Math Mat Freebie

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are having a wonderful fall! Here in Chicago we had the most beautiful weekend!

Today's post is going to be short and sweet. I (Marie) am celebrating 500 followers on Instagram. I am so grateful to everyone who posts inspiring photos and who follows my photos. To celebrate, I posted freebie in my store called: Math Fact Practice. They are math mats for various types of equations. The students use a deck of cards to build equations. I am also having a 3 product giveaway- If you share and tag me or comment that you shared my photo, I will put your name into the giveaway for any 3 products you would like from my store. The winner will be announced next Sunday, November 2nd. You can link to my Instagram from our blog or find me @OnceUponAClassroom.

You can get the freebie here. 

I would also like to share two other tools I am using in my classroom that my students LOVING!

Kakooma- Students can access Kakooma through the website or through the app. They practice math fact fluency on this site. The best part is that they can play against other students that are also playing. They love the competition. My students have this as one of their morning work choices. They are so excited to come in each morning and dive into learning to play! Check out Kakooma here.

Wixie- Students need an account to use Wixie. However, they can easily publish their writer's workshop books as e-books. It is easier for my students to use than MyStory or Creative Book Builder. They can easily add text, photographs or clip art, and record themselves reading their books. It's highly engaging. Students can login and show their parents their published pieces from home! Check out Wixie here. 

Finally, I am going to share something more personally... As many of you know I got married this summer. I cannot explain how much fun we have had as newlyweds! I am trying SO hard to find more balance in my life to spend a little less time on school and have more time for my husband. We know that our marriage will be it's strongest if we are both growing spiritually. We want to get into those really good habits right away while we are young and things are probably at their easiest. A verse I came across recently caused me to reflect on slowing down-- It's okay to do a little less professionally, socially, and in our home because without taking time to grow spiritually on your own, everything else is limited. The verse is Matthew 7: 24-27.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Have a great week everyone!