Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits

Teaching with Heart and Creativity

Symmetrical Salad, 2-D Desserts, and My Fight with Siri

We are wrapping up our studies on shapes so I thought I would share a couple fun and free things we enjoyed trying this week!  

Since we are enjoying picnic themed math centers these days, we made some symmetry salad!

 First the students created symmetrical shapes on their lettuce.   They kept creating and flipping until they had it just right….
Then they used pattern block stickers to copy their design on the salad one shape at a time.  I have the same pattern block stickers that I got in 1998.  Seriously.  Does anyone remember mathland?  They came with my kit and I have used them every single year since then. (not mathland…just the stickers)  I am getting dangerously low though so I may need to stock up. 

The other option is to meticulously punch out 12,984 shapes on the die cutter. I have a love hate relationship with that thing!  Picture me cranking the rolling arm while I wipe sweat from my brow and intensely stare and pray that I will indeed see clean cut paper when I lift the block.  I always end up with mangled half cut shapes and a wasted pile of precious construction paper.

 
Did you happen to notice these little cuties?  They are gray chevron!!!!  Target dollar spot. Don’t go to my target.  They are all gone.  Some chevron loving container freak bought them all.  ahem…

 
 Back to our math picnic…

 These are just what we needed.  High interest math time! 

 We also made 2-D Desserts!

I cut the shapes out in advance myself with scissors.  This activity was about reading and matching the shape names to the correct 2-D shapes.  They were given all the pieces and shape names.  They had to assemble their dessert in any order they pleased while matching the names to the shapes.

 I still have a couple students that need to regularly check the reference wall.  If you need reference wall titles and ideas,  you can download it {here} and the shapes are {here}

This week’s squirrel picture.  “The Squinker” I did not tell him to do that.  A girl wanted to play chase with him and this caused him to have an internal debate.  How can you not love first graders!!??

So now I am going to let you know about something.  It’s my relationship with Siri.  We are not on talking terms.  I talk and she mockingly replies, “Reagan, I am sorry but I can’t help you with that right now.” I try and try again, but she does not seem to like me and she is not helpful in the least.  We have exchanged a few words I do not feel comfortable typing. 

   Siri took it to the next level this weekend when I was shopping and baking with my daughter.  We were bonding over chocolate and baked pastry as most girls do.  My daughter needed my loving motherly assistance and sweetly asked, “How many ounces are in a tablespoon?”  I began to answer her and she SHUSHED ME and said,  “I am ASKING SIRI!” 

Whaaaaaaat????  After I shoved a handful of chocolate in my mouth to sooth myself, I considered accidentally dropping her phone in the oven but I was sure Siri would tell her to bug off and ask her own mother.  Of course Siri lovingly replied a perfect answer and even called her by her precious name.  A name I GAVE HER!!  The Nerve.

Siri 2  (this happened twice)
Reagan 0

(No one needs to know that I had NO IDEA what the answers were to her questions–that’s irrelevant!)

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