Teaching Blog Addiction ~ Freebie Friday Link - Up

So glad to be linking up with Teaching Blog Addiction. Here's a Forever Freebie your students will love!

Working with place value can be loads of fun, especially if your students play against one another.In this game, boys play against girls as they making numbers using Base Ten Blocks. There's even a type-in scoreboard for you to keep track of the score. The scoreboard can be used in slideshow mode.

There are 20 questions in all (just about enough for a class of 20). Students can take turns answering the questions individually for their team or they can work together to find the answer.

The answers range from 100 to 999, making all the answer 3 digit numbers. Students are given base ten blocks and they must figure out what number it makes.

A few teachers have used this in their classrooms and their students love it! Just look at what they said.

You can get this forever freebie in my TPT store. I hope you enjoy it!

Working with Paper Puzzle Pieces

When your working with puzzles, it's always great to have a little guidance. Whether you've been teaching for 1 year or 10 years, it's always great to have some extra help. Here are some tips and tricks for working with paper puzzle pieces.

Tip #1 - Gather your materials!

Let's face it. There are not a lot of puzzles for subjects like the 3 Branches of Government or animal life cycles. Time to grab all the materials, clip art included, for the puzzle you'd like to make. Save some time by having the source materials with you for easy access.

Tip #2 - Find some puzzle pieces!

When you have your designs all figured out, it's time to decide what type of puzzle you want. Do you want the traditional puzzle or something different. Maybe a two piece puzzle or even a 3 or 4 piece. I have a few free puzzle templates in my TPT Store.

Tip #3 - Use strong paper!

If you decide to create your own, print them out on some durable paper. I bought a pack of 75 white cardstock sheets from Big Lots from $2.50. The stronger the paper, the longer they will last!

Tip #4 - Laminate them!

Just about every school has a laminating machine. Once you're done print and cutting them our, get them laminated. Laminating the cards will help them last much longer. If your school doesn't have a laminator, simply take them to Office Max, Staples, or a postal store (like Postal Annex) and have them laminated there, though it can get a little pricy.

 You could always buy your own lamination machine. They can run anywhere from $20 to $100, depending on the model and make. I bought mine from Wal-Mart for $45 (including the 20 thermal pouches). They do sell starter kits for $20 which includes 3 pouches.

Tip #5 - Store them!

Now your cards are ready for student use, but where to store them? I've seen teachers store them in soap bar boxes from the dollar tree. Others have them in plastic bags with rings. If you're on a budget, I'd go for the latter. You can buy plenty of zip-lock sandwich bags and label them accordingly.

Tip #6 - Buy them

If all else fails, buy them already made! Time is always a factor. If you need it by Friday and it's already Wednesday, you may have to buy them yourself. There are plenty of sellers on TPT with tons of puzzle pieces sets.

Tip #7 - Teach Kids to handle with care!

One of the most important tips is to teach your students to handle the puzzle pieces with care, especially if you made them. Whether you plan to use them 1 time or 100 times, students should know that these pieces need to be taken care of properly so that student next year can enjoy them too.

I hope you found these tips useful in your classroom. Don't forget to stop my TPT store for some printable puzzle pieces!

August Monthly Newsletter

Hello everyone! Summer is almost over and school will be starting soon. Where did it all go? Anyway, time to prepare the classroom! Here's what happening at Powerpoint Gaming this month.

With the first day of school approaching, it's time to get those materials together and start planning your first week. Be sure to check out this Back-to-School Tried & True Linky Party. There will be tons of resources teachers have used during that first day of school. Yours truly will be participating so don't forget to stop by on August 2nd.

School is just around the corner. Already, teachers are setting up their classroom and gathering first day activities. TPT has decided to hold their annual Back to School Sale August 3rd and 4th. You use the promo code to get up to 28% off. My store will be on sale too so grab all the games and products you can before the new year!

You can sign up for my weekly newsletter. By signing up, you'll receive tips, tricks, and updates on what new games and products I have planned. You'll also receive freebies that won't be on sale for a few months after they are released. Click the picture above or click here.

This month's annual sale will be August 21 through August 23. Don't forget to mark your calendars and stop by!

Here's you Follower freebie for the month. I'm changing things up and will be doing worksheets. You can still get a new game on facebook each week. The mini games have moved to my Weekly Newsletter where the games will go directly to your inbox so if you're thinking about signing up, do it!Click the photo or click here to get it.

That's all for now! Enjoy the rest of your summer and enjoy your first day of school!

First Day Tried & True Linky Party

Good morning. I'm so happy to be participating in this blog hop. The first day of school will be here before we know it and I can't wait.

The first day of school can be tricky, but I've learned a few things to do on that first day that will get the students thinking! Enter: The Black Box Experiment.

When I did my student teaching some years ago, my mentor and I planned our first day out completely. One thing he did was the black box experiment. When I began my 2nd year teaching, I did this experiment with my 2nd graders. I filled a regular pencil boxes (the same you can get at the store for $0.50 to a $1 right now) with everyday school items. Mostly just some things we found around the classroom. Then I closed it and wrapped it in black bulletin board paper.

On the first day of school during science time, I pulled out the boxes. I had made about 3 to 5 boxes (enough for each table). I didn't tell the students what was in it. They had to use their senses to figure out what was in the box. It was a great experience for them and for me as well.

When I did it with my mentor, we simpy had the students write about it. When I did it with my 2nd graders, I created a worksheet where they could draw what they thought was in the box and write down their reasons. At the end of the day, I used their drawings and posted them on my bulleting board.

The answers they gave were funny while others were spot on (I think everyone knows the sound of a coin). You can gain some insight into their thinking as well as get a sample of their writing and drawing. I remember one student thought there were cards in the boxes. Another thought there was a toy elephant inside!

Through the school year, I made references to that experiment, especially for my struggling students (making the analogy that even though we don't know something, eventually we will figure it out aka open the box). At the end of the year, we opened the boxes and the students were surprised at what it was. Some were happy while others were disappointed. Next time, I plan to put small 2nd grade promotion certificates and small prizes inside the boxes! If you'd like to try this experiment in your classroom, you can purchase this set in my TPT Store. It gives you more details and plans out the entire lesson from start to finish.

Have a happy first day of school! Don't forget to check out other great first day activities!

An InLinkz Link-up