Simple Fractions

Helpful Homeschool Hint of the Day

Note! Although this is shown using math for upper grades, it's still a great tool for helping Kinders and first graders to keep their numbers in alignment!

Part-Part-Whole Bracelets

I did something similar to this last year. This year, when we made our bracelet, I made certain they used five beads of one color, and five beads of another color.

I showed them how to do part-part-whole addition problems using the bracelet, which they quickly learned. The next day, I introduced subtraction problems, which were harder, but after a couple of days they got the hang of it!

Equal/Unequal

We're studying Equal and Unequal this week, along with Equal Parts (aka Halves) in math. I came up with this quick little study that the kids enjoyed.

Each table was given a tub of manipulatives. We did a practice run using the number 3. Each child got 3 pieces and placed them on the table in front of them. Then, using the old familiar "one for me and one for you" trick, they set out dividing up the props. Once they learned that if both sides got the same amount, it was EQUAL, but if there was one left over, the amount was UNEQUAL, I then put a set of numbers up on the board. On scratch paper, they wrote down the numbers, got their manipulatives, and tried to determine if each number was EQUAL or UNEQUAL. 

In the end, we compared our answers. To "spice things up", we rotated our tub of items between tables, to give everyone a chance to use different props.

The Shape Hokey Pokey

There are a lot of ways you can check for understanding, especially when it comes to shapes, colors, etc. One fun way I do it is by doing the Hokey Pokey.  I hand out a set of attribute blocks to each child. Then it's easy to have them stand by their desks and grab the correct block as I call out a shape.

Ex: "Square!"
Proceed to sing: "You put your square in. You put your square out. You put your square in and you shake it all about." Etc.
Give them a couple of seconds between verses to put down the old shape and grab the next one you call out. Children who pick the wrong shape can quickly exchange for the correct one without embarrassment.

You can also do this for colors. I sometimes use the unifix cubes for colors, since there are more to select from.

If you don't have attribute blocks, or any of the other manipulatives, just run off a set of shapes on colored tag and cut out to keep in baggies. I've also had the different shapes on plain paper. Then, as a whole class project, we colored individual shapes certain colors (they would follow my guide.) Ex: square is blue, triangle is red, circle is yellow, and so forth. They would cut out the shapes and place in baggies, and keep as their own personal set of shapes.

More One-to-One Correspondence - and a Freebie!

I gave each student a "checker board" that I'd created and run off on colored tag (then laminated). Each table got their own set of math manipulatives: buttons, pom-poms, colored blocks, unifix cubes, and bears. All they had to do was put one object on each square. At first, they used all the colors, so I made them clear their boards, and do it again, but using only one color. (These pictures are from when they had done the activity a second time, using a single color.)

To extend the lesson, I ask them to put 2 items on each square. Then 3. I stop at 5 because the squares tend to get too crowded. For the blocks, I let them "build" a small tower on each square. (They love doing that.) The next time they do this lesson, I give each table a different set of manipulatives.

For your Freebie, I've uploaded a copy of the checker board, which you can download from here.