Making Math Meaningful: Building a Math Foundation

WELCOME!!! Making Math Meaningful!! 

Welcome to my little colorful corner of the blog-o-sphere. 

Chances are very good that you've landed here as a result of Pinterest and that this is your first visit. Welcome. Oh happy, happy day! You found me!!

Here's my quick intro. I'm a 'music-lady' -- turning her original songs for children into traditional hardcover picture books! The photos you are about to explore are as a result of my making Author-Illustrator School Visits. ENJOY!!

"LeAnn had 2. Maria had 3. We have 5" --- "Duncan had 2. Colin had 3. We have 5." 

Let's get started by looking at some of the amazing projects in Mrs. Sherwood's Kindergarten classroom. 
She was brilliant enough to co-ordinate a two day residency: first to introduce me to her class (and the other k-kiddos in the building) with an immediate follow up visit a week later. So I have lots of goodies to share from her incredible expertise. 

These initial collages are from a 'math bulletin board' and they're just brilliant on every level. As you can see the children are divided into teams. They have chosen their materials and have then written about their team choices. "Jacob had 3. Abhi had 3. We have 6." Photographed for posterity and proudly displayed for all to appreciate. 

Talk about meaningful math! For anyone who has read here before you may be aware of my series FINE MOTOR FRIDAYS [click here for the series, including this week's installment which has a contest still underway for a signed set of my picture books!] LUV LUV LUV the handwritten nature of these projects!!! Mrs. Sherwood is famous for this 'handwritten' component of her student's work adorning her room and the hallways beyond. 

We Use Math at School

Happily colored library pockets. Student photographs on tongue depressors. BRILLIANT!! 
Now take a look at the list of their stated (again student written) math Goals!! KUDOS!

These next 'math manipulatives' are from Mrs. Price's kindergarten room across town. I had this same photo last Sunday in my article on classroom organization. That round-up catapulted to my #1 read article in five days time!!!! Seriously made my head spin.... and gave me the inspiration to follow-up with today's topical round up. MATH MANIPULATIVES!

When we think of math, we may first think of a child learning to count. Then developing a sense of one-to-one correspondence. Let's hop up to a Michigan preschool outside of Detroit. I absolutely LUV'd this activity unfolding when I entered their room. Laminated-numbered flowers + sunflower seeds = PRICELESS!!

This next one involved the children's handwritten classic rhyme. Art, Rhyme. Counting. Handwriting. Yup. You guessed it. Mrs. Sherwood is responsible! 

ANCHOR CHARTS! LUV me some Anchor Charts!!

Here's a flashback-photo from my South Daytona Beach visit last winter.

I get such a 'kick' out of snowman activities in the midst of all those palm trees and sunshine! 

Makes me smile. 

On to the 'counting' of days, culminating in the 100 Day Party! Mrs. Sherwood strings paper clips together to make math meaningful. Can you determine when I was there?

{In the future I have three more 'displays' of counting the days in school.}

Ultimately and with much excitement we read the HUNDREDTH Day! 

This glorious bulletin board is from that happy Florida visit. 

Homework sandwich baggie: bring in 100 articles from home.

Display together and you've got an awesome opportunity to compare and contrast. 

Volume. Density. Plus counting!

Here's the link to the various 100 Day party ideas I observed. Oh, so worth your time. 

At the very least, pin it now and come back to it when you need it!

I was going to save this next collage of 'simple addition' in kindergarten for an upcoming BIG reveal, but just couldn't wait. It deserves to be here in this round-up first. Come back next Super-Sunday and hopefully I'll have big news to share. This is your first clue. Yup. I have a song about tadpoles. This artwork was created in Westerville, OH in anticipation of my springtime arrival. 

When you think of math -- you think of Pizza -- right?

These next sets of images are from two different buildings in Hilliard, OH.  

Quick before you order that pizza, put down the phone. Let's move on to all things 'shape' related and save some calories. 

I can not say enough about Parquetry blocks. As a former elementary Art teacher that was my first investment from my 'wish' money fund. I housed them in a basket for those early finishers. The best money I ever spent. How I wish I had photos of those glorious creations from my art room days. 

Whatever age children you serve, whatever type of setting, get thee OODLES of parquetry blocks! The more the merrier!!! The more blocks you provide, the more elaborate the constructions become. The more collaborative they become. Geometry from an early age. 

CHARTS, CHARTS, GRAPHS and CHARTS

It's time to conclude with some Math-Art projects and responses. These beauties were in the hallway in Pataskala, OH during my author-visit to WonderBoy's kindergarten. You know I was in awe of such mature treatment. LUV 'em!!

I create the illustrations in my picture books from fabric as small quilts. On my school visits I share the actual quilts and we compare them to the reproduction in the books. The teachers often have their students explore the geometry, shapes and patterns of quilt-making in a math-slash-art project prior to my arrival. 

Here's what that looked like on my final school visit of last spring at St. Paul Elementary in Westerville, OH. 

From Ohio just several weeks ago, to NY now a couple years back in time. 

Look what a collaborative effort of an entire building looks like! 

HAPPY GEOMETRY in Kindergarten, INDEED!! 

I could go on at length. I hope that you've been inspired by the teachers I have the great good fortune to rub elbows with. A couple of concluding thoughts.

In the future I pull together an amazing RoundUP of graphs and diagrams. 

 

2. Follow my Pinterest collection here with 19,535 fellow teachers.

3. Check out this previous post all about shapes in Preschool.

4. In the future I encounter these amazing SYMMETRY projects. 

Happy planning! The clock is ticking!!

-- Debbie -- 

YEAH!!! I've opened a little store over at TpT!

*** Editor's Note from the future: I have now opened a store over at TpT. I'm attempting to get myself into this century, by creating zipped files with Mp3 versions of my original children's songs with support materials included in pdf format. Come by. Pick up your FREEBIE. Follow my shop so that you'll know when I download new projects or hold a sale. 

Bloggers. It's another bloghop. Please add links to your articles that are math related. 

New or old. 

Please, please, please include a backlink to this article within your article. 

That's the proper way to blog hop. 

Etiquette, people. Good manners. Backlinks. Kindness. 

You'll earn extra credit points if you include the collage above with your link. 

TeeHee I've included my Math Bloghop on my future Kindergarten RoundUP