Student Motiviation/Storybook Sunday/Sunday Funday = 3 Link-Ups in One Post!!!!

Today I'm linking up with Joanne over at Head Over Heels for Teaching for the first time!

Last Thursday I gave a timed multiplication test for the facts from zero through five.  I wanted to get an idea of how the kids were doing with memorizing their multiplication facts.  I was happy that the majority of the class has been practicing and memorizing their facts, but there are some stragglers who need to get on board.

Enter - Mrs. Perry with an AMAZING idea!  Mrs. Perry comes to our room every afternoon from 1:00 until 1:40 (some times she stays a little later depending on her schedule).  She shared a game with the kids that was very exciting, and everyone gets to participate and practice math facts at the same time.

The students don't write "x2" on the top of their T chart; I just asked Mrs. Perry to do this as an example.

Here are the guidelines:

1.  All students get a piece of paper.

2.  Four students are called up to the board where they make a T chart (the students at the desks do the same work on their paper).

3.  The teacher says 5 numbers between 0 and 10; the students write the numbers on the left side of their T chart.

4.  The students at the board turn and face the teacher.

5.  The teacher says "times ___."

6.  The students turn around and multiply their 5 numbers by the number stated by the teacher.

 

7.  When the students at the board are done, they turn and face the teacher who tells them if they are 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th.

8.  The teacher and student review the answers of the student who completed his/her facts first.  If that student gets all facts correct, he/she is the champion of that round.

9.  Now 4 new students come to the board, and the process is completed until there is a finalist from each group.

10.  For the grand championship, the students get 7 numbers to multiply.  The winner gets a name tag that says "Grade 3 Multiplication Champ."

Mrs. Perry also told the kids that their numbers need to be written clearly and correctly to be counted as correct answers.

Now it's time for Storybook Sunday with Paula:



I found this book because Paula recommended a book by Russell Ayto last week.  Well, I couldn't find a book by this author, but I did find a series of books that he illustrated. The books are written by Andy Cutbill.

The first book is The Cow that Laid an Egg.  Here is the summary from Amazon:

Marjorie is an insecure cow who wishes she had some special talent. She can't ride a bicycle or do handstands like the other cows. Then one morning (thanks to a bunch of scheming chickens and a paintbrush), Marjorie is astonished to discover something extraordinary: shes laid an egg!

I even found a free writing prompt on TPT to go along with the first book:

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Cow-That-Laid-an-Egg-writing-prompt-232759

You can see the cover to the first book over to the left (it's pink):

The Cow that was the Best Moo-ther tells how Marjorie the mother cow, enters her daughter, Daisy the chicken, in a Cutest Baby Contest.  Check out this page which is full of puns:

If you like stories where the underdog wins, then you will adore this book because Daisy the Chicken saves the day by eating a worm that appears on the farmer's wife's hat:

Additionally, there's a third book in the series:

If you're looking for some fun and funny books, these books are definitely worth checking out!

Last, but not least, I'm linking up with Deidre from:  http://aburstoffirst.blogspot.com/ for:

Here's what I do every weekend:

Every Saturday I go to visit my father who lives about 20 minutes away from me.  He is 81 years old and lives in his own apartment.  I bring him his weekly groceries and some meals as well as make his bed and take out the trash...After we do the chores, we go for a walk at Deer Island which is a sewerage treatment plant, but the MWRA (Mass. Water Resource Authority) made a scenic path around the perimeter.  The path overlooks the ocean and Boston Harbor.  Of course, my father and I walk a very small portion, but it's perfect because there are benches where he can rest.

For some reason, I tend to take crooked pictures.

 Check out this view!  You can't see it in this picture, but Logan Airport is in front of the Boston skyline so there are planes landing and taking off.  Usually, there is at least one tanker ship docked in the harbor.  Right across from this bench, you can see the island that was made from all the dirt from the Big Dig.

Today I even rescued a dog who escaped from its owner at Deer Island.  As soon as we got there, this dog trotted by with its leash and no owner in sight.  I caught up with the dog who was visiting with another dog.  Luckily, the lost dog had a tag with phone numbers.  I called the first number:

"Hi.  I have your dog."
"Uh?"
"Are you at Deer Island?"
"No, I'm at the bank.  My husband's there."
"Can you call him to tell him that I found your dog?"
"Oh, can you call him?  I can't do it now.  His number is on the dog tag, too."

So I called the husband who showed up a few minutes later.

"Oh, I have a bad arm, and the dog pulled so hard that she got away.  Thanks."

You never know when you'll have a new adventure, especially with interesting people like this - it always makes for a fun and interesting day, that's for sure!

 Have a super Sunday!