We're off and running in D3. Although much of September was dedicated to getting acquainted and learning routines, we did manage to introduce a variety of activities in math to engage the children, and continue assessment of what they already know and what they are developmentally ready to learn. Depending on students' needs, we introduced, reviewed or reinforced: one to one correspondence, tallying, bar graphs, shapes, sorting, counting, spatial relationships, patterns, calendaring (date, days of week), addition and subtraction.
As we continue the year, through a combination of direct instruction and exploration, children will have the opportunity to learn new concepts and develop skills through practice. The format of our class is for children to experience mathematics as they work in centers, independently or in small groups, and practice what is introduced via direct instruction. As we move forward, and the children become more independent with their practice, personal learning plans will be fine tuned and monitored more closely. In the meantime, children will continue to have authentic learning and skill building experiences in all content areas.
The State of California Content Standards for Mathematics are divided into five strands that can be explored simultaneously:
1. Number Sense
2. Algebra and Functions
3. Measurement and Geometry
4. Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability
5. Mathematical Reasoning
In the coming weeks, our K-2 Math Course Map will be posted and, as I become more adept with blogging, will post a snapshot of our classroom activities by content area so that you will be able to ask your child meaningful questions about their learning.
In the meantime, Here's to math!
Sally
