Subtraction Bowling

We have been working with different manipulatives to become comfortable with composing and decomposing numbers.My kinders have really enjoyed bowling to see how amounts can increase and decrease. Michelle at Inspired by Kindergarten has a great freebie to go with this game!!! 

We didn't use the sheet until the students felt comfy with telling me how they were solving how many pins remained up. Then, they began recording it together and discussing how to record. Lastly, the game became a partner activity with desk versions of bowling. So much fun!!!

Spotlight: Subtraction freebies and Clipboard storage

I always tell others that you can find anything online, because there are so many creative people out there actually creating!

Well, Mrs. Hicks at the The Alphabet Garden has posted a freebie Eric Carle subtraction packet. I think it's a great addition to a subtraction unit! Students will already be familiar with the characters and will love working with the colorful pictures for manipulatives! Thanks Mrs. Hicks!

Ashely at The Kinder Polkadot Patch has a fab, fab, fab idea for storing all of those great but pesky clipboards! If you hurry to Target, you'll be able to find to same container she uses for around $5.00. Thanks for help with this issue!

KEY words...

Disclaimer: I am not known for being tactful. I apologize in advance!

 Because my way of thinking about mathematics is changing, I am sharing and ready for discussion. Because we are moving to the Common Core, I feel that discussion about current and previous methods should occur. Let me know what you think!

I have seen some of the cutest Key Word (for addition and subtraction) anchor charts all over Pinterest and on others' blogs. While key words may work in some problems, we cannot always rely on key words. This is teaching students in an instrumental way.

Before instrumental learning is taught (teaching the rules), Relational learning (knowing the how and why) should begin. When working with word problems, students (even Kinders!) can usually find strategies to figure out how to find the answer to the problem.


Problem-solving strategies show students how to solve problems that they will eventually encounter when there are no key words, or the key words are used in a different way!

Word Problems Solving Strategies (Naneb, proteacher)

Find a Pattern
Make a Table
Work Backwards
Guess and Check
Draw a Picture
Make a List
Write a Number Sentence
Use Logical Reasoning

Examples:

• Amy has 12 ladybugs. How many more ladybugs does she need to have 21 ladybugs altogether?
• Katie had some pencils. After she gave away 8 pencils, she had 11 left. How many pencils did Katie have at first?