March Calendar Idea

I laminated this calendar so I could actually draw the weather pictures on each day.

Next, we took it a step further and predicted the weather for the next day. "Likely"... not  "What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow?"  Why? 
Likely is the correct terminology to use when discussing  probability.  Likely leads to 'most likely' and 'least likely," if you have a split K/1 or 1/2 class. 

How do you change your calendar discussions 

at this time of the year?

Smiles,
Deborah

February Daily Calendar: Counting by 5's with Adaptations for 1st/2nd Multigrade

Here's my suggestion for your 

February Daily Calendar.
 

I would practice choral counting by fives to 100,
 both forward and backwards.

  This graphic for the hands

is available for download for free for teachers use from the Florida Center for Instructional Technology using this link:
 Florida Center for Instructional Technology Clipart ETC (Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, 2009)

 If you have never visited this site, it has many graphics available for math that are 
 for students and teachers to use free of charge.  
The site says "shopping cart," but that is for commercial use.

How do you download the clipart?

Windows: Right mouse click on any of the images and choose save image to disk. Select the destination folder and click save. You can also click and drag the image to your desktop.
Macintosh: Right mouse click on any of the images and choose download image to disk. Select the destination folder and click save. You can also click and drag the image to your desktop.
Note: Each piece of clipart will appear in four different sizes for you to choose from. If you want a very small image, you can use the methods described above to select the tiny thumbnail version that appears in the top left corner of the page. The shaded box around the thumbnail image is NOT a part of the image and will not show in the file that you download.

Adaptation for 1st/2nd Multi-Grade Class: It's also a great time of the year to start practicing reading thermometers with the 2nd Graders.

oven thermometer

 Invite your school nurse into the class during calendar time.  Have her talk about how she uses a thermometer, and the many different kinds of thermometers that are available. Then have the 2nd Graders write step-by-step directions on how to take your own temperature, a drawing that shows 98.6 on a thermometer and what the resulting temperature means...98.6 and 102.

digital thermometer

Smiles,
Deborah

December Calendar

Here's my suggestion for the December Calendar:

Why little boys in red and green?  Well red and green are colors well know for their use in December.

Why little boys?  I chose them because you can practice counting by 2's.

For example
  How many eyes do the 5 boys have? "Let's count by two's."
  How many ears do the 9 boys have? "Let's count by two's ."
  If each boy hopes to receive 5 gifts on Christmas, how many gifts in all would they receive?
  If each boy does 10 kind acts, how many acts of kindness would happen this month so far?
  If each red boy has 2 sisters, and each green boy has 1 sister how many sisters would they have. (on December 15th)

When you have little boys, it's easy to come up with problem solving situations for the group to solve.

Deborah

Money and the November Calendar Routine

Here is my suggestion for calendar time for the month of November:  Create a pattern of coins. 

 

As each new coin is introduced, a new piece of information can be discuss about that particular coin. I used plastic money and just double-stick taped it to the laminated calendar.

As different information is discussed about each coin, an anchor chart can be created like this one from First Grade Parade blog:



So what do you think about my idea?  Leave a comment...

Let's Collect Some Data for Grades 1 or Multigrade 1/2

Today, my granddaughter came home from school and said, "I want to collect some data."... and of course my heart rate increased...and I said I had an idea!

I just received the book, "Spookley the Square Pumpkin Counting and Colors" by Joe Troiano.

 It isn't a deep, thoughtful book, but the reading level was just perfect for my First Grader.

I suggested that we create a chart in Word, print it out, and use tally marks to gather data about the number of pumpkins and their colors that were shown in the book.

First, let's say that First Graders can do amazing things. I set up the 2 column chart and labeled the two categories.  When it came time to list the color possibilities, My First Grader used the back portion of the book to obtain the correct spelling of each color word, and type it into the chart.  She needed a little help in learning about how to tab through a chart, but that's all!.
Here's what the completed chart looked like:

Next, we printed the page, and used tally marks to collect the data of the number of pumpkins in the book for each color. 

Here is a link to share the chart with you:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6F30lEu7WXlV0g5S1JxdGt5bG8/edit?usp=sharing

In your classroom, this chart might be completed in a small group of 3 or 4 students working together. For those teachers using Everyday Math, it works well following Lesson 1.7 Recording Tally Counts, in the First Grade book.
 It could also be used in Multigrade 1/2 Classroom as an activity during Guided Math groups.


Lastly, let me thank that First Grade Teacher that inspired my granddaughter to "collect some data." :)

Deborah

The First 14 days of a Multigrade Math Class Overview

Using Debbie Diller's Book, "Math Stations" and Everyday Math, I came up with this plan of how to present math for the first 14 days. During this time, you will train your students how to work independently so you can teach math through guided math groups.

 

You will notice that I did not stop teaching math and just train students. By teaching similar lessons to both grade levels, you will also find the time to train your students.

 

 

 

The First 14 Days of Math Stations

 for A Multi-grade  1/2 Class

 Using Everyday Math and Math Stations

Schedule:

Mini-lesson 25 - 30 minutes

Whole Group EM Lesson: 30 - 40 minutes

This schedule is ONLY for the first 14 days of instruction.

Day	Mini-lesson	Learning Outcome	Resources	Whole Group Everyday Math Lesson
1	Take one photo of each child for Management Board. (or use the geography of the room to rotate your students systematically so they always know what area of the room to go to next without the work of a management board)		Complete the set-up of the Management Board for Day 2	Number Lines 1st/1.1  2nd/ 1.1
2	Introduce: Management Board . Model: How to obtain materials and where math stations are located. Model: Cleaning up a station	Sttroducig up a stationh stations are locatedor Day 2udents explore and learn how to obtain their instructional materials and where to go to work with their partners. Students will know what is expected as they clean up their stations.	Management Board Missing Pieces Box Numbered clear plastic tubs	Everyday Math Games: Monster Squeeze Number-Line Squeeze
3	Teacher and students model and practice: “Turn and Talk”. Model: The difference between hearing and listening to your partner.	Students will learn that as mathematicians we are capable of thinking in many different ways and sharing their thinking with others.	Chart: Thinking and Talking with a Partner Partners use 6 inch voices. Partners take turns talking. Partners listen to one another. Partners respect each others’ thinking	Introduce the Slate Routine Explain the Number Grid and it’s patterns 1st/1.2    2nd/ 1.4
4	Math Station Tub Teacher discusses how students have choices within one tub. Teacher shows how materials are labeled to differentiate levels. Model: Signals used to indicate it is time to stop and clean up, and signal to indicate to move to next station or to the small group teaching station.	Students realize that there are multiple activities to do with one math tub and those activities can be repeated. Students will move to different activities quickly and quietly.	Completed math tub Chart: How do we put materials away in our Math Tubs? Auditory signal	Introduce the Pattern-Block Template 1st/1.2   2nd/1.4
5	How to Obtain Help Model: “I Can” Chart “Instead” box for the Computer station	Teacher and students will create the first “I Can” chart together. Students will practice being adaptable and flexible.	“I Can” chart	Formative Assessment for 1st Graders: Use math master pg 304 to see what numbers they can all ready write. Challenge them to write their numbers to 20. Introduce the Class Scroll to the 2nd Graders.
6	Model and Practice: How to Use a Math Talk card to express their mathematical ideas.	Students will express their thinking using a math talk card as a support.	2 different “Math Talk Cards” for each group of 2 students	How to Use a Calculator 1st/  2.4          2nd/1.9
7	Represent your thinking through drawing, writing, Flip videos, and dramatizing. Where to put completed work.	Students learn to record their thoughts in short video clips. Students learn ways to represent their thinking, and where to put that completed document.	Flip Video Camera Examples of students drawings, and writings.	Whole Group: Odd and even Tally marks
8	How to handle problems:    Ask 3 and then ask me.   Disagreements What will happen when students don’t follow the procedures.	Students follow specific guidelines to solve problems.	Chart: How We Can Solve Problems Ourselves	EM Games: Penny-Dice Game Top-It Addition Top-It Rolling for 50 Rolling for 500 using a 400-500 number grid.
9	Introduce “Our Math Thinking “ Books	Students learn they are accountable for doing their best work at stations.	Book: “Our Math Thinking”	EM Games: Play your choice of game
10	Introduce First Station: Review and model use of management board, obtaining materials, correct voice level. Choose one student to be your partner, and go through the entire procedure while “thinking  aloud about what you are doing and thinking”	Students will revisit how to maintain organized classroom math stations	Chart:  Looks like, Sounds Like, Feels like One math tub of your choice	Whole Group: Modeling how the teacher will be teaching the small group guided math groups. All about Math Boxes using a teacher created math box page all about tally marks.
11	Continue to introduce another station. Establish student accountability by modeling and posting an example of a completed student work product.	Students will learn mathematical ideas through independent learning.	Example of student work	How to play: EM Facts Workshop Game that provides online practice of basic facts and computation.
12	Model:  How we share our experiences with our class members.	Students will engage in discussions and that they are accountable for their independent learning.		Reading books that relate to math such as counting books. How to create your own math related book.
13	Model: Computer Station “Instead Box”	Students will learn a routine to cooperatively use the classroom computer.	Chart: Step by step directions to use the computer Chart: Who is on the Computer Today?	How to read a number line on a thermometer
14	(After conducting an actual “Math Station”) Getting back together as a whole group to reflect on what went well.	Grand Opening Celebration: Beginning a station	Wrapped box that announces the beginning of math stations. Chart:  What We Did Well	Administer the Beginning of the Year Test to both grade levels. Recruit a volunteer to read the test aloud to one grade level while you read the other grade level test. See if the volunteer will also help score the test.