DIY Beaded Number Lines

I'm so excited to be linking up with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for my first Monday Made It of the summer! I'm a HUGE procrastinator so having a Monday dead line really helps ensure I actually get some things crossed off of my to-do list! 

This week I am most excited about my beaded number lines. What are beaded number lines you ask? They are a fabulous tool used for counting, skip counting, adding (composing), subtracting(decomposing), rounding, place value (groups of tens and ones) and so much more. 

I first learned about this tool when Dr. Nicki Newton came to my school district and presented to the math specialists. Sadly, I wasn't invited :( 

I chose to make 6 beaded number lines so that I could use them with my small groups. If I was still teaching first grade, I may go ahead and make a whole class set... My math specialist said the kids could make them but I am too type A for that on summer vacation. My kids did help me make them but I made sure they counted after each set of 10 to ensure they had the proper amount of beads. I don't want my math tools to confuse any children! 

• To make the number lines I used 2 packages of pony beads {2 different colors}
• Para cord (though you could use shoelaces or lanyard) Be sure you don't get anything too thick.
• Small jump rings (for storage purposes)

Step 1: tie a double knot at the bottom of a 2-yard piece of string. I used paracord because it was inexpensive and in the same isle as the pony beads at Hobby Lobby #winning. Shoelaces work well because they are easy to thread the bead onto but they are more costly. I put a small piece of scotch tape on the end where I was adding the beads since the cord frayed a bit where it had been cut.

Step 2: alternate adding sets of 10 beads. I put 100 beads on each string but the first grade teachers on my campus may choose to use 120 since they will be using this as a counting tool. 

Step 3: double knot the top end of the string to a jump ring. This way you can hang all the number lines on a command hook for easy, tangle free storage! 

That's it! Easy peasy. My kids were mad I only needed six number lines. They each made 3 in about 20 minutes. 

Using a Beaded Number Line from Karen Richardson on Vimeo.

I also made my first video tutorial and several new TpT products.

I created and posted this 65 page editable Back to School presentation. I also finally got around to updating and listing this "Thanks for popping in" labels. 

Thanks for stopping by today! Please comment below to let me know if you ever heard of a beaded number line.  Do you think it could be useful in your classroom? I'd love to hear from you!

Monday Made It : Pinspired

Hi friends. It has been FOR*EV*ER (I just channeled my inner Sandlot voice). I have lots of reasons I haven't blogged in about a year but I'll save those for another post. Today, I'll start simple and link up with 4th Grade Frolics with a Monday Made It post!!

Click here to check out the other Made It ideas

The hubs and I are getting ready to sell our house and we have been working REALLY hard to get the house ready. I am not a decorator - it stresses me out when I walk into stores with decor... I want everything but I don't know where it should go, what it matches, etc... So, our house was pretty bare and I wanted to add some small touches to make it feel warm and inviting.

First up, a 5 minute pinspired table runner. Literally, walked into Hobby Lobby, bought the two widths of burlap ribbon, laid it on the table and cut to fit. A simple $10 project that makes a nice impact when you enter our home!

Secondly, a pinspired wreath for the front door. I bought 2 green flowers, one cream rose and a wooden initial. It took me all of 10 minutes to add the flowers with floral wire and glue on the letter!

There you have it, Monday made-it pinspired edition. Hopefully I can get my groove back and make some classroom stuff too.

Monday Made It: Teacher Toolkit Times Two

Did you enjoy my alliteration? I just can't seem to be on time with my blog posts this summer :( Anyway, as the title states, I am linking up with Tara again for another Monday Made It. 

I was estatic at the end of the school year when a good teacher friend of mine surprised me with two different toolkits! She purchased this one, which is actually made to store nails/screws

source (Mine actually has 30 drawers but I can't find it online)

and this one!

source

I have great friends, right?? I saw these toolkits all last summer and didn't think I would need one. I changed my mind. I got really tired of running from my small group table all the way across the room to my desk every time I needed something. This little guy is going to live on a self behind my guided reading table so I will have supplies close by wherever I am! I am planning a superhero theme this year and here is what I came up with. A quick coat of black spray paint and it looks perfect!

 The next toolkit (the one meant for nails) is also going to live right by my guided reading table. It will hold letter tiles (like the ones below) so that I can easily hand out and put away letters for word work!

click on the picture to see them at Lakeshore

There you have it! I am loving seeing all the other ideas but like many of you, my to do list keeps getting longer and longer! See you next week.. I am already working so hopefully I can be on time! 

Monday Made It: End of Year Gifts

So excited to be back participating in Monday Made It! I tried to make something each week the past summer but my year was so crazy, I just stopped crafting. Summer is here again, and I am back!

First up - gifts for my room moms. I got the idea from this pin. Grab yourself an ice cream container, add some tissue paper and a gift card and call it a day. Easy but a crowd pleaser!

Next up - adorable (if I do say so myself) gift card clutches made from scrapbook paper. Click here to see the step-by-step directions from Crafting Rebellion. Super easy and it makes giving the gift card a little more personalized. These were so easy to make and the kid's teachers loved them! My daughter's teacher has her whole classroom decorated in red and zebra.... my son's teacher doesn't have a theme so I had to go with the awesome chevron. I just added a blinged up buckle to make it a little more purse like. 

Lastly, I wanted to give my team a little something since I am moving to a new grade. Words can not express how much I adore the five women I had the pleasure of working with everyday. I had my most challenging year yet, and I leaned on them so much! We laughed, cried, and everything in-between. This pin and this bucket-filler poem were my inspiration but I had to change it up a bit to fit. 

Here is the poem up close. (The watermark with my blog name wasn't on it!) I just cut it out and attached it to a wooden skewer with glue. 

I can't wait to see what you all made! Happy Monday (my first one of the summer- yippee)