So, What Am I Doing With Fun Foam Crowns? They are perfect for Common Core Math!

Dollar Tree Finds Continued...

Yesterday, I blogged about my Dollar Tree Finds:  Crown pointers and Fun Foam Crowns.

(You can read that post by clicking HERE.)  I explained how I use the pointers during journal writing, but I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to blog about the larger Fun Foam crowns.  

First, I blinged the Fun Foam crowns with plastic jewels I also found at the Dollar Tree.

Next, I added a pipe cleaner and ten pony beads, 5 white and 5 red.  You can easily poke the pipe cleaner through the Fun Foam and secure it at the back just like these rectangle samples:

Add 5 red beads & 5 white beads before pushing the end through. 

Secure on the back side.

This creates a unique number rack called a Rekenrek.  A week ago, I had the pleasure of showing teachers how to make these during my "Make & Take" math session at the Southern CA Kindergarten Conference in Pasadena.  

So, What The Heck Is A Rekenrek?

Well, it's a Dutch number rack that uses 5 as an anchor so students can easily and quickly "subitize" (or quickly identify the number of objects in a set) when calculating.  The five red and five white beads allow you to subitize because you instantly know how many beads you see when you have 5 red beads and 1 white bead grouped together.  Just as you instantly know, or subitize when you see 5 red beads and 3 white beads grouped together.  You also know that there are 2 red beads that are not part of that set.

5 reds plus 3 whites equal 8.  I need 2 more to make 10.

I like to use Rekenreks when teaching additions and subtraction and I really like to make several different types of seasonal Rekenreks so they always look new and exciting for the children.  Here is a pumpkin Rekenrek from last October.

Using Rekenreks To Teach Additions:

When I introduce addition, I like to start with 2.  We explore with 2-sided quiet counters by placing them in a fun container, shaking the container 2 times, and then spilling the 2-sided counters onto the table.  We look to see what color each counter displays.   

Using our Circle Math template, we color how many red circles we saw and how many white circles and we record that o our Circle Math page.  First, we color in the red circles and we leave the white circles white.  We place the counters back in the container and repeat the process trying to get every combination of red and white that equal two.  

2 reds & zero white = 2

1 red and 1 white =2

2 whites & zero reds =2

Circle math for adding to 1, 2, & 3.

Circle Math for adding to 6.

After getting each combination of red and white counters, we replicate that equation with the red and white beads on the Rekenrek.  If you split the beads and push the 5 white beads to one side and the 5 red beads to the other side, you can create the equations in the middle.

On the next day, we move on to 3.  This time, we have three 2-sided counters in the container.  We shake the container 3 times, spill out the counters and record how we made 3 on our Circle Math page.  Then, we demonstrate conceptual understanding by showing each equation of 3 with the colored beads on the Rekenrek.

We continue through equations to ten.  You can also make a Rekenrek with 2 sets of beads so you can demonstrate equations with the Tricky Teens 11-20.

Our Addition Bundle:

Save on this bundle which includes 

* Addition Book (addition with pattern blocks): Art/Math activity, compose and decompose numbers, addition fact families
*Addition Memory: Math game, addition practice, fact families
*Circle Math: Math worksheet, compose and decompose numbers, addition fact families up to 9
*Domino Math: Worksheet, compose and decompose numbers, addition with manipulatives
*Kissing Hand Addition Book: Math/Literature connection, practice addition with repetitive rhyming text, practice counting on by adding one more

Click HERE for the Addition Bundle.

Here is a link for a free 44 page booklet on how to use Rekenreks with children:  Click Here.

It's a GREAT resource and it's FREE!

So my eyes are closing again, so I'll blog about using Rekenreks for subtraction tomorrow.  

Remember to change your clocks tonight.  Move them one hour forward.  

And Remember to hop back here on Wed. for the Surprise Give-Away.

See you all tomorrow.

Palma :)