Want to add FUN to your Math block?

It’s Finally Friday!

Wooohoooo…it’s finally Friday! This has been a cr-aaaaa-zzzzzy busy week {especially since it was a short week!} You can read part of the reason {here}. This is a long post, but there are a few freebies scattered throughout!

Money has been a super tricky concept in my class this year. I’m not a huge fan of Everyday Math’s approach to money, but that’s a post for another day! Lots of my kiddos are still struggling with the basics, so we spent a lot of time this week reviewing, playing fun math games, applying our knowledge.

My team teacher Lisa suggested Menu Math. The only guidelines I put on this project were that prices must be under $1.00 and they needed to have at least 5 items on their menu.  The kids went crazy with this project! They were super creative and thoughtful!

This class is obsessed with bacon…so much that one kiddo added a pig to his cover!

I like that she added “adult” drinks. Happy Hour at school?

This project actually lasted a really, really long time. To follow up the next day, we visited each other’s restaurants! While one student ordered, the ‘waiter’ wrote their order down on the Guest Check. Next, the waiter needed to total up the food bill.

Once the patron received their bill total, they then had to count out the correct amount in coins. For the students who already have a good grasp on money, I encouraged them to make change with each other.

You can snag a copy of the Guest Checks by clicking the picture below.

To further strengthen our money skills, we also went on a Shopping Trip.  Stickers are a highly coveted  entity in my classroom. They are pulled out very rarely and only for very special projects. {Side note…I have no idea why I hoard stickers – I have enough to wallpaper each of the four walls of my classroom – twice!}

The kiddos were able to choose the “items” they wanted to buy and price it.  Next, they had to show that amount in two different ways.  Click {here} to snag a copy. I included many versions of the worksheets below so you have some choices!

After all this practice, I think we’re getting a better hold on money! I sometimes wonder if the digital age is ruining kids’ eagerness to learn about money. If they only see their parents swiping a credit card, does money even mean anything?

And lastly, I finally finished gathering my kiddos summer gifts. I felt sorta bad just sending them off with Daily Math Activities, so I was super excited to have found these adorable Math games to pair with a deck of cards.  {Joke’s on you, first graders…looks like a gift…but it’s a learning gift! Haha!}

Wait! One more thing! Make sure to head over to Teaching Blog Addict. My Friendly Facts Book was featured this morning! Go grab a copy if you haven’t already!

Thanks for sticking around till the end! JB and I are off for a fabulous weekend of “glamping.” I’m sure I’ll have some stories to share next week!

Slainte!

26 Responses

  1. We love, love, love all the money activities!! We definitely need to save those for next year! Our kiddos would also love using the stickers to represent things to buy! Your clip art binder is amazing!! You should absolutely buy some more clip art to fill it up…after all that work, you don't want it to be too empty 😉 Have a super weekend!

    🙂 Tamra and Sarah
    First Grade Buddies

  2. I stuck out to the end Molly! I love the clipart organization. Will you come to my house and make one for me? Thanks. What's glamping? "glamourous camping"? Whatever it is…Have Fun!!
    Deirdre
    A Burst of First
    ps…thanks for all the freebies. Love the menus.

    1. Yes, it was "Glamour Camping" – wifi, someone to cook the meals, mattress to sleep on, yada yada yada. SUPER fun – who knew I was an outdoorsy girl 🙂 Hope you had a fun weekend, my friend!

  3. Just as I was thinking about how much I LOVED the money menus I saw your organization for your clip art. I am obsessed! I have just started buying clip art and have been trying to figure out how to organize. Perfect timing, thanks for the brilliant idea!

    Elyse
    Happily Teaching

  4. Molly – looks like you had a busy week. Love the way you organized your clipart collection…so smart.xoxoVicky Traditions, Laughter and Happily Ever After

  5. Have you ever used money as a behavior system.? My kids love it and learn coin names and values quickly this way. Pennies are given for good behavior or taken away for not so great behavior. Once you've earned 5 pennies you go to the "bank", exchange for a nickel, than a dime, finally a quarter. They go shopping at the class store once they have 25 cents. It works well for me but watch out for fraud (money from home being snuck in). Ha!
    Great way to organize clip art!

    1. No, but that is a fabulous idea! Fraud – that kills me! Little first graders sneaking in money from home – ha! You must have one fabulous store!

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