May Calendar Board

Is that daily calendar routine becoming "too routine"?  Here is an idea to use in May to practice creating addition and subtraction stories. 

This is the completed pattern that you will use for the month using the + and - symbols, which is an AABBBB pattern.

Here is the printable pattern pieces from my Google Drive file.

Each student needs a  Whole-Part-Part laminated diagram,  and a  dry erase marker.

Here is a copy of this diagram.

The teacher presents the numbers to use on the chart. For example, "Today I have 10 in all.  (Hold up a set of ten linking cubes.)  One part of my ten is  8 (There are 8 green connecting cubes). The other part of my ten is 2 (There are 2 yellow connecting cubes). As the information is given, the students are filling in  their diagram.

"Now, let's look at our calendar. Predict whether the math symbol for today will be a plus sign or a minus sign."
"Yes, today is a plus sign. So we will be creating an addition story using our numbers on our Whole, Part, Part diagram. I'm going to give you 2 quiet minutes to write your addition equation, and think about your addition story.  No talking as this is quiet thinking time."

"Now, let's TURN AND TALK to our partner and share the addition story that you have been thinking about. Later, I am going to ask 2 student to share their story with the whole group.  Please share your story now with your partner."

Student One: " There were 8 girls playing at my house. 2 boys came over to play too. Now  there are 10  kids playing at my  house."

Student Two:  "I  have 2 pieces of gum, and 8 chocolate kisses. I have 10 pieces of candy to eat."

The  teacher writes the equations on her diagram as the students are sharing their stories.

Deborah