Place Value Initials File Download

In order to help keep up with the requests for the Place Value Initials file request, I have added the template along with printable Base Ten Blocks to my TPT store. You can download the file here and find examples of the final product at the links below:

Place Value Intials 2012
Place Value Initials 2011

Printable Base Ten Blocks

Fellow teachers, several of you have asked for printable Base Ten Blocks so I created a set. The set includes a full page of ones, a full page of tens, and a full page of hundreds. I hope these are what you are looking for! You can download these from my TPT store.

Place Value Initials

***UPDATE: You can now download the templates on my TPT store.***

The students practiced building larger numbers using paper Base Ten Blocks by creating the initial of their first name. After building their initial, they recorded how many tens and ones their letter contained and then wrote the expanded notation.

Skip Counting Puzzles

The students worked in small groups to put number cards in order following the skip counting rules of 2s, 5, and 10s. After putting them in order, they wrote the patterns down on sentence strips. They then took the sentence strips back to their tables and covered three of the numbers up with Post-It notes to create skip counting puzzles. The students then took turns solving one anothers' puzzles to find the missing numbers in the patterns.

Additive Patterns

The students practiced creating additive patterns with pattern blocks. After creating several, they chose their favorite to recreate on a sentence strip with paper pattern blocks. I am so thankful to have parent volunteers who cut out all of the paper pattern blocks we needed for our pattern lessons.

M&M Patterns

To reinforce repeating patterns and additive patterns, the students worked in cooperative groups to create patterns with paper M&M manipulatives. They used popsicle sticks to divide the repeating parts. After creating their patterns the students went on a gallery walk to practice labeling the patterns with letters. Next I gave the students only one color of M&M manipulatives. I asked them again to create a pattern. Previous students have been stumped by this challenge but not this group. They immediatley knew that they had to make positional patterns. I attribute this to the amazing quality of teaching we have in our Kindergarten. And, the kids are smart! Some of the groups chose to keep the patterns in a row but turning the M to various positions while other groups chose to move the M&Ms up and down to create a pattern. And of course, hard work deserves a reward. So, the students had the opportunity to build a variety of patterns with real M&Ms and then eat them.

 

 

More Repeating Patterns

To review repeating patterns the students worked together to create, extend, and label repeating patterns with magnetic pattern blocks.

Repeating Patterns

The students practiced making repeating patterns with pattern  blocks. They were each given a pattern written in letter form in which they had to recreate. They marked the repeating sections with popsicle sticks. After they were finished creating their pattern, they turned the letter card over. All of the students went on a "gallery walk" to practice identifying and labeling the patterns that their classmates created.

Measuring Area

We had several lessons on how to measure area using non-standard units. One way was to measure the area of square rectangles using the tiles on the floor. We marked off various squares and square rectangles with painting tape and then counted how many tiles it took to cover that shape. To reinforce that area measures the amount of surface that is covered, the students covered crackers in spreadable cheese making sure to cover the entire area. They also made various squares and square rectangles out of color tiles. They then recreated those shapes on construction paper with paper color tiles. They then counted how many tiles it took to create the shape and recorded it. They also cut out various shapes and layered them on top of one another to see which one covered the most surface. We discussed that when you layered two objects, if you could still see the outside edges of one of the shapes or if the shape covered the other shapes completely, then it had a larger area. Last but not least, the students created squares and square rectangles out of Cheez-Its. They then went on a gallery walk to compare the area of the various shapes they created. After comparing the areas, then of course they ate them!

Measuring Length

In math we have been learning to measure using non-standard units. In the computer lab, the students drew three lines of varying length in Kidspiration. They then used electronic color tiles to measure the length of each line. They then wrote comparative sentences to identify which line was the longest, which was the shortest, and which was the middle length.

Measuring With Non-Standard Units

Last week we learned to measure length with non-standard units. In one of our lessons, the students worked together to make predictions about the length of a craft sticks using non-standard units of paper clips, color tiles, and lima beans. As they made their predictions, we discussed which unit we would need to the most of when measuring the craft stick. We talked about that when measuring with a unit that is smaller, you need more of that unit and when measuring with a unit that is larger, you need less of that unit. After making their predictions about the length of the craft stick and recording them on construction paper, they measured the actual length. We talked about starting at the end of the craft stick because just like in a race, everyone needs to start in the same spot to be accurate and fair. After recording their actual measurements, the students compared their predictions to the results.

Place Value Ordering

Last week the students practiced ordering larger numbers. To assess their individual knowledge, I gave each student a different number card. The student wrote their number on the recording sheet, built it with Base Ten Blocks, and then drew it with sticks and dots. They then wrote how many tens and ones were in their number on a t-chart. The students then rotated to the next desk. They repeated the same process but with a new number. They repeated this again by going to the next seat. By doing it this way, each student was guaranteed to have a different set of numbers than all of the other students. After following the steps for three numbers, the students put them in order from greatest to least and least to greatest. We then repeated the process again. The students then worked in small groups to discuss their findings.

Our Class Schedule with Clocks

Last week we learned more about telling time on the hour and half hour. To help the students remember the meaning of the hour and minutes, they created clocks out of paper plates. On the top plate there were slits pre-cut to leave spaces to write 1-12 on the clock in order with correct spacing. The students numbered the plate like a clock and them glued it down in the middle to another plate. They then folded down each number and wrote the corresponding minutes behind the number. For example, behind the 6 they wrote 30. We then created a class schedule with drawings of analog clocks along with the digital and written word form of the time. We then wrote the activity or lesson that we do at that approximate time. The students then chose on of those activities or lessons and glued down hands on their clock to match that time. They then wrote one sentence to describe what they do at that time. (Sorry -  I did not take pictures of these clocks!) After creating the clocks and the class schedule, the students completed their own clock book. They had to read the digital time and draw the hands on the analog clock to the corresponding time. They then had to write at least one sentence about the activity that they do at school during the time. They then illustrated their books. You can download the book here for free!

Dice Addition

I recently saw an idea online about keeping dice in plastic baby food containers for the students to use as addition practice. While in my hometown for the Christmas break, I came across small colorful containers at a dollar store. They were perfect for the dice. Each student has their own container with two dice in it. They shake the dice and practice adding the two numbers together. The students keep the dice containers in a basket on their table where they also keep phonics books and practice clocks. The materials in these desk baskets are used for when the students finish work early.