Math with Mrs. Spina
GEOMETRY
We begin the year with a geometry unit. While we are learning about polygons, lines, and angles, we also review basic addition and subtraction facts.
Math-related picture books are read aloud and we do related art projects to make math really fun! The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns and Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert are two books with a geometry theme.
PLACE VALUE
Our next math unit is on place value. We learn how to read, write, and say numbers into the millions using standard form and expanded form. We also practice rounding numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand.
Two favorite read-alouds for the place value unit are How Much is a Million? and If You Made a Million both by David M. Schwartz. We write out our own "checks" pretending that we have a thousand dollars to spend. If only it were true!
MULTIPLICATION
After a quick review of multiplication facts, it's on to multiplying numbers into the thousands by ones, tens, and thousands. This is hard work, but it's fun - especially when we try to figure out the mistakes Mrs. Spina "accidentally on purpose" makes on the board.
TIME AND GRAPHS
The next unit is on time and graphs. We have fun playing games that review telling time and figuring out elapsed time. Making graphs is fun, especially when we use data that we collected ourselves! We have a big project that will have us gathering data and making pictographs, bargraphs, histograms, line graphs, and circle graphs.
Mathematics Center: Brain Teasers