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Glyphs are a fun and creative way to collect data in the classroom while engaging students in math and critical thinking. They allow students to visually represent information about themselves or a specific topic, then use these representations for data analysis, comparison, and graphing. If you’re looking for an interactive, hands-on approach to teaching data collection and interpretation, glyphs are a fantastic option.  What Is a Glyph?A glyph is a simple picture or symbol that students create by following a set of directions based on their personal preferences, experiences, or answers to specific questions. Each aspect of the glyph represents different data points. For example, in a pumpkin glyph, a student’s choice of pumpkin shape, stem color, or facial expression may reflect their preferences for different topics, their favorite activities, characteristics, or even survey results about the class.  Collecting Data with GlyphsData collection with glyphs is both straightforward and engaging. Begin by designing a set of questions or prompts, where each student’s answer corresponds to a part of the glyph. For example, in my 'Pumpkin Glyphs resource, students might choose different colored stems to represent if they are left or right handed or different shaped eyes based on the color of their eyes. The result is a unique pumpkin glyph for each student, where each detail represents a piece of information about them. This process turns a typical survey into a creative activity, allowing students to express themselves while generating real, usable data.  Comparing DataOnce students have completed their glyphs, you can begin comparing data across the class. Display the pumpkin glyphs on the board and have students identify similarities and differences in their glyphs based on specific criteria. For instance, students can compare how many chose the same eye shapes, indicating they share the same characteristic. This promotes discussion about similarities and differences, helping students recognize patterns and analyze group data. In a more structured comparison, you can sort the glyphs into categories. For example, in the 'Pumpkin Glyphs activity, students might group all the pumpkins with round eyes together, then count and compare them to those with triangle eyes. This visual sorting activity can easily lead into creating graphs to represent the data.  Graphing Glyph DataGlyphs naturally lend themselves to graphing activities. After comparing their glyphs, students can create bar graphs, pictographs, or tally charts to represent the data they’ve gathered. For instance, in my pumpkin-themed activity, after sorting by eye shape, students could create a bar graph showing how many students chose each type of eye. This helps students connect the abstract idea of data collection to a visual representation, reinforcing both their graphing skills and their understanding of data. You can extend the graphing activity by asking follow-up questions: "What is the most common pumpkin shape in the class?" or "How many more students chose green stems than brown?" These kinds of questions challenge students to interpret the graph and make inferences based on the data. Cross-Curricular ConnectionsGlyphs are a great tool for cross-curricular learning. While primarily a math-focused activity, glyphs can also tie into literacy and social studies. You can create glyphs based on books the class has read, social topics like traditions or holidays, or even science topics such as weather preferences. This provides a meaningful way to integrate data collection and graphing with other subjects.  Here is step by step guide and templates for using glyphs in your classroom.  This baby block glyph was a favorite of mine for student led conferences because it gave the parents and kids a chance to talk about when the kids were babies. Afterwards the class looked at the glyphs and made comparisons and connections.  Using glyphs for data collection, comparisons, and graphing is an exciting way to help students understand the power of data in a visual and engaging manner. The best part is that glyphs provide students with a hands-on, artistic way to express themselves while practicing important math skills like data sorting, comparison, and graph creation.  If you're interested in implementing glyphs in your classroom, check out my Glyphs Bundle in my Teachers Pay Teachers store to add a creative twist to your data lessons. Happy teaching!   Related Posts
As the seasons change and holidays approach, it’s a great time to bring a festive twist into your math lessons! Combining holiday themes with essential number sense activities can not only engage students but also reinforce key concepts like addition, subtraction, and understanding place value. Whether it's pumpkins, turkeys, snowflakes, or holiday lights, adding seasonal elements to math practice brings excitement to the classroom while helping young learners build strong foundational skills.  Interactive Games for Building Number SenseHoliday-themed number sense games provide opportunities for active learning. Here are a few ideas that combine math skills with a festive flair: Pumpkin Patch Addition & Subtraction Create a “pumpkin patch” on a bulletin board where each pumpkin has a number. Students can pick two pumpkins and add or subtract the numbers, recording their equations. For more advanced students, include fact families, so they can create four related equations (e.g., 8 + 2 = 10, 2 + 8 = 10, 10 - 2 = 8, 10 - 8 = 2). Holiday Lights Place Value Challenge Use cutouts of holiday lights to represent different place values. For example, red lights can represent ones, green lights tens, and yellow lights hundreds. Have students string together different lights to form numbers, then challenge them to write the number in standard notation, expanded form, and as a written number word. This activity reinforces place value while giving a festive touch to understanding how numbers are composed.  Turkey Feathers Fact Families Create turkey templates with blank feathers. Each student writes a different number sentence (addition or subtraction) on each feather, forming a complete fact family. For example, if the turkey’s body has the number 12, the feathers might include 7 + 5, 5 + 7, 12 - 7, and 12 - 5. This activity emphasizes the relationships between addition and subtraction while allowing students to get creative with holiday-themed crafts. Snowflake Math: Representing Numbers in Multiple Ways Cut out snowflakes with numbers written on them. Students work in groups to represent the number in multiple ways: using base ten blocks, expanded notation, standard notation, and written as a word. You could turn this into a collaborative competition where each group works to correctly finish their snowflake representations the fastest.  Exploring Basic Facts with Fun ThemesHolidays are a perfect opportunity to strengthen students’ understanding of basic facts for addition and subtraction. Here are a few activities to try: Fall Fact Family Sorting Provide sets of cards with different number sentences (e.g., 4 + 3 = 7, 7 - 4 = 3). Have students work in pairs or small groups to sort the cards into fact families. Incorporating fall visuals, like acorns, leaves, or apples, helps make this more engaging. Holiday-Themed Flashcards Decorate flashcards with holiday symbols like snowmen, presents, or wreaths and use them for addition and subtraction practice. Students can work in pairs or small groups, quizzing each other on quick recall of math facts while getting in the holiday spirit.  Winter Wonderland: Number Matching Games Turn number matching into a wintery game! Prepare cards with numbers represented in different ways—base ten form, written words, expanded form, and standard notation. Students can race to match the cards or play a memory game where they flip cards over to find pairs that represent the same number. Representing Numbers in Various FormsUnderstanding how numbers can be represented in different ways is essential for young learners. By integrating these activities with a holiday theme, students are more motivated to explore numbers.  Gingerbread House Place Value Sort Create gingerbread house templates where each house has different "rooms" for ones, tens, and hundreds. Provide a set of number cards, and have students place the cards into the appropriate rooms to match the place value. This visual aid helps them better understand how numbers are built. Winter Base Ten Block Challenge Use base ten blocks with winter themes, such as snowflakes for ones, snowmen for tens, and igloos for hundreds. Students can draw cards with numbers, then use the blocks to represent the number in base ten form. Challenge them to write the number in expanded notation and standard form as well. Festive Expanded Notation Race On holiday-themed cards (like presents or ornaments), write numbers such as 345 or 218. Students race to represent the numbers in expanded form (e.g., 300 + 40 + 5 for 345). This activity helps reinforce understanding of place value while keeping it fun and seasonal.  Using holiday themes in your math lessons not only adds excitement to learning but also strengthens students' number sense and math fact fluency. Whether it’s through hands-on games, collaborative group activities, or interactive challenges, these festive number sense activities are sure to help your students develop a deep understanding of key math concepts, all while enjoying the seasonal spirit.  Base ten blocks are great for visually representing numbers. Here is a set of blocks that you can print out, laminate, and cut out to carry with you when you don't have the real blocks.  As you plan your lessons this fall and winter, consider how you can incorporate basic addition, subtraction, and place value activities into your holiday-themed instruction. You’ll keep students engaged and set them up for success in mastering foundational math skills!  Related Posts
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s a great opportunity to blend festive themes into our classroom activities, encouraging students to focus on the spirit of giving and gratitude while reinforcing important academic skills. This blog post will provide ideas for Thanksgiving-themed literacy and math centers, with suggestions for differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners. By focusing on hands-on, thematic learning, students will be able to engage more deeply with literacy and math while reflecting on the values of the season.  The Importance of Thanksgiving and Gratitude in the ClassroomThanksgiving is more than just turkey and pie—it’s a time to reflect on the importance of giving, sharing, and being grateful. By incorporating these themes into the classroom, students learn valuable life lessons about community and appreciation. A great way to begin a Thanksgiving unit is with a class discussion about gratitude. Ask students: What are you thankful for? How can we show gratitude every day, not just on Thanksgiving? This sets the tone for deeper reflection during the activities that follow, as students think about the importance of giving and sharing.  Thanksgiving-Themed Literacy CentersIntegrating Thanksgiving themes into literacy activities provides students with the opportunity to develop reading, writing, and vocabulary skills in a creative and festive way. Below are some differentiated activities designed for varying ability levels: 1. Word Work Center: Turkey Scramble In this fun center, students unscramble Thanksgiving-themed words like "turkey," "harvest," and "gratitude," then use those words in sentences. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Provide simpler words and a word bank for support. For on-level learners: Use medium-difficulty words and ask students to create complete sentences. For advanced learners: Introduce complex words like "celebration" or "bountiful" and have students write a paragraph incorporating multiple words. 2. Creative Writing Center: Story Starters Using Thanksgiving-themed prompts, students create their own short stories. Prompts like, "On Thanksgiving morning, I found a talking turkey..." spark creativity and narrative skills. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Provide sentence starters and picture prompts to help with writing. For on-level learners: Focus on developing a clear beginning, middle, and end. For advanced learners: Challenge students to include dialogue, advanced vocabulary, and detailed descriptions.  3. Reading Comprehension Center: Thanksgiving Close Reading Students read a Thanksgiving-themed passage and answer comprehension questions about themes like gratitude and giving. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Provide shorter, simpler passages and picture support. For on-level learners: Ask more inferential comprehension questions. For advanced learners: Introduce more complex passages and ask open-ended questions about the theme.  Thanksgiving-Themed Math CentersMath activities can also be tied into the Thanksgiving theme, offering students a chance to practice problem-solving, estimation, fractions, and measurement while keeping the holiday spirit alive. These activities are differentiated to challenge all levels of learners: 1. Math Relay: Turkey Trot Students work in teams to solve Thanksgiving-themed math problems, such as calculating the total cost of a feast or solving multi-step word problems about the holiday. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Use basic addition and subtraction with single-digit numbers, offering manipulatives like counters for support. For on-level learners: Incorporate two-digit problems and simple word problems. For advanced learners: Introduce multi-step problems that involve multiplication, division, or larger numbers. 2. Fraction Center: Pumpkin Pie Fraction Matching Students match pie visuals divided into different fractions with the corresponding numbers, practicing their fraction skills. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Focus on simpler fractions, like halves and thirds, and use visuals to support learning. For on-level learners: Compare and order more complex fractions, like fourths and eighths. For advanced learners: Introduce mixed fractions and have students place fractions on a number line or convert between fractions and decimals.  3. Data and Graphing Center: Thanksgiving Graphing After collecting data on favorite Thanksgiving foods or traditions through a classroom survey, students create graphs to represent the data. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Provide pre-made tally marks and help students create simple bar graphs. For on-level learners: Let students create their own graphs and analyze the data. For advanced learners: Encourage students to collect more complex data and create multiple types of graphs, such as pie charts, asking them to infer and analyze their findings. 4. Measurement Center: Thanksgiving Feast Estimation Students estimate and measure the weight, length, or volume of Thanksgiving-related items, like toy turkeys, cranberries, or pumpkins. Differentiation: For struggling learners: Use simpler items to estimate and measure, such as measuring length with a ruler or counting objects. For on-level learners: Have students measure multiple items and compare estimates to actual measurements. For advanced learners: Challenge students with unit conversions or multi-step problems, such as finding the total weight of a group of items. Emphasizing Gratitude and GivingTo tie everything together, create a Thanksgiving Gratitude Wall where students can post things they are thankful for. This can be incorporated into your literacy center by having students write their responses on paper leaves or feathers and attach them to a large tree or turkey display in the classroom. Encourage the children to think about ways they can give back during this season of gratitude. Perhaps as a class, you can take on a community project such as collecting canned goods for a food drive or creating thank-you cards for school staff or local first responders.  Thanksgiving provides a wonderful opportunity to engage students in both academic learning and life lessons about giving and gratitude. By incorporating these Thanksgiving-themed centers into your literacy and math instruction, you can create a dynamic classroom environment that is festive, educational, and meaningful. And by offering differentiated activities, you can ensure that all students are challenged and supported, making the Thanksgiving season a memorable learning experience for everyone.  Here's a sampler of a writing and math activity that you can try out. I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving season.  Related Posts
Back to school time can be exciting, or stressful and overwhelming. Kids are full of energy and not in routine mode any more. Some will be excited and eager to get back to school, but others may be anxious or unmotivated to be back. Nowadays teachers often do some basic planning to get started the first few weeks, but with all the possible changes to class configurations due to budgets and enrolment, it doesn't always work to do extensive planning too early. Here is a roundup of some resources that can help with first weeks planning for primary grades. They cover several different subject areas.  Back to School First Weeks ActivitiesThese 6 different resources help with getting started and engaging kids while reviewing some basic skills. They are a collection of games, worksheets, task cards and activities.
Back to School Classroom ManagementEffective classroom management is key for creating a positive and successful learning environment. Here are some tools for helping to create a caring and respectful environment in your classroom.
SELBack to school SEL activities are important as well. Here are a few different resources that might help to promote a positive attitude in your classroom. For more specific SEL resources, check out these social stories and activities.
Back to School MathThis set has basic fact sheets for addition and subtraction, place value activities, glyphs, fact family worksheets, and several other review activities to help kids review basic skills and concepts.
Back to School ScienceScience experiments are fun to do and help develop the different components of the scientific method. This kit includes experiments, a scientific method poster, some amazing weather facts posters, a plant life cycle and needs resource, a bean plant journal, a life cycle of an apple resource and animal research templates.
Back to School LiteracyGet literacy activities that focus on word development, parts of speech, vocabulary, idioms, writing using the five senses, and looking for evidence when reading with this kit. These are fun activities and task cards that are sure to engage students as they practice these skills.
The Ultimate Primary Teachers Ready To Go KitIf you would like to have a resource that contains all the above items you should check out the Ultimate Primary Teachers Ready To Go Kit. It has 65+ resources to make your prep easy and can be used to jumpstart your new school year. It can also be a go to kit for unexpected situations when you need to have someone take over your class.
The Ready To Go Sampler KitIf you aren't sure about getting the whole kit or you only want a few items from a variety of subjects, try out this sampler kit. It gives you a few activities for back to school, classroom management, literacy, math, science, self esteem, team building, and brain breaks.
If you are wanting a good start to your year that doesn't have you stressed out or overwhelmed with planning give one or more of these resources a try. The previews also have some sample pages to use. Check them out in my TPT store. I wish you a happy and successful school year. Happy teaching.  Related Post Summer time is supposed to be fun, but we don't want kids to stop learning for a couple of months so here are some ideas to keep the learning happening while enjoying the summer break. Many of these ideas can be used throughout the year as well. Math happens all around us, but we often overlook it. There are so many different real world activities that can be done that involve math. Here are a few ideas to try.  Measurement activitiesCooking and baking are great ways to practice using measurement and then enjoying the food afterwards. When measuring ingredients, kids get practice with fractions, addition, multiplication, and division. They also get to learn about temperatures. For more measurement practice, use rulers, tape measures, or measuring cups to measure objects around the house. Compare lengths, weights, and volumes to practice measurement skills.  Outdoors activitiesKids love to be outdoors during the summer, so take advantage of that time to incorporate some math activities. Sports is a great way to do math. Kids can keep score, calculate averages, and measure times and distances. For example, how far they can throw a ball or how long they can run. Get out into nature with math. Kids can collect natural items like leaves, rocks, or flowers and use them for counting, sorting, and pattern-making activities. They can explore concepts like symmetry and classification. They could also do a math scavenger hunt where they look for different shapes, patterns, and objects.  Working With MoneyThere are a few different ways that money lessons and practice can be done. Here are some ideas to consider. 1. Create a store and practice counting money, making change, and budgeting. 2. Go shopping. Give the kids a budget and let them help with making a shopping list, comparing prices, and calculating totals. 3. Do a yard sale and let the kids have an area or table where they can sell some of their things. Let them take responsibility for handling the money for their sales. They could also have a lemonade stand or sell cookies as part of this activity.  Physical activitiesAdding movement or physical activity to math can help reinforce concepts in a fun way. Here are some ideas to consider. 1. Use jumping rope, clapping games, or songs to practice skip counting and multiplication tables. 2. Solve math problems while playing hopscotch. 3. Do some timed running activities and practice graphing the results afterwards.  Critical thinking/Spatial reasoning activitiesBeing able to think critically and reason spatially are skills that require practice. Jigsaw puzzles and games of logic work well here. Many board game activities can also work. Building things also helps. Here are a few ideas to try. 1. Use building toys like LEGO or blocks to explore geometry and spatial reasoning. Challenge children to build specific shapes or structures and discuss their properties. 2. Solve number puzzles and riddles together. You can find these in puzzle books or online, and they help with logical thinking and problem-solving skills. 3. Work on jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, or other logic puzzles that require spatial reasoning and critical thinking.  This is only a small sampling of things that can be done to incorporate math activities into real world situations while having fun. They will enjoy doing these kinds of activities and reinforce or maintain their skills without them even realizing it. After all, summer is supposed to be a break from school so doing lots of worksheets and math lessons is not really the way to get the kids engaged when they just want to get outdoors and enjoy their break.  Related Posts
Track and field season is here and kids are training and competing for their schools. Younger children may not be competing yet, but they still may be attending track meets or doing some activities that are similar. This is a great time to take measurement outdoors.  Measurement Activities For Track And FieldMost of the events in track and field have to do with distance, length or height specifically. This is a good time to talk about bigger distances than that of a ruler or small tape measure. Of course, those lengths are also important to learn and practice. On the track, there are shorter races and longer races. There are 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m etc. races. Some of those distances are pretty long for younger children so they may only try the shorter ones. For older students, they are able to go even beyond those distances.  For younger children, shorter distances can be used. These could be measured out with a trundle wheel in the school yard. Different races can then be held. it might be fun to add in some fun races like 3 legged races and potato sack races.  For long jump and high jump, the distances jumped are measured. These distances are shorter, so they are measured with measuring tapes or on the high jump standards. If shot put is included, this would be measured by how far the shot put is thrown, so a measuring tape would be used for this as well. Field events are measured in meters and centimeters.  Time Measurement OutdoorsWhen doing track events or other races, not only is it fun to see who wins the race, but how fast they are. This is an opportunity to practice measuring time using stopwatches. Doing multiple races encourages kids to better their times and focus on their personal bests instead of just being first across the line.  Team events can also be fun to do. Check out these outdoor measurement team activities that use standard measure. They can be fun to do and require just a few pieces of equipment.  Outdoor Measurement Activities For Area And PerimeterPerimeter and area can be done with standard and non-standard measurement units. After doing some practice in the classroom with grids and units, it could be fun to get outdoors and try to use measuring tapes or trundle wheels to measure bigger areas or perimeters. If there's a fence surrounding the school yard, this could be measured in sections to figure out the perimeter. The area of the playground or the school field could be measured as well. Measuring the perimeter of the school could also be done. It may require doing it in chunks and recording it on graph paper to figure out the actual perimeter as many schools are not rectangular.  Some Other Measurement IdeasMeasuring Tape Exploration: Provide the kids with measuring tapes and let them explore different objects in the outdoor environment. Encourage them to measure the length of benches, fences, tree branches, or any other objects they find interesting. Footstep Measurement: Have the kids measure distances using their footsteps as a unit of measurement. For example, challenge them to measure the length of a path by counting how many footsteps it takes to walk from one end to the other.  These are only a few different ideas for using measurement outdoors. Depending on your surroundings, there are many opportunities to use both standard and non-standard measurement outside to connect skills and concepts with the real world. Have some fun with your students while exploring some of these ideas. Related Posts
Money is a necessary commodity in our lives, but it's a difficult concept for many children to understand. Because we are living in a plastic world, children don't always get to see and handle real money anymore. This makes it even more difficult for them to understand how to handle it and use it correctly. It is up to us as teachers to help them understand the importance of money and how to count it, earn it, pay for things with it, and make change when needed. This can be a daunting task unless we use concrete examples and situations.  Recognizing Coins And Their ValuesRecognizing coins and understanding their values is one of the first things that needs to be taught. There are many different resources available for doing this, but it's important to make sure that kids get to actually see and handle the coins or play money that looks like the coins as they practice identifying them and stating their values. In Canada, we use the terms penny, nickel, dime, and quarter for the smaller values. It's amazing how many kids don't know which are which. I get questions like, "Is that the beaver, or the sailboat?" They examine the coins looking for clues as to how much each is worth. I suspect it is the same with kids in The United States. They may have different symbols on the coins, but the confusion still happens.  Resources for identifying and counting moneyHere are some resources I created to help kids identify different coins and bills, recognize their values, and count money. There are Canadian and American versions as well as Boom cards versions for those wanting digital resources.
It's important to make sure that these resources are used with many different hands on opportunities to manipulate the money and look at it closely so that the connection can be made to the abstract examples of images and questions.  Resources for applying the skillsApplying the skills of counting, earning, and spending money is a necessary part of learning to handle money. I have created some resources to practice doing this. Note: Café Élisa is in French.
Learning about debit cards and moneyBecause we live in a world of plastic currency, it's important to make sure children understand that money is still exchanging hands and there must be money available in order to use the debit card. I created this unit to help kids better understand this and to provide opportunities for them to earn money and keep track of what was going in and out of their bank accounts.  Other money mattersCredit cards are another type of spending that adults use, but I didn't address this specifically with my students. It's a much bigger deal to explain debt and should be dealt with, but I feel it's best done in detail as kids get older. Taxes are another part of money skills that needs to be addressed. This will require separate instruction to better understand how to calculate it and allow for an extra cost when calculating what money is needed to purchase things. There's nothing worse than getting to the checkout and discovering you are short of money because of the added taxes. Kids need to be exposed to this in teaching about money so that they aren't disappointed when they go to buy something and don't have enough money. I have not specifically addressed this in any of my resources, but it's a necessary element to at least mention to younger children when teaching about spending money.  Even in a mostly electronic economy, it's important to be able to handle actual money for situations where cash is needed. Hopefully some of these resources will help with preparing your students for the monetary world out there. Check out some of my money bundles for more resources and extra savings.  Related Posts
Do your students know much about money and how to count it, earn it, or use it for spending? Can they make change? Do they realize that they have to have money in the bank in order to use a bank card? All of these actions are necessary if they are to be able to handle money responsibly in life.  I recently worked with some students in grades 4 and 5 who had great difficulty with identifying coins, counting money, and making change. It was important to start at the beginning and work through different skills one at a time to help them understand how money worked.  A few years ago, there was a Young Entrepreneurs event at our school. The grade 6 classes created items for sale and they learned all about creating a budget, purchasing materials, determining prices to earn a profit, and how to work with money. When I saw this in action, I decided to try a modified event with my grade 3 class. We created items for sale and we did a Spring Fundraiser for a special field trip. This took a lot of preparation, but it was a huge success. Check out more here.  In order to make sure my students understood how money worked and how to handle it, we worked together and created this unit. I created the main outline and framework, and then added touches and refined it as we worked through the different lessons. I was amazed at how much they learned and how well they were able to work with money as a result. Part of the process included understanding how to handle money in a variety of situations. I created a bunch of scenarios for counting money, making change, earning money, spending money, and saving money. This led to the creation of Kid Themed Money Word Problems.  I have used these task cards a few times since and every time they have helped kids to make connections that help them understand how money works.  If you are looking for ways to help your students better understand how money works and how to use it effectively, check out these two resources. They work! Next time I will share some other ideas and resources for working with money. Related Posts
Welcome to the magical world of winter, where snow-covered landscapes become the perfect canvas for learning geometry in a fun and interactive way! Embrace the winter wonderland with these six delightful winter activities that blend the magic of snow with fundamental geometry concepts. Engage your young learners in hands-on, snowy adventures that make geometry come alive in the chilly outdoors.  Snowy Geometric SculpturesTurn the snowy outdoors into a geometric playground with snowy geometric sculptures! Provide children with guides for shapes like cubes, spheres, cylinders, rectangular prisms, and cones. Watch as their creativity takes flight, molding these shapes into artistic snow sculptures. As they build, engage in conversations about the properties and names of the shapes, making geometry come alive in a winter wonderland.  Snowy 3D Shapes Hide And SeekTurn the snowy outdoors into a treasure hunt for 3D shapes. Hide various objects like cones, cylinders, cubes, rectangular prisms, and spheres in the snow. Children can search for these shapes and then discuss their attributes. They can also match them to corresponding shapes on a worksheet. This activity combines the excitement of a scavenger hunt with shape recognition and introduces the concept of 3-dimensional shapes in a playful way.  Snowy Geometric PatternsMake some stencils of different pattern block shapes. Provide children with colored water in spray bottles and patterns. Have them make various patterns in the snow by spraying the colored water onto the snow through the stencils.This hands-on activity combines patterning with geometry exploration. Symmetry SnowmenInstead of just making snowmen, ask the children to create symmetrical snowmen, ensuring that each side mirrors the other. Discuss symmetry and encourage creativity as they adorn their snowmen with natural materials. This activity introduces symmetry in a fun and imaginative way.  Snowman MeasurementBuild snowmen with different-sized body parts, such as small, medium, and large snowballs for the head, body, and base. Discuss size comparisons and measurement as children arrange the snowballs. You can also incorporate simple measuring tools like rulers or non-standard items (e.g., twigs) to measure the height of their snow creations.  Winter Puzzles Using Pattern BlocksSometimes the weather doesn't cooperate and it's necessary to take winter activities indoor. Here's a great activity to try. Create some winter puzzles that can be constructed using pattern blocks. Trace a pattern block design on a transparent page or sheet protector and place it over a completed winter puzzle. Take a picture and print it on cardstock. Then cut it out and put it into a baggie to save it. Print another picture and place it in the baggie. Use the shapes and the picture to rebuild the puzzle.  By integrating geometry and measurement into winter activities, children can develop a deeper understanding of these mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way. These activities promote hands-on learning, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills for young learners.  *Let the snowy outdoors be your classroom as you embark on these geometry adventures. Bundle up, head outside, and let the snowy math extravaganza begin! Related Posts Winter provides a magical and snowy backdrop for engaging and educational activities in the classroom. As primary teachers, incorporating measurement into winter-themed lessons can make learning more fun and engaging for young students. Check out 7 creative measurement activities that will not only capture the imagination of your students but also blend math and science ideas. Snowman Size ChallengeKids love building snowmen, so why not bring the fun into the classroom. Have your students build the snowmen just outside the classroom so they can see them throughout the day. If you add in some math and science, it will make the activity even more fun. Task: Get your students to measure the circumference of the different parts of their snowmen and then compare the results with their classmates. Math focus: measuring the size of different parts of a snowman helps with understanding shapes and sizes. Science focus: Observing the structure of the snowman introduces basic geometric principles. Fun thought: The snowman's middle could be as wide as a bear hug!  Snow Depth InvestigationsWhen the snow falls, it doesn't fall evenly. it can be varying depths due to wind, landscape and nearby structures or trees. Task: Take advantage of this winter landscape by measuring the depth of snow in various locations. Students can use rulers to measure snow depth on the driveway, grass, under trees, and in snowdrifts. This activity not only teaches measurement skills but also encourages observation and data collection. Math focus: Using rulers to check how deep the snow is in different places, helps teach about numbers and spatial concepts. Science focus: Comparing snow depth in different locations encourages the understanding of weather patterns and how snow accumulates. Fun fact: The snow on the grass is like a fluffy pillow, while the snowdrifts resemble magical mountains.  Winter Temperature StudyBraving the cold to measure temperatures on snow days is exciting for kids. As the wind howls and the snowflakes dance, students can collect temperatures and then use the data to make comparisons. Task: Explore the winter weather and record temperatures on snow days and compare them with non-snow days. Include the windchill factor. Math focus: Recording and comparing temperatures involves analyzing and interpreting data. Science focus: Understand the impact of windchill and how it makes the temperature feel colder.  Winter Themed BakingCombine the joy of winter with the excitement of baking by creating winter-themed treats. Task: Practice following recipes and using precise measurements to make some delicious snacks. Math focus: Precise measurements in baking emphasize the importance of accurate calculations. Science focus: The baking process shows the transformation of ingredients, introducing basic chemistry concepts.  Weight Of Different Snow TypesKids are excited to learn that different types of snow have different weights and why this is so. Task: Compare the weight of flaky, packed, and wet snow. Math focus: Weighing different types of snow involves understanding units of measurement and comparing weights. Science focus: Exploring the weight of snow types connects to the physical properties of water in different states. Fun fact: Packed snow feels like a heavy snowball, while flaky snow is as light as a snowflake gently falling from the sky and weighs very little.  Snow Angel Wing Span MeasurementTake your students outdoors for some winter fun by making snow angels. After creating their snowy masterpieces, have them measure the wing spans of their snow angels. This activity combines creativity with measurement, making it a memorable and enjoyable experience for students. Task: Make snow angels and measure the wing spans. Math focus: Measuring wing spans involves comparing lengths and learning about spatial relationships Science focus: Creating snow angels introduces the physics of body imprints and the impact of pressure on snow.  Melting Snow Volume ExperimentThe grand finale of our winter measurement activities is a melting snow experiment. Task: Explore the concept of volume by measuring the amount of snow in a bucket before and after it melts. Math focus: Measuring volume requires understanding of units and how they relate to three-dimensional space. Science focus: This experiment allows students to witness the transformation of a solid (snow) into a liquid (water) while practicing measurement and observation skills.  Winter provides a unique opportunity to make measurement activities in the classroom exciting and relevant for primary students. By delving into these winter measurement activities, students not only strengthen their math skills but also develop a deeper appreciation for the science that surrounds them in the winter wonderland. The joy of discovery is not just in the snowflakes but in the math and science concepts that come to life during these hands-on adventures.  Winter measurement activities aren't just about numbers and rulers; they're about creating lasting memories and instilling a love for learning. As primary teachers, let's embrace the enchantment of the season and turn our classrooms into snowy laboratories where every measurement tells a tale of winter wonder. The joy in their eyes and the laughter in the air will be the true measures of success in your winter measurement adventures. Related Posts |
About Me Charlene Sequeira
I am a wife, mother of 4, grandmother of 9, and a retired primary and music teacher. I love working with kids and continue to volunteer at school and teach ukulele. 
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