Erin
Love teaching! I have been teaching since 1992. I earned my Ph.D in Research and Learning, with an emphasis in SPED.
Planning kindergarten standards-based math curriculum. What are the thought processes that go on in a teacher’s mind when creating her own standards-based math curriculum? This might be a scary trip, but I invite you into my planning process. I hope to reveal how I learned to plan my guided math curriculum this past year. This isn’t meant to tell you exactly everything I taught and in what order, but to give you a guide on what the process looks like. To begin, I knew a few things that affected how I plan. I knew the standards that needed to be covered, mastered (sometimes those two are different) and the basic layout of the ways I could cover them in my classroom.
I kept a checklist of the standards close by that we’d be covering in a quarter (nine weeks). Quarterly Standards I could have used some of our calendar math time (mainly in the spring) to give extra repetition, but I didn’t want to rely on that time. I couldn’t plan all of these on one day, nor in one planning “session”. A) the right amount of practice b) the right kind of practice. Full%20Day%20Schedule%202010-2011.
Am I the last one? Two weeks ago, I was fussily taking some photos from our math journals to share and it hit me.
I was teaching my kinders wrong! Okay, not wrong, but I could be teaching them better! Why, when I am working with them in groups or during our whole group calendar time, am I modeling subtraction by doing this? Why am I modeling crossing out individual items for subtraction? It was bugging me the other day when some of my kinders who ‘take longer to catch onto some math concepts’ were modeling subtraction in their notebooks using one single x to cross out the entire lot. I am so thankful that I realized they were seeing taking away an entire group of objects (which is higher level thinking than I was giving them credit for) and they were also able to “see” (without counting 1:1) the set to cross it out! It may be a small tweak, but to me, its a meaningful one! Subtraction Equation Cards – Free Ha! More on Number Sense. Never ending story. My literacy centers are a core part of our kindergarten schedule.
They are active literacy centers that keep us on our toes and working so that I can work with small groups {ahem} teaching. Let me roll out my kindergarten retell literacy center directions and expectations for you and the 20 stories that make up this year-long center. I believe that literacy centers can accomplish Common Core Standards, while matching up with a 90 minute reading block goal and be less work for the teacher once in place.
Most of the stories that I place into the retell literacy center are famous, but there may be one or two new ones for you. This is great news since you probably already have the tools needed to quickly implement a story or two with the stuff you already have. Kindergarten Retell Literacy Center Activities This literacy center is the one I enjoy “spying” on while I’m reading with my guided reading groups the most. Kindergarten Retell Literacy Center Standards {Ser.ious.ly.} Five days, five minutes. In mentoring beginning teachers, I recommend active ways to reach all the different kinds of learners.
By taking roughly 3-5 mins. every day you can teach a focus sight word and use songs to accomplish appealing to the non-traditional learners. (That’s not to say that’s the only word you ever mention or teach in a week, but I’m talking about focus here – so everyone with “no more letter/word of the week” mentality – I’m with you!) Read a little louder.
Getting started. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Illuminations: Welcome to Illuminations. Dr. Nicki's Guided Math Blog. Teacher Girl / Counting craft sticks. Chapter #4... Now Let's Explore! Freebies Galore! Well it is finally my turn as I wrap up the year and start packing up my classroom.
I feel honored to have the opportunity to discuss this chapter with the blogging community I have grown to love and respect so much. A big shout out to Deedee Wills since this was her vision and I hope this meets her expectations. Maybe this book will help us to bring more joy into our classrooms. The party begins right here so link up with me. Get some coffee (diet soda) , new printer ink for the downloads, and send the hubby out with the kiddos.
Here are a set of cards to use as part of your daily routine. Next year I will post these on my website for parents to use at home. Another whole group activity I use for a quick whole group warm-up: I practice recognizing and ordering numbers from 1-10 by having kids wear these around their neck and putting themselves in order and saying, "My number is ___. " I am also the queen of routine cards such as I have... Tell me some of the strategies you use. 2. And.