Building Tens Family With Duplos

In first grade math, Rebekah had to add a column

of three numbers for the first time.

One of the tricks they taught

was to find  combinations of ten first.

We call these facts

The Tens Family.

Every member of this family has to = 10.

 
 

 

 First, I had Rebekah make stacks of Duplos,

from 1 to 10,  in two colors.

 

 While she was busy placing the stacks

neatly on my Quilting Mate,

I made a simple worksheet using Word.

 

Next, I had her fill in the worksheet,

combining the stacks of Duplos,

to find the answers.

From Left to Right

10 + 0 = 10

1 + 9 = 10

2 + 8 = 10

up to

10 + 0 = 10

I love how the Duplos clearly show the members

of the Tens Family,

and the beautiful patterning of numbers. 

They are bright, easy to use,

and make Math class feel like play time.

You could also use Legos,

if you don't have crawlers around,

who would feast on your manipulatives.

Next, I had her match up problems with the same addends.

(The numbers you add together are the addends.

The answer is the sum.)

This is the Commutative Property for Addition.

Remember that from Algebra?

a + b = b + a

so

1 + 9 = 9 + 1

2 + 8 = 8 + 2

For each math fact they memorize,

because of the Commutative Property,

they usually are learning two problems.

The exception?

You're right.

The doubles.

In this case, 5 + 5.

I use the term Commutative in first grade. 

Kids love big words.

If they can't remember the word, fine.

But, they can still understand the concept.

I tell my kids the smarter they are,

the less math they have to learn.

By using the Commutative property,

they only have to learn 6 problems

in the Tens Family, instead of 11.

Again, the Duplos clearly show the beautiful patterning

of the Commutative Property.

Scroll back up and admire the picture.

This is one of the reasons I love math!

You so easily see we have a God of order.

 We finished off the math lesson by easily tackling the math worksheet.

You can see where she swooped the numbers together,

to first make ten,

then add the third number.

(The other swoops were for doubles.)

I was so excited about this lesson,

especially since it is the end of the year,

and I am really, really, ready to quit.

 Beka later said,

"Math took a little longer than normal, Mom,

because you really got carried away."

To soften the blow, she added,

"But that's OK, Mom, because I like Math,

especially when you get to play with Duplos."

SCORE!

Counting By Tens

I was a little frustrated that I couldn't find my 1-100 number chart when I needed it.

I know I had touched it several times earlier in the year when I didn't need it.

I looked in a few obvious places, then gave up.

We made do.

Using a piece of posterboard, I just markered in the first rows of numbers.

As I taught Rebekah how to count by tens, I filled in a few columns.

Then, I had her fill in the rest of the rows.

I was pleasantly surprised that she caught on quickly

and enjoyed being able to use the PERMANENT Magic Marker.

It bothered my type A personality that it wasn't perfectly ordered,

but it worked.  Sometimes my rubber bands are just too tight.

An unorgainzed disappointment turned into a blessing,

because writing out the numbers cemented the concept more quickly

than just reading along with the store-bought chart.

Of course, a few days later  I found the chart in my bedroom,

in a pile that should have been dealt with months ago, 

 so I will use it to reinforce the concept.

Princess E from the Silent Kingdom

There are times in homeschooling when a  little more instruction and activity than what the curriculum provides is necesary to cement a new concept. I have always made up little games, projects, worksheets, manipulatives and activities, but never kept track of my ideas.  Blogging has provided that storage house for me.

Please let me introduce Princess E from the Silent Kingdom.  She doesn't speak, but she has the ability to change a short vowel sound in a single syllable word into its long vowel sound. 

I bought the clothespins and stands at Michaels and my son, Jon, drilled small arm holes in them for me so they would be ready to create. Rebekah did the painting, the face creating and most of the gluing.  She used chenille stems (we used to call them pipe cleaners) for arms, yarn for hair, a remnant with princess fluff on the bottom for the royal robe.  Princess had a crown, but it fell off and the vacuum ate it.

We made our own flashcards to show how hat turns to hate, fat to fate, tap to tape, win to wine.  I purchase these great plastic index card boxes at the beginning of the year when they are very cheap and keep them in a supply box until I need them for an activity.  Rebekah decorated the box with princess stickers.

Princess E regalty presides over the desk when we are going through the flashcards so we remember her special ability.

The original idea came from these vintage cards I found years ago.  Of course, I couldn't find them at the time, so I made  my own set.

I added and "ed" and "ing" card for later suffix lessons.  You can see more clearly how the root word is written on the card and the  "e" is written on the folded end.

You may feel you don't have time to do anything above and beyond your core curriculum, but sometimes it may take a day or two of worksheets for a new concept to kick in, so a project can relieve the pressure your child may feel while trying to master the skill.  The project doesn't have to be fancy, it doesn't even have to be something you keep for all the kids.   Creating releases the frustration your child may feel.   By the time we were done creating and were reviewing, it made sense to Rebekah. Now, a casual glance at  Princess E reigning from the bookshelf is all it takes to review this phonics skill in her mind.

File Folder Games

Every year, I have added a few more games to my File Folder Games box. Of course, with no toddlers eating my markers, drooling all over my papers and stealing my scissors to cut their own hair, it is much easier to cut, color and paste in peace.

Self-checking file folder games are great for filling in those quiet moments when you are teaching one child and another is ever-so-patiently waiting for your attention. They are a fun way to emphasize a new skill you are introducing.

Early on I could never afford the colored folders. When buying colored folder, make sure there isn't printing on the inside. My early games were also very simple, but the kids enjoyed them, anyway.

This summer, this was my book of choice.

ISBN # 0-590-96380-5 Phonics Quick and Easy Learning Games by Wiley Blevins, published by Scholastic.

It isn't a file folder game book, but all the games were easily adapted for this format. The games reinforce beginning consonants, short vowels, consonant blends, long vowels, digraphs, rhyming words, r-controlled vowels and more.

Unlike all my other file folder games, these games are for the parent to play with their kids. Since I only have one in elementary school, this will work for me this year.

I made copies of each of the games and put the pages in their own file folders. I bought a plastic accordian folder at Target for $1. I also stocked a pencil case with with colored pencils, markers, scissors, and glue sticks and put both items in a tote bag. Every time I was going to be in the car longer than a half an hour, I carried the bag with me and worked on my projects. As I was working, I used post-it notes to mark what still needed to be done with each game.

The book has a pattern for a die you are to make, but I knew that would last about one minute, so I opted for these paper spinners from a dollar store. I used little stickers to adapt each spinner for the options needed for each game.

Office Max had free laminating for teachers last year, so I was in for about three weeks in a row with games and manipulatives I had been coloring for a few years in preparation for teaching first grade. This year, they offered 50% off, so I was thankful for that.

If I don't want to laminate, I use peel and stick laminating sheets from Avery. It is much clearer than clear contact paper, doesn't bubble, but it more expensive and harder to find. When I tried to buy it this year at Wal-Mart, the kid sent me back to the fabric store where the rolls of clear vinyl were. When I tried to buy them at Fred Meyer, I ran into a pleasant clerk that hadn't learned the English term, "laminating" yet, but was eager to help me. I knew there would be NO WAY I would be able to describe what I needed, so I hunted myself, but didn't find them. These are my final sheets from last summer's cutting and pasting.

I glue the instructions on the outside of the folder and glue the game boards on the inside.

While putting these away, I found a few I didn't finish from last year. There's ALWAYS something for a homeschooling mommy to do, isn't there?

Check out:

Enchanted Learning

Childcareland You also can sign up to receive daily emails with worksheets, craft ideas and video instructions for projects. My favorite site for pre-school and kindergarden.

Homeschool Hutt

Preschool Printables I made some of these years ago. Very fun!

Hope this inspires you to create fun learning activities for your homeschool.

ABC JARS

I can finally cross this project off my list of good intentions!

The original idea came from my daughter Jana's first grade teacher, Mrs. Benson, but she used white frosting tubs. Each week they highlighted a letter of the alphabet and the kids brought items for the jar.

I loved the idea of having see-through jars, but if you have toddlers and glass isn't an enticing idea for a manipulative, you might choose the plastic alternative.

I started with 26 baby food jars. Thanks, cutest granddaughter, Brookie!

I bought a can of gray spray paint ($3) and alphabet stickers ($5).
I can't believe how expensive stickers are!

You could choose a cheaper option, but I loved that they were puffy, plasticy and bright.

I spray-painted the lids outside on a sheet of plastic.

One coat covered the colored caps well.

It dried in four hours.

Beka and I applied the lower case stickers to the lids

and uppercase stickers to the jars.


For her first grade phonics, Beka is excited to fill the jars
with little items that begin with the letter on the jar.
We began scouring the house today for tiny plastic animals,
monopoly movers, and scrabble letters.

Other ways to use the jars:

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1. Match the upper-case letters on the jars to the lower-case letters on the lids.

2. Cut out alphabets words from magazines to put into each jar.

3. Cut out pictures from magazines to put into each jar. You could choose a theme like animals or food.

4. Use the jar lids to spell simple words.

a. Give them an ending like "in", "at" or "it" and choose the beginning consonants that form words.
b. Give them the beginning and ending consonant of a three letter word and have them fill in the correct vowel.

c. Give them a beginning sound like "ba", "pi", "bi" and have them choose a final consonant to form a word.

5. Choose a letter and have your child choose the letter that comes after.

6. Choose a letter and have your child choose the letter that comes before.

7. Choose two letters and have your child choose the letter that comes in between.

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Anybody have any good ideas on what to put the jars in?

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Any other ideas for uses of the alphabet jars?

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I'd love to have your input on this project!

part 2