Our focus math focus today was identifying coins and how
much they are worth. Kindergarteners are expected to know the names of
each coin and know how much each is worth. We learned a song to help us
remember each coin and have played a variety of games and activities
during math work places. Today we learned how to play, "Beat you to 20" using sock boxes and coins. Students practicing identifying the values of a penny and a nickel and in order to play this game...and that 1 nickel=5 pennies! We've also looked closely at each coin,
noticing what graphics were displayed on each and did coin rubbings to
recreate the coins. Ask your child to sing the coin song to you. It
starts, "Penny, 1 cent, Penny, 1 cent...." (watch the video to learn it yourself!)
Yesterday, we played an engaging workplace, "Spin, Add, and Compare." In this addition game, students spun a spinner and recorded their number on a 10 frame. Students then wrote an addition problem and recorded the answer. After 3 turns each, each player compared the total amounts to see who had "more" and who had "less."
We have also been diligently practicing how to count in groups of five (and review 10) and have been strengthening our backwards counting and forward counting up and down to 100.
Using our math hands we have practiced counting while reading books,
playing magic number, and reading the 100's chart.
Math work places offer each student multiple opportunities to practice each skill in fun, interactive, game based centers.
Perhaps the perfect morning for outdoor science learning. Warm temps, light (ok, a few flakes) snow, great friends, and a snow covered ground were the perfect ingredients for learning at Harrison Field/Forest. Morning meeting exploration, discussion, and activity gave students an opportunity to learn about animal gaits - the patterned movement generally seen in animals. We learned animals move in four ways - hop, waddle, walk, or bound. The lesson focused on looking at tracks to see how animals move, and how we can look closely at their tracks to identify the type of animal and how it moves. INQUIRE with your child about which way their own Vermont animal moves. Perhaps they can share a few examples of other animals that move in different ways. Can they model the movement for you? Most children will be be able to teach you all about how animals move - after spending the day acting like different animals. As we became nature detectives, we not only looked for tracks but became the animal - moving around the forest in particular ways. Animal tracks led us in and out and around the forest, discussing where they might be going and why - many thoughts were around finding water, shelter, and staying safe to survive the cold. Students also played "Animal, Animal, Show me Your Moves," a similar game to fishy fishy, but with animal movement the focus. Back in the classroom, students reflected on their observations and questions they had, and recorded their thinking in their science journal. At choice time, students even used stamps to make animal tracks and recreated pictures of Harrison Forest. 
