Light Bulb Moments are NOT just for Kids...

I have them too!!! As I am sure you do as well!  And when that bulb goes off you automatically go.... DUH!!!! Why didn't I think of that earlier!?!?!

The old saying comes to mind.... 
Work SMARTER... Not HARDER.

Well that's the kinda day I had, and it will roll on like that for the rest of this week!  Here is what I did:

We have been covering factors, common factors, and GCF (greatest common factor) for the last 3 weeks including word problems asking to find the GCF.  (You would think they would know that 27 is not a prime number... and it has factors such as 3 and 9, but you would NOT BELIEVE how many of my students tell me it's a prime number!!!!  All I gotta say is after 3 weeks... I better not have 27 being prime anymore...I might pull out my hair....)  

What am I talking about?  Oh yes... my light bulb moment... sorry for the ADD time....

Anyway after spending 2 days on word problems using GCF, I told the students today that they would work with their table members (4kids) to come up with 2 word problems using GCF and 2-3 factors.  Each problem though would be written on a separate sheet of notebook paper. It could be as creative as they wanted, but the GCF had to be greater than 1.

After writing their word problem, they would have to show the answer along with a diagram showing what each group would look like. 

Here is one of their problems:
"In the haunted house there are 48 ghosts, 60 zombies, and 32 vampires.  What is the biggest amount of groups that they can be divided equally for a Halloween party?" 

Now why we need 12 ghosts, 15 zombies, and 8 vampires traveling in 4 groups to a party is beyond me...but I enjoy the fact that my students are challenging themselves with larger numbers, finding numbers with more than 2 common factors, and using key words in their word problem construction (divided, equally, groups).

Now here is where the light bulb went to major watt-use:

I informed them that one problem would be used during a station rotation review on Thursday.  Now they have 5 word problems that they can go and visit and practice on.  The other problem that they turned in would be used to make their Friday quiz!

HAHAHAHA!!! The students have become the teachers... making the problems... making the review... making the test!!!  I have turned into the master delegator, and I get to go around and monitor them and listen to their math discussions.  Totally smarter....not harder.... Lord knows I make my life harder than it has to be :)

Now I am starting to think.... where else can I make my students become the instructors???

Googly Eye Picture Frame.....

Brought to you by the one and only !!!!!

My exclamation marks look ridiculous next to that gigantic word.  

What am I blogging about???  Ahhh yes.... my googly eye picture frame!  So my school does "Secret Pals" for teachers at school.  You fill out a simple questionnaire and then give it to the "head person in charge."  She goes around with all the questionnaires (folded up so no one can see) and you draw one of the papers and that is your secret pal.  Then you send weekly little gifts to your pal with little notes encouraging them for the week or day.    Did any of that make sense?  Anyway... on the question asking "what do you collect?" my pal said "frames."  

So the light bulb went off and I decided to make her a picture frame similar to 

Easy easy easy.  I found a frame a Hobby Lobby for 50% off... so I spent $5.00

I placed the different size eyes first in a small area.

Using one of the best inventions of all time... the hot glue gun.... I hot glued my googly eyes onto the frame.

I used 3 different sizes.  There was one smaller eye but my friend reminded me that I was likely to burn the crap out of myself if I used the tiny eyes.  I am sure she is 100% correct.

After the googly eyes were glued on, I found some lime green card stock and some of my favorite sticker letters.  I cut the card stock to fit and spelled "EEK!"

The finished product!  I really like how the eyes even lose the googly eye look and become a pattern.  

I want to sneak it into her room, but I'll probably drop it by the office and ask the secretary if she could have an office helper deliver it to her.  

SO excited for her to get this gift!!!

Happy blogging and crafting!