This week, we talked A LOT about teen numbers, both how you form them as well as what they mean (e.g., 11 is 10 + 1). This will take a lot of practice, but once the skill is cemented, students will have a more solid number sense of what constitutes a number. It can often be tricky to remember which number comes first in the teens. In order to help the students recall how these numbers are formed, we listened to and sang a new song. Go to the following link to hear the fun rap! You can even sing it at home!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W5aYi3lkho&safe=active
Afterwards, partners worked together to order numbers one through twenty, and they even noticed some patterns that popped up when seeing them in a line!
Math stations:
- Build a Staircase (to 9!) - This week, this fan favorite got even trickier!! Not only did the kiddos use number dice to increase their number recognition but also had to build the staircase to 9! They had to choose which dice to use (1-6 or 4-9) dependent on what they needed in their staircase. Working with a partner, the boys and girls of Room #7 took turns rolling a die. They then stacked cubes together to represent that number. Once the partners finished building their staircases (1-9), they took turns rolling the die to disassemble them!!
- Give the Next Number – We are beginning to talk about one more and one less. At this center, I laid down a number card. Students then had to think what number comes next! It was a great way to go over teen numbers as well as one more!
- Teen Puzzles – The kiddos concentrated on putting
- Mix It Up! – This fun game could be played either with a partner or independently! Given a deck of number cards from 10-20, the students mixed up the cards and put them back in number order. It was really cool to watch them problem solve to make certain the numbers were in the correct positions. Additionally, the cherubs often sang parts of our teen number song to assist in this tricky work!
- iPad – Friends of 10! – The mathematicians were beyond excited to start using our iPads this week
- Shape Puzzle Books – Using various paper puzzle pieces in a book format, the children counted how many Unifex cubes could fit on each. Next, they recorded that number inside their books. Great job practicing your counting skills, Kindergarteners!
- Fill the Cup – In this partner game, the mathematicians picked a cup they wanted to work with: big or medium. Next, taking turns, each cherub rolled a die and filled the cup with that many cubes. The partners continued until one of the cups was filled up to the top! Next, each person connected his/her cubes to make two individual trains. Finally, after lining the trains up, side by side, the partners used buddy lines to determine which train was longer and by how much! Terrific job, boys and girls!
In Writer’s Workshop, the class has started to learn about writing 3-page stories. Room #7 worked together to create a story about our trip to Smolak Farms! To begin our writing experience, we wrote a one-page story – We went to Smolak Farms! But, after a discussion about how authors use more than one page to tell their stories, the class and I decided it was time to stretch our stories over several pages. This was accomplished by the boys and girls verbally telling the story, with my guidance, and then stretching out their verbalizations over 3 pages.
Page One: We got on a bus and drove to Smolak Farms. When we got there, we went on a hay ride.
Page Two: Next, we ate a snack in the barn and then went pumpkin picking.
Page Three: After that, we ate lunch on the picnic tables, saw animals, and played on the structure! Finally, we took the bus home. It was so much fun!
I modeled touching each page as we verbally told the story so that the cherubs could gain practice first tactically, picturing it in their minds, and then actually writing the story. This is difficult work! I’m impressed with how many students are experimenting with this tricky skill! We will continue creating 3-page stories to increase their ability in storytelling – using details and breaking the story apart into a beginning, middle, and end! Try telling stories together at home for fun!
We’ve been listening to rhymes in our classroom. Your child may have mentioned the songs we’ve been singing and the poetry we’ve been reciting together. They’ve been enjoying rhymes and songs, which have helped the cherubs listen to the sounds of language, especially rhyming words. And, as they notice rhyming words, they begin to learn how words work, such as: Some words have end parts that sound alike – they rhyme. Hearing these sounds helps the children realize that words are made up of sounds and assists them in distinguishing individual sounds so they understand that letters and sounds are related.
We’re having fun with songs and poems, and the children can hear the rhymes. In fact, sometimes they can even predict what the rhyme will be. Eventually, they will hear individual sounds and will be able to connect them to letters. To help with this work, we read the story, The Hungry Thing. Ask your kiddo what it’s about!
The kiddos loved the leaf print workshop that we are doing during Learning Labs! The corresponding works of art are unique and colorful for fall! Thank you to all those parents who were able to come in and donate their time!
During Reader’s Workshop last week, we learned a new station: Word Work. At this station, the readers of Room #7 will practice writing and spelling their circle words using different materials (e.g., sand writing, dry erase markers, dry erase crayons, magnadoodles, etc.). As the year continues, they will have other word work activities to work on each week! Everyone is very excited to try this new activity and become word experts!
Enjoy your weekend!