making 5 fluency ideas and games

Making 5 is one of the basic and fundamental ideas that come from the Common Core standards in kindergarten. Students should be able to subitize, manipulate, create and pull apart very well in order to lay a solid foundation for further concepts.

This year, I realized that I should've slowed down in this area for some of my students. I felt rushed to move them past it and in my reflecting, I know that I won't allow the "pressure" whether it be self imposed or otherwise dictate my speed in this area next year. I see the role making 5 plays then in students making 10, composing and decomposing teen numbers in addition to numbers to and well beyond 100.

Here are some of the games I plan to play with students who need help in laying a foundation in this area. Mind you, it won't be all of my students that will need this type of work as part of a structured lesson, but all will benefit at the beginning of the year from the language, discussion and practice. These are available as a package in my shop.

Each game works on making 5, putting together and pulling apart and finding the missing addend essentially. There are three different formats that all work towards this goal.

The first is called, "Race to 5." Students use playing cards to choose a number. They can use the workmats to solve to find out how many more makes 5 and then they can move a space if they are correct. First one to the picnic basket wins.

Race to 5

I've included subitizing dot cards, numeral cards, equation cards and missing addend equation cards in order to help make this game last longer and to help differentiate.

Speed Race to 5

The second game, "Speed Race to 5" uses a spinner to make it fun! Using a paperclip and a brad, you can make your own spinner which determines the number students use to build 5. Can they find out how many more are needed to make 5? If they get it correct, they can race along the board to the picnic basket.

Spin It

The third game, "Spin It" is a "bump" style game. This game uses a spinner, students find the missing number to make 5 and can then cover up that number on the playing board using bump game rules of locking or bumping pieces.

I try to always think of what you might need in addition to what I'd just create for my own kinders since you're not right across the hall from me to chat with... so I put together a set of directions to help you put all of the pieces together, PLUS each game has a label to help keep the contents organized and a directions sheet with picture icons for emerging readers.

Making 5 Games for Kindergarten

Lastly, if you haven't already, there are great subitizing materials available as a free download with suggestions on how to work on developing strong number sense.

More on Addition:

free adding 1 gift to facebook fans
kindergarten timed tests - building fluency within 5
teaching addition with a number line as a strategy
free "ways to make 5" bingo - K.OA.1, K.OA.4

More on Math:

monster numbers {tools to learn 0-10}
creating ten frame manipulatives
12 free picture directions for math games

I hope you like this new game set or that it inspires you to make your own! If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
- Leslie

*Free downloadable Thank You Gift included when you subscribe via email or RSS.

investigating painted lady butterflies in kindergarten

Here is the next step in investigating painted lady butterflies in kindergarten. I previously laid out how I like to order the larva and my tips for making the process go smoothly. Since it's one of my favorite things I do in a year, I want to be sure to do it justice in this three part series.

This is science that we do in place of our science curriculum since I find ours rather lifeless. This is the opposite and really draws the best out of my readers and writers. Here are my tips on leading some investigations after your larva have arrived.

> Read about ordering and setting this unit up

Investigating Painted Lady Butterflies in Kindergarten

Add caption

Investigating Painted Lady Larva

Investigating the larva or caterpillars of a Painted Lady butterfly really only takes two things in my opinion. That would be time and magnifying glasses. It works out great to show them when they first arrive and hold up the travel container for students to observe from afar their general size.

Then, I think if you can plan at least 2 times for students to manipulate {gently} and observe up close is right about perfect. Two times is about all we seem to manage between the time they grow big enough and before they need to be transferred. Students generally do two writing pieces since they are much more apt to notice body features the second time.

I also will model a guided drawing the second time and we will place the larva under our new document camera. We use the freeze button so students can come up and point out specific features. The guided drawing gives them the proper tools to show what they see and it helps get rid of smiling Very Hungry Caterpillar-types of drawings. {oh yes, we get those}

Do I tell them what kind they are yet? Nope! We keep track of specific body features and they keep getting referred to our large section of butterfly books for reference to use what they've learned.

Transferring the Painted Lady Larva

On the second observation, our intention is to also give them food and create an individual habitat for each larva. We have little condiment cups which we purchase with our larva. I model spreading food around the wall of the cup (also ordered) with a window so we can still watch the metamorphosis.

My kinders love creating their own habitats and they also label a card with their name and they name their larva. They keep them along a shelf (out of the sun) as we watch them grow.

Transferring the Pupas (Chrysalises)

We are pretty convinced by this point (and normally confirm it with any books we have) that they indeed will be Painted Lady butterflies and begin transferring them to their new habitat. We use a butterfly net and sticks to create a home for them.

We usually label the sticks or chrysalises in some way this so that we can track who emerges when.

Comparing the Larva and Pupas

This is usually a separate lesson after we've transferred our chrysalises and had a chance to look at them very closely! We also try to determine what kind they are by comparing these caterpillar photos and entering in the information we determine is most important when observing our caterpillars. Check out this website as a great activity to do with your kinders on a large screen.

To generate a good comparison set for use with Painted Ladies - use:

Color: black

Body: spotted

Hair: sparse

Distinct Features: spines

It generates only 5 matches to compare and Painted Ladies are the last entry)

Once we do that, I pull up some google images of a painted lady chrysalis to compare it with our investigations. We do that to see if our narrowed down guess holds water when we compare the next portion of the life cycle. If you class has themselves convinced they are another kind, you can always use this to your advantage to prove/disprove by comparing.

A must see video to watch at least twice and generate some great discussion. We always discuss: the chrysalis' transparency, silk attachment to a branch, antenna imprint in visible in the chrysalis and where the head is located on the caterpillar when they are about to form the chrysalis.

More on Butterflies:

Studying Butterflies for Kids
Wrapping It Up - Releasing Butterflies

free measuring booklet and rulers for Kindergarten - K.MD.1, K.MD.2

When I am teaching a skill that doesn't need to be differentiated {really} and that lends itself to exploration I try to accomplish covering it whole group. Most of my math instruction is done in small groups, but today I'd like to share how I teach measurement to my kindergarten class.

When I teach measurement, I do a little bit every day and I use a booklet to give us practical application practice right away. Before we being our guided math zones, we will start out our time together gathered on the carpet. I use hand motions and a chant-like way of explaining "I can measure" and begin to talk about measuring ridiculous things. This captures their attention and they hear the word measuring at least 15 times.

{Free Measuring Booklet}

I use materials each day to practice the measurement concept and teach each attribute with a hand motion to make the vocabulary stick. They complete the first page as we discuss what it means (focusing on the beginning sounds), and the second page of each attribute to draw an example of what we measured and write numbers to match (showing our thinking).

These mini-lessons cover these measurement standards:

• K.MD.1.a Distinguish between measurable and non-measurable attributes of objects. Note: Measurable means quantifiable, such as length, weight, height, distance around.
• K.MD.1.b Name the measurable attributes of a given object.
• K.MD.2 Compare the measurable attributes of two objects using appropriate vocabulary including taller/shorter, heavier/lighter, longer/shorter.

We recall measuring once in a while just for review after this set of mini-lessons as most have it down. They practice comparing weights and heights in the practice zone through a few independent activities.

We also use rulers I made that make measuring length a bit easier on kinders to see that the measurement carries across the depth of the ruler. They are actually inch long segments and feature a caterpillar {that looks very hungry if you ask me} so you can call them inch worms if you want {wink}.

We bring these out later in the quarter to review and explore measuring and documenting measurements in our math journals.

{Free Caterpillar Rulers}

More Math Games

Subtracting 10 Free Bump GameFree Game for Adding 1

Teddy Bear Number Line Addition

Subtraction - Am I the Last One?

free "ways to make 5" bingo - K.OA1, K.OA.4

Bump Games

More Math Tools

Tools for Beginning Number Sense - How to Draw a Ten Frame

creating ten frame manipulatives

subtraction - am I the last one?

free sorting mats

free math songs and chants

Do you have any fun activities to practice naming and comparing the attributes for measurement?

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
- Leslie

*Free downloadable Thank You Gift included when you subscribe via email or RSS.

why does 50+7=57? working with accelerated kindergartners

Working on decomposing and composing numbers into their groups of tens and ones is a key standard in kindergarten. Kinders are expected in Common Core standard K.NBT to work within numbers 11-19, but what about students who are ready for an accelerated pace? Here's a glimpse into a portion of a guided math lesson from our classroom to yours. We are focusing on moving into expressing this standard with equations. This is a follow up from the first two posts in this series,

• Decomposing and Composing Numbers- Part 1 and
• Tips for Working on Decomposing and Composing Numbers in Kindergarten - Part 2

Decomposing and Composing With Accelerated Students

Now, I know that we often call this "place value" as teachers, but really it is number sense because they truly have to understand what these numbers are in quantity, number form, numeral and in comparison to their surrounding numbers (like where they fall on the one hundreds chart for example). It's all intertwined. No matter what number or skill you're working on - it can be connected to it's value in tens and ones.

Why does 50+7=57?

The Question
I am about to revisit the lesson in my math groups to ask my students, "Why does 10+6=16?" Just like when I asked earlier this year, "Why do teens have a 1?" I know that I might face blank stares and we might be headed into murky water discussion.

Maybe.

We've worked intentionally to practice understanding teens and other numbers and their value in tens and ones. Yet, that was with pictures and words like "group of tens and ones." I've found that a big misconception comes into place when transitioning to equations because they are used to seeing or representing 16 as 1 group of ten and 6 ones. What if they were to just take what they've always done and put it into an equation?

The "Stuck" Point

Whether we are working on level or numbers to 100... I apply this question... Will writing 1+6=16? Does that make sense?

Well, of course not... because equations don't have words in them, right? So how else can we show 1 group of ten in order to show that it's ten? If we get stuck, this is usually where it happens - the "stuck" point.

Drawing Out Their Thinking

This is where we will be exploring. I usually ask my students to draw or write about their thinking whenever I pose questions like this. Why draw? Because they have a harder time sometimes verbalizing their thinking.

Give 'em a drawing to talk about and they are much more successful.

Pre-Assessing Groups

Last week I began to pre-assess my two highest math groups on this concept to see if we'd need practice or need to address any misconceptions. With these groups of students {and I'll be totally honest that I have an exceptionally high number of students that have these skills this year in comparison to any other year} I know that their number sense is stronger and can apply the same concept, just deeper. So we're exploring, "Why does 50+7=57?"

I simply asked them to "show their thinking" {they must seriously hear that 12 times a day} and handed them a white board.

Their responses gave me great insight as to where we can work next and that making the transition to equations will be a natural next step for them.

Guided Practice - Small Groups

So no blank stares this year when it came time to approaching equations, though I did find that when we practiced it more in our booklets that we had to work through the common misconception with two students. With enough practice and learning to self check by asking like, "Can 8+1=81?" we are figuring it out and moving on!

Follow Up - Independent Practice

As the natural follow up after I've seen we've made good progress in a skill area I'm sure to put materials into our practice zone. For decomposing and composing using equations I'll be adding our equation cards for our magna doodle boards, I SPY tools into our independent practice zone to improve accuracy and fluency (and I have a game in the works).

Previous Step: Understanding Composing and Composing Part 1
Previous Step: Tips for Composing and Decomposing Part 2

More on Decomposing Numbers

How to Teach Counting by Tens, Then Adding Ones
A Sample Decomposing LessonWhy Does 10+6=16?
Learning Decomposing with Words
Creating Decomposing/Composing Manipulatives

I hope you enjoyed this series as I enjoyed thinking through what I've learned about working with kinders on this standard. Did I mention that I had nooo clue what it even meant when I first read it? We all learn and grow. {wink}

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
- Leslie

*Free downloadable Thank You Gift included when you subscribe via email or RSS.

tips for working on decomposing and composing numbers in kindergarten - Part 2

Decomposing (breaking down) and composing (making) numbers is a multiple part Common Core standard that we work on in Kindergarten. I started out my own exploration with this concept when I shared "why does 10+6=16?," and today I want to give you my tips on ways to work on it during your normal class day. Why is this standard important? Read the last post in this series, Decomposing and Composing Numbers- Part 1.

Now, I know that we often call this "place value" as teachers, but really it is number sense because they truly have to understand what these numbers are in quantity, number form, numeral and in comparison to their surrounding numbers (like where they fall on the one hundreds chart for example). It's all intertwined. No matter what number or skill you're working on - it can be connected to it's value in tens and ones.

Tips for Working on Decomposing and Composing Numbers in Kindergarten

Here are my top ways of integrating decomposing and composing teen numbers 11-19 into your day (and higher numbers):

1. Calendar

Use the repetition that comes during a calendar activity to see it and hear it often. Track the days in school as an example of how to modify a classic calendar activity and then use it to either compose or decompose numbers. You can also use it to figure out how to make 5 and 10.

My students are also working on a variety of composing and decomposing workmats since I change these out every couple of months. They get different kinds of practice that all has a purpose since it comes from the numbers we use in the calendar and they aren't stuck thinking that we can only make or break numbers in one specific way.

Below you see that for a time we were decomposing with words and composing by circling the correct groups of ten and creating the set of ones. Same skill, different format.

2. Games

Finding games to play in small groups, pairs or independently for math centers, stations or zones is crucial. Students often do some of their best work when given the most amount of time to practice. Playing games is one of the best ways to increase the amount of time they are practicing a skill.

Below you can see that we've got our Hurry Up Reindeer Composition game up and ready to be played. Students feed the reindeer glitter ice cubes using tens and ones.

This game is one of my favorites. Playing memory when it is skill specific is a great eye opener. My students work on first finding matches of tens and ones to just the number and are now ready for matching the decomposition equation to the number.

Composing Decomposing Memory

And playing games whenever you can integrate them into your day (computer lab, centers, etc.) is a sure fire way to give them additional practice as long as you can find a skills specific activity like this one below.

Tens and Ones - Online Game

3. Small Group Activities

By far one of my favorite ways to practice since you can work through misconceptions and give students more guided attention. (For example if someone needs practice starting at not 1 when counting, and needs to start at 10.)

Here is an example of when we were learning to create and represent the number in a decomposing statement with words using 10 frame manipulatives.

Decomposing Sheet

When working in small groups, I also try to fit in a warm up or wrap up activity where we get to explore the concept in a different way, like playing I SPY for numbers. As seen below, students find the hidden numbers and then write the decomposed tens and ones equation to match and highlight the number on the hundreds chart.

Place Value Hide and Seek

4. Opportunities to Draw

Students need opportunities to draw out numbers using ten frames and a variety of objects. So give them time to draw in a math journal or during calendar time to express what these numbers look like.

5. Making, Representing and Using Equations

This one seems obvious and it is. Using a variety of tools, let students make equations, draw them out, represent them with objects and also use given equations in order to build their skills is important.

This picture from Mrs. Parker is a great example using our booklet for students to practice using words to make and break teen numbers.

And this is my newest math group recording activity that I am working on with my groups so that they can take the same skill they already have and express it using equations. No matter what range of numbers they have in their comfort zone, they can apply this skill of writing equations with tens and ones.

So there you have it. I find it extremely helpful to incorporate it into calendar time, games, small group work and individual drawing opportunities in addition to finding ways for students to practice making, representing and using equations to show their thinking.

Previous Step: Understanding Composing and Composing Part 1
Next Up: Extending this Standard for Accelerated Students Part 3

More on Decomposing Numbers

How to Teach Counting by Tens, Then Adding Ones
A Sample Decomposing Lesson
Why Does 10+6=16?
Learning Decomposing with Words
Creating Decomposing/Composing Manipulatives

I hope these top tips of mine can help you find ways to incorporate this standard into what you are already doing in your day, just in a variety of ways.

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
- Leslie

*Free downloadable Thank You Gift included when you subscribe via email or RSS.

Decomposing Numbers - Part 1

Decomposing numbers means to break down numbers into their sub-parts. Common Core standards has kindergarten students decomposing numbers in two ways. The first is to decompose numbers into their tens and ones (focus on numbers 11-19) and the second is to show how any number 1-10 can be created using a variety of addends.

I want to focus with you on the NBT.1 Common Core standard which addresses the tens and ones (or place value  aspect of breaking and creating numbers. Let's look at how it develops and how we can practice and extend it for our kinders. I've got three posts in this series for you!

Part 1 - Understanding Decomposing/Composing Numbers as Teachers

There are two main pieces of this standard:

• The first is using objects and words to show that teen numbers have a group of ten and some ones. 
• The second is expressing this break down using equations.

Why Do We Expect Them to Decompose and Compose Numbers?

{And why do I keep writing about it?}

The simple answer is because there is value in students being able to see the groupings, relationships and patterns in numbers. We are laying the foundation for students to be able to do 53+12 and see that they can manipulate it into making 50+15 or 60+5 or 50+10+3+2 or any other variety of ways to see the quantity as it makes sense to them.

Now that's the bigger picture and carries us into older grade level Common Core standards... so lets bring it back down to our kindergarten level and working with slightly accelerated students.

We are working on understanding that numbers 11-19 have a group of ten and then ones. Students in kindergarten are often excited about bigger numbers and want to explore what those other numbers are, look like and "how big" they are.

Seeing numbers broken down into a pattern of their groupings of tens and then the addition of some ones makes numbers palatable and simple. It gives a "visual" {especially if you are representing with ten frames} to what 6, 16 or 67 really looks like and is.

Visualizing Groupings With Accelerated Students

If you have students with good number sense within 100, then you can deepen their skills by playing games like subtract 10 bump. This roll and cover bump game is perfect for visualizing the groups of ten in a given number and then visualizing one group less. Have a 100's chart handy or some pre-filled ten frame cards as a tool if needed, but my goal is to work on visualizing with these kinders.

{Hit or Miss Subtract 10 Bump}

To play this game, students roll two dice to create a number (11-66). They subtract 10 and then cover that space on the two-page game board. It follows the typical "bump" rules to where players can bump or lock their space. First pirate, I mean player, to lay out all of their cannons (linking cubes) wins.

Next Post in this Series:

My Top Activities/Games for Practicing Decomposing 11-19
(Tips for fitting Composing/Decomposing into your day)

More on Decomposing Numbers

How to Teach Counting by Tens, Then Adding Ones
A Sample Decomposing Lesson
Why Does 10+6=16?
Learning Decomposing with Words
Creating Decomposing/Composing Manipulatives

I hope you can use some of these ideas to better understand decomposing numbers. What's your experience with this standard?

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.
- Leslie

*Free downloadable Thank You Gift included when you subscribe via email or RSS.