Haven't Forgotten

I haven't forgotten about-cha. I'm trying to figure out how to edit my photos to block my students' faces. Haha! I'm working on it. I think I found a program that might work that came with this computer! :D! Any suggestions would be helpful. Haha!

Simple Kinder Centers Pt. 1

Okay. In the last blog, I said that I was gonna post pictures of my centers. So, I'll start now. :)
Again, let me remind you that I am not a master teacher. I, technically, have not officially taught as a teacher. Since I subbed in kinder for like 8 months, the centers are designed to meet the Common Core Math standards for Kindergarten. These centers are no where nearly as amazing as all of the stuff that teachers post on my favorite website, TpT, or if you follow all of the amazing teachers that post awesome things. Haha! :D But these centers I'm presenting to you are made with things that are in every classroom. I didn't need to make or spend lots of time on them. 


Alright... I'm ready.


First center: Counting

Standards Met When Working by Self:
K.CC.1. Count to 100 by ones and by tens.
K.CC.4. Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

• When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.
• Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.
• Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

Standards When Working with Adult or with Each Other:

K.CC.5. Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects

K.CC.6. Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.

Materials:
21 Plates (I used plates, but some other teachers used cheap place mats or cups or card stock/construction paper)

Permanent Marker

Math Manipulatives (I had an abundance of counting tiles so I used those)

On each plate, I wrote the numbers 0-20 at the center using a permanent marker. Then the student would see the number and count out the math manipulatives to place on the plate. I encouraged my students to have each other check their work before moving on to the next plate.
If I was able to work with the kiddos at this center, I would ask how many questions as well as get the students to compare the numbers. This goes for all the students at the center.

Accommodations:

-For low students: Provide them with a few plates. So, for example, I had a student who can't count past 8 consistently and struggle with one-to-one correspondence. I gave them a different set of plates numbered 0-10, with dots drawn on the plate corresponding with the number (to count to help connect with number recognition and the 1-to-1), and only worked with them on these plates until the student was able to count higher, adding additional numbers as the student improved. At the end of the year, I gave the student the plates to take home in hopes of practicing over the summer.

-For high students: They would receive additional plates with higher numbers, since the kinder standard is to count to 20. If my kiddo mastered counting, I would pull them aside to practice addition and subtraction depending on skill level, using plates and the tiles.

So... yeah... That's it. Pretty simple, huh? Haha! :) This center worked well for me in my classroom and was easy to manipulate to meet the student's needs. 

Wow. It's been a really long time since I've posted. Like, a really long time. As I write this, I'm wrapping up my first year (even though it doesn't count). This year, I started off subbing for a first grade classroom for a teacher that was no longer there. So, I was able to build a classroom with the help of all the amazing teachers and staff at my school. The school I am at is the school where I student taught at. Is there a better place? Haha! Anywho, I taught first grade for six weeks and then was moved to a kindergarten class, where the class was built for me in October. And I've been the long term sub for this class since then. I LOVE IT! Although, this year was really tough with all of the testing and publicity that my school has gotten (and so very thankful for all the support we received). But I wouldn't change it for anything.
But, now the school year is wrapping up (four and a half days with kids, five days I'll be there total) and I've been feeling the pressure build. I want to teach. That is what I want to do. There is no doubt in my mind that THIS is what I want to do.  However, I am coming to my first roadblock that might set me back. There are no places that are hiring. I'm so bummed. But, that's okay. I have learned so much this school year and I'll take it with me where ever I go. I will promise this: I will try to make blogging more of a habit for me. Haha! I follow some really awesome teachers who blog on a regular basis and I hope to be like them one day: teaching and blogging. :) One of my other goals will be to post pictures of the activities I have made this school year. Granted they're not the business. I wasn't able to create elaborate center activities or lesson plans because of the madness. But they're easy enough to whip out whenever and where ever without needing to print things out or anything. Things that can be found around any classroom. I will do my best!

For those who are finishing up their school year, hang in there. And for those that are done... well... :P