When it comes to teaching math, it is important to have a variety of hands-on activities. The more hands-on the more younger students retain the the kills and concepts taugh. I am also a strong believer that all students no matter their age can benefit from concrete hands-on learning..  

When we combine math and art there are numerous benefits for children's development.  

🎲  First of all, it helps them see math as more than just numbers and equations.  

🎲  Second, engaging in hands-on activities that involve mathematical concepts, children can develop a deeper understanding of abstract mathematical ideas. Furthermore, incorporating math into art projects encourages creativity and critical thinking. It allows children to explore different ways of problem-solving and finding solutions. 

🎲 Last, these crafts provide a fun and interactive way for children to learn math, making it more enjoyable and memorable. We understand that time is valuable so we put together these 5 math and art projects/crafts for kids so you can use them , adapt them to differentiate learning for your students

Addition and Subtraction Ice Cream Craft

This addition and subtraction printable craft makes practicing addition and subtraction fun and engaging while practicing this particular math skill. Students will create math family ice cream sundaes. ANNNDDDD...there are two different ways you can use this math craft with your class. 
You can laminate the different ice cream scoops and bowls and use this repeatedly as a math center OR you can print off different math crafts for each student and create as a whole class project to send home, use as an assessment, or even use as a bulletin board! For more information on this fun craft idea for math class click here.   

Mosaic Math Art

Mosaic math art combines mathematical concepts with the creation of colorful mosaic designs. To make mosaic math art, you will need construction paper or cardstock in various colors, scissors, glue, and a ruler. Start by cutting the construction paper into small squares or rectangles of equal size. Then, use these pieces to create a mosaic design on a larger piece of paper or cardstock. Children can arrange the colored pieces in different patterns or shapes, creating a visually appealing mosaic artwork.

This craft incorporates concepts such as symmetry, patterns, and fractions. 
Children can explore symmetry by creating symmetrical designs using the colored paper pieces. 

They can also experiment with different patterns, such as alternating colors or creating

repeating motifs. Additionally, this activity provides an opportunity to introduce fractions, as children can divide the larger paper into equal sections and fill each section with a different color or pattern. 

Mosaic math art allows children to express their creativity while engaging with mathematical concepts...not to mention fine motor skills. We love this math and are projects and idea because it is unique to each student.

Students can also use pattern blocks or magnetic shapes to express their creative mathematical designs!

Click here for amazing math art and drawing games that your students will love!  Karyn is amazing! 

Paper Chains and Patterns


If your students are working on patterns you can easily create classroom paper chains with patterns like ABA, ABBA, ABCA, and more unique patterns. 

Have a museum sharing time or small group sharing time where students can create their own pattern paper chain and explain to the class what their pattern is and you can use these fun paper chains to decorate your classroom! I don’t know about you but I love when my students can decorate our classroom and take some ownership in the room.
 

Geometric String Art

Geometric string art is a craft that combines mathematical concepts with artistic design. To create geometric string art, you will need a wooden board or canvas, nails, colored string, a hammer, and a ruler. Begin by marking equidistant points along the edges of the board or canvas using the ruler. Then, hammer nails into these points, leaving a small portion exposed. Once the nails are in place, start weaving the colored string around the nails to create geometric patterns. OR SIMPLY USE GEOBOARDS!       

This craft incorporates several math concepts such as symmetry, angles, and patterns. Symmetry is evident in the balanced designs created by the string art. Children can explore different types of symmetry, such as rotational symmetry or reflectional symmetry, as they create their own unique designs. Additionally, they can learn about angles by observing the angles formed by the string as it wraps around the nails. Patterns can also be explored through the repetition of colors or shapes in the string art design.
You can use a simple paper plate or cardstock paper to make this craft even easier prep for you. Furthermore, students can hole punch their own shape and talk about it’s features and attributes as well. 

Button Day Math and Art Projects


Now button day is not something you hear about every day but it is November 16th every year. So why not take that silly national holiday and create a fun day for math and art. This printable and low prep packet is great for graphing. Best of all it includes multiple subjects, lesson plans, and more fun crafts too. Easily turn buttons into a fun art graphing project with this bundle. Find out more here.

Domino Basic Math Skills

If you are looking for an easy end of the year idea or any time of the year idea, your students will love this domino craft! Actually there is a National Domino Day, which is celebrated on November 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to use this adorable Dominic and Dominique craft to create Domino addition and subtraction math fact families

It is easy prep and fun for elementary students because you can make it addition, subtraction, multiplication, and even division. This resource supports counting, writing numbers, and more. The bet part is you can easily differentiate this for your students without taking you a ton of time. For more on this activity click here.


Math Fact Family Houses and Neighborhoods

Are you ready motivate your students to learn their math facts? These math fact houses will have your students engaged in ;earning their addition and subtraction math facts in a snap.

Creating these fact family houses allow math concepts to be tangible and engaging. This can capture students' interest and motivation, leading to better understanding and retention. Being able to see first- hand how these addition and subtraction fact families relate, is a valuable concept to support memorization.

For mor about this activity, check it out here.



So...as you can see, combining math and art projects /crafts has numerous benefits for children's development. By engaging in math-based art projects, children not only enhance their artistic skills but also deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts. These crafts provide hands-on experiences that allow children to explore mathematical concepts in a fun and interactive way. They develop critical thinking skills, spatial awareness, problem-solving abilities, and an appreciation for the beauty of math in everyday life!


I would love to hear some of your favorite math projects!  Please share in the comments!

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Getting to Know You ... another fabulous idea that you can add to your teacher toolbox to be ready for the first week of school.     

I am all about building community and making our classroom  a "school family" where we can feel safe, learn about each other, take care of each other and do our best together as a "family". 

The classroom is a place where we can solve problems, feel comfortable and make our environment one in which all students have the opportunity to learn, grow and do their best!
So this activity is just what you need to promote classroom community! 

BUT...before we dive into this Back to School activity, it is important to understand 

Why BUILDING CLASSROOM COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT FROM DAY ONE

1. Establishing Trust and Comfort:

Building a classroom community from day one helps create a safe and comfortable environment where students feel valued and respected. This trust is crucial for fostering open communication, collaboration, and a positive learning atmosphere throughout the school year.

2. Promoting Engagement and Participation:

When students feel connected to their peers and teacher, they are more likely to actively participate in classroom activities, discussions, and projects. A strong classroom community encourages students to share ideas, ask questions, and take risks, leading to deeper learning experiences.

3. Supporting Social and Emotional Development:

Classroom communities provide opportunities for students to develop important social and emotional skills such as empathy, teamwork, and conflict resolution. By promoting a sense of belonging and inclusivity, educators can help students build healthy relationships and navigate various social situations effectively.


With that being said, this back to school ready to use printable activity can be used the first day of school, first week, as a getting to know you activity or as an anytime activity. 


It also includes a first day activity of “Find Someone Who…” to get your students up and and moving around to meet other classmates. Here is what is included in this packet:A first day getting to know you activity sheets for students to find other students with various attributes. 

This activity is perfret for the first day or week to "BREAK THE ICE" and get students up and moving in a safe and non threatening way!

  • An I LIKE and I can sheet to fill in and see how you and a partner are alike and different.

  • Differentiated sheets to use to meet student needs in writing. 

  • Frames for students to draw self portraits.




  • Directions for use and put it all together and it makes a great Back to School Night display or bulletin board idea


I think it would be safe to say that this Back to School activity is a mini unit for you and your students to get to know each other!




Ideas to extend this activity:

🍎 Have students bring in their favorite book to share with a partner or small group.
🍎 Have students create a ME Bag  
🍎  Have students meet with a partner and share a few things about themselves. After a few minutes, ring a bell and students switch partners. The best way to organize this is to have an inner and outer circle and when the bell rings, the inner circle moves to their right or left while the outer circle does not move. You can use visual directions with hand movements if students don't know which way is left or right or have students wear a rubber band on the right wrist, 
🍎 Have students work with partners and create a partner drawing.
🍎 Have students write an ACROSTIC poem about their partners using their likes and what they can do from the sheets they have filled out.  

These are just a few ideas to extent this activity...I am super positive that YOU have already thought of a few to add to this list! PLEASE SHARAE YOUR IDEAS IN THe COMMENTS!

 


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Earth Day: A Special Time to Remember to Take Care of the EARTH


We dedicate this day to raise awareness and promote environmental protection. 

BUT...YOU KNOW WHAT? EARTH DAY SHOULD REALLY BE EVERYDAY!

AND...IT IS SO important to teach our students and the next generation how to care for our earth and the importance of taking care of the land. 

Which is why this blog post on SIX Fun Earth Day Activities for Children was created so our future generations can continue to take care of the world 

Three Printable Earth Day Activities 

We all know Earth Day is important but sometimes the prep work for it all is too much for us already. So we created this fun Earth Day pack of printable activities to make teaching and learning fun and take the pressure off of you to prep everything. 

 🌎 Earth Day Craft and Bulletin Board: 

Everyone wants to be a Superhero! 

Ignite those imaginations and encourage those young minds to imagine if they were a superhero and could save the Earth. This Earth Day Superhero fun craft and writing frames are great to share after reading a story about Earth Day or any story that encourages positive practices to keep the earth safe and to GO GREEN! 


The Earth Day Writing Frames are versatile and can be differentiated in that you can pick and choose various writing frames to fit different learners. 


Be a Superhero and Save the Earth combines Writing and Science. For more information click here. 


🌎 Printable Writing Craft and Crown 



If you are looking for comprehensive differentiated Earth Day Activities that align with curriculum goals check out this fifty-nine page resource packed with everything you need to have fun on Earth Day or maybe it might turn into Earth Week.


These resources have been used with Kindergarten through 2nd grade. To snag this writing project click here. 





🌎 Printable Earth Day Math Games   

                                                                                                                                                   



This fun and motivating addition and subtraction Earth Day themed roll and cover die or dice games are ready to print, laminate and use.


If your first and second graders are like mine, then they love to play games! When a game teaches fact fluency it is even better. Your students will be learning while they have fun playing a game with their classmates. Snag this here today!


🌎 3 Fun Earth Day Activities for Children 

Not only do we use printables to teach our students how to take care of the world we also complete these fun Earth Day activities too. 



🌎 Recycled Art Projects



Each student brings a variety of stuff from home that they would normally throw away. 


We ask them to bring at least 10 different items into the room instead of throwing it away so that they can share supplies with other students. We also save objects fro our classroom and cafeteria (of course we clean them up before adding them to our recycled collection).


They bring in plastic water bottles, milk jugs, cereal boxes, etc and use those to create something beautiful by upcycling. 



Personally, this is one of my favorites because students get to use their own creativity, devise a plan, and get in front of the class and share their idea. 


I have seen kids turn their recyclables into plant holders, book boxes, and more. 


The possibilities are endless. Recycled projects are fun Earth Day activities for children because they get to be so creative and it works with all grade levels.




🌎 Community Clean-up  


It is important for students to take care of the world and one way to do that is a community or school wide clean up. 


Our classes go out at different times of the day and pick up trash to make the world better. 

We also talk about what we find and how long it takes to decompose naturally. Some of the stats will shock you






🌎 Energy Efficiency


Not only do we learn about how to take care of the world by recycling, reusing, and cleaning it up but we also talk about natural resources and conserving energy. 


For example, turning the water off while brushing teeth is a great lesson for students to learn to save water. Also, turning off the lights when the leave a room is also a great lesson for conserving energy too. 


Not only is it good for the world but also their parents will thank you for talking about this with kids too. 


These ideas and more are included in this Earth Day BUNDLE  


Recycling and upcycling household items, cleaning up the environment, and these fun printable crafts and activities are great ways to celebrate Earth Day with kids. These fun Earth Day activities for children will have a great impact on the world in the future and can make all the difference.

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10 Fun Weather Activities for Kids


 When Punxsutawney Phil   poked his head out of his   burrow and DID NOT   SEE his SHADOW, that   meant   spring was right   around the corner. 


As winter comes to an end and the grass starts turning green, it is the perfect time to start a weather unit!
So...Why not bring some weather fun into your classroom to learn more about the ever-changing weather with these integrated weather activities for kids and craft ideas? You can bring weather to life with this weather mini unit, which includes science, writing, math and much more to cover more than just science.

We all know that that integrating science, math, ELA and other subject areas creates a more comprehensive and engaging learning experience, which prepares students for the challenges of the future...even in first and second grade!


So Why a Weather Unit for Kids?

☀️ Teaching kids about weather goes beyond simply learning about meteorology. It helps them understand the world around them and develop critical thinking skills. By studying patterns, children can learn about cause and effect relationships, such as how temperature affects cloud formation or how wind speed influences the movement of objects.

💨 Teaching kids about weather fosters their curiosity and encourages them to ask questions about the natural world. It promotes scientific inquiry and helps children develop observation skills as they learn to analyze conditions and make predictions based on their observations.

☔️ Understanding weather is crucial for building resilience and preparedness. By teaching kids about severe weather events, such as hurricanes or thunderstorms, they can learn how to stay safe and take appropriate actions when faced with these situations. Weather education empowers children to become active participants in their communities and make informed decisions regarding their safety and well-being.

Weather Activities for Kids - Printable Fun

Your time as a teacher is valuable and adding one more thing to your plate is not what we want to do. So we have made this easy peasy and included some printables that you can just print and use for your weather unit.

First, we have a sun worksheet where students can update and write interesting facts about the weather. They can use this form throughout the entire unit and write down facts they find interesting. This is a great way to practice sentence writing too.

Also, check out this fun weather booklet where you can transform your students into meteorologists. They can track the weather throughout the unit, fill out the tally chart and graph of the weather, and be a like the weather newscasters on TV too. Grab this printable weather booklet tracker and the WEATHER MINI UNIT here today!

Want to Emphasize and Promote Critical Thinking Skills Integrating Weather?

We have you covered. Students will answer questions like how did you decide what clothes to wear today, what is wind, which includes a science experiment for wind, and so much more. There are differentiated vocabulary cards and activities, too! There is not enough space to show you all the weather activities that ar in this 104 page resource!


Weather Crafts for Kids

Our favorite weather craft is easy to print and use and it open-ended, which allows for differentiation to meet student needs! There are many options included, but our favorite is a Weather Mobile Craft.

Students use the templates to write facts they have learned about each type of weather. Such as sunny, cloudy, tornados, snow, lightning, and more. It can also be used as an end of unit weather assessment.
It can be an ongoing craft idea as well! As students learn about different types of weather, they can write what they learned and as they learn more, add a template until they have learned about all the weather forms.
Our fun umbrella craft (which is also an option) is a great way for students to write what they know about the weather. You can use this as a spring bulletin board idea and a fun assessment for the end of your unit as well OR use it for a weather book report or story summary. Click here to grab this craft today!
Cloud and rainbow strips craft. This craft is also perfect for a spring themed bulletin board. We suggest using different colored paper strips to make the craft more vibrant. Snag this fun craft printable here today.

Weather Science Activities

In addition to printable weather activities for kids we find that adding hands on science experiments are just as important for learning about the weather. Take your teaching to the next level through fun science activities such as 

    • A tornado in a jar

    • Snow storm in a jar

    • Instant ice

    • How clouds make rain

    See directions and more weather science experiments HERE

Teaching kids about the weather is a fun way to learn about the world, develop a plan of what to do in bad weather and storms, and foster a curiosity about the environment. From making weather crafts, to science, writing and no prep weather booklets try out this variety of integrated weather activities for kids this spring.




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