For the next week or so, many of our Math stations are centered on 100th Day. This is a big deal for the Kindergarteners, and they are eager to visit each station. I just introduced new stations on Friday, so we are continuing with those this week!
- Comparing Numbers – Last week, as a whole group, the class began comparing numbers and determining which was greater, less than, or equal to. We noticed that the greater than and less than signs look like alligators! Those alligators like to eat only the greater numbers. Using these words, instead of bigger or smaller, is very important at this age. In this manner, it helps to alleviate any literal confusion relating to each number’s size. At this station, students practiced using the signs to compare various numbers. They whizzed through it!
- iPad – Park Math – Addition! – For this new game, the students practiced their addition skills by adding two groups of ducks together!
- Bump! – An addition partner game! Working with a friend, each student took 10 cubes of the same color (e.g.: Player 1 = green, Player 2 = blue). Next, Player 1 rolled the two dice and added them together. That player then put a cube on the circle with the matching sum. The game continued in this manner; however, if someone achieved a sum that was already marked, that player could “bump” the cube off the game board. Players could also “freeze” a number by rolling the same sum twice. Once a cherub used all ten cubes, the game was over! So much fun!
- Estimation Station – The Room #7 mathematicians have been hard at work at estimating. It is a tricky skill! At this center, they examined what 5 pebbles looked like and what 20 pebbles looked like. Next, they filled a small cup with rocks and dumped them out. Using the visual of what 5 and 20 look like, they estimated how many they had in their cup. Finally, the cherubs organized their pebbles onto ten frames to determine the actual number. Everyone loved this station and enjoyed the challenge! Their estimates improved from last week! Way to go!
- Fix-it Strips – At this center, students worked with me on a new and tricky concept of “changing numbers”. Independently, the kiddos received a fix-it strip. Using cubes, they built a tower that represented their first number. Next, they changed that tower to match the second number. I asked them to articulate what they did by telling me if they added or took away cubes and how many. The pictorial representations really enabled the students to visualize what they had to do. I was super impressed with how quickly the students caught onto this skill!
9 --> 3 --> 6 --> 2 --> 4
- 100th Day Crowns - The boys and girls have been hard at work on their 100th Day Smarter Crowns! For the 100th Day, students created beautiful, one-of-a-kind crowns with 100 items on them to match their 100th Day necklaces and vests. Each crown contains 10 multi-colored strips of paper on which students put 10 “things” (bingo dobbers, buttons, stamps, tissue paper, sequins, googly eyes, hole-punched dots, etc.). This was a definite fan favorite! The crowns look amazing, and the kids can’t wait to wear them :)
During Reader’s Workshop, the readers of Room #7 are working on discovering the patterns in their books to help them figure out unknown words. They are using multiple powers at a time when decoding and making sure they are checking their reading to see if it makes sense, sounds right, and looks right! Way to go, readers! This is tricky work!
During our Learning Lab time, students are having a blast exploring water! They are learning how it moves and how they can manipulate it. We even did a small experiment! Before putting a cup of water outside, the students predicted what would happen to it (turn to ice). A few hours, their predictions came true! We then discussed how water can be a liquid or a solid! Try the experiment at home too! Next up: how can we change the ice back into water??
Have a wonderful weekend!