And Now to the NUMBERS

finishing touches to the shape quilt

happiness is kindergarten math!

 We began looking at representing numbers this week, and the children learned a game of toss the chips, in which they counted up, from a total number, how many red sides or yellow sides appeared when they tossed the chips, and recorded the answer. Representing numbers with a design on a grid helps to give that number concrete presence. Does that number change, even if the design does?
Until Next Time,
Michele

playing the game toss the chips...counting the yellows vs. the reds

using color tiles to represent a number

a design that follows the rules

representing the design

a busy table

playing toss the chips...

A Shape Quilt

getting right to work

drawing shapes with a stencil

 This week we used stencils to draw pictures for a special shape quilt. Some of the children liked connecting their stenciled shapes to make designs, and others drew pictures of animals or snowflakes or star wars or guys. The kindergartners helped with this blog by commenting on the pictures. Guest Bloggers!

Until Next Time,
Michele

drawing shapes

The beginning!

making our shape pictures and I was making "Arthur l"

I'm drawing a border with my friend

I was drawing my square for the quilt

making my star wars thing with my stencil and coloring it in

the middle

a little more

we closed our eyes and the teacher made a shape and then we opened our eyes and tried to make it

coloring in a shape design

MONKEY!

making a snowflake

the end!

Oh, More Geometry!

3D shapes

This week we continued to look very closely at 2D and 3D shapes. Familiarity and Practice is never a bad thing! The children shared their shape puzzles with the first graders.
(an example of a riddle: My favorite shape has one side...answer: a circle)

Until Next Time,
Michele

writing a riddle about MY FAVORITE SHAPE

guessing, what is my favorite shape?

matching faces

creative puzzle pieces

what will this shape print like?

using 3D shapes to print

creating with 2D shapes

More Formal Geometry

This week we looked at recording our designs and pattern block puzzles. The children enjoyed counting up the pattern blocks that they used to complete puzzles. We went on a shape hunt throughout the halls of the school, and kept counting!
Until Next Time,
Michele

sharing my shape findings

can you make a block shape like mine?

YES

more practice copying shapes

making hexagons

recording my work

adding it all up!

creative geometry

We created a mural of shapes, with sky, sand, and sea to fill with all sorts of action. The children enjoyed creating their own surfboards, beach balls, blankets, and adding arrows and words to liven up the beach scene. I believe that there are a few sharks.  
Until Next Time,
Michele

a view of the beach

GEOMETRY

 We began our geometry unit with free play with materials. The children made shapes with geoboards, pattern blocks, and play dough. They created pictures with shape cut outs, and helped to chart different examples of particular shapes. We wrote a book about shapes that began with the line, "a_____is a _____until you add______, and then it's _________________. Some of the examples were a triangle being a dress, and a rectangle becoming a bus or a tiger!
Until Next Time,
Michele

learning about congruent sides