Everyday Math Unit
Collected and Complied by
Jean Granberg
In examination of the present mathematics program that I use here at Olathe Elementary School in Colorado, I see some major "holes" in the 1st grade students' learning. These "holes", I decided were in everyday, common sense math usage. I see a lot of concentration on higher level thinking skills in the Trailblazers curriculum, but not a lot of math that is needed and required to function in everyday society. Since this is a focus of our state curriculum (as found in Education World, State Standards), I saw this as a definite need, and chose to research this aspect for the Fresno Pacific course project. In this project, I have chosen specific objectives that gear the curriculum towards the more practical, everyday math focus. Within this framework, I have included lesson plans, virtual manipulatives (which are a vital part of teaching math), and online games (which tend to be a very effective way to teach younger students math facts). I will attempt to list these resources below. I have also attached the sites under 1st Grade Math Enrichment. As mentioned before, each of these areas is further enriched with online math games. The following sites cover many of the areas listed below.
1) Schweb4free Math Games
2) Math Games
3) Count Us In Games
4) Plug in Harcourt Math
5) Everyday Math Resources
The framework for this math unit was taken from Everyday Math Resources for 1st Grade www.center.k12.mo.us/USTECH/edm/1htm. I chose this site because it appeared to contain the major topics that are needed to teach this type of a mathematics program. The unit includes the following themes:
1) Routines
2) Number Uses
3) Patterns and Counting
4) Measurement/facts
5) Place Value
6) Fact Power
7) Geometry/Attributes
8) Money/Fractions
9) Place Value/Fractions
10) Review
The first and second sections titled Routines and Number Uses,set the stage for the entire unit. It helps the students to enter this everyday math world by setting routines and learning the basics. I didn't embellish this area of the unit at all because I felt that it was sufficient the way that it was. I have to consider the time spent teaching the concepts and the weight of importance of the topics also.
The third section titled Patterns and Counting lent itself to some extra teaching. In this section I included:
Math lessons online:
Mitten Math
Food Coloring Fun: Part 1
Pattern Play
Patterns, Adding and Counting
Counting Fun with Gummi Bears
Counting by 2's
Counting by 3's
Counting by 1's
Counting Using Paint Program
Number Match-Unifix Cubes
Counting with Tally Marks
Virtual Manipulatives: http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/index.html
Color Patterns
# Patterns
Pentominoes
Polyominoes
The fourth section titled Measurement/facts was enriched by the addition of the following:
Math lessons online:
Bean Flick
How Big is a Foot?
Telling Time with the Grouchy Ladybug
How Many Coins in the Jar?
Making Estimations in Measurement
Early to Bed-A Time Game
Fraction Pyramid
Rainbow Fruity Clouds
Virtual Manipulatives:
Attribute Blocks
Attribute Trains
Geoboard
Ladybug Leaf
Ladybug Mazes
Patterns Blocks
Time and Analog Clocks
The fifth area of this unit is Place Value and the following are the internet resources I added to this:
Math lessons online:
Place Value Game
The Plus and Minus Game
Find the Number
Choosing Sides
Place Value Race to 100
Virtual Manipulatives:
Place Value Manipulatives
The six area of this unit includes Fact Power and the following are the additions to this:
Math lessons online:
Number Sentences, Estimation and Graphing
Make the Sum-Math Game
Flowers Counting, Addition and Subtraction
Star Base Subtraction Game
Chalkboard Addition and Subtraction Game
Number Sentences (addition)
Addition Kids
Addition Sandwiches
Virtual Manipulatives:
Base Blocks Addition
Chip Abacus
Color Chips Addition
Number Line Arithmetic
Base Blocks Subtraction
Chip Abacus Subtraction
Diffy Subtraction
Number Line Subtraction
Number Line Bounce Subtraction
The next area is Geometry/Attributes and these are the internet resources that will enhance this unit section:
Math Lessons Online:
Two-Dimensional Objects
The Greedy Triangle
Exploring Geometry with Grade 1
Hokey Pokey with Shapes
Geo-Spider
Virtual Manipulatives:
Congruent Triangles
Geoboard
Geoboard Isometric
Ladybug Mazes
Pattern Blocks
Platonic Solids
Polyominoes
I will enhance the Fractions area by:
Math lessons Online:
Fractions with oranges
Ten Little Black Dots
Very Hungry Caterpillar
Virtual Manipulatives:
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
I plan to use this framework as the main guideline for my math instruction next school year. I will, of course, supplement it with the Trailblazers curriculum that our district has, but does not mandate. I will allow Trailblazers to be the support for the higher level thinking that is the strength of this curriculum.