Tens and Ones

One of the adjustments for me in teaching kindergarten instead of Pre-K has been working with a consumable math textbook.  While there are suggestions for using manipulatives with the textbook, I am looking for more ways to reach some of my students.

At this point in the year, the students are supposed to be able recognize numbers up to thirty-one by looking at sets of ten and extra units. A few of the kids have struggled with this concept.  This magnetic dry erase board (from Wal-mart) has been wonderful.  I printed tables with ten cubes (on colored paper) and attached them to pieces of magnetic adhesive strip. I also made some individual unit squares.  I can quickly ask "how many tens?" and write the number with a dry erase marker, "how many extras?" and write that number with a dry erase marker, and get them to read the two digits as the total number.

We have also begun estimating numbers as "about 10," "about 20," or "about 30."  I wanted some plastic jars with a wide opening to use in introducing this with manipulatives.  I now have lots of scented Epsom salt from Dollar Tree....
I used them in a lesson modeling "guess and check," then I added them to the math center.

Totally unrelated but...

Since today was the first day of Catholic Schools Week, we had a crazy sock day (in addition to free dress day).  Here are my crazy alphabet socks.

I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Eilis