Problem Solving!

Hey Kinder Friends,

We have been having tons of fun in math. This year it seems to be our favorite subject and that is ok with me. I have had more fun with it too. Although there are several things to love about my class this year and too many to even list there is one thing that I especially love.

My class is a class of problem solvers! Recently when I was working with a small group I noticed that the kids had found some new counting mats I had put in our BUILD boxes. I could hear a lot of chatter and see some scrambling around so I decided to check it out. The kids were searching around the room to find all of the black UNIFIX cubes and at some point they realized that we didn't have enough for all the counting mats. Someone suggested that they start looking for white cubes so that they could finish the counting mats.

One thing lead to another and this is what they came up with. Instead of just using counting mats for counting use them for story problem mats. I just love that they came up with this twist on their own. And I love that I have tons of counting mats I can use for this already on hand. I might need more counters and dry erase markers but I am ok with that. If you have a ton of UNIFIX cubes that are not being used have the kids bag them up and get them ready to go!

More and Less!

Hey Kinder Friends,

It is fair to say we have spent a great bit of time building a solid foundation for comparing numbers so far this year in Kindergarten. That time has been well spent as the kids have not only grasped the concept quickly but they have been able to apply that understanding to greater quantities much sooner than expected. As I was looking over their assessment data I could clearly see it was time to move my focus in other areas. The formative data also clearly showed that it was time for some of our comparing activities to move into an independent practice phase. As I was deciding on what to put in our independent boxes, I started thinking of what we already had on hand. 

Most of us have Roll a Dice games. I know I have one for every single season because kids love them and you can easily change the counting quantities by adding more dice. Considering we had so many I wanted to change the focus for these Roll a Dice games because we all can count and create quantities to 20. So we started playing our Roll a Dice games with a less, equal or more twist. 

I think my favorite part of this change has been just listening to the math talk as they play and set up the game. I can hear the children using the math vocabulary as they work and I hear it multiple times. With a simple checklist I can listen and record any misunderstandings or make any notes to consider when planning. We use game boards that require 1, 2 or 3 dice and Unifix cubes in two different colors to play. We determine if we are playing to win with more or less before the game starts. When the board is filled, the children create towers, count and compare to determine who won the game. 

Yes, it is that simple to take what one was used for just simple counting and use it for something with a little bit different focus. If you need more games just click on the image above to find out more. These are great partner games and perfect for sub tubs. You can make a set for your sub tub and leave instructions! What sub wouldn't love that?