Subtraction Regroup With Food

What kiddo doesn't like eating food and learning at the same time?  When I went shopping at Wal-Mart I found these adorable Penguin crackers.  I haven't figured out yet what to use them for.  Maybe for counting for Kindergarten or patterning.  Let me know in the comments what ideas you have!

I also have a fun idea to teach subtraction regrouping (could be used for addition as well) that I plan to use when I tutor tomorrow afternoon.  Use Cheerios for the ones and pretzels for the tens!

First the child makes the number. 

If they need to borrow like in this problem let them eat a pretzel and trade it in for 10 Cheerios.

Check the one's place to see how many to eat.  In this case it's 7 Cheerios.  Yum!

Now check the ten's lace to see how many pretzels to eat.  In this case it's 2 pretzels.  Then you come up with the difference!

What kiddo wouldn't like that fun Common Core activity?  I bet they would learn how to regroup with subtraction so much quicker this way because it's concrete!  Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.  The football cards will be available soon in my shop if you are interested!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!

Day 9: Decimal Shopping Spree

Wow, we are up to day 9 of the exclusive freebies, but before I get to the freebies, I forgot to let my wonderful blog readers know that I completed my first ever guest blog post on Scipi's blog.  Click on her blog link and find the post for January 3rd and read it.  It includes a FREEBIE that has to do with Food in Math.  You can't get this freebie anywhere else!!!  This one is free anytime, not just today!


Today's freebies comes to us from Jennifer at Live. Teach. Create!  Head on over to her blog and become a follower today!

Jennifer loves scrapbooking and you can find more fun with that and other things on her blog.  Her freebie today is called "Decimal Shopping Spree" and is perfect for those of you in upper Elementary who teach decimals.  She said that her kids beg her to let them play again and again!  The exclusive freebie is only good for today so be sure to hop right on over and grab it now by clicking on the picture.  We would both love it if you would give us a comment so we know that you downloaded the freebie.

Jennifer would love it if you'd follower her on her blog, FB page, and check out the wonderful freebies and other products available in her TPT store.

Tomorrow, our freebie comes from Meg at Fourth Grade Studio and she has an awesome Word Problem Freebie that is all on animals!  Head on over to her blog by clicking "HERE" and give her some love!

Thank you all so much for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!

Munchy Math

Does anyone else like using food in the classroom to teach?  Those of you on my facebook page know I am a huge fan of using food in the classroom!  Back when I taught Kindergarten, I was lucky enough to have parents donate loads of extra snacks for Munchy Math Fridays!  Every single Friday I came up with something fun to do with the food they brought in.  I had Cheese-Its, colored Gold Fish crackers, different kinds of cereal, etc. donated.

Food can be used for graphing, counting, adding, subtracting, making patterns, etc.  Older students can use it for multiplying, dividing, fractions, place value (how about use pretzels sticks for tens, skittles or cherrios for ones, and crackers for hundreds, and maybe graham crackers for thousands?) etc.  The Kindergarten children loved it and had so much fun!

So I have made a freebie for you!  This one is for Pre-k, Kindergarten, or struggling 1st graders.  It uses Candy Corn.  If you use the color copy do it in small groups or centers.  If you print them in black and white it could be done in color.  Give each child 20 pieces of candy corn or whatever number you are currently working on (only use those cards).  Children pick a card and read the number (numbers go from 0 to 20).  They take out and count that many pieces of candy.  Then the next child picks a card and does the same thing until all cards are used or time is up.  There are two worksheets one from 0 to 20 and the other from 0 to 10 that have the children drawing candy corn.  When completed they can eat the candy!  Of course that is the best part and what motivates the children! 

Click on the picture to get your FREE game!  Please leave me a nice comment and rating on TPT for downloading it, it only takes a minute!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!

Hands On - Letter Recognition!

Today I thought I would share a hands-on letter recognition activity that I used to do when I taught Kindergarten and I actually tried this with pretzels in a Kindergarten class when subbing a few months ago. 1. Give each child card stock (looks even better if it is colored) or cheaper for your pocketbook colored construction paper. 2. Next write the letter they are working on using a Sharpie really big on the paper. 3. Either you or the child trace the letter with glue. My students for the most part could do this themselves so I was able to have it be a center after awhile! 4. Give them something that starts with that letter. The child puts it right on the glue to trace the letter. Example - C - Cheerios, D - Dots (the ones that are stickers), P - Pretzels or popcorn or pom poms, Y - Yarn and I'm sure you can come up with a bunch more! See the picture for a finished product for the letter P - Pretzels

This is a perfect lesson for Pre-K, Kindergarten, or 1st graders who have not mastered their alphabet or really any child no matter the grade that hasn't.  I have had 2nd graders who don't know all their letters.  The children have fun with it and I have seen them master the alphabet so much quicker this way!!!

 Brian :-)