a mathematicians personal path: Ana Spencer

 Post 10: Growing Bean Plants  Personal Objective:  I choose to do this last post on first grade because all through out I have focus on Kindergarten. This activity also has extensions which lead to other activities. I also loved the title of the activity because I love plants! This activity mixes a common science activity, g rowing bean plants with math.  This task adds some rigor to the activity, by collecting actual growth data, providing practice for students in measuring and recording length measurements. "T his task primarily addresses standard 1.MD.2 Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps. The task also addresses 1.OA.1 by asking students to compare the heights of the plants. To see a version of this task that is appropriate at gr...

Post 9: Alike or Different  Personal Objective:       As I continue to do my blogs I keep trying to focus on the standards that as an educator I will be teaching from. I have realized that there will be activities that will entwine between the standards yet I must always focus in depth on one. As stated in the site I took this activity from, "t he Standards for Mathematical Practice focus on the nature of the learning experiences by attending to the thinking processes and habits of mind that students need to develop in order to attain a deep and flexible understanding of mathematics. Certain tasks lend themselves to the demonstration of specific practices by students. The practices that are observable during exploration of a task depend on how instruction unfolds in the classroom. While it is possible that tasks may be connected to several practices, only one practice connection will be discussed in depth. Possible secondary practice connections may be discussed...

Post 8: What makes a teen number? Personal Objective:  The personal objective for this blog is to help students understand the base-ten structure of teen numbers. Prior to this activity  students should recognize that a full 10-frame represents 10 without having to count each dot (subitize), and also that a 10-frame can be partially filled to represent numbers less than 10. In order to complete the worksheet s tudents should know the meaning of the equals and plus signs. The teachers focus is developing numeracy fluency and c omputational fluency. The students should have efficient, accurate, generalizable methods (algorithms) for computing numbers that are based on well-understood properties and number relationships (NCTM, 2000, p.144).  Common Core Standard: K.NBT.A.1 Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 into ten ones and some further ones, e.g., by using objects or drawings, and record each composition or decomposition by a drawing or equation (e.g., 18 = 10 + 8...

 Post 7: More or less  Personal Objective:  I am really interested in use high interest topics to teach math skills. I want to male learning fun and meaningful so that my students can learn, practice and be exposed to how to compare quantities. I am going to use the children's interest in bears for this activity. A hands-on bear activity that will help young students develop a strong mathematical foundation. Common Core Standard: Counts to tell the number of objects  PK.MATH.3. [NY-PK.CC.3.] Understands the relationship between numbers and quantities to 10, connects counting to cardinality  PK.MATH.3a. [NY-PK.CC.3a.] When counting objects, says the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object. (1:1 correspondence)  PK. MATH.3b. [NY-PK.CC.3b.] Explores and develops the concept that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted, (cardinality). The n...

Post 6 : Longer and heavier? Shorter and heavier?  Personal Objective:  My personal objective is to help  students understand the concept of length and decide which of two objects is longer and which is shorter and is  heavier and which is lighter. Students will be able to  compare two objects according to different measurable attributes. This activity will show multiple solutions and the pairs of items do not follow a predictable pattern.   Common Core Standard: K.MD.A.1. Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object. K.MD.A.2. Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has “more of”/“less of” the attribute, and describe the difference.  For example, directly compare the heights of two children and describe one child as taller/shorter. Activity: Longer and Heavier? Shorter and Heavier? Materials: Several pairs of obje...