Two doing math:
1.) TESSELLATIONS
Working with the Art side of class (helping to add some pretty art to the walls) I chose to do what the portion of the class did with patterns and worked at making a tessellation. I found this pretty challenging because I had to make a shape that would fit each perfectly next to each other with having it overlap or having gaps. I remember doing one my freshman year in high school in geometry class making a weird shapely frog. It didn't work too well because of it's angles and it wasn't fitting nicely together. This time I wanted to make my tessellation a bit simpler and creative. My first tried I made some arrows going in one direction in one line and the opposite direction in the next line down but I was messing up a bit and it thought it wasn't too creative. So I started from scratch again and ended up making this sort of wavy cloud shape and just stuck with it. It ended up fitting nicely together. I figured for the pattern look I'd make it a color pattern as well as a face expression pattern. Making one cloud happy and one cloud lookin kind of up set. It kind of reminded me of Michigan's could's and weather, HAHA.
I don't think I would try this out yet if I was working with second graders because I think it might be a little too advance for them but maybe even if I did try, I'd make a little puzzle for them to at least introduce tessellations to them and describe to them what a tessellation is to help prepare them for it. But I think I would definitely try the on the bus game with the students as a lesson plan on patterns.
I don't think I would try this out yet if I was working with second graders because I think it might be a little too advance for them but maybe even if I did try, I'd make a little puzzle for them to at least introduce tessellations to them and describe to them what a tessellation is to help prepare them for it. But I think I would definitely try the on the bus game with the students as a lesson plan on patterns.
2.) ADDITION JENGA TOWER
I am so psyched for family math night! My partner and I decided to make a game using jenga. First on the blocks I put numbers on them 0-8. I wrote the number in it's word form, then made dots on the sides of them and wrote the numbers on the ends. To start the game we want the children to build the tower. By building the tower we want them to think of ways they can add up to ten using all the numbers/blocks, They have to find three block numbers to add to ten and actually building the jenga tower. Once they run of ways they can add up to ten they can then Add and subtract to get to ten. For example they can have 8+8-6=10 would be ten and would work. This game gives children a challenge and really think about problems. Once the tower is built they actually play jenga but they can only pull out the even numbers. They have to try to pull out the block without knocking down the tower. For this game we decided too that yes it seems like too much of a challenge for the young ones but we could just have build the tower like normal but by asking them to identify each block before they lay it down and then actually play jenga but ask them to pull out a specific number and lay it up on top of the tower. Example: Can you pull out a two and lay it on top of the tower. This helps children identify numbers better.
Two teaching math
1.) Patterns
So I realize that no matter how much I dread mathematics I'll need to make it fun and enjoyable for the children I'll be one day teaching. With much thinking on figuring how to make a lesson like patterns fun I figured out that making a game up would be an awesome way to plant that seed in children's heads. To play the game I would draw things on a strip of paper and have the children try and find and match the pattern out of 4 other strips of paper.
<- like this in a way.
As well as having them make their own patterns with blocks and shapes. Not that just but showing them pictures and walking on the playground or the building and showing them what patterns look like and asking them what kinds of patterns they see at home. Also showing the kids the patterns in numbers because they're definitely going to see it as they progress throughout their years in school and I wanna make sure they'll be ready and prepared for that. :)
<- like this in a way.
As well as having them make their own patterns with blocks and shapes. Not that just but showing them pictures and walking on the playground or the building and showing them what patterns look like and asking them what kinds of patterns they see at home. Also showing the kids the patterns in numbers because they're definitely going to see it as they progress throughout their years in school and I wanna make sure they'll be ready and prepared for that. :)
2.) INTRODUCING QUADRILATERALS
Going from last Monday when we started class, the question came up how would we introduce quadrilateral in our future classrooms. My idea for a little lesson on introducing quadrilateral is a bit cheesy but I think it could work. I'd start by introducing some four sided shapes and asking the class what they all have in common. Then I would introduce the class to our new classroom shapes that I would have funny silly name that would be kind of similar to the actual name of the shapes. I'd give them personalities and make them appeal to the students. Then I'll make a big house too to put the shapes in and call it the "Quad house or Quad family," and in each of the rooms in the house work by properties, so the square is always bugging everyone with no boundaries. But the chef dog can barely go anywhere After I introduced the four sided shapes nad rooms I'd put them in each of the rooms. When I'm done with that I'd put up the actual names of the shapes on a word wall and go over them again with the class and periodically during the school year. Here are is a couple of picture of the shapes I make and the big house they'd go into.