Customary Measurement Anyone?

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As the last quarter of school approaches, we are working hard to frantically trying to get in the last two units: Geometry and Measurement.

I created a lapbook for Customary Measurement to help us accomplish this task.  I think this time (to save some time) we are just going to use the flapbooks/foldables in our math journals instead of making the lapbook itself.  That's why I love making these lapbook products.  They are versatile!


This lapbook covers 4.MD.1, but can be used for 3.MD.2.  In it, there are box folds, flapbooks, etc. to cover these concepts:

Customary Measurement Term box fold includes:
customary system, length, weight, capacity
Tips for Customary Measurement Conversions booklet includes descriptions and conversion charts (partially to be completed by the student) of the following terms and concepts:
length, length conversions, weight, weight conversions, capacity and capacity conversions
Time box fold includes:
second, minute, hour, converting time
Customary Conversions booklet includes:
4 word problems- one each for length, weight, capacity and time.

Have you used the "Big G" to help students with capacity conversions?  Last year, I saw my students drawing the "Big G" on their tests and I was so proud :)  It's so much easier to visualize this than the cute "Gallon Man" or "Gallon Gal" or whatever.  This method is actually usable, in my opinion.

This can be found in the center of the lapbook.  I have my students color-code their letters.  For example, all of the P's {apostrophe or no apostrophe...ugh} are one color, all of the Q's another, etc.




For those of you who have copy limitations, I created an extra page for you to just print out the "Tips for Customary Measurement Conversions" boxes and the students can create their own flipbook with construction paper or sentence strips.  Students complete the charts by filling in missing boxes.

You can find the lapbook at my {TpT} and {TN} store now...

But, you know me by now....I'd love to give some of these away if you leave me some comment love below!

How did you spend your Spring Break (or, if you are like me....how ARE you going to spend your Spring Break)?

I will pick 5 people on Wednesday night at 8:00 EST.

I hope you can use this and I hope you win :)

{Speaking of winning....Congrats to my friend, Stephanie from Third Grade Thoughts!  You won the Jerry Pallotta books!  I just emailed you.}




Zippin Down the Freebie Trail

Graphics by KB Connected

I'm joining in a great little blog hop this week.  Click on the link above to head on over to Primary Inspired to get you started zipping around along this trail.  The hop started yesterday on the 23rd and will last until the 30th with over 27 bloggers contributing! 

I'm happy to be a part of this blog hop.  If you are new to my blog, "Hello!!"  So glad you could stop on by for your freebie.

We are finished with our unit on fractions and decimals but I never remembered to share this little freebie with you.  So, I thought I'd share it with this blog hop!


We used these in our math notebooks to help us remember the vocabulary terms related to decimals.  Just click on the images to head to my TpT store to download them :)

Head on over to the next stop tomorrow at my friend Tanja's blog: Journey of a Substitute Teacher!

A Very Special Visit and a Giveaway for You!

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a terrific weekend.

Remember earlier in the week when I was excited about a visit from Jerry Pallotta?  Well, the visit was awesome!

This was by far the best author's visit I've ever experienced.  He was engaging, informative and just down-right funny. 

He had the kids in stitches :)

Here are a few pictures from the visit.  He started by reading us this book: A Giraffe Did One.  As he was reading us this book, he explained how he went through several editing phases to get the book "just right".  Do you want to know what a giraffe did?  :)

Then, he shared with us some of his books from his series "Who Would Win":



He called several students on stage throughout the program and either dressed them up, or had them transform into different animals:


I was even transformed into a shark:



It was a fantastic visit!  He had us laughing all day long.  After he presented to our students at three different assemblies, he even took a hour to just talk to the teachers.  He was so full of ideas about how to incorporate his books into our curriculum and into our writing programs.  His first books were ABC books and that model can be used for so many writing projects throughout the school year.  For example, our science and social studies classes just wrote ABC books about the American Revolution.  We have all thoroughly enjoyed reading what the students have learned about the American Revolution :)

I bought a few books to share with you (and some for myself, of course!)  I had him sign three copies so that I could give them away to you, my faithful followers!

The books I have are
 

If you'd like these three copies, signed by Jerry Pallotta, enter below!  The giveaway ends next Saturday!  Good Luck :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jerry Pallotta is Visiting!!

You may recognize some of these fantastic titles:
The Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar Fractions Book
Apple FractionsCount To A MillionHershey's Milk Chocolate Multiplication Book
All of which I have read to my class this year!  And, now I get to have them signed by the author.  Score!

You might also know him from some other books (not math related...but still fantastic):

He writes the "Who Would Win" Books:

Who Would Win? Series Set of 7 Books by Jerry Pallotta and Rob Bolster (Who Would Win? Tarantula Vs Scorpion; Who Would Win? Komodo Dragon Vs. King Cobra; Who Would Win? Lion Vs Tiger; Who Would Win? Killer Whale Vs Great White Shark; Who Would Win? Hammerhead Vs Bull Shark; Who Would Win? Polar Bear Vs Grizzly Bear; Who Would Win? Tyrannosaurus Rex Vs Velociraptor)
And here are a few more:
Who Will Plant a Tree?
Product Details
F is for Fenway: America's Oldest Major League Ballpark (Sleeping Bear Alphabets) 
I'm very excited for my students to meet him.  After our students get to meet him and learn from him, the teachers are getting a chance to have an afternoon in-service with him.  I'm so excited!

I can't wait to come back and tell you all about it :)

Do you have a favorite Jerry Pallotta book?  Is there something you would like for me to try to ask him?

Have You Heard?

Educents is a new "Groupon-Like" site for education!

If you sign up before Friday, you can receive a $15 gift card to use at the site once it launches on April 2nd. 

I love my Groupons, so I know I'm going to love Educents!

If you haven't already signed up, you can click on the picture above to check it out.

(Yes, by clicking through my site, I would earn an extra $1 for each friend I have to sign up....but if you know me, I'll probably just roll that over into some type of giveaway for you!)

I've also been trying to find some videos for long division. Yes, the dreaded long division (which I know the standard algorithm is not required for fourth graders according to Common Core, but I still need to cover it since it will be tested in my state this year).

I found this silly little video.  I thought my students would think it's funny:



I also found this song.  Kinda catchy.  Hope to see my kiddos singing and dancing tomorrow :)




What tricks do you have for teaching long division?

Who Doesn't Love Kid President?

I first fell in love with this little guy when I saw his video with my favorite, Josh Groban.


You might know him from his beautiful "Pep Talk" message:
But, did you know how special this little guy really is?

Warms my heart :)

Color Me Currently

Hey everybody!

I just got back from the Color Run :)  {Well, several hours ago...but I had to shower...then take a nap.}

All of those feet are from people at my school.  How cool is that?

We had a blast and can't wait for the next one in October!!

So, currently, I'm colored...get it?

Listening: I seem to be listening to Pandora radio most months.  I think that's because my office doesn't have a TV.  {Which is probably a good thing!}
Loving:  Well, I already showed you that :)  That picture of me isn't the worst one, either. I was COVERED in color!
Thinking:  I'm headed to a friend's house in a few minutes to go to a Wildtree Freezer Meal party.  Have you done what of these before?  I am going to be putting together 20 freezer meals using the products from Wildtree to have ready to pull out and go this month!  This might have to be next month's "Loving" :)
Wanting:  Well, that's obvious....who doesn't need more time?
Needing: My baby just turned 12 this week!  Yikes...where does the time go?
Like/Love/Hate:  The Extra gum got me through the race this morning, Energetic people helped, too...but they help all of the time, right?  And Envy...well, who doesn't hate envy?

There you have it...my "Color Me Currently". 

Go link up with Farley and don't forget the rule of 3 :)