Draw and Write - A New Unit for beginning Writers

 

Draw and Write: Teach Your Beginning Writers to Organize Their Thoughts and Write Their Stories

Have you ever listened to your students or kids tell you a made-up story? Their imagination can run wild! But when it comes to writing down their stories, having them put words to paper can be a big challenge.

Why? Let's think about what we're asking kids to do when they're in grades pre-k through 1. First, we're asking them to think about something - a story, a memory, a place. Next, we're asking them to use their newly developed motor skills to write those thoughts down. That's a big deal! Putting pencil to paper is one skill they have to focus on - while actually using that plus their phonics skills is another. AND they have to remember their ideas!

That is why I made prompts like these for my own kids when they were younger. 

Here is how these draw and write prompts work:

How to use draw and write prompts

1 - One day, have students complete the drawing prompt. There are simple prompts such as the ones shown in the pictures on this page. Instead of students having to come up with their own ideas completely, we're taking off the pressure by giving them something to start with. 

2 - The next step depends on the age and skills of your students. If they're already writing on their own, then let them write about the drawing they made the previous day. If they're still very young, you may want to focus on some words they could use first. Take a day to go over some useful sight words or some phonics skills. You can model for them how to sound out words, or use their own spelling.

3 - If you wish, you could spend the third day going over what they wrote. They could share it in small groups, or in a small-group conference with you. You can go over sounding out words or using word walls or folders as help.

These prompts are also great for intervention or sped classes with older students.

My own homeschooled kids are a bit older now (8 and 10) but they still had a blast filling these prompts out with all kinds of silly responses.

The best part? you can try 3 of these prompts for FREE! Just download them from my TeachersPayTeachers shop!

If you'd like to buy the whole set (you get 50 prompts for just $3!) you can click here

Free Math Curriculum Lets Build Arrays Unit Early Multiplication

 Let's Build Arrays

A Free Printable Unit for Early Multiplication

This is part of a series of free math resources on my blog. For the full page of freebies, click here or the menu up top

Multiplication. Do you remember being taught the standard algorithm in school?

Your teacher might have told you that multiplying was just like adding a number over and over again (true!). She may then have written all of the multiplication tables on the board and had you memorize them until you could recite each one in seconds. Having that strong grasp of what multiplication really MEANT and LOOKED like didn't take up a whole lot of class time. Or at least that was my 3rd grade experience in the 90s.

Using an array mat to learn about multiplication is such a smart way to teach, and I was so happy to find these for my own kids when I decided to homeschool. In fact, I made this very unit to use with my own youngest daughter next week! I hope you can use it in your homeschool or classroom too!

Every array comes with 12 rows and 12 columns of boxes. This is so that children can learn to multiply up to 12 x 12. You can teach this concept in two ways.

You can write the multiplication equation at the top of the page first, and talk about how multiplying is an easier way of adding things together that are in equal groups. You can then show this by adding a number of dots to so many columns and rows to show the problem visually.

Here's a quick video I made on Instagram showing how:

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How to teach multiplication through arrays with my FREEBIE center! Teaching multiplication with array sheets is a great way to give kids a visual mental image of what multiplication MEANS - and it's so easy to prep and use! This freebie comes from my blog (messybeautifulfun.com). It includes all the printables shown in these photos. Here is how you can put it to work in your homeschool or classroom: Talk about addition with your students. Ask them if they know an easy way to count equal groups of objects, rather than counting them one by one. Speak about how multiplication is like adding the same amount over and over again, but it makes it easier (and involves a lot less writing) Ask them how we can add (for example) 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3. (We can count, we can skip count by 3s, we can use a number line) Show them your NEW way of adding an amount over and over again using multiplication. Adding 3 five times is the same as the equation 5 x 3. It means we are going to add 3 five times. Show kids how to number the rows on the left of the array. Then add 3 dots to each. "See, we have 5 rows of 3 dots or 3 five times. 5 x 3! Skip count the dots or count them one by one (depending on the stage of your learners) Once you go through this a few times, kids can use the center in small groups, or use the smaller arrays in a math journal or as a worksheet.

I truly hope that you and your kids enjoy this freebie!

Remember to subscribe to my FREE newsletter for free monthly themed packs for your classroom or homeschool too!

Get This FREE Array Mat Unit Here

Free Math Curriculum 120 Charts Printables

Free 120 Charts

For Counting, Skip Counting & Number Practice

This is part of a series of math freebies being released on my blog! You can download the rest by going to https://www.messybeautifulfun.com/p/about-menu-links-page-introduction.html

Counting, skip counting, and knowing which numbers come before and after a given number are important skills to be mastered in elementary years. If kids learn nothing else, great number sense and counting skills will help them go a long way in upper math levels.When kids know that 91 is one more than 90, then they know how to add. When they realize that 90 is 1 less than 91, they've learned the basics of subtraction. 

These 120 charts can be used in a variety of ways. You can practice counting up to 120, or backward from 120 to 1.

I send out fun-themed charts like this in my free monthly newsletter every month! Subscribe here!

You can practice skip counting within 120 by hiding numbers under mini blocks or erasers.

You can cover some of the numbers on the chart with small objects or color them out with a marker and have kids tell you which number is missing.

All of these are fantastic ways to practice counting.

 You can grab this freebie here!

Free Math Curriculum Fractions Decimals and Percents Center Manipulatives

 Free Fractions Decimals and Percents Manipulatives to Print

This freebie is part of my new freebie page on this blog! I hope you enjoy! You can see the rest of the freebies here or by clicking the menu link above!

This math center is all about getting kids to recognize the connection between fractions, decimals and percentages. 

This concept can be tricky for a lot of kids to master and having strong visuals can really help. Inside this unit you'll find a chart that shows the relation between the three math concepts - it comes in both full-size and quarter-sized posters for classroom or student use. It's also a great addition to math journals!

You'll also get tokens that students can use for adding decimals, fractions, or percentages to make a whole - or to use as a comparison tool.

Project idea

A great project to use these for is printing out multiple copies of a favourite poster or painting your kids love. Then, cut it up (or have them do it) into halves, thirds, quarters, etc. They can then match the fraction, decimal, and percentage pieces to those pieces of the picture. It's a HUGE help for visual learners and a fun math craft for everyone.

Grab the Free Unit Here!

Free Math Curriculum Plot the Coordinates and Graphing

 

Free Plot the Coordinates Math Center

Learn to plot points on a coordinate plane

This freebie is part of my new freebie page on this blog! I hope you enjoy! You can see the rest of the freebies here or by clicking the menu link above!

Welcome to another math freebie!

This one is all about the coordinate plane. Plotting coordinates is an important part of upper elementary and middle school - but it can be taught at any age. In fact, it can even be fun! Making pictures by connecting dots, playing a battleship0type game, or trying to guess someones coordinate cards - you can do all of these with this free math center.

This set comes with some free pre-made coordinate cards, but it also comes with some blank cards so that you or your kids/students can make your own. The idea is to flip over 4 cards and plot them on the graph. But you can use any of the ideas above with this set too! 

Laminating it to use it, again and again, is a great idea, or you can print out a few copies to use in a math journal.

However you use this math center, I hope you and your learners enjoy it!

You can grab this freebie here!

Remember to signup for my monthly newsletter to get fun freebies every month!

Free Math Curriculum Counting Flashcards to 10 Numbers and Number Words

 Free Math Curriculum Helps 

Count to 10 Visual Flashcards

As part of a new series I am introducing here - I bring you these fun free flashcards!

Scroll down for the freebie - here is just a tidbit about WHY these are free :)

To see the rest of the free math resources, click here!

It doesn't feel like so long ago that I first started homeschooling my oldest son. I remember how intimidating it all felt - there were not many online resources back then and most homeschoolers bought expensive, big-box curricula. Living in our tiny apartment in the city as newlyweds, it was hardly something my husband and I could afford!

I think of teachers who are putting in their best every day to reach 20, 30, 40 or more students and doing the best they can with what little resources they actually get from their schools. Spending money out of their own pockets when they work so hard and aren't rolling in a big salary - it's so unfair to both teachers and students.

That is why I have decided to start making some free resources available online. 

Whether you're a homeschool parent looking for some curriculum, a classroom teacher searching for resources, or a parent looking to help their kids on the weekend, I hope that these resources coming will make you smile and bring you a bit of relief.

Use these cards to help young kids learn to count, match numbers to words, or as 3 part cards.

They would also make a great addition to any schoolroom or classroom wall!

They include numbers from 1 to 10 in numeral and word form.

Enjoy! Click the link below to download them. 

*Please feel free to share this page with friends, not the download link please*

Get The Free Cards Here!

March Subscriber FREEBIES! Free Printables for Teachers and Homeschoolers

 Free Learning Printables for March

Subscribe to my newsletter for freebies every month!

This month's freebie folder is out! I cannot believe it is going to be March in just a few short days. If you're looking for some fun and fresh activities to bring into your classroom, I've got you covered!

This month's freebie pack is full of rainbow and clover fun for St. Patrick's Day. 

First, there are the math pages. Most months I send out fun math mats that can be used for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division! This month's theme is clovers in the grass so the mats come with some cute clover counters too!

I also include recording sheets so that your students can record what they do - and there are many options in those too! You'll find single and double-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication pages, as well as linear division and division bar pages.

The addition and subtraction mats can easily be used with the clover counters or some mini erasers or other manipulatives. Students just add or take away counters to solve the equations they write at the bottom or on their recording sheets. 

The multiplication and division mat is a little different. You can put an equal amount of counters in each background square and skip count them to multiply. You can also give students an amount to divide, say 8 divided by 4, and they can divide 8 counters between the backgrounds. If you'd like to use bigger numbers, you can print multiple mats. These mats also come with smaller clover counters not pictured here.

Next up we have one of my favorite things that every month brings - calendars!

I include two versions of a pocket chart/wall calendar along with a board you can use to stick them on if you'd like. I also include two different black and white calendars - one with numbers to trace and one blank. There are also versions without clipart.

These are all a great addition to your circle or morning time.

Reading is an important part of any classroom, so I include these reading activities each and every month. Clipart-free versions are also included.

There is a book log with a star rating option on it, a coloring book log for younger kids, and three styles of book reports. You'll also find a read it, build it, write it mat inside that you can edit on your computer to include any words you would like!

Finally, a new addition this month are these fun and themed tracing pages! Kids can practice their alphabet or number tracing. Black and white and color version are included of both. These are fun to laminate and use again and again!

If you'd like to get this freebie package then just sign up for my monthly newsletter before the end of the month and it will be yours!

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Have a great March!

Debbie M

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