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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Rekenreks Big and Small. We LOVE Rekenreks, We LOVE Them All.

Rekenreks Big and Small:

(Scroll down to see where I'll be presenting "Make & Take workshops about the many ways you can use Rekenreks in your classroom.)

Using our big classroom Rekenrek along with our small seasonal Rekenreks.

I just love Rekenreks.  I learned about them just over a year ago and I have included them in my presentations at conferences for about that long.  They just make math real and they are perfect for Number Talks.

My students LOVE using it with ten frame cards, numeral cards, and number word cards.
They just look at the card and show the same value on the Rekenrek.

Rekenreks Big:

Here is my newest classroom size Rekenrek:
I think my cat was subitizing.  :o)

(Scroll down to see how to make one for your classroom.)

Rekenreks Small:

I like to make seasonal Rekenreks with my class.  This fall, we made pumpkin Rekenreks with only one row of beads.  

Fun Foam pumpkins, pipe cleaners, 5 red pony beads & 5 white pony beads.
I drew 2 tiny dots where the pipe cleaners should pierce the Fun Foam.

We make our first Rekenreks with only one bar of ten beads.
Later, we will add a second bar for the numbers 11-20.


Getting to make their own Rekenrek is FUN and they take better care of them.
They wrote their name on the back with a felt tip marker.

We will add an additional row of beads when we make our winter Rekenreks.

So, What Is A Rekenrek?

It's a number rack that was designed by Adrien Treffers, a mathematics curriculum researcher at the Freudenthal Institute in Holland.  By building each row of your Rekenrek with five white beads and five red beads, students can instantly subtilize (or instantly recognize the value) the number of beads you slide from the right side to the left side.  

Once students realize that there are five red beads and five white beads, it's easy to quickly slide any number of beads from the right side to the left side without counting.  

They use the 5 red beads as an anchor and they can quickly find six by sliding one white bead, along with the red ones, over to the left side.  It's just as easy to locate the 2nd white bead to slide with the red beads to show seven.

You can download, for FREE, a great booklet filled with ideas for using Rekenreks from the Math Learning Center web site.  CLICK HERE for the direct link.

You should also check out the Math Learning Center's web site by CLICKING HERE.
They have tons of ideas under the <resources> tab.

How To Make A Classroom Rekenrek:




It cost me about $9 for everything and it takes about 30 minutes to make one; 15 minutes if you have help.  

Step 1:  Buy materials

2 pool noodles (The 99 Cent Store still has these.  They are up at the very front of the store.)
2 10-foot lengths of 1/2" PVC pipe  (You need just over 13 feet to make the one above.)
2 elbow joints (for 1/2" pipe)
4 T joints (for 1/2" pipe)
4 end caps (for 1/2" pipe)
A can of solvent (like Goof Off) to remove the lettering on the pipes
Paper towels for removing the lettering

My receipt from Lowe's 

You will also need a bread knife for cutting the pool noodles and a PVC pipe cutter or saw.

Step 2:  Cut the PVC

You will need 2 pieces for the sides that are 36", 2 pieces for the bars that are 30", and 2 pieces for the feet that are 20".  Cut the 20" pieces in half to 10" each.  Cut the 36" piece into 2 pieces:  1 should be 26" and the other should be 10".

My husband cut the PVC while I cut the pool noodles.
By working together, we were able to complete this project in half the time, just 15 minutes.


Step 3:  Cut the pool noodles

Mark the pool noodles to measure 1 1/4" pieces.  You will need 5 of one color and 5 of the other color.  
Using a serrated bread knife, try to make straight cuts.  You can trim them down with scissors if needed.

A serrated bread knife works best for cutting pool noodles.
Use the extra noodles to share with a colleague or check out Pinterest for all the
amazing things you can do with pool noodles in the classroom.


Step 4:  Assemble your Rekenrek




Slide the pool noodles onto the bars and attach the sides and bars to the joints.
You can add glue to the inside of the joints to make it more durable. 

One elbow joint and one T joint.

From left to right: Elbow joint, 10" of PVC, T-joint, 26" of PVC, T-joint, 10" of PVC, cap.
The next part will be the other 10" piece of PVC for the 2nd half of the stand and a cap.


The feet.  Each side is 10 inches.

One complete side.
The top half is 10" tall.  The bottom is 26" tall.



You can see the writing on the pipes.  Next step is to remove that.

Step 5:  Clean the pipes

Clean the writing off with a solvent like Goof Off.  Spray it on a paper towel (outside) and rub it on the lettering until it is all gone.  Rinse the solvent off of the pipes before bringing it to school.



That's all there is to it !!!


And there's an app for that:


Click the image to view the app.
Perfect for iPads or iPad minis.  Also works on iPods and iPhones.



Come and make a Rekenrek with me:

Plus so much more at my "Make & Take" math presentation at 
The PK1 Conference in Santa Clara, CA
January 16-18, 2015


Click the image.
   

We are also presenting on Math & Art.



This pre-conference workshop is all about Phonics, Sight Words, & Writing. 


and

at my "Make & Take" math presentation at
in Pasadena, CA
February 27-18, 2015

Click the image.

Click the workshop description.
We will be making Rekenreks at the workshop above.
Click the workshop description.
This workshop is on ELA.












Or you can buy them here:


Click the image to see the product's site.


Looking for more FUN ideas to implement Common Core Math?
Check out my:

FaceBook:
(Tons of FREE ideas.)

PiNtErEsT:
(Oh, the ideas on these boards!)

TeAcHeRs PaY TeAcHeRs:
(Did you say, "15 freebies?!")

See you all tomorrow.
Palma :)

Monday, October 27, 2014

Time For Number Lines & a FREEBIE or 2

My Attendance Number Line:

Once you take attendance, allow the children to use it as a center.  They can remove the cards, mix them up, and try to put them back on the clothesline in order.  They can also play "Which number is missing?"

Students slip their folded cards onto the clothesline.
As students come up to place their card, they have to look at the cards
already on the clothesline and decide where to place their card.  


As my students arrive in the morning, they pick up their number card and place it on the giant number line.  

I store the cards in this box.  Before the students arrive, I scatter the cards on a table.
They look for their card and place it on the number line where they think it should go.

It's Easy To Make One:

I picked up a synthetic rope at the 99 cent store and I attached it to the side of my Discovery Center counter with these little screws with circles on the ends of them.

You can check out my fancy knot work.  :oD

It looks like the perfect place for such a long number line.



If you don't have a space big enough for cards, you can also pick up some colored clothespins at the 99 cent store and write the students' numbers on them.  I would write it on the top and then flip it over and write it near the opposite end up-side-down just in case the clothespin swings down and hangs from the clothesline. 


Higher Level Thinking At Its Best:

It's great to see them re-adjust the numbers already on the clothesline as they figure out where to place their own number.


"This is where the 7 goes, after the six."


They work together to problem solve so all of the numbers fit on the clothesline.


"You should put the 9 right before the 10 because nine comes before ten."

The Cards:




You can make your own cards on a computer.  Just remember to fold them like the photo below and not evenly in half.  They are easier to slip on and stay on the clothesline better that way.

You can store them in a little container like this one, or place them in your students' cubbies before school.  



You might like:


Number formation cards.  Print & laminate and you have a great practice card to use with DRY ERASE MARKERS.  It's easy to print when the pen glides smoothly over the lamination.  A quick erase and you are ready for the next student.

We used the straight "4" and the straight "9" instead of the pointy 4 and curvy 9.
Click the image to get see this set in our TPT store.  

Here are 2 FREEBIES:

Here is a set of number line cards that are perfect for folding and placing on your own clothesline.  They go from 0-100 so print as many or as few as you like:  CLICK HERE.

CLICK the image to get the FREE set.


Here is a set of our small perfect number cards.  You can give a set to your students to arrange, in order, on the carpet so you can see if they can order numbers, or use them as flashcards.  This set goes from 0-30.  You will love the fours and the nines.  :)

Click the image to grab your FREEBIE.




Check out my:

FaceBook:
(Tons of FREE ideas.)

PiNtErEsT:
(Oh, the ideas on these boards!)

TeAcHeRs PaY TeAcHeRs:
(Did you say, "15 freebies?!")

See you all tomorrow.
Palma :)




Please Come to My Party...

Thank you, I will if you invite...

Scroll to the bottom for non-Halloween ideas.

Do you love the story,  Witch, Which Come To My Party, as much as I do?  

It's by Arden Druce and illustrated by Pat Ludlow.

The illustrations are amazing and the story creates a "circle story" that ends up exactly where it began.

The illustrations are filled with hidden clues like the wolf hiding behind the tree.


My kids made their own version...

 ... to take home and read to their parents.  

But wait... you don't have to stick with the Halloween theme.  You can choose ANY THEME:
Thanksgiving, Christmas, any holiday, any story, nursery rhyme characters.  The choices are endless.

Here is an example of our Halloween theme:

Click the image.


They got to choose any characters they wanted, I wrote them down on lined Post-its, and they copied and illustrated.  

The pumpkin wanted to invite the cat, and the vampire wanted to invite the skeleton.

Since I am teaching a TK/K combination class, the T.K. kids got to create only 3 pages and the kindergarten kids got to create 5 pages.  Each character invites a new character, but the last one invites the very first character so the story can start all over again.  
They had so much fun thinking up new characters to invite.

The best part was that we got to have a nice discussion about CHARACTERS.  




We were able to complete 3-5 pages in a 30 minute small group setting.  Then, they got to read their own story to a friend before taking it home.  It was a huge hit!

Here are the new templates I made for you:

Click the image.

Just imagine writing this book with a nursery rhyme theme:  
"Jack, Jack, please come to my party."  "Thank you, I will, if you invite Jill."
"Jill, Jill, please come to my party."  "Thank you, I will, if you invite Little Bo Peep."
"Bo Peep, Bo Peep, please come to my party."  "Thank you, I will, if you invite Little Boy Blue."

You get the idea  :o)

Check out my:

FaceBook: 
I have a Give-Away that ends Monday night, 
so check it out:
(Tons of FREE ideas.)

PiNtErEsT:
(Oh, the ideas on these boards!)

TeAcHeRs PaY TeAcHeRs:
(Did you say, "15 freebies?!")


See you all tomorrow!
Palma :) 

Friday, October 24, 2014

All of This For 1 Dollar Each?

Our Best "What Do You See" Books are 60-75% off:

My students LOVE to complete these FUN books and all three of them are on sale for $1.00 each!

They are filled with counting, numeral writing, and color word recognition skills.  

This one is about colorful characters
who come to a Halloween party.

Students fill in the color word on each page.Click the images.




This book lets students count the
Thanksgiving images and write the
number of objects in each set.


 
This counting book goes to five.
Click the image.

This book lets students count the Christmas holiday
images and write the number of objects
they see in each set.  

This counting book goes up to sets of ten.
Click the image.


All of these books are great for students to take home 
and read to their families.  

Grab 'em while you can.

Check out my:

FaceBook:
(Tons of FREE ideas.)

PiNtErEsT:
(Oh, the ideas on these boards!)

TeAcHeRs PaY TeAcHeRs:
(Did you say, "15 freebies?!")

See you all tomorrow.
Palma :)