Math Class

Our current unit in math is number concepts up to 99.   Kids need to be able to build and draw models that show the tens and ones and show different ways to group the numbers when we skip count.  We are learning to count by 2s as well as using related vocabulary such as odd, even, and pairs.  We use hands-on materials in class and several different iPad apps to practice in class.  Try giving your child a 2 digit number and asking them to show you what that number means using Number Pieces, Number Frames, Number Racks, or a drawing app like Doodle Buddy.

Today I gave each student a different number to write on their iPad.  Then they put that many counters on their screens, divided into pairs, and wrote whether their number was odd or even.  Then everyone got up and put their numbers in order from least to greatest.

Another new concept in this unit is using the symbols > and < to compare numbers and combinations.  Students should be able to use the correct sign to compare numbers (5 < 9) and combinations of numbers (3 + 2 > 1 + 2).  As we are working on all of these concepts in class, students can take assessments in Zondle that show me how they are doing independently.  You can ask your child to show you some of the Zondle games (if you can connect to the internet at home).  Most of the questions sets I create are leveled so they start out at level a with the basics and get gradually harder.  If students are ready they can move on in a set to numbers past 100 for a challenge!

Magnet Labs Today!

We got lots of hands-on time with some very engaging materials today.  Students explored toys that use magnets, how magnets attract (pull) each other and how they repel (push), and they tested many different materials to see if they were attracted to the magnets.  By the time we finish our study of magnets, students should be able to describe materials that are attracted to magnets, and to use the words attract and repel correctly when describing their observations.  Look for more magnet learning coming soon on the students' blogs!

Hmm...  Why do the magnets attract these fuzzy things?

Fishing for toys.

Madden moves the car without touching it!

Carlos makes magnets float while Mariah studies his methods.

Testing many different materials.

We really get to just play with these magnetic toys?

Investigating more magnet behavior.

Holiday Card Project

One of our big design projects back in November and December was to write letters to wounded servicemen in Walter Reed Hospital and create holiday cards with movable parts to send them.  We studied books that had pop-up parts, wheels that turned, flaps to open, and tabs to pull.  Students experimented with different types and then came up with their ideas and created cards which we mailed along with their letters.  

Here is part of the response we received from Lauren Honeycutt, our contact at Walter Reed:

"I got the box yesterday and delivered the letters this morning! They are AMAZING! They were a huge hit with all of the staff and patients - we cannot believe that first graders made those!!"

And here is a photo of Lauren at the nurse's station at the hospital holding some of our cards and letters:

What's New?

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to be a better blogger in 2015!  Parents, if you have topics you would like for me to write about, please email your ideas!

One new thing we are doing for 2015 is changing the way Class Dojo is used.  I want students to focus on certain "mindset" behaviors and ways of thinking so that they can develop into students who really know how to learn and focus on "growing their brains".  So I am changing most of the green points in Dojo to those behaviors.  We have Good Choice which is still a general positive behavior point.  Now I have added Relationships which is for helping someone else respectfully and without just giving them answers.  This also includes working well in teams and with partners.  There is Path Finder which is for kids making connections between ideas and sticking with hard tasks until they find their way through.  Taking a Risk is for asking good questions and taking a shot at answering something even if they may be wrong.  Fail Forward is for sticking with something when they don't succeed and keeping a positive attitude.  Extra Mile is for precise answers, elegant solutions, and great detail in their work.  We have an Achievement point for reaching a new level or mastering something in class.  There is the group Hallway point for times when the whole class has moved through the halls walking quietly so that we respect other classes who are learning.  All of these should help students remember that being a quiet compliant student is not our end goal in school - that learning is about their effort and attitude and doing their best to make their brains grow all the time!

Our red points are still focused on behaviors students need to avoid:  Talking Out of Turn, Wasting Time, Being Unprepared, Misusing Equipment, Disrespect, and Physical Aggression.  These points will allow me to track problem behavior and help parents know about any problems in class.  If you have not signed up to follow your child's behavior on Class Dojo, just send me an email and I will provide you with the information on how to do that!

I am also going to reset points weekly because students with the most points are going to have first choice of available materials for our special Friday afternoon Create Time.  Create Time is going to be a way for kids to have some choice about an activity they would like to spend more time on in class.  They may choose something with an engineering focus like building with various materials or building sets we have available or tinkering around to make something new they want to design.  They may choose to create art or stories or books either on paper or electronically.  They may choose to do some research on a topic of personal interest and find a way to share what they learn.  They may want to create a coding project.  Or there may be other ways of creating something that they think of.  Our time on Fridays will start with a 10-15 minute time to plan what they will work on and review some expectations for the time.  Students will have about 45 minutes to work on their project and then we will post their work on the student blogs.  They may have photos and they will definitely write about what they did and how it went.  Students may want to continue a longer project the next week or try something different.  I anticipate that this will make a great and exciting end to our week!