We do a daily calendar and counting review for many reasons. One is because children need stability and routines. Classroom management is key in setting up a successful and academically sound environment. When kids know the daily routine and expectations, they manage their own behavior better and feel safe.
First we complete our calendar online (see pdf below) at Starfall.com (that part of the site is free, there is a fee for the extended site)
We then do our daily counting practice so the kids can become fluent rote counters of counting to 20 and back, 10's to 100, and 1's to 100.
Here are the videos we count to in this lesson. If you don't have an ActivBoard or sharing screen, using a standard classroom calendar and posters works just as well. Dance, sing and enjoy learning while you practice counting.
Countdown from 20:
Count by 10's:
Count to 100 (exercise!):
In my classroom, all students are required to keep their eyes on the screen and point at all the numbers as they are said except for counting to 100. They do the exercises instead of pointing, but eyes are expected to be on the screen or on the number line while counting.
I begin this lesson with thinking through the process of what makes teen numbers. I use our class generated poster to think through it.
I talk about how all the numbers 11-19 are made up of one ten and extra ones. I walk through each number and emphasize the ten in the number and the extra ones (basic place value thinking for kids to build off of).
I read the poster through again, but this time I have the kids say it with me.
After we have read through the Numbers 11-19 poster together in the DI, we sing to the video that has taught us so much about what makes a teen number by Harry Kindergarten:
I then begin flashing ten-frame teen quantities under the doc cam (if you don't have a doc cam, just use the larger ten-frame cards). The kids have to ID them as fast as they can.
I then have the kids go sit at their tables for guided practice of the activity. I call one table at a time to sit down at the tables. They are expected to go QUIETLY so not to disrupt the thinking about teen numbers. My helpers pass out the materials to each pair of students.
Students are strategically paired up. Partner A is the higher-achiever of the pair. Partner A always goes first in an activity. See partnering video below. Activity directions are in a pdf below as well.
The kids work with their partners doing the activity while I roam around the room to monitor behavior, participation (especially coaching) and support mathematical thinking.
I stop at random places and ask students to explain the activity to me and how they got the solution the have written. I am NOT interested in how to play. The game is not the objective. I am focused on whether the students understand that all numbers 11-19 have one ten and extra ones. I am also interested in knowing whether they can effectively communicate that fact to me.
Explaining the activity should include something like, "I am using a ten and ____ ones to make ____."
Explaining how they got their solution should look something like, "I added the ones and the ten together and it is the same as (equals) ____."
The video shows how the students assist each other in solving correctly. I am not strict about written number reversals, but some of my kids are sticklers about it. In the video Mya does the math correctly, but writes the numeral 2 backwards and Bayro makes her fix it. He gets nervous about correcting her because I am video taping them and looks to me to see if it's okay. I told him to go ahead "tell her" and silently remind him to be nice about it.
The whole idea of working in pairs is so the kids can support each other and "teach" when they need to. They are very excited about helping each other and it is rarely a problem.
When our practice time is up, my helpers collect all the supplies and we gather back on the floor (I countdown from 5). They are expected to move to the floor quietly.
Once we are gathered, I ask two questions and randomly choose kids names from the namestick jar and have them respond to the best of their abilities. My second language learners (ESL) are provided a sentence frame if they need it or they can ask a partner how to say their thought correctly.
1) Ask the question and provide think time (30 to 45 seconds)
2) Have students turn and tell their thoughts to their talking partner (different from playing partner). I do this so the kids have a chance practice getting their thoughts from their brain to their mouth.
3) Choose a random name from the namestick can to share out their thought. Talking partner or sentence stem may be used by ESL students.
4) Encourage other students to respond or extend the discussion.
The questions (open-ended and require THINKING):
What did you learn from the activity today?
What could we do to make this activity better or more useful?
The exit ticket is quick for the kids to complete. It has four equations that are all one ten plus extra ones. The kids solve them and turn it in as they line up at the door.
As I collect them, I put them into two categories - get it and don't get it.
I look for computation errors or missing ten. For instance, one student wrote the solutions as 5, 3, 4, and 1 when they should have been 15, 13, 14 and 11. I meet with the don't get it students in a small group for reteaching and extended practice.