CUBES, Mathematicians, & Place Value, Oh My!

     On the first day of math class, we began by making our promise about how we would behave and treat each other. You can read about that in the previous post. Then we read The Boy Who Loved Math and talked about mathematicians. Then as a whole class, we created a tree map about mathematicians. I see two classes for math, so I wrote their answers on stickies with different color marker and stacked overlapping responses on top of each other. As we were discussing and creating our tree map, the students were guided to the fact that we are all mathematicians. Then students came up with a real life example of when they use their mathematician skills to share in their table groups.

     Then I introduced my students to the CUBES problem solving strategy. I modeled using it for them. Then as a class we worked through three review problems together. I gave each student a little card with the strategy steps on it, so they'll remember what steps to go through as they work homework. We made this anchor chart to leave up in our room as well. 

     We began working with place value of whole numbers through the 999,999,999. We also began working on comparing and ordering whole numbers as well. We created this anchor chart for our classroom. The anchor chart matched the notes the students were filling in. 

     Whew! I know that looks like a lot and it is. My 4th mathematics students only see me on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours each day. We take advantage of every second we have together.

Fourth Graders Save Fred!

 For the first day of math class, I introduced myself to the students by telling them about my family and showing them a picture, telling them about how big a Crimson Tide fan I am, and reading them one of my favorite children's books Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. We talked about rules and procedures for our classroom. 
      The first problem the students had to solve was to save Fred. Fred is a gummy worm that can't swim. He went boating in a clear plastic cup and his boat flipped over. His life preserver (gummy peach ring) was under the boat (clear plastic cup) with Fred sitting on top of the boat. The students had to get the boat turned back over and Fred in his life preserver. The catch was the only tool they could use to save Fred was a paper clip. Students worked together in groups of 4 to save Fred. When we finished, I had the students tell me what saving Fred had to do with math. Then we talked about strategies they used to save Fred and created a list. We also talked about their attitude during the activity and how they didn't get mad or give up.
    Then we took a place value preassessment so I would know which areas of place value we need to focus on in class and which areas could be practiced at home. We also read How Much is a Million? and I introduced place value through the hundred millions place. We created a class anchor chart and students took notes. We practiced identifying the value of different digits within a number.

Math 4A:

Math 4B:

Direct Comparisons with Length

    We began by watching a Number Crew video about length and came up with our kid friendly definition of length. Then we used Twizzlers to make comparisons. We found items longer/shorter/the same as our Twizzler. We also ordered our Twizzlers by length at our tables.

    We read Jack and the Beanstalk. Then we drew beanstalks, cut them out and made comparisons with our partner. Students used comparative language to describe their beanstalks with their partners.

   
We read Arthur's Pet Business and then used our stuffed pets from home to compare length with our partner's.

We also made comparisons by finding things around our classroom that were longer, shorter, or the same as our foot after we read How Big is a Foot?.

 
Here is our anchor chart we worked all week to create.

Fractions Fun

    We began our fraction study by me posing a problem for the students to help me out. I told them I had my son and one of his friends after school and I needed to give them a snack. I told them I only have 1 poptart, 1 cookie, and 1 cheese stick. I asked how I could share them so they get an equal amount. Students helped me divide the snacks in half so that both kids got the same amount. Then we read Give Me Half!. We sorted pictures by whole and half. We came up with a definition for the words fraction and whole. Then students illustrated an example of whole. 

   
    We read Pizza Counting and reviewed what we learned about whole and half. Then students created their own pizzas. They left one pizza whole and labeled it whole; then they cut one pizza in half and labeled it half. We came up with a definition for half and students illustrated an example of half.

   
    We read What's Happening on the Farm?. Then we sorted farm pictures by whole and halves. We added the farm sort to a math station. Then students cut a cupcake in half.

    For teachers who are interested, these activities can be found in Fractions Learning Fun and Farm Learning Fun.

Numbers 15-20 on Ten Frames

        We've been working on identifying and creating sets using numbers 15-20 on ten frames. I taped off two ten frames on our classroom floor. We started by using flashcards to review numbers 1-15. Then I mixed the cards up and held up a card, the students had to identify it, and work together to represent that number using themselves on our ten frames. They loved being the math "manipulative" and were all so quiet and still because they each wanted a turn. 

    After making about half the numbers using the students as the manipulative. We went back to our tables and I passed out ten frames mats to the students and a different manipulative to each table. Then I held up a number, and the students had to identify it and represent it on their ten frame.

    Then students took turns calling out numbers at their tables and representing that number on the ten frames. After they made the number and counted to check, the caller checked their work as well.

ABCya

Found this really cute, fun, and great website for reading and math practice through Mrs. Bickston who teaches first grade at our school. The great thing about this website is it offers reading and math practice through 5th grade!!! Once your child masters the kindergarten games, you can move them to the next grade level games to practice. Check it out here!

Go Away Little Pattern Monsters!!!

We read Go Away Big Green Monster and practiced making AB patterns using pattern blocks. Then we made them with our partners. Then we created these pattern monsters independently and wrote about them!

Ordinal Numbers

We practiced lining up according to ordinal positions 1st-10th. Then we talked with our partners about where we hear and use  ordinal numbers. Then we created a circle map about ordinal numbers. This was a circle map the first day. Later, we went back and added the ordinal numbers to our circle map as well as other times we thought of that we use ordinal numbers.

We reviewed good listening skills and as a class voted for the 10 best listeners. Then we handed out ribbons with the ordinal number written for which place they got. The students voted for the Best Listener awards.

We read Ten Trick or Treaters and located the kids according to their ordinal positions in line. Then we used our critical thinking skills to line up our monsters in our books according to the clues given about their ordinal positions.

We read The Berenstein Bears and the Spooky Old Tree. We focused on sequencing their walk through the tree and then their obstacles on the way home using ordinal numbers.

10 Black Dots

We have been working on one to one correspondence to 10. First we practiced making sets of froot loops on a plate with numbers 1-10. Then we read all, but the last couple of pages of  Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews. After reading numbers 1-9, I passed out 10 dots stickers and a piece of paper to each student. They were to use their dots to create a picture and complete the sentence Ten black dots can make.... We came to the carpet and shared our pictures and counted one to one to show our ten black dots. Then we read the rest of the story and compared our pictures to the what ten black dots made in the book.

Candy Corn Counting

We've been working on making sets of numbers 1 through 10. We used an autumn story mat and told stories to create sets up to 10 using candy corn. The students loved counting and eating the candy corn!

Goldfish Counting

We read the book I Have a Pet and discussed the different pets they have or would like to have. Then I told the students about my brother's goldfish Moo and Mesa. (He was 4 and his favorite cartoon was The Wild West Cowboys of Moo Mesa.) I told them about how my brother would count them all the time. Then I passed out fishbowls to the students and some goldfish crackers. We practiced making sets of numbers 1 through 5.

Then while the students ate their goldfish crackers, I passed out a playing card to each student that had a number 1 through 5 on it. They created a set of fish using stickers for our class book. Our book turned out really cute!

Money, Money, Money!!!

We created an anchor chart of the coins we most use.

We also practiced coin/value identification by toss a bean bag onto a coin and naming it and its value.

We practiced counting and making specific amounts with coins. We also played lots of small group and partner games to practice coin/value identification, we added our favorites to a money math tub. During ?Think Math? we also brainstormed what coins we could use to make different amounts of money.

Health and Safety

We made a food pyramid after researching the food pyramid at mypryamidforkids.gov.

Then we created a healthy meal menu.

We read Aruthur's Chickenpox and then created chicken pox addition stories.

We created sets of two food items and then practiced describing our sets using comparative language. Then we recorded and made a class book.

We read A Bad Case of Stripes and then wrote our own prescriptions for silly and serious illnesses. We also discussed medicine safety rules.

Texas

We learned about Texas symbols. We colored and wrote about our state bird the mocking bird.

We created a bluebonnet, labeld the parts and wrote about the function of the parts.

We learned about cowboys' clothing and how it meets their needs. Then we colored and labeled his clothing.

We learned about the state motto Friendship and wrote about being a good friend!

We learned drew a pecan tree and how it's needs are met. then we labeled.

We created positional patterns using "Texas" shapes!

We read The Little Red Hen  and Armadilly Chili. Then we compare/contrasted the two stories. We also made chili and graphed if we liked it.

Mrs. Shaw's Most Wanted:

We collected data about our class by making Cowpoke glyphs and then analyzing the data.