Five for Friday....just a little early

Wow! What a quick week it has been (could have been because I was out of town for part of it).  But happy Friday to all!  I saw my first snowflakes of the year this evening...this means...it is school sweatshirt and jeans for me tomorrow!  The cold just makes me want to bundle up and feel comfy :)

Linking up with Doodle Bugs for 5 for Friday (but a little early this week).

1.
Friday starts the weekend Super Sleuth Blog Hop!  We are stop #11.  There are 28 stops and each has a FREEBIE for you!  Plus....there is a chance to win 30 bucks to TPT at the last stop.  Woot! Woot!

 2.
One of the highlights of my week....meeting the Math Coach!  She has just changed my math teaching and made me feel enthusiastic about math (which has always been a struggle for me).  I have always struggled in math, so to teach it always felt challenging to me.  Her explanations are so explicit and helpful to me.  Meeting her at the Baltimore NCTM conference was just as I imagined it would be.  She helped me to see what we were doing well and how we could tweak our instruction.  That led me to do some construction of rekenreks on my 10 hour drive home.

3.
I was so excited about the different experiences that we had on our little trip.  My Ben got to hang out with the girls while I enjoyed my math conference and I hung out with them while he enjoyed his workshop in DC.  I asked my 3 and (almost) 5 year old what their favorite thing was.  Answer: metro train. :)
Can I share some family photos with you?  I will try not to bore you...

Me and my Ben at Lincoln Memorial

Rainbow at Clemyjontri Park

Chesapeake Bay

 4. 

Burgers...Maria and I love a good burger.  And my Ben makes a really good burger. Maria and I love love love when he cooks us girls up some food to eat!  But I had a great cheeseburger in DC.  Too good not to take a picture of and share (is that gross? Maybe I should have cropped out my face!)

 (By the way, do you see my daughter's forehead!  She had just taken a dive out of her stroller onto the concrete in front of the Washington Monument!)

5. 

I am still wrapping my head around all the new math learning (or tweaking of things I already knew).  Natalie and I sat down to go over everything but my brain is still whirling.  I know our learning will transpire into some new lessons, which will lead to some new posts.  But here are a few highlights...

*Don't teach key words for word problems.  Focus on meaning.

*Subitize with dot cards, two colored dot cards, and tens frames.  Focus on the "how do you know?"

*Make sure that I am using lots wide range of language when referring to adding and subtracting

"three add five; three and five; three plus five...etc"

*Number bracelets are great for combinations but also missing number!

*I must buy and watch Number Talks. 

Hope you have a good weekend!  And can grab some FREEBIES in the Blog Hop!