First Grade Footprints with Ms. Craik

Happy Friday family and friends,

Wishing you all a wonderful spring break ahead with your families, and hoping we all continue to see that warmer weather! The students had a wonderful busy week of learning. Huge thank you to all the amazing parents who contributed to our Teacher Treat Day on Wednesday, such a kind gesture. It sure was a busy week with St. Patrick's day, a short week and we even got to see our buddies!

One of our highlights this week was focused around math. Our learning intentions for this are:

Understanding Addition as joining:

I can show that adding means joining two groups together.
I can explain that when I add, the number gets bigger.
I can join two groups of objects to find how many in all.

Representing joining:

I can use counters, cubes, or drawings to show joining.
I can draw a picture to show two groups coming together.
I can act out a joining story with objects or my body.

Writing addition:

I can write a number sentence using + and = to show joining.
I can match a story to an addition sentence.
I can show my thinking using numbers, pictures, and words.

Explaining my thinking:

I can tell a math story about joining.
I can explain how I put groups together to find the answer.
I can share my thinking and listen to others’ ideas.

What Are Joining Situations?

In a joining situation, one amount is joined to another amount. For example, if there are 4 children in a room and 3 more children join them, we can add 4 + 3 to determine the total number of children in the room. This total is called the “sum” or the “whole.”

Showing Addition on a Number Path

A number path can help students visualize the process of addition.

They can use one of the numbers in the addition situation to tell them where to start (or how many steps to take first) and the other number to tell them how many more steps to take.

For example, adding 5 and 3 can look like this on a number path:

Adding on a 10-Frame

Adding counters to a group, perhaps on a 10-frame, can also help students visualize the process of addition.

The counters on this 10-frame show 5 and 3 more.

Using Symbols in Addition

Addition is new to students in Grade 1, even though they have informally experienced joining situations in Kindergarten and earlier in this grade.

Students can use the + symbol to describe addition.

So, 4 and 3 can be written 4 + 3. It is read “4 plus 3” or “4 and 3 more.”

Eventually, students will also use equations such as 4 + 3 = 7 to represent addition, but not in this topic.

Helping Your Child

Joining situations occur frequently in day-to-day life. Whenever you and your child find yourselves in a joining situation involving small numbers, ask your child what is being added.

For example:

If 3 dogs are in a park and 2 more dogs arrive, the addition situation is 3 plus 2.

If 4 people are in a room and 3 more come in, the addition situation is 4 plus 3.

If appropriate, you could work with your child to figure out the sum. Use concrete materials to represent the amounts being added, if it is helpful to do this.

Definitions

10-frame: a grid that can hold 10 counters in 2 rows of 5 squares each; you place one counter in each square to show a particular number