Survey Questions....

A favorite each year with kindergarten mathematicians is the "survey question" activity. We talk about keeping track of data, and then think of a yes/no question that we can ask. A clipboard, pencil, and walk around the school elicits a lot of data-and the children enthusiastically ask their question again and again. Some of the questions were "Do you like snowcones?" and "Do you like hamburgers and fries?"  and "Do you like video games?"

I like to ask the children if they are surprised by their results-especially if someone says "no" in answer to their question. (They always are surprised when someone has an opinion that differs from theirs).

Until Next Time,
Michele

Numbers and Data Collecting

We've continued to explore numbers 1-20 in many different ways. The kindergartners particularly enjoy number bingo, dot to dots, and other methods to explore reading numbers and sequencing numbers.

In this activity we had number cards 1-20, and created a web by rolling the end of the yarn from number to number. We had to pay close attention!

"Taking Inventory" involves grabbing a bag and counting up the number of items inside the bag.

 We are given many opportunities to practice our writing skills with number models.

 Favorite Lunch was an activity wherein we drew a picture of our favorite lunch, and then chose one item from that picture to share with others.

 After we shared our lunch pictures, we decided that our favorite items could be categorized as "sweet" and "not sweet"!


Until Next Time,
Michele

Counting is More Than 1,2,3!

We've completed our Geometry Unit and moved onto our counting and measuring unit. This unit asks children to begin to see groups of objects as a numeral, and to add and subtract informally. Our first games involved making groups of "6" or any number that followed a rule, and playing a game called "Toss the Chips" in which a certain number of red and yellow faced chips are tossed and counted up.

We are more willing and able to sit with pencil and paper and complete work now, which is exciting!

 The "rule" for this game is that one whole side of each tile needs to touch. The children create a design, count up the groups, and are learning notation to make a number sentence.

"Toss the Chips" requires tossing a cup of a certain number of chips, counting them up, and putting a number in each row. 

 Until Next Time,
Michele

2-D and 3-D Geometry

We've continued to look at concepts of geometry, including 2-D and 3-D shapes. The mathematicians have worked to find out about shapes through free choice time. We've had a 3-D shape hunt and we wrote  riddles about our favorite shapes. We shared a book about 3-D shapes that had us thinking; what shapes can roll only, what shapes can stack only, and what shapes can roll and stack? We matched the faces of 3-D shapes to construct new shapes.

Until Next Time,

Michele

2-D and 3-D Geometry

The K mathematicians have begun a new unit of study; geometry! We look at shapes in our world, put shapes together, and define shapes. The children wrote a book about shapes in which each page began-"a __________is a ___________until you add___________and then it's a _______________.  Some of the shape pictures were buses, trains, houses, and maps. We have discovered that there are many ways to make a hexagon, or to fill in a pattern shape puzzle, and are practicing our recording skills. We have been working on a "shape mural" which depicts a circus- the children glue shape cut outs together to make the different characters in the circus.

Until Next Time,
Michele