This year I decided to add the 0-120 number grids to my K-2 estimation jar. The number grids come from our Math Medley kits and kids can use dry eraser markers to “think” as they’re working out their estimation. Of course, there’s the thinking paper and the referents, as well.
What Do You Notice? Rectangular Arrays
Skills:
Primary students (K-2): shapes, counting, repeated addition, area
Intermediate students (3-5): classifying quadrilaterals, area model of multiplication, multiplication, prime, composite, and square numbers
It’s been on my TO DO list for a long time. Years, in fact. But I’ve finally checked it off and I’m thrilled with the results.
As many of you know, for each of my Family Math Night events I include a What Do You Notice? poster. These posters are designed to get kids and parents thinking about math on a deeper level. Although each poster has been included on our website, there has never been details…until now. I’ve taken each of the posters and written a thorough description of the math involved. I’ve also included the specific skills by grade span, K-2 and 3-5, and given several examples of student responses.
We often think of math as the exact-answer subject. But the kind of math that we do most often during the day doesn’t require an exact answer. We use this particular math skill when we need to figure out how much time we need to get ready in the morning. Or whether we have enough gas in the car to get to work. Or whether $50 is enough to cover the items in our shopping cart.
The math skill we use the most is, of course, estimation. And estimating accurately requires a high level of math. That’s because it’s abstract which means we need to tap into our number sense and reasoning skills.
One way to provide our students with opportunities to work on their estimation skills is during computation practice. Instead of diving right in to figure out 15 x 12, have students come up with an estimate…about what the answer will be. In fact, periodically I ask students NOT to determine the exact answer and, instead, have them turn in their work with only their estimates recorded. This is hard for them to do in the beginning because they are so used to working out arithmetic problems, but they soon learn the value in thinking about the problem first.
A fun way to get students to work on their estimating skills is through the estimation jar. I’ve included two of my estimation videos below. The first video describes using the estimation jar in the classroom as a way to develop, not only estimation skills, but place value and number sense, as well.
We’re now ready to launch our Power Pack: Building Number Sense in Grades 2-3. Like our K-1 Pack, it comes filled with fun games that reinforce what students are learning in the classroom..
These Power Packs can be used during your Family Math Night event, as take-home math packs in the classroom, and as classroom math centers.
And here’s another interesting way to use them. I was chatting with a principal at one of my recent Family Math Night events where we were using the games. She loved the Packs so much that she is planning on giving them to her teachers to share during parent conferences. That way, if a child needs to practice a specific skill, the teacher can guide the parent to the appropriate game in the pack and send it home so parent and child can practice together. I thought the idea was brilliant so I’m sharing it with you.
I’m excited to share with you the newest member of our Family Math Night product line: Power Packs: Building Numbers Sense in grades K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. These Power Packs are filled with games that teach parents strategies and tools to help their children build strong math skills. They can be used during your Family Math Night event, as take-home math packs in the classroom, and as classroom math centers. Why Power Packs? There have been a lot of changes in mathematics curriculum…