Sunday Night Game - Domino sort

Domino Sort

Sorting and classifying are two important skills to have with numbers and counting. 

Sort and find ...

2 even numbers

2 odd numbers

1 of each and which is bigger and smaller

the totals of both sides of a single domino

the differences between the two sides

all that add to 8

all that equal 4 with subtraction

the total of the doubles 

Happy playing and exploring with dominoes 

Spring break for us

We are both taking a break. 

Our school term is over and it is spring break for us!

Kerry is off to Port Douglas - the top of Australia and I am off to Tasmania - the bottom of our lovely country. 

As we spend time with partners and family, please enjoy yours and re charge those batteries. 

We will back in about a week and half

Introducing Dominoes

Dominoes 

There are many variations of how to play or use dominoes. 

Here is one way to play with two players. 

Turn all the dominoes over - so you cannot see the dots, mix them up.

Each player selects 7 dominoes and stands them on the long edge so the person they are playing cannot see them. 

The player with a double starts first - if there are no doubles, the player with the most dots on one domino starts first. 

Lay one domino down and the other player must match it with the same dots - great for counting, trusting the count and subitising. 

Doubles should be placed at right angles - so that the game can take new directions. 

If a player cannot match and join an end, then they draw a domino from the pile. 

The winner is the player who has played all their dominoes.

If you want to score - add up the dominoes you are left holding and the one with the smallest total wins. 

Number Sense 0-20

Number Sense 0-20 for the Australian and the USA Curriculum

We have updated this pack to cater for our followers in both markets. 

      

This pack is great for learning about numbers and collections from 0-20.

 It assists with counting and identifying numerals.

Australian Curriculum (ACMNA0001) Establish understanding of the language and processes of counting by naming numbers in sequences, initially to and from 20, moving from any starting point

USA Curriculum K.CC.A.3 Write numbers from 0-20

There are 81 pages

There are photos that show some tasks to help embed counting sequences

Fill in the missing numbers tasks 

One set of worksheets are in VIC, WA, NT font where students can record what they know about numbers 0-20

The second set of worksheets are in QLD font 

The third set of worksheets are for our USA followers 

Sunday Night Games

MYO!

(Make Your Own!)

 

As you conclude a topic you feel your class has really engaged with, why not ask students to design their own game? This can be a great assessment tool, encourage team work and develop interpersonal skills as students work through the stages of designing, making and playing their games.

 

The game can be any type that will allow students to show their understanding of the topic being explored, for example; board games, dice games, Question & Answer games. Or... a modified version of an existing game, for example; trivia quizzes, celebrity head, Pictionary, multiple choice games (eg. Who Wants to be a Millionaire?).

 

Before starting the game making process - design a rubric with students so they know what they need to display in their game design.

Here are some handy rubric making websites...

 

Rubistar

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

 

iRubric (create a free account)

http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm

 

If you have any feedback, or games that students have made to share - please feel free to reply on our blog or email us at...

kpisurf@gmail.com

 

Maths Resources in the Classroom

The use of a range of resources, when teaching Mathematics, has always been well accepted and supported as a useful strategy to develop student's understanding. 

Where can we find an understanding of which resources are most useful and the purpose behind these?

 

Below is an excerpt from Using Resources to Support Mathematical Thinking, Primary and Early Years, Chapter 2. Edited by Doreen Drews and Alice Hansen and published in 2007 by Learning Matters Ltd

 

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

Resources have an important role to play in allowing teachers to model or demonstrate representations of mathematical ideas, and in supporting children’s developing mathematical understanding and thinking. The effective use of any resource will depend on teacher understanding of how the particular representation helps develop mental imagery, and how to utilise the resource to assist with children’s understanding of particular mathematical concepts. The process of abstracting mathematical ideas from practical aids or images is difficult for many children: all teachers and practitioners need to be mindful that ‘just because the child is presented with some concrete materials it does not follow that the child will abstract the mathematical ideas from the materials’ (MacLellan, 1997: 33). Significant to assisting this process of abstraction appears to be choices made by teachers regarding the type of resource to be used, the role which teachers see themselves as having while children are engaging with the resource(s), and the social culture of the class.

 

To read the full chapter:

http://xtec.cat/centres/a8005072/articles/resources.pdf

The idea of identifying a resource and the link to the abstract thinking required in order for students to make that critical connection to the the content being explored, is an interesting one. This chapter has made me stop and think about the explicit steps required to ensure students use resources in such a way that they are understanding and making the intricate connections we have planned for, and not just completing a task (where resources are the central component) we have set for them.

 

We would love to hear your thoughts about the resources you find most valuable in your classroom (or the ones you would love to have!). Feel free to comment below or send us an email with your thoughts.

kpisurf@gmail.com

 

 

Sunday Night Games

This week we are sharing 2 maths games that require no equipment at all...

 

TWENTY QUESTIONS:

One student (or the teacher) thinks of a number within a set range, e.g. between 0 and 100. Select a second student who will count the number of questions that have been asked. The remaining students ask questions about the number until they guess what the number is. Each question can only be answered with yes or no, e.g. Is it an even number? Is it larger than 30? 

Discussion around the best strategies to find the number in less that 20 questions are great - these discussions help students understand there are better ways to find the number rather than random guessing, e.g. Is it 23?  Is it 84?

This game can also be extended to other maths topics, for example; shapes & 3D objects, time, fractions & decimals, angles etc.

 

ONE MORE:

Students line up in pairs in front of the teacher. The teacher calls out a number and the first student to respond with the number that is one more than what the teacher has said is the winner. The winner can be the first out to play or lunch (as this gives the other student a second chance to experience success). This game can then easily be extend to TWO MORE, THREE MORE etc, or any other number pattern you may be working on. It can also be used to consolidate subtraction - ONE LESS etc or times tables/division.

Have fun with these and if you have any other great games that do not need equipment - feel free to add them in a comment or email them through to us at:

kpisurf@gmail.com 

 

Time flies when you are having fun!

As this term is flying by (I must be having fun!)... it seemed timely to revisit and update a favourite!

This week we add two more resources to our collection that are designed for both Australian and USA curriculums.

We are re-posting two complimentary units on time that are aimed at Level 1 & 2 in Australia and Grade 1 in the USA.

 

Time Is Ticking

 

   

 

AND

Time Bingo

 

  

 

Time is one of those tricky topics that our students often need lots of opportunities to explore and discuss... then before long - it all clicks and their understanding of time falls into place.

We hope these resources will assist you in helping your students to make sense of time - in a fun and engaging way!