DIY Natural Geoboard

Earlier this week I saw this in Mrs. Webb's classroom.  I loved it and asked her - where did you find that?  She promptly told me she made it.  And it is so simple.  Scroll down for instructions.

Materials:

tree boards (Hobby Lobby)
nails
a bag of stretchy bands (like you use on those looms for potholders)

If you study the photos - you can see Mrs. Webb drew a grid.  She hammered the nails into where the horizontal and vertical lines met.

Viola!  Done.

Thank you Mrs. Webb!

Number Rings

Several teachers in my school have sets of these counting rings.  These are Mrs. Winters.  I love her wooden cube with the number written on it.  The loose leaf rings are large (perhaps 3 inches) with the corresponding number of wooden beads.

What a power way to present number quantity.  Love it!

A basket full of number rings.

Red Birds in a Nest

Foam clay has to be the most amazing invention.  Ever.  It is so cool what you can create.  At the museum, I had the children make little nests out of the brown foam clay - adding sticks to give it the "nesty" look.

We formed our birds by making;

• a large oval for the body
• a small sphere for the head
• a little cone for the nose
• two flatten balls in the shape of an oval for the wings

Click here for step by step instructions from my clay birds.

So simple.  A great way to teach three-dimensional shapes in a hands on way!

Reggio Emilia: Collections

Here are snapshots of "collections" from several different Reggio Inspired classrooms.  Enjoy!

 Pictured taken in a Reggio Inspired Educare classroom.

Photo taken at Rosa Parks Preschool.

 I love the idea of using those old divided boxes for little collections.

I am uncertain where this was taken - perhaps Colorado.

Sorting natural material into baskets and wooden boxes is so beautiful.

 How glorious is this?!  Embroidery threads sorted in rainbow ordered boxes.  

Photo taken at Rosa Parks Preschool.

This is just a great storage answer and it makes the paint so inviting.

Photo taken at a preschool in Colorado.

Hanging nature items from a branch with wire.  It is so artful!

Photo taken at Rosa Parks Preschool.

Collection of red ribbons and beads on a hanging wooden hoop.

Photo taken at Rosa Parks Preschool.

A collection of fabric strips made into a curtain.  

*Some of these photos are several years old and I am uncertain where I took them (before blogging).

Reggio Emilia: Math

Yet another peek into Rosa Parks Preschool:

 Canvas board number frieze with real objects showing quantity.  And, of course, the glitter!

 I love these little silver buckets of counting objects. 

Notice the tubes above with the number labels? And all these cool rocks.  Super uber cool.

 A super idea!  Put an arrival question in a picture frame. 

Number wood chips.   Simply put on a number sticker and paint on the wood.  When dry, remove the  sticker.  Easy peasy.

Here is the great math practice found in setting the table (counting, position, and one-to-one correspondence to name a few).

Finally, counting sticks. 

5 Great Math Ideas

IDEA #1:  King and Queen of Measuring

This is so cool!  There are many ways to present this to meet specific ages.  I love the idea of the crowns and even doing non-standard measuring!

For more details go to: Deceptively Educational

IDEA #2: Measuring Playdough Worms

Any math that involves playdough is a winner in my books.  I love this idea and how individual the results will be.  So much you can do with this great idea!

For more details go to:  Teach Preschool

IDEA #3:  Alligator Mouth Math

I have always loved using an alligator "mouth" as a tool for teaching greater than and less than. Living Montessori Now has taken it to the next level!  I love this!  What a great work station!

For more details go to: Pre-k and K Sharing

IDEA #4:  Plastic Plates and Dots for Counting

I think it is the simple ideas that grab me.  And this is such a cheap and simple way of making a counting work station.  The link goes to a whole pages of excellent math ideas.  Love this site.

For more details go to: Pre-Kinders

IDEA #5:  Lego Counting Cards

This is a brilliant idea!  I love it!  Again, a great work station for math.

For more details go to:  Rockabyebutterfly

The Plate Stories (It's Math!)

My best ideas come in the face of disengaged children.  That happened a few weeks ago.  The children were restless and I knew that my math lesson was a real yawner.   On a whim, I told the children to pull out their white boards and dry erase markers.

I demonstrated how to draw a plate, fork, spoon, knife and napkin AND six delicious meatballs.

Next, I told them:  "I invited you to my house and made dinner.  You each received six meatballs on your plate.  You ate two."  They erase two meatballs and THEN write the math sentence:  6 - 2 = 4.   I model the first math sentence.  After that, I expect them to demonstrate their own understandings.  This is a great time to make notes on who has the understanding and who does not.

I continue my story:  "I offer you a wonderful roasted tomato basil sauce to put on your meatballs. "  (The children draw sauce on the meatballs.)  You decide to try to eat one.  Only one."

They erase one meatball and then write the math sentence." I go on like this.

This great fun and the children beg to do it.   You can use it for both addition and subtraction stories.  I call them my Plate Stories because one little girl came to school one day and asked, "Mrs. Haughey, can we do the Plate Stories today?"  Brilliant!  Yes!

Fly Guy Math

This is a fun activity for math.  First, I taught the children how to draw Fly Guy.  He is a very simple figure to draw.  Next, I had the children draw bugs with Fly Guy.  They had to write a math sentence to go with their drawing.  The room was a peaceful quiet as they joyfully created Fly Guy.

Here's how to draw Fly Guy:

 Step One: Draw a good sized circle.

 Step Two:  Draw a backwards C for the other eye.

 Step Three:  Draw a long thin U for his body.

 Step Four:  Draw two dots for the eyes and a nose shaped like a water faucet.

 Step Five:  Draw a u for the mouth.

 Step Six:  Draw another u and add teeth!

 Step Seven: Add the legs - one is a line out with three little line toes.  The other leg is the number 7 with three little line toes.  Add an arm - curved line up with little line fingers.  Now, add the first wing which is an oval shape.

 Step Eight: Add the other arm curved line down with little line fingers.  Add the other wing behind the first - it is like a J shape.  Add a line on the first wing.

 Step Nine:  Add the antennae.  Two curvy lines with tiny dots on the end.

 Step Ten:  Now for the most important step!  You will add what artists call "hatching".   It is those straight lines along the edges of the eyes (see above) and around the body.  Add a few on the top of the eyes.   Ta Da!  Fly Guy!

Too cute for words!  Love Fly Guy!