Number Corner and Math Update

It's hard to believe it's the middle of December and we have completed 69 days of school!  The time flies by when we are having fun learning.

Below is a classroom update of what we have been learning in the last two weeks.

Number Corner

Calendar

This month the children are naming and predicting the location of a teddy bear relative to a box on each new marker.  They are using positional words such as above, below, behind, and in front of to describe where the bear is.

Calendar Collector

This month we are collecting pattern blocks in four different shapes: triangles, squares, trapezoids, and hexagons.  Each day, a 3-4-5 spinner is spun and the designated number of pattern blocks are pulled out of a box.  The blocks are then sorted by shaped, counted, and placed in the pocket chart.  At the end of each week, we count how many blocks are collected and sort them by shape and order the groups by quantity.  This coming week, we will combine both collections (from the previous 2 weeks), estimate and then sort and count to see how many pattern blocks were collected this month.

Days in School

This part of Number Corner continues to be a short, but an important daily activity.  This month we are focusing on counting the remaining days in school until the holiday break.

Computational Fluency

We have been exploring the numbers 6-10 using ten frames and finger patterns.  We have been working on these numbers being represented as 5 and some more.

Number Line

This month we were introduced to the rest of the members of the twenties family.  We have played several fun and interactive games that reinforce number order, numeral identification, and the 11-29 forward number word sequence (counting from 11-29 forward).

Here are a few activities you can do with your child at home:

• Give them a number and have your child show you the finger pattern for that number.  Repeat for other numbers.
• Have your child tell you the number that comes before and after a specific number.
• Have your child count from 11-30 forward and backward.  Start at various numbers. 
• Have your child count out a set of objects (any number in the range of 0-9) and then have them tell you how many more to make 10. 

Math

The children have been introduced to several new math stations in the last two weeks.  Below is a little synopsis of each new math station.

Butterfly Race

In this partner game, the children race their "butterflies" (game markers) through 5 trees to the finish.  They can move to the next tree only if the number on their card has a matching numeral on the next tree.  The first player to reach the 5th tree is the winner.


Spill Ten Beans

In this activity, the children shake and spill 10 two-sided bean counters, then count the number that turn up read.  They trace this numerals on a record sheet and repeat until three columns of numerals are filled.

Grab Bag More or Less

In this partner game, each player grabs a handful of cubes from a bag, counts them out, and makes them into a train.  The players compare trains, spin the Greater Than or Less Than spinner to determine who gets the point (a tally mark).  The first person to 5 tally marks, wins.

Bicycle Race

In this partner game, the partners roll a 0-5 die, double the number, and determine if that number appears on the next wheel on the game board (this game board is set up in a similar way as the game board for Butterfly Race is).  If their number does appear, they get to move their game marker to that wheel.  The first player to land on the 5th wheel is the winner.



We have been exploring the concept of 1 less and counting backward when using the book Butterfly Countdown.  We acted out the story and then we used Unifix cubes and ten-frame counting mats to practice with the concept of taking 1 away.  We also explored the concept of 1 more while completing similar activities as we read the book Munch, Crunch, What a Lunch!.

The children also played a partner game in which one player places some Unifix cubes under a bowl and then adds 1 more.  The second player determines how many cubes are under the bowl.  This game was repeated the following day, but this time the children were subtracting 1 cube from the collection under the bowl.

Below is a video showing you a partnership playing the bowl game of adding 1 more.

We have been working on writing equations this past week.  In one of our activities, the children were required to show the number of dots on five-frames, which were flashed, using their fingers.  After, an equation, which represents and describes the five-frame shown, was generated and written on the whiteboard.  The children practiced reading the equations.  The children are working on stating and writing equations using the following language and represented in writing in the following way.

3 + 2 = 5  or  5 = 3 + 2

three plus two equals 5  or three plus two is the same as 5

We also solved bicycle story problems using Unifix cubes and ten frame counting mats, which involved adding and subtracting bicycles.  We also explored the concept of doubling numbers (2 + 2, 3 + 3, 4 + 4).  For each story problem, the children generated equations to go along with the problems.  

At home, you can create your own story problems for your child to solve.  You can also give them a number (for example 3) and tell them you want to double that number.  Then ask your child, "How many more will I need?" 

Lastly, the children worked on building and adding numbers using Unifix cubes and ten-frames.  With some guidance from me, the children devised equations to match their work.