Memorization--Yes or No????

This week has been great in Math class.  Watching my little explorers work with shapes is fascinating.  We are working on composing and decomposing shapes.  Next week we will be partitioning, which is a new common core word.  It is great to see how teaching my first graders these essential skills will prepare them to actually understand fractions!  Can you imagine that?  Often I reflect on how to do certain math skills especially when helping my daughters with their math.  I can hear myself saying these rhymes that help me solve problems but have NO IDEA why they work.  I think these rhymes are great for memorization, but we must ask ourselves is that our goal for our students--memorization.  Yes, it is important but for understanding math concepts.  I would have to say no.

I've added a word cloud to sum up the topics of this blog.  This is another way to use technology to create interest.  Let's remember technology is a great tool to teach our standards, but all in all we are teaching standards!!

Aimee

Our link in the chain and Tagxedo

This week in Math we have continued our study of Geometry.  As I study our new standards, I have realized  how important my "link in the chain" is.  Conceptual knowledge is imperative in math instruction.  We have a tendency to simply want to teach what we were taught or what is in our textbook.  Instead we have to study our "link in the chain."  What I mean by that phrase is to teach our grade level standard to mastery for all students.  We must make sure the conceptual knowledge is developed so that our "link" doesn't break.  In first grade one of our Geometry standards is to partition shapes into halves and fourths.  Most of us want to begin to teach symbolic notation.  However, what happens when we do that is our students never develop the conceptual knowledge behind the notation.

In addition to my weekly thoughts, I would like to introduce to you a website entitled www.tagxedo.com.  This site allows you to create word clouds.  There are numerous ways to use this tool in the classroom.  One way I would use the word cloud is to create a shape with geometric terms included to introduce or to review the vocabulary within the unit.  Another way might be to include a word cloud in parent communication with information about the subject that I was discussing.  This would be eye catching, which would possibly encourage parents to read the information.  A third way to use word clouds in the classroom would be to allow my students to create their own, possibly as a gift for a parent or to summarize their learning for the day or the week.  This tool seems like a great way to engage your audience.


Try it out for yourself by clicking on the link below!
Word Clouds
Aimee

Geometry

This week we have begun our study of Geometry.  I am using Investigations as a primary resource.  I absolutely love this unit.  My students are extremely engaged as they manipulate shapes.  Our objectives for this unit include recognizing defining attributes of certain shapes and partitioning shapes into halves and fourths.  It is so incredible watching as students use the experience of making various shapes with smaller shapes to give them the background to actually see the shapes inside of others.  This is exactly what they need in order to "partition."  I'm looking forward to more engaging activities as our study continues.

Aimee

Aha Moments About Manipulatives

There has been some discussion lately among my coworkers regarding manipulatives.  It has been a delimma for many teachers as to when to "take away the tools."  As we dive into our new standards we no longer have to feel this pressure.  Our standards clearly outline what students should be using when solving addition, subtraction, mulitiplication or division problems.  For example, in first grade students should be able to solve problems using "concrete materials" using numbers up to 20.  This means allow them to use manipulatives, yes even on the TEST! :)  Follow your standards if you aren't sure.   For me, these standards have given me the permission to do what my students have been showing me that they needed. 
Aimee

negative numbers in first grade

As in most math classes, our class counts everyday in some way. In first grade counting by tens starting at any number is a skill that has to be mastered. This is one way we count everyday. We count forwards and backwards by tens, and when we end they always tell me the NEGATIVE NUMBER!! For example, 112, 102, 92, 82, 72, 62, 52, 42, 32, 22, 12, 2, -8. Yes, they figured it out for themselves based on their knowledge of making ten. With this being said, the video I posted uses this negative number knowledge to solve subtraction. This is much more "real life" than borrowing. It is a great way to give them some background knowledge before we actually expect them to have a full understanding of negative numbers. Another great experience in the minds of first graders! Aimee

Non traditional subtraction

The first part of the video shows an interesting way to teach subtraction. It is important for educators to introduce various methods of solving problems. This is one way that may seem odd to some, but I think it is fabulous! The second part of the video turns more traditional in my opionion. However, I thought the beginning was worth sharing. Aimee

Multiplication strategy

Retrieved from themathpage.com

Although I teach first grade, for the last three years I have taught third grade.  While teaching third grade I was compelled to find alternative ways of teaching addition, subtraction, multiplcation, and division.  My coworkers and I received AMSTI training and used the resources provided with this training.  I was so incredibly impressed with how these alternative teaching methods affected me, I had to dig deeper for my students.  The new math standards were actually welcomed by those of us who saw the benefit in teaching multiples strategies as we learned with our AMSTI training.  This image demonstrates one "alternative" strategy that really seems to make sense of the algorithm for multiplication that I was taught as a young student. 

Aimee