Numbers and Story Problems

We are refining our use of numbers to include counting games, story problems, and combining and taking away from numbers. The children composed their own story problems, acted them out, and found the solutions. We roll two dice and combine the dots to chart numbers 2 through 9, and play a game called "racing bears" which involves rolling dice in combination and counting up to ten. We also play a game "toss the chips"; combinations of red and yellow double sided chips that we add together.  Our math class is very active and vibrant lately!

 Following rules to make a number design.

 Roll and Record (two to nine)

 "racing bears" rolling dice and moving bears.

 7 dolphins altogether

 five hexbugs altogether

 "narrating" the story problem

"toss the chips"

Until Next Time,
Michele

Number Sense and Measuring....

 We are learning new games, "collect 10 together" and "racing bears" which require counting, taking turns, number sense, and persistence!

 The children were able to remember and create a shape with tiles. They created strategies, like counting, or thinking about what shape was made, to recreate the shapes....

Until Next Time,
Michele

Measuring with Units

Our Measuring Unit gives us a chance to try to measure the length of things; at first we measure our foot and other's feet, and then we expand. There are different units of measure that we can use, and different ways to record our answers. Most importantly, we measure from one end to the other, and keep track of counting, then share our results.

Until Next Time,
Michele

Geometry!

We've had a variety of experiences with shapes and geometry these past few days. This week we wrapped up with a few activities: building a shape from a visual cue, finding congruent sides to a block, writing a riddle about our "favorite shape,"  and  putting together a beautiful shape quilt. The children are familiar with shapes and their names and have created a few of their own shapes. They stumped the first graders with their "favorite shape riddles" (i.e. "my favorite shape has no sides...answer ? circle") and are readily able to make new shapes from combined shapes.

Until Next Time,
Michele

2-D and 3-D shapes

This week we finished up our look at 2-D shapes, and shifted gears to begin a look at 3-D shapes. We constructed hexagons from a number of different combinations of pattern block shapes.

Our first look at 3-D shapes was a shape hunt. We looked around the room to find shapes that resembled drawings of 3D shapes like a cone, a sphere, and a cube, and then we explored geometry solids and blocks.

Until Next Time,
Michele

geometry, continued!

We are continuing with our Geometry Unit, constructing our own 2-D shapes with clay or geoboards, developing the language to describe and compare 2-D shapes and their attributes, and relating 2-D shapes to real-world objects. In addition, we have begun finding combinations of shapes, or puzzle block shapes, to fill an area, and exploring relationships amongst pattern block shapes. The children have created a mural that we've titled "circus" by making pictures from shapes to represent different things we might see in a circus. We are also working through a pattern block puzzle book which asks us to create the pattern with blocks, and then count up how many blocks we've used. Some of the children are challenging themselves and trying to use "only triangles." We've learned that there are many combinations of shapes that will fill each puzzle!
Until Next Time,
Michele

Exploring Geometry

 Geometry at the kindergarten level requires close observations, hands on learning, and descriptive language. We tried making shape outlines with clay, compared shapes, and noticed and talked about the attributes of the shapes circle, triangle,  diamond, rectangle, and square. We searched for shapes in our classroom, and noticed that there are a lot of things that are composed of shapes!

Until Next Time,
Michele