiced a few times. 

I hope you can use this activity with your students.

Happy teaching!

Jeannie