Skipping Into Fall!

Hello Everyone!!
Thanks for stopping by our little window on wonder!  This past week in math we worked hard on skip counting. Having kids understand what skip counting means, why we need to learn about it, and practice it, is an important math concept. Skip counting is counting numbers in groups or bundles. (For example, counting in bundles of two.)There are many examples of such counting in everyday life.

For example; The human body is the best example of skip counting. One person has two hands, two people have four hands and so on. The same is true with other parts of body such as arms, legs, eyes, ears and fingers.

Some more examples of skip counting may include bicycle wheels or car wheels can be used to introduce skip counting by 2's or 4’s.

* By learning skip counting kids start to realize the concept of place value and get ready to learn bigger numbers.

* Basic skip counting is actually times tables. For example, the skip counting by 2's is actually the 2 times table and similarly by learning skip counting by 3's, 4's and 5's, kids master these times tables.

* Skip counting can help kids count coins. The ability to count coins will come much easier to a student who has mastered skip counting already.

When they have a number of nickels, dimes and quarters kids can use skip counting to add these coins.

* By learning skip counting kids develop mental math skills to do simple arithmetic such as addition and subtraction.

* Even and odd numbers are skip counting by 2's so kids can explore bigger even or odd numbers by using skip counting by 2's.

A lot of kids come to first grade knowing how to "recite" counting by 10's, 5's, and 2's, but really don't understand what those numbers represent. So we strive to incorporate manipulating objects into groups and work on seeing the number patterns as they relate to other numbers. 

We used elements of our bodies to see skip counting in a natural way, and used our "bigger than life" 120 board.

We had fun counting by 2's with our eyes and then with our fingers! We created some fun little star shapes!

Making the star shapes led us to a conversation about our American flag. We "skip counted" the stripes and the stars. The timing of this was perfect because for Patriot Day (Sept 11) our entire student body, about 800 kids, created a living flag in honor of our patriotism.

 Our amazing school counselor organized this effort!  What an impact!!

This coming week we will work on skip counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's but starting at different numbers. Can't wait!!

Some of the activities mentioned above are from my skip counting unit.  If you downloaded it last year, I have added more to it, (the feet, hands and eyes, as well as extensions to the tub activities) so please download again.

You can get it free if you CLICK HERE!!! :)

Here are a few of the 34 pages of printables!

Hope this helps put a spin on your skip counting unit!!

2, 4, 6, 8! Who do I appreciate? YOU!!

 Thanks again for stopping by!! 

Joyfully!

Nancy