Math fun for everyone! My kindergarten students LOVE being independent as well as working in small groups to learn, but it has been a challenge with the lack of resources to share amongst everyone.
My students attend a "Title 1" school with a population of about 550.
Over half the student population lives in some sort of poverty. Less than half of my Kindergarten students have attended preschool. Despite the challenges my students face, they always come to school with a smile, curious mind, and eagerness to learn. They love learning through chants, songs and games. "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, BLAST OFF!"
My Project
During math we have been doing a lot more whole group rather than small group instruction with the amount of materials and manipulatives we have currently. I would like our math time to be more center-based so groups of students can rotate between 4-5 different activity areas to practice what we're learning.
A variety of manipulatives (counters, transportation, bears, Unifix cubes, buttons, pattern blocks, geometric shapes) will give students the opportunity to practice counting, adding/subtracting, classifying/sorting objects, identifying/relating shapes in the real world. Puzzles and flashcards will reinforce number concepts as students learn with each other.
Common Core State Standards for Kindergarten has a major focus on number sense (Counting & Cardinality and Number & Operations in Base Ten), which leads into adding and subtracting (Operations & Algebraic Thinking). Other focuses include Measurement & Data (classifying/sorting objects) and Geometry (2-D and 3-D shapes).
Providing resources for students open up more opportunities for them to learn.
It is important for my students to have materials to practice with independently as well as cooperatively with others. A variety and multitude of materials will engage my students of all learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. It is especially valuable for my Kindergarten students to participate in tactile learning because it will help them develop a solid foundation in mathematics.
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