Circles and Stars

We have begun our new math unit on multiplication.  To help the students understand equal groups and to become more familiar with the relationship between addition and multiplication, today we learned a new game called Circles and Stars.  You can play this game at home with some paper, a pencil, and a die.  Here are the directions:

Circles and Stars

PURPOSE:  To have the most stars on your page.

WHAT YOU NEED:

         One piece of paper

         One dice

         A pencil

         Your thinking mind

HOW TO PLAY:

1.       Fold your paper in half like a hot dog and like a hamburger.  Open it up and trace on the folds.  You will have 4 equal sections on each side of the paper so you can play a total of 7 rounds.  One box is used to add at the end.

2.       The first person rolls the dice once.  Whatever the number is he or she draws that many circles in the first box.  Make sure your circles are big enough to draw stars in later!

3.       Player two rolls the dice and draws circles on his or her paper as well.

4.       The first person rolls the dice again and that number is the number of stars that will go in EACH circle.  Draw that number of stars in each circle, then write a multiplication problem and repeated addition problem that shows how many stars you have.

5.       Player two does the same thing.

6.       Repeat this until you have filled up 7 of the 8 boxes.  In the 8^th box you will add the number of stars you had in each box to find your total.  The person with the most stars is the winner!

Gratitude Journals

Can you believe it's already November?  The year certainly has flown by so far!  It's always a good idea to slow down every once in a while and think about all the things you are grateful for and November is a great month to do that.  This month, the students will be keeping a Gratitude Journal.  Each day, they will write one thing they're grateful for and why they're grateful for it.  They will also post a picture of that page in their journal on their Digital Portfolios so you can follow their journals daily.

Research has shown the positive effects of gratitude on the brain, and starting the practice of gratitude at a young age is a great way to help students develop healthy habits.  If you'd like more information on the scientific research behind gratitude, take a look at this article.

I hope you enjoy reading your child's Gratitude Journal every day and that it sparks fun and uplifting conversation at home!

Addition War

We learned another game to practice math facts yesterday!  The kids had a great time and you can play at home too!  Here's how to play:

Addition War

Materials:  a deck of number cards

Players: two or more

How to Play:

1.  Place a deck of cards face down in a pile.

2.  Each player picks up two cards and adds those numbers together.

3.  When all players have the sum of the numbers, show your cards. 

4.  The player with the highest sum wins all of the cards.

*If both players have the same sum, each player picks two cards again and the highest sum wins all the cards.

5.  Continue playing until the deck is out.  The person with the most cards wins.

Ten Buddies Go Fish

Good Morning! In order to practice math facts, we learned a new game last week called 'Ten Buddies Go Fish'. This is a great game to play at home to practice math facts!  Here's how to play:

  Ten Buddies Go Fish 

Materials: Number cards 1-9 

Players: 2 or more 

How to Play: 
1. Each player is dealt 5 cards. The remaining cards are placed face down in the center of the table. 
2. If you have any pairs of cards that equal 10, put them down in front of you and take two more from the deck. 
3. Take turns. On a turn, ask one player for a card that will go with a card from your deck to make 10. 
4. If you do not get a card that makes 10, take the top card from the deck. Your turn is over. If the card you take from the deck makes 10 with a card in your hand, put the pair down in front of you and take another card from the deck. 
5. If you have no cards in your hand, but there are still cards in the deck, you take two cards from the deck. 
6. Play until there are no more cards. 
7. The winner is the person with the most pairs!

Another Fun Math Game

Today we learned about comparing numbers and played a game called 'Number Top It' to practice our skills.  Here are the directions if you'd like to play at home:

Number Top-it

Materials: number cards (0-9)

Players:  2 or more

Skill:  Place value and comparing numbers

Object of the game:  To make the largest three digit number

Directions:

1.          Shuffle the cards.  Place the deck number-side down on the floor.

2.          Take turns picking up cards 3 times for each player.

3.          Keep your cards secret.

4.          Make the biggest 3 digit number you can with your cards.

5.          Compare your number to you opponent’s number.

6.          The person with the biggest number wins the cards.

7.          Whoever has the most cards at the end is the winner!

         

A Fun Math Game!

Today we learned a new math game to support practicing math facts as well as critical thinking math skills.  It's called Name That Number.  You could easily play this game at home with a deck of cards. Here are the directions:

Name That Number!

1.  Flip 5 cards face up.  Leave the rest in a pile.

2.  Player 1 turns one card from the pile face up.  This is the 'target number'.

3.  Using the 5 cards that are already out, player 1 tries to make the 'target number' with adding and/or subtracting.

4.  If player 1 can do that, he/she explains it to player 2 and then takes all the cards involved.

5.  Make sure there are 5 cards out and one target number for player 2 to take his/her turn.

*If a player cannot make a target number, he/she passes to the other player.  If neither can make the number, pick a new target number.

Jack and Anna are in a bit of a pickle with three 9s in the pile!

What will Bea's target number be?  Will she be able to use the cards in front of her to make it?

Logan and Maddie are thinking hard about all the ways they can make 6 with the cards in front of them... can they do it?

Sophia did it!  2 + 2 = 4

Ariana and Austin are trying to figure out if they can make 2 with the numbers in front of them.

The first week!

We've been busy this week getting to know each other, coming up with class rules, learning the expectations and procedures, and having fun! 

To make our class rules, first we brainstormed what the purpose of school is.

Then we brainstormed rules.

We thought those were too many rules so we narrowed it down to just three. We signed the rules and they'll be posted in our classroom all year.

We're on track for a great year!