My first graders are always solving number stories or word problems during math. We learn lots of different strategies to help us solve problems, but kids ALWAYS love having the option of using real life objects! This EGG-cellent Problem Solving Bulletin Board lets little ones solve number stories using bright, colorful eggs and Easter baskets. It's the perfect activity for early finishers, centers, or morning work. It's a beautiful addition to any classroom or hallway for spring.
I have been using Fadeless Weathered Wood paper on my bulletin board since school started! I originally planned on changing the paper throughout the year, but it looks amazing with everything I hang up. I love how it looks with the bright borders, letters, and baskets. I've also kept the white scalloped border up for a long time. The wood paper and white border are the perfect backdrop for any bulletin board!
To transform the board into an EGG-cellent Problem Solving bulletin board, I added another border of Fish Scale Rainbow Scalloped Bulletin Board Border! I added two Easter Egg Garlands to the top and bottom of the board. The eggs are made of felt so they add a nice layer of texture to the bulletin board.
I wanted letters that were as bright and colorful as the eggs so I chose Jumbo Poppin' Patterns Designer Letters. I punched out letters to make the words "EGG-CELLENT problem solving." Then I added some baskets. I picked Bamboo Baskets with Bright Bows so I didn't have to add any extra bows. It was already done for me! I stapled the baskets up using my regular stapler and staples. I used 4 or 5 staples in each basket to make them nice and secure. Each basket got a little Green Easter Grass to fill it up! I put an assortment of Bright Printed Plastic Easter Eggs in a basket under the bulletin board.
Now the board was ready for some number stories! I chose to write my own number stories for the first display. I tried using a few different types of questions to keep my little ones thinking. Kiddos can come over to the board and use eggs to solve the problems. If I wanted to use the bulletin board as a quick assessment, I could add copies of the number stories on paper and have my students draw or write about their thinking.
Once everyone has had a chance to solve this set of number stories, I will let my kiddos write their own number stories to display. We can change the problems as many times as we want to! It will be so motivating for my first graders to see their classmates solving the problems they have written. I love having a bulletin board the looks amazing and helps us practice so many important math standards!
