All About The Math!!

Hello Everyone!!
It's is all about the math tonight!  We had a great time exploring the concept of addition using an interesting pattern. Those of you who have been reading this little blog for a while know I just have to throw in our life sized  100 board for a group lesson every now and then!  Today we had a blast creating a "ginormous" number sentence with a hands on visual to help us!! We started off with 1. We added 2. then, 3, then 4 all the way up to 10 and then went backwards by adding 9, then 8, then 7, then 6, and so on and so on!  I cut out some quick squares of paper in various colors and had the kids lay them out according to the number we were adding.  The kids were working on the number sentence on their whiteboards. At the end, when we finally got to the last +1, we were at 100!!! 
Take a peek!

We were able to have huge conversations with a ton of "math talk" throughout the whole lesson! The kids wanted to put the board and cards in a math tub!!  I said, "Of course!!" :)

There is an individual independent practice activity similar to this whole group lesson in my 100th Day of School unit.

You can get that HERE!! CLICK!!!

Next I want to share a few things I will be putting in math tubs next week.  They are all Valentine related!  So Sweet!!

These are a few of the 8 or so activities you will find in the 30 page unit.  You can pick and choose appropriate things for your little learners.

You can get your sweet little packet HERE!! CLICK!!

OK friends, off to get ready for a huge Gala my honey and I are attending on Saturday...I haven't been to a black tie affair in forever.....OK...never... sooooo...I am just a little excited!!  Got to find the shoes and a little sparkle yet!! :)

Hope you're having a great week!

Till next time,

Joyfully!

Nancy

Math Thinking Patterns and CUBES strategy

Hello Everyone!
We have been working hard on word problems in math and using our thinking patterns (Some-Some More, Some- Some Went Away and all the organizers that go along with those) to help us solve. I love that our district supports and encourages us to teach about thinking patterns.  I did not learn this way of solving math problems when I was a kid, and always had trouble with math.  We simply learned to memorize facts. I want my students to have many many more options when working on math!
 Well, I finally got around to making some mini posters as reminders for the kids as they practice trying out thinking patterns and for using the tried and true CUBES strategy as a way of getting through a word problem. C- circle the numbers, U-underline the question, B-box the key words, E- eliminate unneeded information, S- Select thinking pattern and Solve.   Today we got out the life size replicas of CUBES (you know how much I love a life sized math activity!) and the kids got small snap cubes. I decided to make them in certain colors,(Kids gotta have those rainbow colors!) and have the kids follow what the cubes said using that color marker. It really helped in organizing our thinking!  
Here are some pics!

After going through the word problem together, the kids were able to practice using their CUBES and thinking patterns on some other stories. Here are a few pics of some of the Thinking Pattern Mini Posters. the entire packet includes 15 different posters.

And a pic of the CUBES mini poster:

If you think you might be able to use these, I am sharing the printable download.

CLICK HERE for yours!! :)

I hope my kids learn to love math!  I know I am going to do my best to help them!

Til next time!

Thanks for stopping by for a peek!! 

Take a second a leave a comment. Am I on the right track with this whole blogging thing?  Do you want to see something different? Less of some things, more of other things?  I am here to help and share!!

Joyfully!

Nancy

Math Smart Hearts!

Hello Everyone!
We have had some great math learning fun already this week!  We are focusing on addition and subtraction to 20. In honor of Valentine's Day coming up, we created a huge Smart Heart to use during a mini lesson on how facts can be related and how to show the many ways to compose and decompose 20.  We took a long rope and strung 20 little heart shaped "slinkies" (Dollar Tree) on it.  We set the rope down in a heart shape and then took turns moving the hearts from one side to the other and showing a number sentence each time. It was a good hands on visual mini lesson! Then the kids got to make their own Smart Heart using fuzzy sticks and beads.  They loved recording their own number sentences and sharing with friends!  The math talk I heard between friends was clear, precise and complete.  Great job, kiddos!! Here are a few pics!

Personal sized Smart Hearts!!

Math talk!

We heart our Smart Hearts!!!

For a printable of the directions and a couple of recording sheets, click HERE!!!

Okee Dokee!  Gotta Run!! Got to get ready for the sweetest day!!

Have a great rest of the week! Thanks for stopping by!

Joyfully!

Nancy

There's Snow Time Like Winter

Hello Everyone!!
I have absolutely loved having this week off.  Christmas was a very relaxing and sweet day of celebrating so many things. I feel so blessed!
 I ended up getting a yucky cold later in the week, so I was forced to stay in and enjoy the snow from my couch.  It did give me some time to put together a little unit for later on in the winter, probably the week of Jan 21.  I love having time to plan ahead for a change.  This little unit includes some winter poetry and interpretation responses, some compound word activities, a word search, some math tub activities, including one with missing addend, a marshmallow snowman craft connection, some quick reader's response to go along with "The Biggest Snowman Ever" By Steven Kroll, a mystery picture math activity with addition and subtraction clues, and a fun science activity. Here are a few pics to help you visualize.

Looks good enough to eat!!

 

Unit has a Borax snowflake in a jar experiment.

If your fingers aren't too cold, click here for your 45 page wintry unit!

Now that I'm feeling a little better, I'm going to venture outside!!  Hope your time off is a time of blessings and joy!

Joyfully!

Nancy