It's All Starting to Add Up! Addition and Subtraction Work Stations

I am really excited about Chapter 5 of Math Work Stations: Independent Learning You Can Count On K-2 by Debbie Diller.  I found out that as a Kindergarten teacher I had been giving my students many opportunities to develop the skills that would help them succeed in addition and subtraction.  Now as I move on to 2nd grade, I will be responsible for helping the students to bridge the transition from concepts to fluency in addition and subtraction. 

What did I learn in this Chapter that will help me support math vocabulary at Addition and Subtraction Work Stations? 
One thing that I will immediately do is add sentence frames to my stations.  This seems like an easy way to step up the math talk at the stations.  Although I have always posted math vocabulary in my classroom, I'm not sure just how much the students used it.  Many would when they were discussing their work with me, but when they were discussing their work amongst their classmates.....who knows?

I also loved how the author used props to help the students to develop their own story problems.  Nothing could be more relevant to students than things that they choose to write themselves.  I will definitely have my class create a Story Problem book and story telling props as we go through this school year to help them increase their math talk at their work stations.

How do you build addition and subtraction fluency?

I personally believe that fluency will come easily to students who truly understand the concepts of addition and subtraction.  I think it is important to first teach and practice the concepts first.  I will then guide students to understand the many strategies that they can use to help them get the facts (doubles, doubles plus one, facts that make ten, etc.). I always try to get my students to give me other ways that they found the answer.  This helps those students who "think outside of the box" and many times these students actually "discover" the strategies that I will be teaching them anyway. :)  After they understand which strategies will help them to solve the facts and why the strategies work, then they will begin to practice the facts.  The more they practice the more fluent they will become. Games and workstations will give them most of the practice that they will need to become fluent.  Although I do believe that at this point drill is helpful, I also don't believe it has to be lengthy.  I LOVED Lory's idea for PIG math.  She has a 30 second test that is differentiated for her students each day.  I purchased her set from TpT and I plan on using that this year.  (Thank you Lory!)

What type of story problems have you been working on?

At Kindergarten I used lots of story problems about the students in my class.  We would use their names and they LOVED that.  We also used mats that were made to go with our counters.  One of the favorites that the students loved to use was our Space Capsule Mat.  We had astronaut counters and they loved to make up stories about the astronauts.  We also had tons of mats that were made from laminated notepads, pictures, etc.  The students loved to make up stories for their classmates to use with our mats. 

Spaceship Mat for Astronaut Counters

This year at 2nd, I plan on ramping up my story problems by using the Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) format.  I love these because they often use "clue" words in a different type of problem.  This really allows you to see if the student truly understands the problem or is just using a strategy without real understanding of what the problem is asking.  Since this has been a problem in our upper grades, I want to stop that habit before it gets started.  I have created two sets of CGI format Story Problems in case you would like to use them in your classroom.  I left spaces so that you can write in the numbers after you laminate, or have the students write a number in as they solve the problem.

 Classroom CGI Word Problems 

Frogs/Tadpoles CGI Problems

What is your student's favorite addition and subtraction work station/activity?

I have no idea what will be the favorite at 2nd grade.  I know that my Kindergarten students LOVED using mats to help them with story problems.  They also loved many of the ideas from The Math Learning Center. I have been using it as a supplement for several years and I always had children cheering when it was math time. The Math Learning Center has many WONDERFUL games, lessons, ideas, workbooks, etc. online for FREE.  They also have a FABULOUS curriculum called BRIDGES in Mathematics.  I am currently doing the Happy Dance since our school is getting us this curriculum to use as a supplement.  It also has a Calendar component called Number Corner that really stretches the students.  Take a look at the free things online and I'm sure you will find things that will really help your students to develop their addition and subtraction skills.  I created a set of Fact Family Unifix trains to support the lessons found in the 2nd grade A1 Addition and Subtraction Supplement . (This is a HUGE download....93 pages!)   I also plan to use Lory's Number Bonds with these lessons. I think that with these three items,  the students should receive lots of practice to help them become fluent in addition and subtraction.

Fact Family Unifix Trains

There are so many fabulous teachers working on this Book Study.  I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for Addition and Subtraction.  I can't wait to "ADD" to my collection!  LOL!

This week our hostess for Chapter 5 is Cheryl at:




Primary Graffiti 

You really must go to her website and join in on all of the fun! Don't miss out because it's all starting to add up!

Have a great week and keep on creating!

Is It Really Only the Beginning? I Don't think so!



Beginning number concepts provide students with a strong foundation for all higher mathematics concepts.  Those number and counting games that we do with our "itty bitties" as toddlers, give them the early skills that they will need to start learning the concepts that will turn them in to our engineers and physicists of tomorrow.

I have seen first hand what a lack of teaching the basics can do to students.  Three years ago I was reassigned for four months to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math in the mornings.  In the afternoon I was back in my Kinder classroom.  I was shocked at how these students knew every strategy in the book for solving problems, but when they were actually asked to explain what the problem was asking and why the strategy worked......they had NO CLUE!  We had to teach them how to THINK!  I was lucky because my Superintendent is a former math teacher and mechanical engineer.  He gave me all the support that I could ask for and would actually come in and join us for some of our activities. The students saw that we both placed importance on their learning and they soon caught on.

I think that Debbie Diller is right on when she goes through and discusses activities for Kindergarten.  Most teachers understand that in Kindergarten you are working with beginning number concepts.  I think what often gets overlooked is that even in older grades (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and even sometimes further up in grades), many students still need reinforcement in beginning number concepts.  Many teachers "skip over" these skills thinking that their students should "already know that".  They jump right over the "whys" and start on the "how to" lessons.

I have created a some items that hopefully you can use.

Compare a Bug

This is a variation of War/Battle.  Students turn over one of their cards.  They say their number and then spin to see who gets to keep the cards.  If they spin less, then the person with less keeps the cards.  The spinner adds a twist that keeps the kids asking for more.  I add spinners to lots of my games and the kids never seem to tire of playing the game.  Try it with your class and see if it adds to the excitement.

Another item that I had already made and posted about in the spring was my Missing Part Cards.

Missing Part Cards

These cards are based on an activity from Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally, 7th Edition, (Texas Edition) by Van de Walle, Karp, and Bay-Williams.  This book is a must for every teacher.  I get so many ideas from this book that I could not live without it.  It also lets you see where the skills you are working with now will go in future grades.

The next activity is probably better suited for 2nd grade.  Since I will be moving to 2nd in the fall, I am trying to create some activities that will work in 2nd.  I absolutely adored Fran's My Pattern Book. (Fran is one of those "Rock Star" teachers that really gets my ideas flowing!) I soooooo wanted to use this idea with my 2nd grade students.  So I developed a My NUMBER Pattern Book.

My Number Pattern Cards and Book

Another activity that I created to help my students to count money was "Count to $1.00".  In this activity students will use a hundreds chart to help them count their money.  Let's say they spin a nickel on their first spin.  They would place a nickel on 5.  On their second turn, they spin a dime.  They would then place their dime on 15.  The students continue playing until they reach $1.00.  After playing this several times, I can see the students starting to find the patterns on the hundreds chart.  Since I have not taught 2nd grade in a LONG while, I hope my prediction will be accurate.

Count to 1 Dollar
Count to $1.00
I want to thank all of the FABULOUS teachers that are allowing us to follow in their greatness.  Our leaders on this journey are definitely some of the world's best.  I only hope that the activities I create will help someone in some small way to have a better and easier time teaching the foundation skills to our students.  Please go to Kindergarten Crayons to find links to all of the WONDERFUL ideas and printables that everyone is sharing.

Kindergarten Crayons  

Enjoy and keep on "rockin' "!

Gentlemen (and Women)....Start Your Stations!

I happen to think that Chapter 3 is one of the most profound of all the chapters. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't like change.  It is uncomfortable and I just don't like the unknown.  Debbie really spelled out exactly how to get started.  She gave me the "baby steps" that I will need to be successful.  Her information is so clear that it is like I am watching it on a video. 

Although I will be moving to second grade next year, I am preparing for my class by thinking of them as "VERY advanced Kinders".  Since we only have one class per grade level, I have actually had all the kids before.  I already know most of their strengths and weaknesses.  This class needs lots of structure and I am preparing things that will help me give them choice and differentiation within a structure. 

In the past my students have loved it when we launched a new station (we call ours workplaces).   Jessica Meacham used to have a picture on her website with balloons and celebration items near the new station when she introduced it.  I'm not sure I will go that far, but I do think maybe putting it in a special container and keeping it "under wraps" so to speak will get the students excited and thinking about what the new station will be.  I'm thinking about maybe a brightly wrapped copy paper box that is big enough to hold my containers. I will wrap the box and the lid separately so I can put the station inside the box and close the lid before the students arrive.  I can feel the excitement already!  They will be given the "gift of learning"!!

I love the idea of the class writing rules for what the room should Look Like, Sound Like, and Feel Like during Math Station time.  Again I turned to my friend Jessica.  She has some great printables for Looks Like, Feels Like, and Sounds Like for her Literacy Centers.  I plan on printing those out and pasting them to chart paper.  I will then have the students help me write the rules for our station time.  I will also add pictures as the students demonstrate the correct way to follow the rules.

Pictures found under Independent Reading/Writing Time Expectations

I've created printables for the I Can and Math Talk cards.  I plan on having copies of these and storing them in the clear 3 drawer containers from Sterlite that I will place where we introduce the stations.  That way I can just grab one and have the students help me add the ideas.  I have made them in several sizes so just print the one that fits your containers.

I Can Printables

Math Talk Printables


I am still grappling with the Management Boards.  My favorite so far has been to use a circular pan.  I drilled a hole in the center and made posterboard circles that we turn each rotation.  The stations are on magnets along the outer edge of the pan.

This is an old picture from several years ago.  You can make as many colored sections as you need to.  We just turn the wheel at each rotation and that group knows to work on that station.  I will need to make a wheel with much smaller sections since I will have many more students this year.  I used colored sections at Kindergarten but I will probably do something different this year. 

Choosing partners is also an area where I am still thinking.  I like to give the students the choice, but the kids that I will have this year don't always make productive choices.  I will probably start out the year making the choices for them, and then letting them "earn" the privilege to chose.  I sometimes like to do random choices too.  Several years ago I found the neatest set of grouping cards online.  Unfortunately the cards were for groups of 30 students.  I also could not find the author on the cards and even with many online searches, I was unable to find the cards or the person who made them. Since I could not share the link for those, I decided to create a set for my class (22 students).

Grouping Cards

I created the sharing time cards that were in the book on page 63, but the graphics that I used I don't have permission to share.  If someone needs them, I can take off the graphics. 

I hope someone else will get use out of the items that I have made.  I will continue to think and will add anything else that I come up with later on in the week.  I LOVE this book study and it came at the perfect time as I clean out my old classroom and set up my new one!

Enjoy!

Ya'll Come Back Now.....You Hear?

Hope you will pop back in tomorrow!  I have some things that I have made to help everyone get started with their math stations. Many of the items are things I read about in the book, I've just "cutesied" them up. See you tomorrow!!!

CELEBRATE....It's Party Time!!! Math Station Linky Party That Is!

I am so excited to be able to join in on the Debbie Diller Math Station Book Study!

Since I have just been reassigned to second grade, this is the perfect time for me to regroup and reorganize. My problem is right now I can't seem to get up to my classroom to pack. This week I have been using the time to rethink how I want to make a fresh start.  This will help me as I pack because I will better know what I want to keep and what I want to purge.  Some of the things that I have done in the past simply work for me and I will continue to use those things.  Some things I will need to tweak.

1. Materials used by the teacher first, then placed in a station:  I have always done my workplaces that way and it has worked for me so I will definitely continue that.

2.  Materials do not change weekly, but rather are changed to reflect the student learning objectives: I simply have never had the time or organization to change them weekly so I seem to be on track here.

3.  All students go to stations daily:  Unfortunately not. :(  I wish we had that much time, but I definitely will be working towards this goal.  I have already started mapping out a Math schedule that I will try to adhere very closely to as I plan my new second grade classroom.

4.  Materials are differentiated:  Some are, some not so much!  Again, this is an area that I have already started looking at.  How can I make this activity open ended or adapt it to all different levels?  Some activities this is easy to do.  Others take a little more thought, but I am trying to think of ways that this can be done.  

5.  The teacher observes work or meets with differentiated math groups:  I have always tried to move between students as they work on their stations and observe their work.  I can't say that I have been good about working with differentiated math groups.  I have always tended to pull students one at a time to observe their performance on skills as the other students work at stations.  I had a full time para in the room when I taught Kinder who also did the same thing.  Moving to second with no para, I will need to do this in small groups.

My dad built me three of these cabinets years ago to put my workplaces/stations in.  I use dish pans with name tags attached to the front of each tub. I have several different tubs for each objective.

Last year I had two of these wonderful cubbies to keep my math manipulatives in.  I had each tub labeled and an exact label on the shelf (under the tubs) where the tub was to be returned.  My students had NO problems putting manipulatives back.  This year, I will not have these wonderful cubbies so I am still trying to visualize the best options for storage.  I'm thinking maybe one of my dish pan shelves with the labels on the dish pans and on the shelves.  I'm still not sure on this one.

Last year I introduced the FACE of a mathematician board to my class.  As we learned our TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) I would place a strip in the correct category.  I also had a Math Vocabulary chart where we would place our new "Mathematician Language" words. I created a card with the word and a picture to represent the word for each new mathematical term we encountered. I'm not sure I will use the FACE board again, but I will definitely continue the Math Vocabulary board.  Students really used it and their mathematical vocabulary grew in leaps and bounds.

I stored my math mats and single gameboards in the two red file boxes on top of the cubbie. Extra papers and write on sheets were stored in the plastic containers.  I used plastic plates as personal spaces and to move manipulatives for group activities and those were also stored above the cubbies.  All other math materials were stored in the file cabinet next to the cubbies.  I will not have as large a classroom this next year and right now storage is a concern as I think about how I can make this transition.  I want the students to be independent yet stay within my organizational comfort level (if you know what I mean :) ).
I always say that my class is "Organized chaos!"

Rhode Closed?

I got devastating news (at least for me) yesterday.  I was told that I was being moved to second grade.  Don't get me wrong.....I know I can teach second graders, but my love is in Kindergarten.  I feel so empty.  It has been about 20 years since I taught second grade.  Things have changed so much curriculum wise that I will have to completely start over.  All of the resources that I have made and collected will not be usable at second.  If anyone knows of any second grade blogs that are outstanding.....PLEASE share them with me! I have already started assessing what I need to make and what I can adapt, but right now I think I am still in the mourning stage and my creativity is just not kicking in.

I will continue to create, but it will be directed at second grade.  I will probably try to start another blog for second grade once I get somethings created.  I'm sure that as I go through what I have already made that I will come across some more Kindergarten items, but I wanted all of my "blog buddies" to know what is going on.

WAIT While I Catch My Breath!

Wow!  This last six weeks has FLOWN by.  I apologize for going MIA.  I have been super busy with creating song books for our promotion songs (7 of them), making all of the decorations for the backdrops (all 52 feet of them), finishing end of year testing, completing our GT projects, Science Fair, ...... I think you get the idea! I hope to have some time for creating in the next few weeks.

I am SOOOO excited about the Math Stations Book Study that is going to take place on some of my favorite blogs this summer.  These are some of those "Rock Star" blogs that you just simply MUST visit.

Mrs. Wills Kindergarten

Kindergarten Crayons

Learning with Mrs. Parker

Mrs. Patton's Patch

Oceans of First Grade Fun

Primary Graffiti

Lory's Page

 I will try to add a few of my own ideas to this blog too.  I have already stated that this book is one of my favorites.  I loved this book when I first saw it on the Stenhouse website and I just had to have it and ordered it on the spot.  It immediately joined my Favorite teaching books of all time.

Keep smiling and have a great end to your school year!