Award and Freebie

Hey all!
It feels like forever since I have blogged or even been able to enjoy "blogland".  I enjoyed my vacation with my husband but then returned to get the case of the flu... not fun!  It has been a long time since I have had a fever and boy did it take it out of me.  On the plus side.... the Bahamas was oh so nice and I love having a tan in February ;)
Anyway, I was so excited to find that Ms. T at Second Grade Math Maniac nominated me for the Liebster Award.  I am so honored and grateful! 

Upon reading about this award, I found it is given to blogs with 200 followers or less to who someone believes deserves some love and recognition. So thank you Ms. T!  And in the spirit of love, I'd like to nominate:
         Sarah @ A KinderGarden in Bloom
         Kirsten @ Third Grade Treasures
Both of these ladies have great ideas and are just starting out their blogs... so check them out and show them some love! :)

Now onto the freebie....
My sixth grade group is working with algebra properties, so I created this matching game for them to add a little excitement to this sometimes boring topic. Download it by clicking the image below.

Have a wonderful week all!

Bringing ocean life to math for kinders and firsties

Hey all!
     Hope you have had a restful weekend and are enjoying your Sunday.  My husband and I are actually leaving for our cruise to the Bahamas at 6:10am tomorrow so I am frantically organizing, packing, and checking my list off but I am excited about the unit I just finished so I have to blog about it before we leave.  Crazy how blogging is always in the forefront of our minds :)
     I still need to post pictures of these games in action, so that will be updated soon.  My Ocean Life Math Actitivites pack includes lots of fun games/center ideas for preK-1st graders that include a variety of review skills (odd/even numbers, comparing numbers, identifying numbers and working with addition are a few).  Click on the image below to check it out further.

Have a wonderful week!

February Currently Linky and FREE money unit

I've always wanted to join one of Farley's Currently linky parties, so this is my first.  YEA!  If you haven't done so yet, link up at Oh' Boy 4th Grade.

Also, don't forget to check out my previous post to get my FREE money math unit.
Have an awesome week yall!!!

Money Games

Good evening yall!
Before the big game starts for us in the midwest (MU vs KU game), I thought I'd post real quick about my Money Games I've created when working with change up to $5.00.  I played these games with my 3rd graders and they LOVED it (especially the Winter Shop).  Two of the games incorporate students counting sets of change and then completing a corresponding place value type of recording sheet. 
(sorry I couldn't get the one photo to load horizontally instead of vertically.  Anyone have a fix for this?)

 One of my students decided to record them out to the side and THEN put them in order from least to greatest on the lines.  So organized :)  Students could record on a dry erase board to collect their data as well before writing their answers on the page.  The other change card activity had students play in partners and compare totals in a more or less type of game.
The final activity was their favorite!  Even littles like to spend money!  Students took turns being the banker and the buyer.  When they were the "banker" their job was to give the change when an item was purchased and the "buyer" got the chance to purchase something that they had enough money for. 
Here is their money tray organized for easy use.

With my 3rd graders, we didn't use the negative cards because it was too difficult, but with 4th and 5th graders you could introduce the idea if a student purchases something they don't have enough money for, they would record it on the negative slip.

Here is their game mat.  They decided the amount they landed on was their "paycheck" before they could go to buy something.  I let my kids choose from the pile for what they wanted to "buy", they didn't have to take the top card.  This did take some guidance the first couple times we played it.  But, they kept asking DAYS later if they could play the money shop game again.  It would definitely be a game you could keep playing all year long to practice those money skills! 
Since I haven't given anything away since starting my new math blog I figured today should be THE DAY! :)  At the end of the school week, Friday Feb 10, I will choose 3 people to give this unit to FREE (using random # generator). 
Enter to win, by:
      1.  Become a follower of mine at Treadwell's Math Adventures and leave a comment telling me so
      2.  Become a follower of mine on Teachers Pay Teachers and leave a comment telling me so
      3.  Leave a comment telling me one way you teach money to "spice things up".
Also, please leave your email with each comment so I can easily send you your FREEBIE if you win!
Thanks for the support and I'm super excited to be doing my first "give away".
Have a wonderful evening.... GO TIGERS!

-Kara Treadwell