Counting Money... Taking baby steps

I don't have much to post today, but we are in our first week of our money unit and I wanted to share this great strategy.  I don't know where I saw it, but I remember seeing this strategy last year after we had finished our money unit (of course!) 

We have been using the hundreds chart this week when they are at the teacher table for centers.  I put a pile of money in front of them and ask them to count it... God bless them, they really give it a good effort, but its just too much for most of them right now.  I pull out the hundreds chart and show them how to use it to count money.  They all got it immediately and were so proud of themselves for being able to count all of that money!  I love this new strategy.  Here is a picture of one of my little girls working hard!

Next week in my small group, I will work with using touch math for counting money and then the following two weeks, they can do whatever they need to do to count the money!  For my higher kids, I will jump into making change.  Its hard to believe the first grade standard only has them using pennies, nickels and dimes - they are capable of more :)

I printed these hundreds charts out a few years ago, put them on construction paper and laminated them.  They are still in great condition and can be used for anything :)

On another note, I am attempting my first unit for TPT.  I was working in powerpoint on the cover slide and I was going to play with the backgrounds, but was frustrated to see that my version (on my mac) is different than the powerpoint at school (a PC).  I like the one at school much better (don't get me wrong, I love my mac!)  Frustrated with the lack of options, I set out to search how all of you make these awesome backgrounds.  I came across a blogger who makes digital pages in photoshop.  I have photoshop and a lot of other editing software on my Dad's old computer (former photographer), but I became a little overwhelmed when I couldn't figure it out.  Then I decided to look into the Active Inspire software for the promethean board... I made some great backgrounds using their shapes and pattern fills :)  Then I saved it as a picture and inserted it right in the powerpoint!  Easy!

Sadly, since I spent so much time figuring that out, my new unit will have to wait until tomorrow.  Hopefully the motivation will last :)

Happy Wednesday!

Annie