Math and Science Family Night

Last Thursday we had a great turnout for our annual Math and Science Night. Congratulations to Carmen for being a winner in the Math and Science Night poster contest! In first grade, the students could make constellations in the science room or play addition and place value games in the math room. In science, the students placed a printout of a constellation on top of a piece of black paper. They then used a push pin to punch a hole where the stars were located. When they held up the black paper to a light, they could see the light through the holes and the constellation shape. In math, they could play "Go Fish to Ten." In this game, it is played like the traditional "Go Fish" game but instead of playing for a matching card, they ask for the card that would add up to ten with their card. Whoever had the most cards at the end won the game. In the other math game, each player would take two cards from the stack and make the biggest number possible. For example, if they drew a six and an eight, the greatest number they could build was eighty-six. Whichever partner had the greatest number overall got to keep the cards. Whoever had the most cards at the end won the game. These are games that can be easily played at home with a simple deck of cards.

Place Value Posters

The students created place value posters in small groups. The students were in groups of three and each student had their own number card ranging from 60 to 99. The students folded a large piece of paper in fourths. In each square, they wrote down one of the numbers from the cards and built it with Base Ten Blocks. They then modeled the number with paper Base Ten Blocks. The students wrote each number in word form and expanded notation. They also identified on a t-chart how many tens and ones were in each number. After identifying and modeling all of the information for the three numbers, they used the fourth box to order the numbers from greatest to least and least to greatest. Their posters were added to our group time teaching wall as a reference point.

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.

Place Value Hearts

This week in math we are extending our knowledge of place value to numbers up to 99. We are continuing to work on identifying the number of tens and ones as well as putting numbers in order from greatest to least and vice versa. We are also working on recognizing numbers in word form and expanded notation. For a fun Valentine's Day related activity, I gave each student a hundreds chart. I used the hundreds chart from Lil' Country Kindergarten. She has a large number of hundreds charts that can be colored to reveal pictures. We used the heart hundreds chart. Instead of having the students just read the numbers at the top and color them in, I called out various forms of the numbers for them to find. For example, I would say "Find the number that is 4 tens and 5 ones and color it pink." The students would verbally tell me that it was the number 45. I would then say "Find the number that would be 70 + 5 in expanded notation" and they would say "75." We continued until all of the numbers were colored in to reveal a picture. I have done similar activities to this in the past with Marilyn Burns' resources.

100 Days! Hooray!

We celebrated our 100th day of school a few weeks back but I haven't had time to post about it yet. So, here goes! We started our day by having the students write one sentence about what age they currently are and what they are like now. For example, they wrote things like "I am age 6 and I am a good student." Then then wrote another sentence pretending to be 100 years old. They wrote past tense sentences listing off some of their future accomplishments such as "I am 100 years old and I have been a doctor and a father to four children." We talk a great deal in our class about the importance of going to college so I used this lesson to reinforce the concept that you can be anything you want to be as long as you work hard. It was neat to see where the students hope to be when they are 100. They then drew pictures of themselves at these ages. Unfortunately, I did not remember to take pictures of these before I sent them home. :(

For math, we read 100 Day Worries by Margery Cuyler. Just like in the book, the students were asked to bring in a bag of 100 small items. They brought in pencils, pennies, beans, cereal, pins, etc. The students sat in a large circle and created sets of tens out of their items. The students then took a gallery walk around the circle counting the items by tens. We had a discussion about how some of the groups looked larger and some looked smaller but they all had 100 items. It was a great way for students to understand that the size of the objects did not change the quantity.

Number of Days in School

Each day during calendar we count the number of days we have been in school. We first count them using straws in a place value pocket chart like this one. We then turn the number over on the Hundreds Chart. Prior to turning over the number, the calendar helper asks their classmates to identify what number will come next and to make a prediction about its color pattern. Our numbers alternate in an AB color pattern. The students also identify if the number is even or odd. Following this, the students add a dot sticker to our Today's Number chart. The number chart is made of ten frames. The students add the dots one day at a time in a color pattern. This not only helps with patterns, but allows the ten frames to be skip counted by fives in addition to being counted by tens. After adding the dot sticker, the students count the number first by tens and ones. They then count the number again but this time they count by fives and ones. To help the students recognize when to break the counting pattern, they clap each time there is an incomplete row on a ten frame. This signals to them they need to start counting by ones. After counting the number several ways, they identify how many tens and ones are in the day's number and then write down the information along with its expanded notation.

Partitioning Numbers

To help your students build quick number recognition using ten rods and ones, have them play Partioning Numbers. The game flashes various numbers and gives three answer options. As soon as the students choose the correct number, it moves to another. You can also download a set of Place Value Flashcards that I made for FREE.

Dino Place Value

Here is another fun way to practice place value at home. In the game Dino Place Value, the students are given a number to build. They identify first how many tens there and need to mentally calculate its worth. They then identify how many ones there are. In class we practice counting how many tens and then calculating how much the tens are worth by counting them by tens. We use vocabulary and phrasing such as this: "There are 2 tens. 2 tens is worth 20. There are 4 ones. 4 ones is worth 4. 20 plus 4 equals 24."

Base Ten Block Game

To help your child with place value, have them visit Learning Box to play the Base Ten game. The students will build various numbers. We are currently working on building numbers to 50. You can also have your child practice at home with manipulatives you probably have around the house. You can use pretzel sticks, craft sticks, straws, toothpicks, pencils, etc. for tens. You can use marshmallows, candy, buttons, etc. for ones. A trick we use in class to signal when it is time to break a skip counting pattern between tens and ones is to clap in between the units. For example, if we are counting to 32, the students would say 10-20-30-(clap)-31-32.

Pumpkin Patch Place Value

Over the last several weeks we have been learning about place value. To practice identifying and counting tens and ones, we created pumpkin patches. Each student was given a bag of candy pumpkins. Each bag had a different number of pumpkins it in ranging from 20 to 50. The students placed the pumpkins on a ten rod mat starting at the top. As they placed the pumpkins, we discussed how there was not a need to count the pumpkins one-by-one because once a row was complete, we could count them by ten. A row that was not full had to be counted by ones. After building their numbers, we took a gallery walk to each table to count the various numbers of pumpkins. At each table the students discussed which number was the greatest and which was the least. We talked about first looking at the tens place and then at the ones place, if they tens were equal. The next day, the students chose a new bag and repeated the activity. This time instead of counting the numbers aloud, they drew sticks and dots to represent the nubmer. They wrote how many tens and ones were in their pumpkin patch and its expanded notation. Because we were having so much fun, we decided to extend the lesson to another day. The students chose another bag and built their number. This time, they used paint to create thumbprint pumpkins on a paper version of the ten rod mat to match their candy pumpkin representation. They students then wrote how many tens and ones were in their pumpkin patch and how much it was worth in expanded notation. Teachers, you may download the templates for the Pumpkin Patch Recording Sheet and the Pumpkin Patch Place Value Mat at my Teachers Pay Teachers store for FREE! Enjoy!

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Place Value Initials

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

To practice place value, the students built the first letter of their name with paper Base Ten Blocks. They then counted how many tens and ones were needed for their letter. They then calculated how much those tens adn ones were worth. In small groups, the students discussed which letter was worth more and which was worth less as a way to review greater than and less than.

Math About Me!

My teammate, Mrs. Linnabary, created a great lesson to get the students thinking about how they use numbers, both big and small, in their everyday lives. They created a poster all about themselves using only numbers. They wrote their house number, their birthday in number form, their age and ways to add it, their favorite number, and how many people are in their family.

How Much Is It Worth?

Math in Review

To prepare for our end of six weeks math exam which is this week, the students have been working in rotating math stations. They have been practing ordering larger numbers from least to greatest and greatest to least, creating and extending patterns with a variety of materials, and identifying and solving addition and subtraction problems through the use of Doubles and Doubles Plus One.

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Place Value Flashcards to 99

To help the students with identifying larger numbers, I created a set of Place Value flashcards with both numbers and Base Ten Blocks. We use the flashcards in a variety of ways:

• drawing a number card and building it with Base Ten Blocks
• drawing a Base Ten card and writing the matching number on a dry-erase board
• playing "Around the World" with the Base Ten cards
• identify the number of Tens and Ones with the number cards by drawing sticks and dots
• drawing three cards of either number cards or Base Ten cards and ordering them from greatest to least or least to greatest
• matching number cards to Base Ten cards

Base Ten Blocks

This week we will be working on identifying, building, and comparing numbers to 99. To help practice this at home, there is a great online manipulative program at Learning Box. The online program generates random two-digit numbers (can do three-digit for older students) which the students then build with Base Ten Blocks. As an added bonus, the game shows where the built number belongs on a number line or ruler. This helps students visually see which number is the greatest or least.

Snowy Numbers

On Monday we were so excited about the weekend snowfall that we decided to practice our math in snow - otherwise known to adults as shaving cream! To review larger numbers, the students built two different numbers in the snow by drawing ten rods and ones. We then discussed which number was the greatest and which was the least. The students had to explain how they knew. We have been focusing looking at the tens first to compare the numbers and then at the ones place if the tens place is equal. The students are getting really good at this!

Comparing Larger Numbers

We have been finding new ways to practice comparing numbers. Today we went to the computer lab and built larger numbers using Base Ten Blocks in the program Kidspiration. The students built four numbers with the blocks and then used text boxes to label them. After their numbers were built, they used text boxes to type the numbers in order.

You can have your child practice this at home by having them draw the tens as lines or sticks and the ones as dots. Another fun way to practice is to use pretzel sticks and marshmallows. You can also have them build ten rods with Legos.

The Polar Express

The week before the holiday break was filled with a lot of fun and exciting lessons. One of our favorites was the school-wide Polar Express Day. Each grade level visited the library to hear our principal, Mrs. Oliver, read The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. After hearing the story, the students were treated to hot chocolate. Later in the day, the children played "Place Value Train" where they raced to be the first to build a number with Base Ten Blocks. The first team to build the number correctly received a piece of their train. The first team to build their train to spell "Place Value" won. They then used Tens and Ones charts to estimate the number of bells in a jar and then built ten rods and ones out of the bells to check their estimations. At the end of the day the students each received a bell necklace. Click below to see a few pictures from our special day.

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Place Value Towers

This week we are reviewing Place Value and working on identifying larger numbers. One way that we are doing this is by playing a game called Place Value Towers. In Place Value Towers we have two teams. A player from each team draws a number out of a bag. The players race to see who can build that number the fastest with Pop Cubes. The person who builds it the fastest with the correct answer wins a point. Then we take the Pop Cubes and put them together in a tower to see which one is the greatest. It is a good visual representation for the students that the number that is the greatest will have the tallest tower. The team with the greatest number will also earn a point. So, a team could earn two points in one round or they could both earn a point. The team with the most points at the end wins. We keep track of the points by using Tally Marks which reinforces skip counting by fives.