The Greatest Sum - an Addition Game with Strategy and Fun!

Here's a game my students have been playing for years called The Greatest Sum! I've put it together with lots of variations!

 

The basic game is played with two 2-digit numbers. The children choose one number square at a time, and decide where to place it on their boards. It takes them only a short time to figure out they should put the greater numbers in the tens column, and the lower numbers in the ones column. You can use the numbers included in this package, or you can use tiles, cubes, or other interesting manipulatives and write the numerals 0-9 on them, as I have done in these pictures.

Here's how to play:

1. Place the tiles (or number squares) face down between 2 "Greatest Sum" boards.

 

2. The first player takes a tile and places it in one of the squares on his board. That player should think about which square might bring them the greatest sum, since he isn't allowed to move it once he lets go!

 

3. Play continues between the two players until all squares on both boards are filled.

 

4. Which player has the greatest sum? Players may use paper & pencil, whiteboards, number grids, a calculator, or mental math to determine each round's winner. (Teacher's choice!)

As you can see in this preview, there are plenty of variations to this game!

Explore the image or explore this link: The Greatest Sum

Which player had the greatest sum?

Election Day Options for Little Learners

I'm tired of watching the attack ads all over the TV, my phone ringing constantly, getting flyer after flyer in the mail, and the signs all over town. Luckily, this campaign season is almost over, thank goodness!

 

 

 I also think it's important to teach the importance of the election to the little ones. But in a gentler, kinder fashion.

We vote for our favorite indoor recess game! See the above image or see HERE for this freebie for Election Day. It includes ballots, graphs, and suggestions for the day.

We've been working on common and proper nouns, so I've cooked up this matching game with an election theme. I find ANY special day makes learning more fun, doesn't it? This set has several options, including a board game. You can learn more about this set HERE, or by see the image.

Kids always need brain breaks, and squeezing in a little patriotism doesn't hurt! See the image or see HERE to download this Dollar Deal!

Here are a few books I've found with an election theme.

Don't forget the Patriotic Music!

How do you honor election day with your little ones?

The "Summer Games" are Complete!

I made it through the last week of school by celebrating the Academic Olympic Summer Games. (See THIS POST)

 

 

We had an exciting week, starting with our Opening Ceremonies!

We marched up and down each hallway with our flags and banners. The Olympic torch led the parade, and the American flag was at the end. (The USA was the "host country"!) Other countries include: Japan, Italy, France, Mexico, and Canada. (It just so happens I had flags to represent those countries, and a very old CD that has the National Anthems of each country, which was needed for the medal ceremonies! We came back to the classroom, read the Academic Summer Games Oath and Creed, and said that famous phrase: 

"Let the Games Begin!"

I wish you could see the pride in their faces!

We had many medal competitions during the week. Yes, medals were given daily for behavior, plus there were competitions in sight word reading, math facts, group scoot games, memory games, and brainstorming games. We recited the creed daily, along with the Pledge of Allegiance and our school's promise!

For a sampler copy of this, and a few other related items, check out this resource: 

Their banners and some of their medals:

Canada!

France and Italy!

Japan and Mexico!

Honestly, there were double this many medals by the Closing Ceremony!

I think everyone's favorite part was when we had medal ceremonies, which was a lot!

Yes, I actually let the kiddos stand on desks!

Again, I wish you could see the pride in their faces!

Finally, it was time to "sail home", from the U.S.A. back to Japan, Italy, France, Mexico, and Canada! The children made ships from milk cartons and various "S.T.E.M." materials and set sail.

I confess, I didn't get any pictures of the real ships they decorated. This photo was from a Summer Themed Week we had a few years ago, that you can read about HERE. Their ships were far more colorful and elaborate! I couldn't be prouder!

A few other "Olympic-related" resources that might interest you:

 

Academic Summer Games Activities: Team Building

Academic Summer Games: Math Task Cards

Academic Summer Games: No Prep Activities

February Books, Resources, and Deals!

Can you believe February is upon us? 

I've got a bunch of ideas to help you get ready!

Groundhog Day is February second. Will that groundhog see his shadow? Well, here's a groundhog that can predict the weather! (Amazon affiliate.)

• Groundhog Weather School: Fun Facts about Groundhogs and Weather.

Here's a collection of Groundhog learning activities the kiddos will love:

Groundhog Mini-bundle

The image will bring you to the bundle, but you can also grab individual resources if you prefer.

Have you had Day 100? Ours will be this Wednesday. Here's a great Day 100 book! (Amazon affiliate.)

• 100th Day Worries

This is a game that challenges my second graders, and they love it! 

Mental Math 100: Adding and Subtracting Hundreds

This is a great activity if you're going to be out: easy directions, and the kiddos LOVE it! And it's great for developing their number sense.  Here's another Day 100 activity for "older" kiddos to practice sets of 100 Count to 1,000 Booklet.

And a Day 100 Dollar Deal for active kids...just see the image! Beanie Toss to 100

Guess what else is coming soon... Mardi Gras! These worksheets, games, and activities will keep them busy AND learning! Mardi Gras No Prep Activities: Literacy and Math

Valentine's Day is the same week! Here's my VERY favorite book to read on Valentine's Day! This one will warm your heart and the kid's hearts as well! (Amazon affiliate.)

• Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch!

And a Valentine's Day Dollar Deal!

Two Valentine's Day Mini-Books

Here are a few fun books for Presidents Day! (Amazon affiliates.)

• Arthur Meets the President
• Who Was Abraham Lincoln?
• Who Was George Washington?

          

Here's a game to help your kids remember which American holiday is which! Which Patriotic Holiday?

Here are plenty of activities for the kids with an American President theme! President's Day Games and Activities

Want to make life a whole lot easier and grab a big bargain?  Here's a bundle with several different activities

February Bundle!

Hope these items help you get through February!

Holiday Magic!

The holidays will be here before you know it! 

I've been putting my holiday resources in order, and here are a few that will keep the kiddos engaged, along with some fun learning as well! (Just like magic!)

 

 

Here's one of my favorite collections: Science and Social Studies Printables for December!

This has all sorts of Science and Social Studies activities! It's got close reads on the aurora borealis and the north pole, a mapping activity about the North Pole, classifying animals by habitats, science activities on holiday scents and the effect of marshmallows on hot chocolate, and there's even a civics activity on elf laws!

Here's a great way to start each day with the children thinking!

 

These Morning Meeting Greeting Questions can be displayed each morning for discussion,  or printed for written responses. Every day has a totally different question, based on the calendar and unusual national holidays!

The kiddos won't even know they're having learning experiences, they'll be having so much fun!

Holiday No Prep Printables has loads of Math and Literacy activities that are just perfect for those few days just before the holidays, when you're trying to keep them focused, but all they want to do is talk about the upcoming holidays! This collection will perform its holiday magic on the kiddos!

Drawing Holiday Conclusions is a favorite of my students! These task cards can be used as a center, as part of a Scoot game, or as skill practice in a reading group. This is always a hit!

Finally, one of my favorite freebies! This resource is totally magical! The children LOVE to listen to the music of the Nutcracker and visualize the storyline. Their pictures are delightful, and it's always a peaceful time while they listen and illustrate. (Sh... don't tell them they are practicing important reading skills like visualizing and sequencing a story!)

I hope these resources bring some magic to your holiday season!

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain!

This is an awesome read for the first day of school!

 

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D is appropriate for kids K-3.

 

If you've ever read my blog before, you'll know that I am absolutely fascinated by the brain and how it works. This book explains how the brain works in kid-friendly language! 

It tells the specific parts of the brain and the specific jobs they have, and how each brain is different, which makes us all uniquely different. 

I particularly love the part that discusses things that kids have learned, such as playing soccer, that were hard at first, but with practice, got easier! They might have even made mistakes, but the mistakes helped them learn!

If that's all it was about, this book could be used any time of year. The reason this makes a great beginning-of-the-year book is because it tells the reader they can stretch their own brain! 

Who wouldn't want to stretch their brain? 

Isn't that our job as teachers? To stretch their brains?

(I refuse to believe that our job is to have the kiddos score well on tests!)

I feel it's our job as teachers to teach the children to be better learners,  and to stretch their brains as much as they can!  

That leads me to this fun resource, based on this awesome book.

It has some activities to let the children tell what's already in their brain, a chance to challenge their brains a bit more, and a few coloring pages to give them a chance to think about their brains! See the image or see HERE for the link to this fun resource! Enjoy! I Can Stretch My Brain!