Mini Book Foldable Using Manila Envelopes!

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you love this idea as much as I do. I've Periscoped about it twice and I promised to post the easy-peasy steps on here for you all!

I learned about these awesome books when I attended the NSTA Conference in Reno last week. There was a session on Dinah Zike's life changing foldables - so of course I was there! This is what we made and I haven't been able to stop thinking abou them since. I'm currently working on making one for teaching Text Structures to my fifth graders, and we will be making one for our matter unit in science as well!

Here's a sneak peak at the one for Text Structure. It's still got a long way to go this weekend before it's ready!

Alright my loves! Here we go! I promise, this is super easy! 

What You'll Need:

• A manila envelope {I would use the large size possible}
• Scissors
• Bottled Glue{at the conference they recommend Elmer's Glue All, but I didn't have any at home so I just used what I could find}

You'll want to start with the envelope horizontal. You'll fold it in half horizontally or like I like to say hamburger fold.

 Make sure you get a nice deep fold in it. The best way to do that is to take the handles of your scissors and press into the fold. 

Now you'll want to trim a bit off the bottom. This opens it up to create the pages...

Now, place your scissors so the envelope is inbetween the blades. You want to slice/cut the folder on both sides up to the  center fold. Don't cut past the fold - or you wont get the nifty pocket!

Do this on both sides..

Now you should have your middle page :)

Here's the final step. This is how you get the neato pocket - which is why I love this book so much. Honestly, if the pocket wasn't there I wouldn't be all about this.

With the "middle" page in your hand, take your glue and under the fold (in bewteen the two sides of the folder) place a small line of glue. This will form the "spine" of your mini-book. Press down, and let it dry.

Voila!!

 I would love to hear how you use this in your class! Please comment below sharing your idea! This book is great for all ages!


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Happy Teaching!

Candy Corn Decimals

Hey Y'all!

Happy Fall. I absolutely love fall. It's my favorite season. I love the weather (it's especially gorgeous here in Northern Nevada this time of year) and the fact I get to smell and eat everything pumpkin.

So since the seasons are changing, it was time for my next door teaching friend and I to change our bulletin board and we decided to go with a popular one from last year - Candy Corn Decimals. I love this bulletin board because it is so easy and quick, the kids really enjoy it, and it can be adapted and used many different ways!

We have been spending weeks on decimals, and I mean weeks. This year we were instructed that we could only teach green or major CCSS math standards during our 75 minute math block. So according to our district pacing guide that means decimals galore. I love teaching decimals but I'm to the point where I'm about to barf if I have to teach another day of decimals and place value. However when my friend mentioned we do this bulletin board again I got so excited. I totally forgot about it.

Remember how I mentioned it's super simple? I wasn't lying. My kids had the option of just creating their own decimal or rolling our place value dice. Of course, they all chose to roll the dice.

Students wrote the standard form of their decimal on the top piece of their candy corn. They then wrote the word form on the middle and expanded form on the bottom piece. This year I had students cut and glue before writing their decimals on. I don't really think it makes much of a difference, to be honest.

I love this because it is simple and can be used for a wide range of grades! You could have second graders do a whole number and show it in the three forms, or even what it would look like with a base ten drawing. You could third graders do a multiplication fact, draw an array, and write a story problem. Like I said, so many ways to use it and really such a quick and cute bulletin board display!

If you click on the following image I've created a template for you to use. Hurry, it's free in my store until this Friday 10/9/15!

I'd love to hear how you used this in your class! :)


PS - Does anyone know how I can make background of the square transparent on my self-made button? LOL


Happy Teaching!