Mathematicians use strategies!

Yeah, but we don’t even know what strategies are?

Mia you are so cute but really we have been learning them since day 1 of 1^st grade.  Let me explain.

Cameron has 9 Legos and some fell on the floor.  How many does he have to look for...there are 5 on the table.

Kids were given a whiteboard and a marker.  We reviewed what we knew and what we needed to find out.  Then I let them use any “strategy” they felt could best solve for the number of Legos.  Some drew pictures, some used subtraction, and some even used addition to find the missing Legos. 

So Mia here drew 9 and then drew circles with lines through them like she “sees on signs” to subtract 4.  She then walks through how she minuses 4 to get to the 5.  She even uses a related addition fact to help solve.

Shaner uses his knowledge of the 10 frame to help him find the missing addend. He knows that 5 and 5 would make a ten frame. He also knows that 5+4 would equal 9.  5 is the number of Legos on the table and there’s 4 on the floor.

I am so proud of these kids and their ability to reason.  They are using connections to things they know from their world, like how Mia sees it on signs and Shaner knows 10 frames.  We will continue to keep working on their reasoning and explaining to justify their answers. Make sure to check back and see how we grow as mathematicians!

New York, New York!

Today was filled with mixed emotions and yes I am in New York, New York!  I met up with one of my oldest, dearest friends from junior and high school.  She made reservations and I was so excited to visit the 9/11 Memorial.

Now the hard part, what an emotional place.  The place was filled with people taking pictures, remembering the day, and then a moment of silence to reflect.  I told the group about Michael Roberts and his family.  Did you know you can google his name and it tells you where his name is on the Memorial?  We were standing right there taking pictures.  When I saw his name I had to take a deep breath and say a prayer.  Thank you to all those represented on the Memorial.  

My friend Amy and I are here in New York to attend the Teacher Town Hall tomorrow at NBC Education Nation.  I am so excited! You know Education is near and dear to my heart.  I am so excited about teaching using the Common Core Standards.  The next 50 years are going to be different in so many ways and we cannot continue to teach the same way as the past 50 years.  We need to raise problem solvers that can collaborate and create.  I am excited to hear the message tomorrow and get back to my chickens! I can't wait to get back for Monday morning.

Apple Day 2013

Johnny Appleseed's birthday is big news in 1st grade.  A day filled with apple stations and apple tasting!!  YIPPEE Anything with food is BIG hit.  We enjoyed parents donating apple goodies and some moms even found time to help us out with apple centers.  I tried to capture the day's events and ended up with 133 pictures.  I know a sickness I have.  The funniest thing was at the 5 senses station, there seemed to be loose teeth after eating some apples.  Well low and behold 2 kids had a tooth come out.  Check out the video and see that Isabella and Logan lose a tooth on Apple Day 2013.  Extra special surprise was the cupcakes, singing-cha, cha, cha, and present from my class.  Soooo sweet and can you believe these 6 year olds kept a secret?  Thank you to all the families because it was a great day!  Check out the video for the pictures.