I "Mustache" You a Question...

As part of our Math in Focus curriculum, students learn how to organize, represent and interpret data. First graders put these skills to work by creating their own survey questions, tally charts, and bar graphs to show their results. Their survey questions included questions like "What's your favorite book?", "What is your favorite flower?", and "Who is your favorite Patriots player?", to name a few.

The students walked around the classroom, with mustaches on, to collect their data, saying "I mustache you a question..."  They had so much fun with this! Once their data was collected, and their graphs were made, we then analyzed and interpreted our information.

Common Core Standard 1.MD.C.4:

 Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories; ask and answer questions about the total number of data points, how many in each category, and how many more or less are in one category than in another.

Shapes

Math has been all about shapes in 1-Thomson! To complete our Math in Focus chapter on plane and solid shapes, we created "shape people" and brought them to life using Chatterpix.  Click the picture below to meet our shapes!

Click Picture

Common Core Standards:

1.G.A.1: Distinguish between defining attributes of shapes; build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes

1.G.A.2: Compose two-dimensional shapes or three-dimensional shapes to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape

Skype Mystery Number

On Friday, we used Skype to play a game of "Guess My Number" with the first graders in Miss Klipfel's class.  Using a 120 chart, both classes chose a mystery number for the other class to guess.  Students were invited to the computer to ask questions about the mystery number using mathematical language such as "Is the number greater or less than___", "Is the number between_____ and _____", and "Is it even or odd?" As we gathered more information about the number, we crossed off numbers on our 120 charts (try this game at home)! You can also visit http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/counting.html for math games to play on your computer at home. 

Miss Klipfel's class was able to guess our mystery number (106) after asking some great mathematical questions. Nice work, Miss Klipfel's class!  We are looking forward to our next classroom connection using Skype! Common Core Standard: 1.NBT.A.1: Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Building Number Bonds

What is a Number Bond?

Each day begins with our math calendar routine and our Math in Focus lesson for the day.  We are currently practicing number bonds.  The children have been building numbers to ten and breaking them into parts in several different ways.  We have built bonds using scales, connecting cubes, teddy bears, and even pumpkins!  Ask your child to show you some number bonds at home. They are almost number bond experts!

Practice number bonds using the mathszone website:

http://mathszone.co.uk/number-facts/number-bonds-to-10/

Number Bond Example