IPS/Butler University Laboratory School

Townes is working on the hundreds chart in the math boxes.

Today, during Math Workshop, we added another section to our time.  As I have shared in previous posts, we have a problem solving piece with our math notebooks.  The notebooks are a daily part of our math workshop as well as today’s math boxes.  The math boxes have different pieces in them that help the kids with number work.  Number work is noticing patterns in numbers, building numbers, decomposing numbers, and really just the basics of numbers.  When students have a strong concept of this they can easily complete more advanced addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems mentally.  The two pieces in today’s math boxes were hundreds charts with numbers missing for the students to fill in and number tiles that the students had to put in order.  As the year progresses we will have more activities in the boxes.

Wyatt is working on his hundreds chart in his math box.

Andrew is putting his math tiles in numerical order.

In math we have been working hard on setting routines for math workshop.  The students have been solving problems in their math notebooks using different strategies.  So far we have come up with these different ways to help us problem solve: Draw a picture, Use cubes or another material, Use a Number Line, Count On, and Make Tally Marks.  Today we introduced Math Boxes.  The students were able to decorate their math boxes and make them their own before we got started.  Then they took time to explore their Math Boxes.  Inside, students had hundreds charts with different missing numbers and number cards to put in order.  The mathematicians were carefully working with their materials while thinking about if their numbers were just right for them.  Madeline shared with me, “My math box helps me learn math, but it’s not too hard for me so I don’t have to struggle doing the numbers.” Some of our friends were in the studio during this time, so they will have the chance to investigate their boxes tomorrow.  I can’t wait to see what discoveries they make!

Kaitlyn uses cubes to help her solve a problem in her math notebook.

Friends decorate their math boxes.

Chairo: “Look guys I solved every problem in three different ways!”

Daysia puts her numbers in order from her Math Box.

Today, Mr. Henderson read the class a story many of them know- Cinderella. Except today, this story had a twist-  it was Bigfoot Cinderella!  Basically, this was the same story but starring a Bigfoot Cinderella who wore wooden clogs instead of glass slippers. The kids loved the new twist. After the story, the kids were shown three shoes that they needed to help Mrs. Argus pick to go on a run. The first choice were a pair of first grade sneakers. We decided these shoes were way too small! The second pair we tried for Mrs. Argus were huge- size 10 men’s! We decided these were way too big! The third pair, low and behold, were absolutely perfect and fit Mrs. Argus just right- just like Bigfoot Cinderella’s missing clog! We talked about how shoes that fit just right are just like just right books- perfect for us! Some friends may have different just right books, just as their shoes fit us differently. We will continue to refer to this analogy throughout the year to encourage the children to decide whether or not a book is at their appropriate reading level. Later this week, we will start to talk about more of the traits that help us recognize whether or not a book is just right!

Mr. Henderson tries Mrs. Argus’ just right shoe- is it a fit?

Sascha tries out Mr. Henderson’s just right shoe!

Tags: reading, thinking

Wyatt working on the wire letters for the word wall.

Today, after Reader’s Workshop, we created our letters for our word wall. Last week, the kids decided that we needed a way to organize our names on the giant magnetic board.  Reid suggested we make a word wall and have letters to organize where the words go.  Today, we finished our letters that are made out of wire.  It is just in time because next week we will be starting word study and we will be using our word wall to help us.  Check back next week to hear more about word study!

Kristien and Joseph are working together to make a letter for the word wall.

David made a Q for our word wall.

The last few weeks we have been talking about gifts: what they are, why we have them, why they are important to have and share. We have noticed that friends have started to use vocabulary like: “He is showing the gift of sharing!”

Today we went around during our share time and shared one gift that each of us possess. It was lovely because there was such a variation of gifts: from having the gift of art to having the gift of dribbling to having the gift of sharing. We are going to continue to look closely at the gifts that each of us possess as it will help us continue to grow as a community.

We also played math games today instead of doing math notebooks (this will be a regular schedule for now: Monday-Thursday we will do math notebooks and Friday math games). It was dominoes today! We partnered up and the children played so amazingly well together! What I was having them focus on was not who was winning (not one game was finished) but matching numbers. It was a great exercise on one-to-one correspondence and counting. After we got done playing, we circled up and talked about what went well and what did not, and every person that shared discussed how their friends were fair when playing and that it was fun! I look forward to playing more games.

Starting next week Miss Jeffrey will be teaching some of the minilessons each day. We are looking at this opportunity as a co-teaching opportunity so I will always be there to add anything just like she will always be there to add anything. We are looking forward to this opportunity.