Good Lessons Sometimes Fail

Today was not the smoothest day in math.  Could have been worse.  But Jess and I were hoping for some light bulbs to magically go off.  That did not quite happen.

Some days are just like that.

We felt that our lesson plans were strong.  After the "I Can Teach Math" conference last week, we knew that we wanted to discuss the "distance" between numbers.  We really had not used that terminology before but it made a lot of sense when they discussed it at the conference in relation to part-part-whole.  Students need to have an understanding that subtraction is the distance between numbers.

We wanted to relate this concept to missing addend, as well.

And so the lesson began.

We started with a math story using a scene from a Little Critter book. The little girl blew 12 bubbles but the dog popped many of them and now there were only 5. I wanted them to see the parts of this story that made up the whole (12 bubbles).  So we used this Didax number line to fill in the part of the problem that we knew.

Then we added a different color of cubes to show the part of bubbles that we did not know (missing addend) or the part of the bubbles that were popped. I discussed that we were trying to find the distance between the part that we knew (5) and the whole number (12).

The words part, part, and whole were used repeatedly over and over again.  I wanted to be sure that I was connecting this learning to what they had been studying all year long; however, Jess and I found that still were not consistently able to tell us that the 12 was the whole. (Grrrr.)

Then I took this number line representation and connected it to a dry erase number line that they could write on.  We circled the part we knew and drew a line at the whole number.  Once again, we discussed the distance.  Some students were able to start at the 6 and count this distance and some wanted to start at the 1 (Grrr...again).

I am not really "grrr-ing" at the students.  It is my teaching that is the problem. It si not helping them to connect the dots.

So what do I do?  Well....we go back to the drawing board.  It needs to be more concrete and visual tomorrow.  So that is what we will do.

We stopped, listened, reflected, and now we are changing.

Missing Addend with Dunkin Donuts

Does anyone else feel like the year is slipping away but there is still so much to teach?

No?

Just me?

We have spent so much time and focus on helping our students understand the parts of a number; the connection between addition and subtraction; how to visualize numbers.  But they do need some more review/practice on what to do when you don't know the parts of a number.

Counting on.

Our firsties have been enjoying and responding well to all of the real world connections that we have been trying to make.  Jess and I started our search for some activities.  Jess found a pin from Differentiation Station Creations filled with ideas that included donuts.

Yep!  Love this idea.

Well...actually, I would LOVE this idea more if it included real donuts.  Preferably chocolate frosted donuts!

After sitting down and discussing how to make the donut activity work for our small groups, we decided we actually did need some real donuts!  Dunkin Donuts was kind enough to donate some boxes to us.  Our focus is on 10, so Jess stuck some tens frames inside.  But as for the donuts....we could not figure out a manipulative that would really look like a donut.  We used lids instead.

The lesson took place at our small group tables.  We paired our students up.  One firstie took on the role of the customer and the other was the donut shop owner.  The story goes as follows: "The customer always wants 10 donuts in their box.  But the owner puts in a different amount.  The customer must determine how many more donuts they need to have ten total."

There was excitement, laughter, and NOISE!  But there was counting on, there were known parts, student led teaching, and lots of learning.  We could not have asked for more.

They loved it!

After a sufficient amount of practice time, Jess and I wanted to transfer this learning to paper.  We found a freebie from "Teach Me Visually" on TPT.  We used 4 missing addend problems with ten as the total.  Instead of a donut box, the donuts were on a plate. 

It really ended up being a fantastic way for us to informally assess our students.  I think they are ready for next week as...

Teddy Bear Store Owners.

Reflection: Math Assessments

We have one week left of school before 2014 comes to a close and 2015 brings on new learning, new challenges, and new successes.  My mind is buzzing with holiday lists, music, and activities.  But reflection, as well.
Jess (my math teammate) and I have been working really hard to improve number sense and math fact recall this year.  And we have tried a lot of new things:
number sense activities
how I see numbers: part-part-whole 
connecting addition and subtraction 
Students have been working on math facts at their own pace and we tried assessing them through flash cards.

That didn't work.

It was a nice try but we just couldn't get to everyone in a timely manner.  We had to change it up.  And I really think it is working out well.  I hope I prove to be right when the end of the school year rolls around.

First change: "My Number Time"
We are giving the students time to "play" with manipulatives for their specific number.  They can decide what materials they would like to use.  Here are some examples:

House with beans

Plate with colored chips

Colored cubes and crayons

Rekenrek

Second change: After each "my number" time students take a quick self-assessment.  This helps them and us to determine if they are ready to take a quick assessment and move on to a new number.

We tell them that if the self assessment is not quick and easy, then they are not quite ready to move on.  Our firsties have really done a great job with this self assessment.  They are honest and I think it is really helping them to realize what they know and don't know (quite yet).
This sheet allows us to determine who we need to meet with the following day.

Third change: When they ARE ready to take an assessment, Jess and I pull over an individual or a small group of students to give them a fact assessment.  They look like this:

Some are mixed sheets and some have facts for only one number.  They all include addition, subtraction, and missing number because we have been teaching all facts as part-part-whole.

While the students take the assessment, we watch them and time them.  Jess and I decided not to set an exact time that each student needed to finish the sheet by but we really hope for it to be under 1 or 2 minutes (depending on the student).  We are trying to make sure that they don't use their fingers or another strategy. We want them to KNOW these parts.  And for some students they just need to be reminded (they need the confidence) that they do KNOW the parts.

But some students do not know the parts automatically.

I created these intervention sheets and they have really, REALLY helped.  These half-sheets help to illustrate how the parts of a number are connected.  I think they help because it is pretty explicit and concrete for them.  There are two different types of sheets, depending on what the individual student needs.

This routine has been working so well for our first graders.  They are feeling successful and enjoy this individual time.  For Jess and I, it is a time that we can provide differentiated, individual instruction.

We plan to continue this routine in 2015 but will continue to add components as we see the need for individual students.

If you would like to try this out with your students in 2015, it is half off right now.

 

What do you think? Is there anything we could add to this instructional time?

Connecting Addition and Subtraction

 How do you teach addition and subtraction?  Do you teach one first and then the other?  Do you teach them at the same time?

Not sure what the right answer is.

We have been touching on both this year and working hard to build that number sense.  But we had not been explicit about the connections between addition and subtraction.  But the time has come.

Jess and I started with this:

 We introduced the "whole-part-part" with hula hoops by asking: "What do you see?"  And guess what...?  Our number talks must be working because they replied with:
 "Oh, I see two balloons and two more balloons. 2 and 2 make 4."
"I see two small hula hoops and one big hula hoop.  2 and 1 make 3."

Yep!! We love it!!

Our lesson was ready to start!  We explained the whole number and how it can be broken into parts.

(Sorry, this example is with the whole number: 5.)

We broke the number into two parts (subtraction) and showed how we can then put the numbers back together (addition).  It was SO..MUCH..FUN!  The kids were engaged and excited to help us break apart these numbers.

We helped them transfer this learning to paper.

This lesson is the foundation for our week of addition/subtraction lessons.  Here are some activities we found (click on them for their original posts) and decided to use (with our own twists):

1. We want to make this anchor chart from "The Classroom Key" (one piece of it each day).

Our week will start off with a review of our hula hoop activity....but with chenille sticks and beads.

2. We want to show "whole-part-part" with plates like Dr. Jean.

3. Just another way to show "whole-part-part" but with hangers (can't find original source.)

4. We also want to do an activity with cubes.  Each kid will have two different colors to make a part-part-whole equation.

 
 I think it is going to be a fun week!  But do you have any other suggestions?  We are ALWAYS looking for more ideas!!

Wednesday WOW!

 It is that time again!  Wednesday WOW!  A time to share something good that has happened to you so far this week (because we all need a little bit of positive.)  Hope you can link up with us!

 Natalie and I really wanted to hit the concept of addition this week.  We have done some addition and subtraction this year (obviously with ALL my posts about word problems!) But we wanted to work on really helping them understand visually what two addends were and how the sum was greater than the addends.
It has gone really well so far!  I am having a great time with the activities in my guided math group.  Here is what we did today:

One more success this week: PumpkinChili

We decided to try a Gluten Free, Low Carb Pumpkin Chicken Chili.  It is from "I Breathe...I'm Hungry..."  I love to try new recipes.  We try a lot of new recipes and you never know how they are going to turn out (pizza is always a back up plan).  But this was great!!!

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/11/low-carb-gluten-free-pumpkin-chicken.html

 




 

Virtual Book Club Link Up!

Last week I was catching up on some blog reading and found out about the "Virtual Book Club for Kids."  One of my favorite blogs "Growing Book by Book" was linking up to the book party and this month Amy Krouse Rosenthal  is being featured.  

The first book I ever bought by Amy Krouse Rosenthal was "Cookies Bite-Size Life Lessons."  And the second book I bought was "Christmas Cookies Bite-Size Holiday Lessons."

As you can see, they are both hardback versions.  And if you know anything about me at all, I must have really liked these books to buy hardback because (for lack of a better word) I am extremely...thrifty.  

I had to join the linky party.

One reason I enjoy these two books some much is 1. they are about cookies.  Oh, how I love Love LOVE cookies and sweets.  I love to make cookies but sadly I will eat ALL of them (and I wish I was kidding). 2. The author does explain her lessons in very kid-friendly terms.  3. These books are filled with absolutely amazing vocabulary!  I have read these books over and over again with my two little girls and we have discussed the words over and over.

BUT as we know, it is one thing to read/discuss and it is another to read/discuss and do.  Well, I will never back down from an opportunity to make some cookies.  So that is what we did this weekend.  My little family decided to make some of my favorite no-bake cookies.  

Peanut Butter Balls

I can take absolutely no credit for this recipe.  I follow the recipe for these delicious, mouth watering snacks at Simply Healthful Recipes. I do use gluten-free oats and peanut butter....oh yum!!

As we made these cookies (or any other foods), my girls and I talked about the words in the book.  Some examples from the book are "cooperate" and "proud."  We took some of our cookies to a friend as a house warming gift yesterday, which focused on word "generous."

I think this would be a great lesson to do in the classroom, as well.  Any recipe could be followed but the focus could be on all the great words in the text.  There are so many great classroom recipes out there! Actually acting out the words will be more powerful than just reading and discussing the words.  Thinking about how to implement this in the classroom led to a creation of a vocabulary sheet.

Click HERE to download the vocab document.

After reading the text and making a snack, the students can illustrate one of the featured vocab words from the Amy Krouse Rosenthal book.  They can illustrate the word.  Finally, they can explain their illustration in regards to the featured word.  My hope is that they will have a better understanding of the vocabulary word because they have read about it, acted it out, illustrated it, and explained it.

Of course my brain did not seem to stop there. I started thinking about how I could link this activity to math since I am teaching both reading and math this year.  This week we are starting combinations of 9.  Perfect!  Another great way for me to sneak in some cookie making.

Students can make different combinations of 9 by adding some white and dark chocolate chips to their cookies.  Sadly, they are not real cookies for me to devour.  But they still look fun to make!

This linky party is hosted by Mommy and Me Book Club.  There are a lot of great ideas to extend Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books!  Hope you can join in the club!

Hope I peaked your curiosity about Amy Krouse Rosenthal!

Em