Teaching Math Skills with Technology:
Common Core Standards K.OA.2 Add and Subtract within 10

Today's math lesson was a review of ways to add to ten. First, we practiced on our fingers- a tool that is always with us!

Then, we used a great free app- Find Sums by Math Tappers Their description from the iTunes store"MathTappers: Find Sums is a simple game designed to help learners to make sense of addition (and subtraction as a related operation), and then to support them in developing accuracy and improving their speed."

The students used a ten frame and selected numbers that added up to ten. The game tracks accuracy and speed, so the children kept playing to try to get 100% accuracy and fast. I was amazed at how many kids were chanting '8 and 2' '7 and 3' '5 and 5' as they played. They math addends until are are done.  They can also add up to 20, and 100 using the apples.

Right after, We used a deck of cards with A-J and the 10's Go Fish with the cheat sheet printable from www.kidscount1234.com by Shari Sloane "10s Go Fish - This game is played just like "Go Fish." Instead of asking for a card to match your card, you have to ask for a card that would add with one of your cards to make a sum of 10." Thanks Shari for your awesome math games! My students love them.

Using fingers, apples and ten frames, and playing cards my kindergartners "got" how to add to ten!

Counting with Dr. Jean and the iPad

My daughter was using our iPod to listen to some songs by Dr. Jean this weekend and while listening to Techno Count to 100 for the fourth time I thought of how in the past I used Dr. Jeans' music a lot in my kindergarten. Since discovering all the amazing song/videos on YouTube that help my students see and hear and say the ABCs or sight words or count I rarely use my kinder music collection anymore. It occurred to me though, that the songs, especially the number songs my daughter listened to over and over could work great on the iPad. They did! Not only do my students play them and sing along during playtime, but when paired with a good app, they enhance learning. So, I played Techno Count to 100 and had kids open up the Counting Board app (currently free on the iPad). They put all the numbers facedown and touched the boxes as the numbers were announced. I was able to monitor and LOVED the way the students counted along, touching the number as they heard the number. I will be curious to see if the kids who STILL don't know how to count to 100, or identify numbers will do after several days of practicing like this? Then I played The Country Countdown 1-20 song by Dr. Jean and did the same thing-Here's a video of one child in action. It was terrific!

We know that the more pathways to learning, the stronger the learning experience is- in this lesson, my students were hearing, saying/singing, seeing and touching numbers. Later in the day, I played Bingo Bango Bongo (I love the song!) and we used the Counting Board app again to practice skip counting. The color patterns in the app are especially helpful for skip counting!

Connected Science: Science Project, Wiki's, Google Docs, and Skype

I LOVE my Twitter PLN (Professional Learning Network) #kinderchat !  We have been doing some exciting things this year!

My class has joined  Kindergarten classes from Canada, US, and New Zealand to find out if eggs are the same around the world... We are conducting a simple but fun science experiment.  More information can be found here, Eggciting Experiment Wiki, on the procedures and observations with the kids.  There are google docs embedded in the page that we have used to document the project. 

Today my students skyped on the iPad with a K class participating in the project from Vancouver Island, British Colombia- a couple of my students showed their eggs, and her students shared theirs.  The children had a great time sharing their observations.  I love skype play for the converstions and sense of wonder the children have.  They discussed the time (Vancouver BC is in the same time zone as us) weather (they had rain too) and even recess.

Go read this blog... it's what I'm reading today!

Good news/bad news.  The New iPad is out/I don't have one.  

Oh well.  I am consoling myself by reading about what others are doing with their iPads.  And trying to ignore the people who are bragging on their amazing retina display.  Go ahead, brag, you deserve to.  I just don't have to like it! 

For those without, like me, you can read about others' experiences too. 


I follow Moms with Apps  on Twitter @momswithapps and like them on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/momswithapps )- trust me, YOU SHOULD TOO.  Every Friday they host APP Friday, with discounted or free apps!

They shared this blog link today regarding iPad use in Kindergarten:

http://sfsipads.blogspot.com/

So far I've read only a few posts, but I hope you enjoy exploring it too!