Amazing Mathematicians at Work…

We have used ten frames from day 1 and 70 days later I wanted to see if it would transfer over into larger numbers so why not use those DigiBlocks… 

I had my daughter empty out over 500 ones into a copy box lid and you should have seen the firstie’s eyes while I was telling my story. I asked for a guess and one friend said 100 so I asked how many thought less than 100, 100, or more than 100 and thankfully most chose more than 100.  We will have to get some estimating and guessing going but that will be another blog post.

 I asked them to find a way to count them and let me know how many.  There was some talk counting and then a friend said that would take too long.  Put them in groups of ten came up next so I showed them how the DigiBlocks will only close when there are 10 units enclosed.  They quickly found a way to put 10 ones into a ten and then someone figured out putting the tens in the hundred to fill it up.  This time lapse took less than 3 minutes to film and I wish I recorded the ah-ha moments.  It was amazing!  I did record the discourse after so you could hear some magic.

There was a follow up to this lesson the next day.  In the past 64 was 6 tens and 4 ones.  Today we walk through other ways to see 64.  64 doesn’t have to be 64 it could be 54+10, 44+20, etc. depending on what you need to make the math work for you. Let me explain. 

I asked the firsties to make 64 and most made it with 6 tens and 4 ones.  Noah decided to use 5 tens and then count out 14 ones to make 64.  We checked that and counted it and sure enough it made 64.  We talked about other ways to see the same number and most thought let’s turn the numbers around like 14+50=64.  I was hoping for something else and then one friend chirped up “Wait just open the ten and take out the ones.” YES!! 

  We did it and then counted.  64 and I didn’t take anything away or add any more.  We continued the pattern and I recorded for later reference to notice patterns.

One very important ah-ha I found was Victoria counting the tens and ones.  At one point she counted the ten ones-arranged like a ten frame as tens and we had to stop and talk about when they are separated they are no longer a ten even though they are 10 ones.  It was an ah-ha for a few other students and then one friend explained the difference between tens and ones-and what they loo like.  It was a beautiful moment. We made some great discoveries today and I am proud of these firsties.  Can’t wait to see what comes next…