A New Twist on an Old Favorite

My students LOVE hundreds chart mystery pictures, which is why I've created so many of them.  They love racing to see who can figure out the hidden picture first, they love coloring the pages, and they love working in teams to solve the puzzles.  Change things up a little with addition and subtraction?  Sure!  Solve mystery pictures with base 10 blocks?  Cool!  Recently I came up with a whole new way to do hundreds charts and it is a game changer: in the hundreds pocket chart!

Now I'm asking myself why I didn't think of it before.  We know students need a lot of time and practice understanding 2 digit numbers, but they don't always need paper and pencil tasks.  Somehow they're always ready for hands on active learning though, and my students really love getting to work at the pocket charts.  That works well for me too - I love how little space it takes to use a vertical surface for a center, and that it frees up table tops for things that can't go vertical.

Want to see how these work?  Easy-peasy!

Step 1: print number cards on colored paper.

Step 2: cut on straight lines.

Step 3: have students put them in the hundreds pocket chart!

I like to use these as math centers, assigning 3-5 students at a time to work on solving the puzzle together, but that's not the only option!  You can use these puzzles as a class reward too - each time a student is caught being wonderful, you can give them a number to add to the chart.  When it's completed you can give a reward, or solving the puzzle can be the reward.  Want to use them as a whole class game?  Give each student a blank 100s chart, shuffle the cards for a puzzle, then project the cards one at a time as students find and color the number on their charts!

It's easy to differentiate these puzzles too - you can start with an empty hundreds chart and challenge students to figure out where each number belongs (click Papa Bear for video):

or you can start with some or all of the numbers showing so students only need to match the numbers (click big bad wolf for video).

You may be wondering how I store all these hundreds pocket charts, especially since each one has 100 pieces.  I've come up with several different storage solutions, which all start with one extra card - a picture card of the completed puzzle (I include these in the sets I make).  I put it on the top of the pile of cards for each puzzle, so the puzzles are only mysteries to the children - not to me!

At first I used rubber bands to keep each set together, and stored them in a small box.

I've also used small baggies, binder clips, and even empty candy tins (I do like Altoids!).

I think I found my favorite solution yet at the Target Dollar Spot: divided plastic boxes.  Check these out, they are absolutely perfect!

So now I have my hundreds pocket charts stored by theme in these divided boxes.  I can easily find just what I want, and my students can get hands on practice with 2 digit numbers as often as we need it!  Can you see why this is my new favorite math station?

                                                                                                   Thank you for stopping by!
                                                                                                                      Paula

If you like the idea of using hundreds pocket charts, but don't have time to make them yourself, I'd be honored if you'd consider the growing selection available in my TeachersPayTeachers store.

3 astonishingly easy ways to engage your kids in clean up

Kids engaged in clean up?  Yeah, right!  No-one wants to stop playing to clean up at home or at school - they'd rather play all day.

True, most children would rather play than clean up, but it doesn't have to be an either / or situation - clean up can be playful!  Don't believe me?  After more than 25 years of working with young children, I've learned a trick or two or three, and today I'm going to share them with you!

Clean up trick #1:  The Magic Trash
I learned this trick my first year teaching, when a colleague shared it with me.  When it's time for clean up, just announce that there is a piece of magic trash waiting to be cleaned up, and watch your children scramble to find it!  Sometimes I'd offer a prize - at my school it was golden tickets - but no prize is needed if you engage with the kids to make it fun.  Say things like, "No-one has found it yet!", "____ you were close a minute ago!", or "Keep looking!"  If you're excited and engaged, the children will be too.  Make a big deal out of the "winner" who found it, and everyone will want to be the one who finds the magic trash next time.

Clean up trick #2:  Cinderella's step-mother
Which popular princess starts out by doing a whole lot of clean up?  Cinderella, of course!  Give your children a reason to role play her character by turning yourself into the mean spirited step-mother!  I always put on a properly haughty voice, and announce, "You can't possibly go to the ball until all this is cleaned up!"  (Click on the link above to hear how ridiculously silly I can be!) This one works well with a group - I usually give each child a specific task, "You! Clean the shelf!", "Sweep the floor!", "Pick up the toys!", or whatever needs doing.  If you have child sized cleaning tools like brooms, dustpans, dusters, or baby wipes, they'll eagerly play along - and that of course is the whole secret, you've made clean up into a game and you're playing it with them.  Make sure that when the cleaning is done that your little Cinderella(s) get to do something fun - like go outside to play.

Clean up trick #3: The Pirate Captain
Argh, do your kids disdain princesses?  Well maybe they'll listen to the pirate captain instead!  Once again, I recommend talking and acting in character so the kids get into the role play and make this a fun game with you.  I always start this one by announcing that I'm a pirate captain, and I'm taking away all the "loot" or "treasure" from the floor.  I then stomp off and get a bag or a box to put my haul in.  This usually prompts the children to scurry around grabbing all the toys off the floor, but just in case, when I return with the box I point out a toy that I'm taking for treasure, and make a show of marching over to pick it up.  What kid can resist racing to get there first?  Continue the fun by pointing out more toys and attempting to collect them for your own treasure.

With this clean up game I have sometimes managed to collect a few toys that the children didn't clean up, or didn't get to quickly enough.  When that happens I do put those toys out of reach for a few weeks - even though this is a game, if the children don't clean up their toys, the consequence is losing them for a time.  Will I give them back?  Of course!  Will it be today?  Not on yer life, land lubber!

I'd love to hear how these clean up games work with your children - and if you have any ideas to share with me, please leave me a comment.  I'm always looking for new ways to make learning, playing, (and even cleaning up) more fun!