Happy Holidays from the KF Elves

Making Tens with Counters

In math we've been learning about the numbers zero through ten. Simple, you say - but it's so much more. Those early numbers are part of the foundation for all number skills and concepts. Last week, we used double-sided counters (red/yellow) to help us learn about different ways to make ten. Actually, we've been working on different ways to make seven, eight, nine, and ten. As you can see, we talk about the "whole", or the total number of counters (which is ten).  After we find out the total, we look to see what the "parts" are.  We know that 5 red and 5 yellow make 10, or 6 red and 4 yellow make 10, etc. We can use objects, fingers, and counters to show the parts that make the whole. This concept of parts and the whole is addition in it's simplest form - and it's so great to see them "thinking" out loud as they are learning. 

Skype, Karma Wilson & Bear Snores On

It has been a fantastic week here in KF.  We have been working hard and having fun taking our learning in different directions. This week we have been making new US and International friends via Skype in the classroom.  First, we became kindergarten buddies with Mrs. McMahons kindergarten class in Alberta Canada. We haven't met our new friends yet, but hope to in the coming weeks. We also met with Mrs. Andersons 1A Grizzly Bears.  Two excellent 1st grade readers from Missoula's Hawthorne Elementary School read a book to us. We ended the week with a special visitor in our classroom.  Mrs. Kaminski is a Skype Reading tutor in Wisconsin.  We connected with Mrs. Kaminski for a 15 minute Skype reading session. She read Karma Wilson's Bear Snores On - which happens to be our Reading Street book for the week. She engaged us with her passion for reading - all while sitting at her computer in Wisconsin. Check out the kind words she had to say about her visit with us on her Skype Reading Tutor blog. Thank you Mrs. Kaminski!