Data, Data Everywhere!

Our class has had such a fun time with collecting and organizing data! The students started of our unit by sorting foods according to food groups, which also brought in a health lesson! After that, groups of students began tallying and organizing the data with small boxes of jellybeans...and this is what one of the groups created:

The next day, our class did a real life taste-test with snacks! Here is a picture collage of the snacks so you can see what what offered in the survey. ;-)

  Each student as able to vote on their favorite snack. I tallied the collected data for the class and they were asked to fill in a graph with the data.  One group completed their graph like this:

After our exploring and group work, the class took an assessment with questions:

3-D Models in 1st Grade Math!

Our class had a great time working on the Common Core Math Standard that requires the students to compose 3-dimensional solids into composite models. The class was split up into groups of 3 or 4 students as they worked together to create a model using whatever solids they wanted to use, but using only 12 solids. Each student was then given a sheet that asked for them to calculate how many of each shape was used in their composite 3-d model. They had to also name each solid, and draw what their model looked like!

After the assignment was completed, everyone in the class took a silent "gallery walk" where we looked at all of the beautiful creations! The students were asked to think to themselves and answer questions like, "what do I like about this model, what don't I like about this model, what would I change about this model, and how is this model different than another.

After the walk, each student reflected on his or her work and thinking as they wrote for 7 minutes in their math journals about their learning experiences!!

Buddy Reading during Literacy Week!

WOW! Literacy week has been such a fun week, so far!  The class dropped everything to read yesterday to read for 30 minutes...even the teachers were able to get some good reading time in! 

Today, we all enjoyed our 5th grade guests from Mr. Kretsman's class as we read books and discussed the lessons learned.

Some student quotes:

"It was fun because I got to meet different kids and read with them." - Kaitlyn, 5th Grade

"I got to make a new friend and she helped me read my new book." - Aubrey, 1st Grade

"I loved it! I met a new friend and I read lots of books!" - Gavin, 1st Grade

"It is fun to read to children because I'm teaching them about the lessons in the books." - Ethen, 5th Grade

Some really good fluency while reading "The Gingerbread Man!"

Mr. Kretzman and Gavin enjoyed sharing some books about stars, animals...and even some funny knock, knock jokes!

Math Websites!

Please click on the page at the top for computer resources. I have updated this page with math web resources that you will find useful. Thank you! 

"If you were a MINUS SIGN!"

We will focus on the subtraction part of the Operations and Algebraic Thinking Common Core State Standards this week! 

I'm excited to introduce this concept with the picture book "If you were a MINUS SIGN," by Trisha Speed Shaskan. 

A math tool that we will get plenty of practice with this week is the number line. This tool is helpful to mathematicians so they can compare numbers as they are found on the number line. The students will make jumps forward and backward on the number line to model addition and subtraction, as well as represent their math using addition and subtraction sentences (equations).

Other strategies students will use are drawing pictures, diagrams, and number combinations.

There are various subtraction situations that the students will be introduced to such as:

• Taking Away - Lin has 9 jacks. She gives Tom 4 jacks. How many jacks does Lin have now?
• Comparing - The pond has 4 fish. The fish tank has 2 fish. How many more fish does the pond have than the fish tank?
• Missing Parts - Jesse has 6 red fish. He buys some blue fish. Now he has 8 fish in all. How many of the fish are blue?

Each situation has different vocabulary in the word problem that should give the student clues that they are subtraction problems. How do you think students can be reinforced with this at home?