Term One: Maths

Learning to count sequentially from 1-10 .

Children are learning to count sequentially from 1-10 with the support of a number line.

Children counting  sequentially from 1-10 with the support of a number line.

One to one pointing and reading numbers.

During the term we have been learning to take photo's. Children were given a number from 1 to 5. They had to find objects around the classroom and match the object to the number, take a photo of it and write the number. This involved a lot of skills and children were supported by the teacher.

The next task will be a similar activity and children will be encouraged to complete task independently. 

Teaching Inquiry

I plan to do a lesson where my learners draw shapes within Explain Everything to match the number. This will give them an opportunity to be creative and learn to become more confident in drawing and duplicating shapes. They can create shapes using a variety of sizes and colours.  They will be learning to one to one match as well as develop the skills to be able to use the tools within Explain Everything confidently and eventually independently.

Counting One to One using Materials- The Shopping Game

Based on the JAM data from the previous year and conversations with parents and teachers I looked at I focussing on One to One Counting on Materials. This week we played a shopping game. Children had to roll the dice, count the dots and find the number on the number line. Some children could find the numbers easily whereas some of them had to start from 0. One child went past the number she was looking for and needed support and prompting from the teacher. Children read their number and then go shopping. They need to buy the correct number of items to match the number and the dots on the dice.

Luisa needed support and uses the number line. She counts from 0 to the number she is looking for. I am pleased that she is trying and building her confidence with number. She also knows that their are resources available to help her work out the number.

Luisa went shopping. 

She one to one matched the items to the numbers on her dice. 

A number line is used at this stage to support children who are still developing their number knowledge.
Once they are confident you can try taking it away and ask children to visualise the number line in their head. (That will be  my next focus.)
You can always bring it back into the lesson if needed.

The children had lots of fun playing this game. At the end of the session they could recognise the number 1 pattern on the dice (easiest) and the number 6  (highest number on the dice). They had an opportunity to be creative in selecting the items and also pretended eating them at the end which was the fun part.

I could also make this activity more challenging by asking children to roll two dice, count, find the number on a the number line (1-20 number line) and go shopping.

Making Shapes within Explain Everything

This resource supports teachers and pupils with iPads using Explain Everything as a tool for learning. It is essential for children to learn these skills in order for them to become independent learners. Children learn to draw shapes using the shape tool. They learn to select a shape,colour the shape and manipulate the shape by pinching it to make it bigger/smaller.


 

Taking Photo's within Explain Everything

Taking photo's on your iPad is one of the first things I would teach my children. Along with the Kawa of Care for iPads children in my class started taking photo's in the first week of starting school. Taking photo's can be used in all parts of the curriculum. For example: When doing a reading activity children can can a photo of their favourite part of the story and write about it or/and they can take a photo of text and circle all the capital letters. Take photo's is a powerful tool to show/record evidence of their learning.


 

Teaching as Inquiry Focus for 2017

 Welcome to 2017.

I am looking forward to a great year ahead. I strongly believe that every student can learn given the time and opportunity. Together we can accomplish something amazing.

This year our school wide focus is Maths. After analysing the data from last year, meeting with parents and using my own teacher judgement I have identified a target group of children who are struggling to count sequentially from 1 to 5. They have difficulty understanding, for example: What 4 looks like or what it means. I am wondering about starting from the concrete and slowly moving toward the abstract using lots of  concrete materials. Based on my previous practice I know the the difference using the iPad to record their learning or show evidence of their learning has been valuable. I need to under how best to design learning including the use of iPads to best support these learners. My next steps will be spend some time researching effective maths pedagogy and making connections to the affordances of the technology and Learn, Create, Share.

Image Attribution:

       https://pixabay.com/en/numbers.

Focussing Inquiry Hypothesise

Through further focussing my inquiry I am fairly confident that my hypothesise data showed children struggled to count from 1-5. After further focus my hunch is that children have not experienced learning, they have limited vocabulary, limited language to say back to me, limited vocabulary and ability to connect language and concepts and most importantly they lack the confidence to share their ideas.