Math Strategies for Addition

                                                              Open House...
Thank you to everyone who attended last nights 'Open House' and participated in our mini Scavenger Hunt. I also loved reading your 'put up' messages to your children. I wish I could post a picture of their little faces as they beamed, sat up a little straighter or  giggled as I read them aloud today. Each time I tried to stop and save a few, they would chant, 'more, more, more'. Now if I could only garner that much enthusiasm for everything :)

Tumblebooks- We had a chance to look at the Burlington Public Library site for more free books to read. There are a number of Robert Munsch books on there that are read by Robert himself. (I'm not on a first name basis with the man but Mr Munsch seemed so formal) You can access it by going to FM library links section or use this link:
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/asp/home_tumblebooks.asp

                                               Math Strategies for Addition:

                                                       
Here are some of the basic strategies that I am introducing in class...

1) Counting On...put the big number in your head and count up ( 3 +9 = think 9...10, 11,12)

2) Turnarounds...if  2+9= 11 then 9+2 =11 !!

3) Zero Facts....when 0 is added to any number the number stays the same

4) Doubles ...picture 2 groups in your head...5 +5  

5) Doubles plus 1 ....think of the doubles picture and add 1

6) Almost Neighbours...when numbers are 2 apart on the number line, go to the middle number and double
     it...6+8 ___ go to 7 and double it....so 7+7+14, 6+8 must also be 14

Hope this is helpful to you as we move forward in our math units for both grades 1 and 2. I will provide subtraction strategies when we start that a little later in the year.

Talking Word wall and other discoveries!

I am lucky enough to have my former student teacher (Miss Clarke) from last year helping out in the classroom. I know she will be snapped up soon by some lucky school board (hopefully Halton) but in the mean time, we have the pleasure of her helping out in our Grade1/2 classroom. She has helped make into reality an idea that I had this summer. While perusing the internet, I discovered sound stickers that can be activated by a livescribe pen. This got me to thinking....what could the applications be for a primary classroom? So, with help from Miss Clarke, we designed a word wall with predictable space for the stickers and made my idea into reality. So, what does that mean for the students in my class? Well, it means simply that students are more independent when reading and writing as they can check words without having to ask the teacher. I have a few more ideas percolating in this old brain of mine but for now...I'll leave you with a few pictures of the 'talking word wall'. Perhaps when you come to the Open House on Tuesday September 25th, you can see it and hear it too!

Patterns in math - Making bracelets

September 20, 2012
Yesterday we learned about 'Patterns' for math. We learned that patterns must repeat 3 times before they are an established pattern. All patterns have an identifiable pattern core which changes depending on certain features (shape, size, colour, number and orientation). To put our learning into practise we made bracelets using beads. Ask your child about their bracelets...check to see if they know their 'pattern core'.

What an exciting day we had on Friday September 14th. Our Terry Fox run was supposed to be the last two periods of the day but the weather forcast called for rain late in the day. So a decision was made for the Terry Fox run to happen right away in the morning to avoid that dreaded rain. We went outside for a quick song and energizer and then we were off. Some students ran, walked, held hands, chatted and mostly had fun. Thank you to everyone who sent in a 'Twoonie for Terry'.
                                            

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Ms. Fink