Bulletin Boards....What the heck will I put up this year? (You don't have to brainstorm....Here's a giveaway)

I have to say that I have seriously slacked on my blog writing this last year.  I was at a new job in a new district and opened a new school.  Can you say stress?  This summer has been flying by and I am trying to get my mind wrapped around going back to the classroom.  Those friends who know me in real life, know that I have been in administration for the last eight years.  I am returning to my beloved elementary level this year and will be a Collaborative Learning Leader.  I get to interact with students (not about discipline....YES!!!!) and help teachers with their instructional craft.  I cannot be more excited.  I truly feel that this is where I am supposed to be and utilizing my strengths.  With that being said, we are selling our house and moving about an hour south of our current house.  I am sad to leave the closeness to my parents but excited for a fresh start and hoping that moving to a small town will benefit my family and bring a slower pace to our lives.  So....we are currently selling our house and hoping to move soon, but it looks like it'll be the end of August when moving occurs.....Did I mention that I am a magnet for stress?  Gotta laugh about it, or I might cry. 

I will be going to work tomorrow to set up my new room.  I always get excited to think about what I will put on my bulletin boards.  I know most teachers think of that last, but that's my first thought.  I think I try to avoid the rest of the work. ;)

So....I am going to use my Key Words Math Sort to use as a bulletin board.  I later use it for a station activity to review math vocabulary.

 

When I decide to change up my bulletin board, I use the words in a station sort activity.  I don't use all the words at once since it can be overwhelming with so many. 

I always start with the easier words in the station and work our way to the words that can be used for two operations

Afterward, I use it as part of my word wall during the year

There are 58 total cards with two doubles.  For example, the key word - Total is double since I really want my kids to realize that total can mean both sum and product.  I am always amazed by the complex and deep conversations that this activity creates for the groups of students during stations.  Sometimes, I have the groups write their answers on butcher paper and hang them up for a few days.  I did include a cut, sort, and glue evaluate piece if you needed that. 

Math Journal
I use math journals in my classroom.  My goal for their journal is to be a resource they use throughout the year, and it must have just as much (if not more) of their writing in it as print out/notes I give them.  Key words, like context clues, help us to make sense of these tricky word problems.  We add these words to our journals and we continue to add words we encounter later in the year as well. 

This is just a starting list.   We add to it throughout the year, and I see my students use it often to help when they get stuck. 

Here's a preview.  It'll be on sale through Friday.  Click the preview to go directly to the item. 

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