This year was the first year that I participated in our annual Family Literacy & Math Night, and I do have to say it was a great success! I have some

On Thursday May 5th, our school hosted our First Annual Family Math Night! Moraine Hills Public School in York Region District School Board Family Math Night is "a fun, shared experience that promotes family involvement with math, build strong family-school partnerships, create a sense of community, and connect family engagement to student learning" (Family Math Night, 2016). Our school had a team of educators from each division come together to plan and co-facilitate this wonderful learning opportunity. I was very fortunate to be one of the co-faciliators! When planning for this event, Family Math Night supplied us with kits to get us started. Some items include: "8 leveled stations with a total of 24 standards-based activities All the materials and manipulatives for 120 K-5 students and their families Marketing tools such as customizable flyers, announcements, and sample letters Video tutorials and reference guides so anyone can set up your event Meets Title I Section 1118 Parent Participation Requirements" (Family Math Night, 2016). Each of the activities are designed around sound mathematical principles and were developed by a veteran elementary school teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience. Each of the activities are also aligned with the Core Curriculum Standards (Family Math Night, 2016). For our Family Math Night we utilized some of the main ideas but compiled our own activities that we were using in the classroom with our students. We chose to do this so that the concepts being taught in class would be reinforced with the students and their families during the Family Math Night. We also tried our best to ensure that there was one activity for each of the 5 strands in the Mathematics Curriculum which include: Patterning, Geometry, Number Sense & Numeration, Data Management, and Measurement Connection to the Ontario Curriculum in Mathematics Grades 1-8 (2005): Importance of Mathematics"An information- and technology-based society requires individuals who are able to think critically about complex issues, analyst and adapt to new situations, solve problems of various kinds, and communicate their thinking effectively. The study of mathematics equips students with knowledge, skills, and habits of mind that are essential for successful and rewarding participation in such a society" Roles and Responsibilities of Parents "studies show that students perform better in school if their parents or guardians are involved in their education" Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers "responsible for developing appropriate instructional strategies to help students achieve the curriculum expectations, and for developing appropriate methods for assessing and evaluating student learning" Roles and Responsibilities of Students "willingness to engage in activities, reflect on their experiences, learn and apply strategies and processes that promote understanding of concepts, and to pursue opportunities outside of the classroom to extend and enrich their understanding of mathematics" Personal Reflection I feel that when schools host an Annual Family Math Night it allows for parents to be involved in their child's education, it allows students to engage, reflect, and apply their knowledge outside of the classroom, and it allows the teachers to continue to plan, facilitate, and reinforce learning within different settings. These Family Math Nights hold such importance because it proves that learning does not only have to occur during school hours and only at school, rather it can be continued at home as well. Each of the stations we have facilitated allowed some form of a take-home kit so that the parents and their children can continue to practice the skills and concepts at home. Math was never my strong subject as a child or a teenager so I always became disengaged whenever I was unsuccessful. As a teacher I am always trying to find new ways for teaching math that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of my students so that they can be successful and LOVE MATH! I am always connecting math to real life experiences and provide plenty of hands on exploration, manipulatives, and technology to support learning experiences. I also take advantage of every opportunity I have to further my knowledge base in the area of mathematics through: professional development workshops and Additional Qualification courses. As a teacher I can say that I LOVE MATH and from what I have been hearing from my students, they too LOVE MATH! :) I will continue to co-facilitate Family Math Nights within any school community I am part of! For additional information on the set-up, obtaining Family Math Night Kits and resources, and parent handouts to support child learning at home please visit: http://www.familymathnight.com/resources/familymathnight.php

Everywhere I looked last night I saw people intent on making math. It was glorious! I mean, just look at these messes! Just look at the focus! Just look at all the ideas! Glorious. As a finale, I present three views of the interlocking cubes created by one participant. I also hasten to add that while there are lots and lots of materials provided, kids and adults are free to do with the materials what they will. This often leads to unexpected and marvelous personal discoveries and creations, like these:

This year was the first year that I participated in our annual Family Literacy & Math Night, and I do have to say it was a great success! I have some

Family Math Night K-3 is designed for a school wide event. 100 pages of exactly what you need. Includes the hands-on games, station signs, parent welcome sign, parent invitation letter, table tent signs for directions, a letter for parents on how to help their child at home, sign in sheet, and all printables needed. Games: 1. Estimation Station 2. 3 D Shapes 3. Addition with Dice 4. Paper Airplances 5. Graphing 6. Wrestling Mania- addition, subtraction, multiplications 7. Subtraction Jungle 8. Fishing for Fractions 9. The Perfect Pair- matching pairs 10. Treasure Map- odd/even 11. Place Value Ties 12. In and Out of the Cup 13. Make and Take Yahtzee Game 14. It's Time to Scoot- a time game All games are designed for parent/student to complete together. Activities require little prep and budget friendly. Plus activities are on a level of rigor perfect for parents to feel successful. I wanted to make sure parents could easily recreate a game with ease at home using these same ideas. Just set up the activities in a commons area- gym, cafeteria, or media room and parents rotate through stations. See Preview to see all the activities Are you looking for hands-on, easy prep math materials for parents and students to complete together? This is perfect. Family Math Night will be easy on students, parents, teachers and administrators. Having a family literacy night?  Check out Family Literacy Night School Wide Event K-3.

Family STEAM Night *Science,*Technology, *Engineering, *ART, *Math We loved Family Steam Night! Students and parents were excited to attempt a variety of STEAM challenges. Some new challenges added this year included the Cage A Dinosaur Challenge and the Build with Packing Peanuts Adventure. For more information please follow me on Instagram @youngschoolartwithmr.g Like me on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/youngschoolart/ The marble run was a big hit! How many pennies can you pile in the boat without it sinking? Who built the tallest index card tower? The build-a-chair activity is a great STEAM challenge. Your chairs are very unique! Here's our STEAM Team! The volcano station was very popular!

So, I was lying in bed one night and my mind kept racing..."How could I make math test prep FUN?" "What could I do to replace the repetitive habit of assigning sampler after sampler for preparing for our state standardized tests?" Then it hit me! A MATH CARNIVAL!!! So, I decided that I would make this vision come to life. It took A LOT OF PLANNING. And that is the truth! I had no idea where to start. All I knew is how I wanted it to look. I wanted streamers, colors, food, and games. Not lame games. I wanted REAL CARNIVAL GAMES! I emailed my principal and told him that I wanted to have a carnival. I swear he probably thinks I am CRAY CRAY! I am haha. When I dream of something, I dream big and I make it happen... If you want to make your own carnival and save the time of planning, keep reading! It is a blast! Download my 11-page Math Carnival: Getting Started Guide to begin your journey! Here is your shopping list! There are ways around this though. My guide explains it all. You have to decide how many games you want and what skills will be assessed for each game. You can make signs like these below or get them with my bundle already made. Plus they are editable too! You also need task cards for each game. You can buy task cards, make up questions for each game, or find them online free. My bundle has all of the questions that you need for a 4th grade carnival. I used numbers to place on the games. Those numbers corresponded with the question asked or the amount of tickets won! Here are some of the games that I had at my carnival: Notice that I used table cloths for the tables. Also, I want to point out that at each game I placed a dry erase board, marker, and eraser so that the kids can work on the questions asked. Next, I want to show you the bags that I used. I made up bags with parent directions, task cards, an answer key, and a bag of tickets torn out already. The directions make it easy for parent volunteers to know how to run each station at the math carnival. The answers are included so that the parents don't have to think at all. I just want it to be enjoyable for everyone. Also, I had about 100 tickets in a small baggie. This is for the kids to win as they play the games. I also made groups up with about 2-3 students each and created a schedule for my kiddos to use on the day of the carnival so that they knew exactly what game they were supposed to be playing at designated times. The schedule and the group pages are included in my bundle, but you could make your own too if you want! Next, I made a map of my room. I decided where I wanted the games to be. I contacted selected a date before state testing and contacted my parents, asking for volunteers. I mentioned needing a popcorn machine and/or cotton candy maker. Of course, some people had them! EXCITING! The prize table was a bit tricky. I needed to decide how many tickets each prize would be. I also needed to get some prizes. I bought prizes, but you could make prizes. You could use homework passes or reward tickets, whatever you want! It doesn't have to cost a lot! So, I made ticket cards for the table. I had my students help me decide how many tickets each prize would be worth. It was pretty funny hearing them work as a class to decide! Then, they started to realize that if they made a prize that they wanted worth 1 ticket, they may not be able to win one because they would be gone quick! So smart! So, decide if you want to try this! You could make a reading carnival, science carnival, social studies carnival! Hopefully this guide helps you get started and helps you plan out a fun and exciting learning experience for your kids! If you want to save time and do not want to make the instructions, map, schedule, signs, ticket labels, task cards, or number templates, then click here to purchase my bundle.

Hi, friends! So, our school-wide math night was a huge success. While parents were in 30 minute math classes, our students had a blast with math games and activities throughout the school. We saw a…

Hi, friends! So, our school-wide math night was a huge success. While parents were in 30 minute math classes, our students had a blast with math games and activities throughout the school. We saw a…

Tweet Clip art by Whimsy Clips If you are new to this series, we are taking a look at this book: Getting Your Math Message Out to Parents Today we are going to look at getting families involved through family math nights. Here is what the book says about family math night - I love this quote from the beginning of the chapter: "Holding a family math night does more than just pass along knowledge about math content. It helps create a mathematical community that includes parents, children and educators; it offers the potential for everyone involved to learn that doing math can be fun" - The book shares ideas about having a family math night aimed at one or two grades. It includes several parts - Openers: These are simple math activities for families to do while waiting for everyone to arrive - Bring the group together for introductions and to introduce and activity. - Families complete activity and the group comes back together to discuss. - Repeat introducing, doing and debriefing with a different activity. - Send home materials and instructions to play the games or complete the activities again at home. - They also highly recommend these two books which have activities all set to go. Using these books and the ideas presented in this chapter, you could have a successful math night with very little planning time on your part. Family Math This book is packed with activities you could use during a family math night Family Math for Young Children This is a great book full of activities to do at a family math night with preK-grade 1 students Family math night in my school So family math night in my school is a BIG DEAL. We started 9 or so years ago and have invested a lot of time and energy into making it a huge success. The good news is that family math night really pays off for us. We have been doing it for a long time and we do it school wide. Our attendance is always outstanding. Last year we had 85% of students and families attend math night. Because it is school wide, we structure things differently. Our activities and themes have changed a bit over the years but here are the basic things that are always included in our night 1) Candy estimation jars. This is a student favorite every year. We fill 8-10 small plastic jars with different types of candy, number the jars and set them up alongside estimation slips. Kids write their name and estimation for each jar. About 10 minutes before the end of math night, we frantically pull out all the estimates and find who was closest. Of course we count the jars ahead of time so we are prepared. We also are sure to sample all the candy to assure its freshness while counting it. The person who guessed the closest to the actual number gets to take the jar of candy home that night 2) Math centers: The K-5 classrooms in my school all do math centers or stations as part of their regular math program. Before math night, we have each grade vote on 2 of their favorite stations that they are currently using or have just used. We set up half of the gym with cafeteria tables and each grade has two stations out. This way the kids can bring their parents over and show them two of the games they have been doing in math class. We leave paper copies of the directions out for parents but kids really do know how to do these stations already. Also, kids like to revisit a favorite from the previous year or try out a station from the grade ahead of them. Our sixth graders do less with math stations but I make sure they have a game that they have recently played in class that is out that night. This year, my sixth grade students will also have a QR code scavenger hunt to complete with their parents. I am also considering offering an easier QR code scavenger hunt at family math night because this has been a lot of fun for kids this year. 3) Math manipulative table. Down by the math stations table, we reserve one table for some of our fun math manipulatives. Many parents are familiar with pattern blocks and things of that nature but we love to put out our polydrons which many parents have never seen or used and last year we added a set of polydron sphera to the table. It is amazing to see parents and kids engaged in geometric explorations together and the language development that happens as a result of this is always amazing. Other manipulatives we have put out on this table include math links, geoblocks, fraction towers, wrap ups, and base 10 pieces. Of course we don't do all of these every year but it makes me thing that you could do an entire math night around math manipulatives. 4) We have math night in the winter time. We have always done this and I think it helps with our attendance but I can not be sure because I have nothing to compare it to. Families seem to be less busy in the winter time in my area and are looking for ways to get out of the house when weather is bad. Of course, planning it for winter means that we always pick a snow date and advertise that along with other details. Having a snow date has saved us more than once! 5) The half of the gym not being used for math stations is used for other math activities around the theme. For example, when our theme was candy math we had stations and activities around Hershey bar fractions, rolling skittles, measuring with Twizzlers and weighing candy tins. I make up quick directions and/or a worksheet that goes along with the station and try to make it appropriate for as many grades as possible. The candy tin weighing for example was good for grades K-6 while the Hershey bar fraction activity was best for grades 3-6 and the rolling skittles was best for K-3. I put the grade range it is best suited for on the program and post it at the table. Occasionally, I will have a family or kid who really wants to try something that is not best suited for their grade level and it usually works out fine. When kids have a parent sitting one on one with them it is amazing some of the concepts they can grasp. 6) I make a program that says thanks for coming and lists the choices for activities for the night. This let's parents know what is available and helps them in planning their evening. 7) We schedule one hour and wrap it up at the end by giving away the estimation jars and thanking everyone for coming. This is the only time we pull the whole group together. 8) We have a sign in table right inside the gym. As people arrive, we have them sign in and there is always someone there to greet them. I like this because it makes them feel welcome, they get a chance to look at the program and have a chance to ask questions. We also use the sign in for door prizes on years where we have had more budget or grant money and have been able to provide door prizes. 9) I advertise well in advance by putting the date and snow date on the school calendar, in the school newsletter, making announcements at school wide meeting and taking time during the school day to talk with kids about what will be happening at family math night. I also recruit some older students to help me make posters to hang around the school. I also usually try to put a bulletin board together by the front entrance about 2 weeks before hand to advertise the dates, door prizes and other relevant information. I also like to keep the bulletin board up for the week after and post a bunch of pictures of math night up. 10) The night of math night, I like to make it feel like fun so I do a bit of decorating with Christmas lights and balloons. It only takes a few minutes and I focus most of my attention on the entrance of the gym. It seems to add to the festivities. Have you had a math night at your school? What tips and tricks can you share with others? Please respond in the comments below. Want to check out all 6 parts, here they are! Part 1: Newsletters Part 2: Open House Part 3: Parent Teacher Conferences Part 4: Homework Part 5: Classroom Volunteers Part 6: Family Math Night!

This What's Your Ghost Name Game with Name Tags is a printable PDF and a digital download. This fun name generator game makes the perfect icebreaker game for a Halloween birthday party, a kids' Halloween party, or an adult Halloween game. Use the Ghost name game printable for your family game night or as a classroom activity as part of your teacher resources. Print as many copies as you like, so you can enjoy this Ghost activity time and again. *What you receive: An instant digital download - nothing will be mailed 2- 8.5 x 11 printable PDFs (print as many as you like) -1 Ghost name generator game -1 Ghost name tag template (each tag is 3.5x2.5) Print the name generator on card stock for more durability. Print the Ghost name tags on sticker paper and cut on the lines for each participant. *Find your file: Check your email for a link to your product (also check your spam folder) --Or-- Check your Purchases folder on Etsy and download from there (you must use a computer to download from Etsy) *Print at home or at your favorite local print shop (colors may vary slightly from screen to paper) **This file is for personal use only and cannot be resold. No physical item will be sent to you. Due to the digital nature of this item, no cancellations or refunds will be given.

These all about me activities are perfect for your all about me theme in preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten. They are low-prep and lots of fun!

STEM Family Nights are awesome! They generate excitement for STEM in your school and community by allowing students, teachers, and families to explore STEM together in a fun way! I planned my first STEM Night this past November, and after a big success, we planned three more! We worked with each mid

Welcome to the Harbor + Sprout Astronomy Patchwork Study, the May 2022 release of our original elementary-level homeschool unit study curriculum. This unit study features 4 weeks of lesson plans and materials covering all 9 of our core subjects plus a playful supplemental section of thematic activities. This unit study is meant for use by children ages 3-12.  This unit is delivered via a secure link as a digital download. Shop our corresponding Morning Basket Pack by Rebecca Clarke of Whimsy Printables here! CONTENT: Handbook Daily, weekly, and monthly planning pagesBooklist including stories, poems, and field guides with recommended ages, subject correspondence, and brief summaries for each titleLesson plans for 4 levels of learningFamily read aloud recommendationsCharacter kit- new monthly character illustrated by Stephanie Groves to act as your guide through the unitUnit Recipe Supply List Science Week 1: Our Solar SystemWeek 2: Dwarf Planets & CometsWeek 3: The Night Sky, Galaxies, & Black HolesWeek 4: Space Telescopes Nature Study Week 1: Star GazingWeek 2: Moon PhasesWeek 3: Cosmic Scavenger HuntWeek 4: Nature Tools Language Arts Week 1: The MoonWeek 2: ConjunctionsWeek 3: Word SpaceWeek 4: Star Myths Writing Week 1: PlanWeek 2: ResearchWeek 3: WriteWeek 4: Revise History Week 1: Who Found the Stars?Week 2: Peeking at the StarsWeek 3: Traveling With the StarsWeek 4: Traveling to the Stars Geography Week 1: ItalyWeek 2: MapsWeek 3: Galileo GalileiWeek 4: Ancient Rome Music Week 1: Flying Above the StaffWeek 2: VariationsWeek 3: Space TravelWeek 4: Holst- The Planets Art Week 1: ModernismWeek 2: Post-ImpressionismWeek 3: SurrealismWeek 4: Cubism Math Week 1: StatisticsWeek 2: Recognizing & Counting NumbersWeek 3: Ordinal & Prime NumbersWeek 4: Distance from the Sun Supplement Nature Activities Astronomy Flash CardsAstronomy Number Flash CardsAstronomy Posters and InfoAstronomy Tracing CardsColoring Poster & Bookmark TemplateGalaxy in a JarPlanet Color Matching GamePlanet Order ActivityPlanet Trace & ColorRhyming Word PlanetsTelescope Numbers Wellness & Quiet Time Zodiac 3-Part Cards (Spanish)Zodiac Wheel CraftZodiac Symbol Matching GameZodiac Night Sky Sensory Bin Writing & Language Arts Astronomy VocabularySpelling List and CardsWord SearchesWord ScramblesAstronomy Copy WorkSpace StoryWriting Reference Pages This unit will be delivered digitally as a downloadable zip file. H+S Patchwork Studies average approximately 550-650 pages of content. While the download does include the option to print the full unit straight through front and back, we recommend printing on an as-needed, as-you-go basis. Enjoy your adventure in the stars!

How do I know it's back to school time? My plants are dead. All of my plants that I grew so lovingly in the spring, watered all ...

Classroom favorite first week of school activities that are both educational and fun! Learn ways to help students get to know each other, set goals for the year and use math in your All About Me activities.

Hi, friends! So, our school-wide math night was a huge success. While parents were in 30 minute math classes, our students had a blast with math games and activities throughout the school. We saw a…

Stem Challenges. Many people think of STEAM (or STEM) activities to do at school, but they also are fun, engaging activities the whole family can participate in.

Candy Land Game Night! This was the theme of our recent Family Literacy Night. I think Game Night has been one of my favorite themes that we have done! The Candy Land colors were great

Here are 6 fun ideas for a family math night at school that are easy to do and give kids practice with lots of different math skills!

Grades: K-3 Encourage Students To Pack Their Backpacks With Information About Themselves These ready-to-decorate posters encourage students to fill in their favorite places, activities, food, and more to help introduce themselves to you and their classmates. Display them all as a unique student created bulletin board on Parent Night or individually throughout the year to highlight each student separately.

Planning a STEM or STEAM Family Night? Read on for 10 amazing activities that will engage the whole family! From painting with robots to creating a paper circuit, these activities will take your STEM Family Night to the next level!

13 2 749 6 0 5Several years ago, I had heard about another school’s Math and Science Night: experiments, hands-on learning, STEM games for families…. I knew I had to start one at my kids’ school! I mentioned it to some other parents- who loved the idea- and decided to ask the school for permission...Read More »

STEM Family Night Planning Guide This all-inclusive planning guide has everything you need to host a successful STEM Family Night! The guide was created after experience hosting several successful Family Nights with over 350 participants. The activities have been tested by math and science teachers for both elementary and middle school participants and their families. We hope this guide will give you the confidence to host your own amazing STEM Night! 14 Activity Guides: Bird Feeder Blobs in a Bottle Build A Boat Catapult Code A Game Heart Rate Math Hoop Gliders Landing Device Paper Football Slime Space Docking STEM Mural Straw Rockets Tallest Tower Step-by-step planning guide: This is a full planning guide that includes detailed instructions and tips that walks you through each step of planning your own amazing STEM Family Night! A detailed budget is included as well! Get Support Secure Date Select Stations Market Event Create Passport Arrange Location Prep for Event Activity Guide + Event Signage: This guide includes editable marketing materials, planning instructions, activity guide for station volunteers, Overview including step-by-step planning instructions STEM Night Planning Checklist Budget including links to materials 14 STEM Night Challenges that include: Materials required, Teacher instructions, Pictures of activity in action Editable signs for display at the event Spanish version of handouts Looking for more STEM lessons? Our team of engineers and educators is dedicated to developing low-prep and high-quality STEM activities for any classroom! Click below to learn more: Vivify's Scope & Sequence + Standards Alignment Vivify's Resource Guide Learn about the 3 Stages of STEM Vivify STEM Membership Customer Tips: • Click the Green ★ to follow our store and get notifications of new products and freebies • Leave feedback to receive TpT credit for use on future purchases • Questions? Contact us in the Product Q&A section ♥ Connect With Us ♥ Email us: [email protected] STEM Blog Pinterest Facebook Twitter Instagram TikTok YouTube

You next family game night will erupt with fun when you play Go Boom, an easy-to-play, trick-taking card game for all ages, from kid to adult

Easy to set up family night fun that's also educational.