Martin Luther King Day

Last week, in anticipation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day we discussed kindness, cooperation, and peace. It is so interesting to talk to young children about the injustices of the world. They are so pure and innocent and don't understand how people could be treated so unfairly. We can all learn from our children. One activity we did was pick a birthday present for Martin Luther King, Jr. I had one present wrapped in a fancy gift bag with ribbon and tissue. The other present was in a brown paper bag. I asked several kids which present they would choose. Of course, everyone chose the pretty package. When we opened it....there was a bag of rocks. However, the paper bag had delicious bags of M&M's!

We discussed how the outside of the package doesn't tell you what is on the inside. Just like, the clothes someone wears and/or the way someone looks doesn't tell you what the person is like on the inside. Further, it is what is on the inside that counts, not appearance. Last, we had to taste test! But before we all got M&M's we had a few children experiment. I put a blindfold on the "taste tester" and gave them one M&M. The child had to guess the color of the M&M. Well, needless to say, every child that tried the blindfold test couldn't tell which color it was. My favorite answer to "What color is it?" was "CHOCOLATE!" Of course! Again, it didn't matter what color the M&M was, what is important is the sweet inside!

 "I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!" ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Place Value Bootcamp

We are working hard on place value concepts.  We have been counting objects, grouping objects in sets of ten, and using base ten blocks to compose and decompose numbers.  Base ten blocks are a math manipulative specifically designed to help children concretely understand place value concepts.  The blocks are composed of tiny cubes to represent ones, rods to represent tens, and flats to represent 100.  We even did a little place value boot camp.  I found this great video by the Teacher Tipster.  Hilarious! 

After watching the video, we made ourselves into base ten blocks to build numbers.  Standing tall meant ten and making yourself into a small ball meant one.  The students were really showing understanding and could easily figure out the number by counting how many tens and how many ones.  Watch these students make numbers!  The students at their desks are writing the numbers made by the students up front.  Then, the students acting out the number count off.  Please excuse our shaking video, it was our cameraman's first attempt.  What awesome students! 



Also this week, we checked out the Chromebooks to practice place value concepts through games.  There are some great interactive web sites to practice our place value objectives.  Click on the links below to play.

Shark Pool Place Value

Dino Place Value

Base Ten Fun

Base Ten Bingo

Of course, don't forget there are ways to practice these important place value objectives on the ipad as well.  Montessori Numbers has students building and ordering numbers for $2.99.  There is also the app called Base Ten Bingo for $1.99. 

Show and Tell

The children really enjoyed "Show and Tell" on Friday. It was fun to see all the fun gifts! Wow! What lucky kiddos! First, the children read their riddles about the special gifts. What great descriptive writing!  Thanks for your home support with the writing.  They used our class microphone for their speaking. The students were excellent guessers.  They listened carefully to the clues and then used their knowledge of each classmate to infer what the special gifts were!  Last, the students revealed and shared a couple more things about their show and tell.  They took questions and comments from their audience. The students had no idea how many speech and language objectives we were working on!  Here is just a peek at Friday's special show and tell:
Show and Tell on PhotoPeach

Winter Math Games

We have been working hard on many important math standards this quarter under the domain of "Operations and Algebraic Thinking."  We have been exploring the properties of addition.  The students are able to make fact families when given three related numbers (2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-2=3, 5-3=2).  With the understanding of addition properties, we are able to meet some other standards as well.  For example, students have to be able determine the unknown number in an addition or subtraction sentence relating to three whole numbers.  In the partner game below, the first graders are working with their third grade buddies to find the missing number in each equations. They have to figure out where the number tiles go in the different equations.  The first player to fill up their side of the game board wins.

We have also been working hard at understanding that the = sign means "the same as" in equations.  We compared the equal sign to a balance and determined if certain equations were true or false.  Finally, this quarter, we have spent time daily developing fact fluency and strategies for addition and subtraction.  Such an important math foundational skill.

There are so many fun ways to practice developing fact fluency.  Here are some awesome apps we love in class.  Quick Math for $1.99, students have to write the answer on the ipad.  This app increases in difficulty and includes multiplication and division.  If you have older students it is excellent for them as well.  Math Bingo ($1.99), in this app the children are so busy playing that they don't even realize how much math practice they are getting.  Check out Addimals (free), it goes through different addition strategies.  Last, I recommend Add and Subtract within 20 ($0.99), this app works on missing numbers in equations.

 Don't have an iphone or ipad?  Here are a couple links to interactive web games that work on fact fluency.  They even have a winter theme!

1. Snowball Fight
2. Build a Snowman
3. Snowmen Ordering
4. Cone Crazy Subtraction

A Toast to 2016!

It was so wonderful to see my Connected Ones today.  I missed them!  I loved the break and time with my family....but I also have the best job in the world.  It was great to be back! We started 2016 at school with a toast....well, toast at least.  As part of our morning snack, we ate toast and "toasted" the new year!  We discussed resolutions and did some school goal setting.   Resolutions are more likely to be kept if we write them down and have friends and family hold us accountable.  The students posted their resolutions to a padlet.  Feel free to scroll through our padlet to see our goals and help us meet them!  Happy New Year!

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