Beginning Addition Stick Book

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Beginning Addition Sticker Book

This is one of the easiest small group addition activities you can imagine. All you need is folded copy paper or folded construction paper, whatever manipulative you have on hand and stickers from the Dollar Tree! I like to provide a number line in case a student, at this point is still uncertain about how they make one of the numerals.

Usually, I try to find enough paper in the scrap bin to fold together enough booklets. If nothing available an appropriate size, fold copy paper into 4 parts and staple together enough pages to make the tiny booklets.

Students add a title and their name

Simple blank tiny booklet

See if you can make the cover out of construction paper and perhaps the inside pages from colored copy paper. This puts a bit of a different take on simply folding white paper to make a tiny booklet. It adds a bit of new interest and something different, which children enjoy.

 Decide the addition sum you want the children to manipulate and explore with this project. This blog shows my students when we make addition equations with 5 objects. I was looking for the formation of the numbers, understanding and use of the operation signs + and = as well as correct use and meaning of math vocabulary – add, plus, equal.

Use number lines if needed for identification and
formation assistance.

The main goal is to have a lively discussion about why and what they are doing! If some are having trouble with the vocabulary or identifying a numeral, please take the time to talk through with examples and having the students be actively talking about their thinking.

Take the time now to assess each student’s understanding and fluency. If a student is not clear on something, continue to engage in a positive way. Being able to use correct vocabulary and manipulate the numbers to make 5 (or whichever number you are doing) is basic and fundamental to the next development skill. It may seem like so much trouble, as you are off your schedule, but that extra 5 minutes will better ensure, that student will be ready to move with the class when you go to a deeper level.

Busy worker!

After we did addition facts of 5, we made a new book called, Beginning Family of 5 Subtraction Book. This way they could see the idea of fact families and number bonding. We used the same manipulative so there would be another tie with remembering the prior addition fact family.

Click the video to see the lesson in action

When we have discussed the terms number family and number bonds, this activity leads to a Number Bonds Book for 5 and placed in the math center as an independent or partner activity. Be sure they have had many experiences as a class about building and manipulating the number bond frames before using as an independent activity or at your math center.

Hope you got some ideas from reading this post. Check out more of my ideas on my TPT store. 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Make-Math-Magicic

Click my Pinterest link to find more easy to make and use ideas.

https://www.pinterest.com/jhmans1/pins/

More Measurement Fun With Paper Clips

Welcome to My  Blog Post!!

More Measurement Fun

With Paper Clips

Paper clips come in many sizes and colors

 Do you wish your students could experience more hands-on activities with easy prep? In this posting, I hope to generate ideas about using paper clips

as a manipulative, since they are easily accessible in your classroom.

--> You may have regular jumbo and regular size paper clips and/or those sizes in color. It is interesting to see students make assumptions and predictions about the measurement unit if they are different in color or size.

Small clips

Jumbo clips

 Same object but two different sizes of paper clips. What do you notice?

A few things to consider when measuring paper clips or any other unit of measurement:

1. Review and establish how to measure an object, such being sure to line up the paper clip or any unit of measure so they touch end to end, with no gaps or overlaps between objects.

2. Give time at this point, for questions and clarification of how to properly use any measuring tool, and specifically paper clips.

3. If you believe it would be beneficial, do a practice measurement as a group before having them work on the activity.

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 4. Do you wish to use the activity as the whole group, small group, partner or independent work, math center or another idea that works for you?

How tall? colored clips

Color clips--How tall?

       Measuring the height of objects with colored clips.

Both jumbo and small clips

Ask the students to estimate about how many (large or small) paper clips the pattern block might be. Can they prove their estimate is close? Does that estimate change when you use large clips versus the small clips? I love to hear the students discuss their estimation and prediction thinking prior to the actual measurement. Assess by asking-do they use what they learned when they estimate the next time?

Gathering Materials

Gather the materials you want to use and put in containers. If you are having small groups, make sure you have containers for each of those groups. If you are later using as a math center, you will not need as many containers. I usually have a separate container for each size/kind of paper clip and a container for the materials to measure, which I put on each table if doing a whole class group lesson.

Record Observations

Have the children record their finding on the recording sheet. If they have journals, they could glue them into their journals. They love to find their own objects and do the activity with those objects. If no more space on this record sheet, they could use the blank sheet.

These are the recording sheets available to use. 

Think of other ways you can incorporate measurement into other math skills such as addition, subtraction, estimation, prediction, etc. You can use the same materials and add the extension activity to include addition and/or subtraction by asking them ‘How many total paper clips long or tall are 2 of your measured objects -Write an equation to show your thinking.’ A subtraction extension might be ‘ Which of those objects if taller (or longer? How much taller or longer? Write an extension to prove it.’

*Another idea I have done if make the activity a comparison estimation. Let’s say after you have measured a glue stick, the goal is to find something else in the room they estimate to be about the same number of paper clips long or tall.