Monday, January 20, 2020

Brain Chains ~ Place Value ~ STEAM

For "fast finishers" during our math center time, the kids had "winter STEAM card challenges".  STEAM stands for "Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math.  I put out different options of materials they could use to build their winter object.  


Kyler used the magnetic building set to make a snowman.


Cailyn used pipe cleaners to create snowflake. 

Silas used popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners to create someone snow skiing. 


Lillianna used Wikki Stix to create a snowflake!


We started learning about place value when we returned from our Christmas Break.  I love to pull out the "Brain Chains" for this.  These are simply long shoe strings with 100 beads on them in groups of ten per color.  When I introduce it, I call out numbers for the kids to make and I check to see if they understand that they can count up by tens and then add the ones.  It never fails that some kids think they have to count by ones!  This helps me know who needs some extra help to count by tens.  Once they master this, I put them into pairs and they get to choose numbers to make with their partner!  They love this!  Here are some pictures of the kids working with their "Brain Chains"!









This is from another day of math centers.  You can see the kids playing games to practice math skills. 


Mason, pictured below, is counting the cubes and putting them into groups of tens to figure out what number of cubes he has in all.  


Kyler, Murphy, & Caleb, pictured below, are taking a minute math test.  The kids need to become fluent with their math facts to 10, so we work on these several times a week using a minute math quiz. 



Ava and Reid were also at the table at the same time taking a minute math quiz.  


Caleb is counting the cubes that I gave him by making tens and ones.  


Murphy is also putting her cubes together to make tens and ones!



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