Mathematical Learning - Let's Tally!

Within our daily classroom activities we continue to work on early number concepts with students.  These concepts refer to the foundational skills students need in order to understand and work with numbers successfully.  However, during our focused math lessons we have been exploring tally charts.  

We have rolled dice and recorded the number of times that it landed on a particular number. 

We have surveyed the class and recorded using a tally chart some of our favourites.  Here is  a tally chart of our favourite colours.  We even interpreted the data and recorded our findings below.


Can you think of things to tally at home?  Students continue to work on carefully counting tally marks.  

Using Nature to Inspire Mathematical Learning

In this invitation for learning, students took leaves that were collected from outside and practiced sorting.  They then built on their knowledge and began to learn about data management.  This learning opportunity went further than Ms. Chand and I expected and we were so proud of the students learning.  

Students were provided with a basket of leaves, some coloured paper, and sticky notes. Working together they decided to sort the leaves.

    

While sorting R. realized that there was a leaf that had many colours. “It reminds me of a rainbow” he announced. He decided the rainbow leaf needed its own pile. Using sticky notes the group labelled the piles of leaves which they sorted by colour.

This group of students gathered together the following day to organize their leaves in a different way. These students were introduced to graphing. At the bottom of the chart paper they placed their sticky note labels. C. suggested “don’t put the sticky notes too close or the leaves will go on top of each other”. Each student secured their leaves to the chart paper and created a line up of their coloured leaves. Once finished A.O. commented “Wow! That is a lot of red leaves. I wonder how many there are”. A.O. then proceeded to count the red leaves. O. suggested they count all the leaves and record the number for each colour on the sticky note. A.B. recounted each row of leaves to ensure the correct number was recorded.

While reflecting on their work the group was able to answer questions such as: How many green/yellow/rainbow leaves? Which colour has the most leaves? Which colour has the least amount of leaves?  R. was quick to assist a friend in understanding that least meant the “smallest amount”. 

Nexus Tablets - Documenting our Learning

Our class is so lucky to be part of a pilot project through the board.  We are piloting the use of Nexus Tablets within the classroom.  So far, we have been teaching the students to navigate the tablets, take pictures, and use Google for a simple research task.  Within the FDK program so much of student learning is documented through photos.  Many students are asking to take pictures of their own work and do so with such care and pride.  When the students ask to take a picture of their work, we know that this is a work sample that they are particularly proud of and want to preserve.  Here are just a few examples of of the integration of technology in our daily classroom life.  

Why not print pictures taken during a family outing and have your child write about what is happening in the picture.  These pictures can be compiled to make a special journal!