Make it Rain Pattern Block Style

Tonight was a big night because I finally posted THIS to Teachers Pay Teachers:

Seriously this was a labor of love and I feel like I may need to throw a whole bunch of pattern blocks up in the air {"Make it Rain" style} to celebrate this thing being done. It has been in progress since January....so closure feels good!

Not only is it a labor of love... but this is a team effort.  That's right... my husband helps me with all things pattern block related.  He is extremely artistic and plays around with the blocks creating the animals while watching ESPN.... you know, the ever popular ESPN/Pattern Block combo.

Then I take pictures of what he has made and head on over to the computer to create the digital version. This is the only TpT/blog related thing that he helps me out with and so that makes it fun!

I love pattern blocks! Why? Because the kids love them.... and they think they are playing and I am just tricking them into learning.

These puppies work on spacial awareness, reasoning and problem solving. And with problem solving comes a little practice in patience.

On top of that we are hitting on some of those Math Common Core Standards {K.G.A.2, K.G.A.3, K.G.B.6, 1.G.A.2 and 1.G.A.3}

This set has 4 levels of difficulty depending on your needs:

I like to print out the easiest version that has all the lines of every shape {green} and the most difficult version {purple} and glue them back to back on construction paper. Then the kids can choose which one to try.

Or they can do the easy way first and then flip it over and do it again on their own - and you know what the beauty of it is?  Once they start laying blocks down they can't turn it over and "cheat" ... not that it is really cheating... and yes, they are five years old and I shouldn't even use that word.

But you know what I mean... they just have to figure it out on their own because turning the paper over to see the "answer" will mean starting over....

And there are many ways to cover each animal and my "green/easy" version is just one way.... so sometimes they come up with a whole different combination as I noticed when I walked by and saw the crab above being made!

The dark blue version that has the color words listed works well if you are working on color words. I chose to use the color words as opposed to the shape names since those words are ones we are also working on in language arts. And maybe for others the version with the visual of the pattern block shape is the best {shown below}:

I am so happy these are done.... and my Make it Rain Party isn't enough. To celebrate I am going to give 2 of these away!! And guess what.... not only will I email you this 53 pages of Ocean Animal Fun! I will also mail, mail you a copy.

You know that old fashioned thing called the U.S. Postal service? I will send a hard copy to you so you can save some of your color ink.... and who doesn't like to get mail!?

The giveaway runs from now.... until next Thursday, April 3rd!

If you want to learn more then head on over HERE to see it on Teachers Pay Teachers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
And if you are still reading this post and have a love of all things Pattern Block-y.... then you may want to know that I also have made a  Zoo Animal Pattern Blocks.