Addition and Subtraction Mats Make Sense

February 24, 2021February 10, 2023 - The Imagination Space

Number sense? I definitely didn’t have it as child. I sometimes question if I even do now! I never learned to look at numbers as a meaningful part of my day until I needed to double check a calculation on a pay check. I honestly spent a large part of my early elementary years confused with catchy subtraction reminders like “bottom bigger, better borrow” and “When the big one’s on the top, no need to stop. When the big one’s on the floor, go next door.” Say what?! When I heard “big one’s on the floor, go next door” in my 7 year old world, it meant to run to the neighbor for help ’cause someone took a fall. For real!

Number sense is a student’s ability to understand numbers and use them flexibly. I’m fully convinced that understanding math is not about memorizing catchy phrases or passively receiving information. Learning math is about experiencing, using all the senses. As educators, we know number sense develops as children grow through actively engaging with numbers. Days spent purposefully asking questions about numbers help to provide this foundation. As a parent, frequently ask your child to count, estimate, and perform mental math. Involve them in discussions about different ways to find answers to math problems. In this way, some children will really grow to love math because it’s fun (huh?!) and reliable.

A large part of focus during my son’s foundational years was math experiences. Nothing intense that involved actual pencil and paper. We spent a lot of time looking at numbers-taking numbers apart and putting them back together. We counted objects, discussed prices and quantities, made estimations, etc. I use Elizabeth Hainstock’s Teaching Montessori In the Home: The Preschool Years as a guide for early math learning. In this book, she discusses the importance of sensory experiences in mathematics. I tried to provide these as a part of our routine, creating number rods and sandpaper numbers.

But what happens when you want to transition mental math into a pencil and paper drill? Double digit subtraction lends itself well to this idea of “showing your work.” I created two simple math mats for addition and subtraction problems. Once he had manipulatives to work with, he understood the connection to the marks he was making on the paper. We’ve used these base ten blocks from day one!

Need a little help getting started? Get your FREE math mat right here! Yay! It’s simple and awesome. I know because I made it 🙂

Below is an example of how I use the mats with a subtraction problem. We’ll use 57-39. I ALWAYS ask students to build the minuend (the first number in the subtraction problem) with the base ten blocks FIRST in order to help them understand that there isn’t enough ones to take away 9. After they’ve built the number with the base ten blocks, allow them to explore it. This is their sensory experience! Take a minute to brainstorm ways to solve this problem. Point out that there isn’t enough ones. Ask for ideas, suggestions, and input. Next, review the positions of the tens and ones place on the math mat. Place the cubes above the numbers as shown here. Demonstrate where to correctly write each digit on the mat.

Next write the subtrahend (39, what’s being taken away) underneath in the correct boxes. Remind students that the number on the top of the ones column (7) is fewer than the (9) and that we can’t take 9 away from 7. Explain that you’ll have to “borrow” a ten rod from the 5 that’s in the tens place.

Get ready, Math Genuises! This is when the magic happens! When students remove a ten rod, mark out the 5 and write in number 4. Replace the ten rod with 10 units above the ones column. At the same time, have them mark a “1” in front of the number 7. Have them count all the ones units to confirm that there are now 17.

Talk this up, peeps! “Wow! Look at that! You have 17 ones. See how wrote a “1” here to show that you borrowed a ten? Now you have 17 ones!” Brainstorm with students what to do next before moving on. Demonstrate the actual subtraction happening by moving 3 rods and 9 units down. Count what is left at the top. Draw an arrow down to show students where to place the answer. Explain how to subtract from the ones column first.

And just like that. Math = fun and reliable!

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“On The Go” Activity with Word Building Suitcases

October 1, 2020February 10, 2023 - The Imagination Space

Quack. Snack. Paddy-Whack~

Word Families have a special place in my heart! I can actually remember sitting in my kindergarten class, eagerly spinning a handmade paper wheel. You know the one, right? With each spin, a new letter would appear inside the box. I’d sit there and try to decide if the new letter would create a word. If it didn’t, it would still provide some entertainment with whatever silly word it created. As a teacher, I use this entertainment factor to my advantage. When students create one of these “nonsense words,” I really play it up Dr. Seuss style. “What’s that you say- can I borrow your sop wop?” Or “Away with that smelly yat, you zat!” -Insert 5 year olds laughing and believing you’re the coolest person they’ve ever met!

These Word Building Suitcases are made up of 20 different word bases, or “word families.” Word Families are groups of words that have common patterns, with similar sounds and letters. Teaching word families is an essential part of reading instruction. They are one of the easiest, most enjoyable ways to develop great readers! We’ve all heard the new reader, slowly sounding out words letter-by-letter. It’s adorable when it’s your own child, but the listening requires lots of patience. Read: A LOT of patience. Word families work to make magic happen here, as they help children start to pay attention to patterns that are found in words. Training children to read words in “chunks” improves their ability to read more fluently. And what do you know?! They soon begin to sound less like a robot! Score!

If you’re just introducing the concept of a Word Family to your students or child, you may want to explain that while all families are different these words are a “family”- and have the same last name and live in the same house. I enjoy letting the students decide what kind of house this will be and draw it large on the white board or chart paper. Leave a blank line in front of the word base. Write the word base at least 5 times inside the house. You can make a letter choice box at the top of the paper, as some students may have difficulty thinking of letters to try at first. Experiment with adding different letters in front of the word base and practice reading the new word with your students. To make this more interactive, have students sort the words you create as either Real or Nonsense Words. Download the word chart to get started!

You can easily extend this activity by having students write a sentence and draw a picture to match what they wrote!

Picture Books from the Past: Unexpected Magic

May 29, 2020February 10, 2023 - The Imagination Space

“Wake up, children,” she called kindly. “Time to get up now. You’ve slept long enough. Spring is coming and there’s work to be done…”

I found myself searching through picture books in the library one spring day. There were several books around, but most of them all had the same look – the look of “new,” with bright colors and cartoonish characters dancing across the pages as images we’ve seen over and over again. This time, I was looking for something different. It just so happened that there WAS a special book mixed in with the “new,” and I found it that day just by chance.

Who were these precious little faces on the front cover looking back at me?! They were delightful! As I flipped through the pages, I was swept away in the pictures of the Root Children, as they bring flowers to decorate the Earth above. The Story of the Root Children, written over 100 years ago, still holds beauty for the children of today. Sibylle Von Olfers, a 19^th century German author, wrote this simple, creative story of spring. The Root Children are awakened by Mother Earth. They make their gowns, paint the beetles and bugs, then go above ground with flowers to play until autumn arrives again.

The uncomplicated beauty of The Story of the Root Children resonates with me. The tone is warm and maternal, expressive of how nature works together to care for each new season of life. I’m inspired by her natural, gentle drawings, which are in stark contrast to the almost over-stimulating styles of today. As I read, I experience the childlike simplicity of times past.

Why expose your children to books written in the distant past? They are full of REAL imagination! What you’re seeing on the pages before you wasn’t contrived from modern day books and movies. There were no magical special effects. It is from the mind of someone relying only on what they’ve experienced; and I find it far less complicated than some books being written today.

When finished, it’s a compilation of the time it represents. This is important in our culture of children who have grown up in our smartphone kind of world. Through older books, you can take them out of that, even for just a few moments, and help them appreciate a simpler approach to entertainment. These books hold the feeling of the days in which they were written, and so much can be learned from this experience.

Never forget the magic a picture book holds for a child. Do you want your child to be a better reader? Reading to your child is one of the best things you can do to help them, as they are given the chance to hear language sounds and learn new vocabulary words. Picture books give your child access to some of the most talented, creative authors and illustrators throughout history. They can open a window for artistic expression. If properly chosen, picture books can even present the child a different time and cultural experience. Rich, adventure-filled literature adds to their sense of wonder and sparks a curiosity that is sometimes lost in today’s culture.

Interested in more by Sibylle von Olfers? You should be! She has written several other books, all of which are endearing. Own them all to create an exciting Author’s Study for your little ones! Promise, they will awaken your soul as the adventures unfold. Here’s my take on a few of them. 🙂

The Story of the Snow Children (1905) This was an easy purchase for me after falling head over heels for this author. The main character, Poppy, wears an eye-catching cape throughout the story (it’s a dead ringer for Little Red Riding Hood’s!) As she is staring out the window one snowy day, she sees that the snowflakes are really little Snow Children! She goes on an adventure with them, as they whisk her away to the Snow Queen’s wintry kingdom.

The Story of the Rabbit Children (1906) Say whaaat?! These children are seriously in adorable brown rabbit suits. I can’t even! So, when the hunter’s children (the bunny suit clan) fall out of their cradle in the woods, a mother rabbit cares for them. She lovingly makes them rabbit suits to keep them warm and they become BFF’s with her rabbit children. As the hunter searches for his children, he comes across some rabbits, which run away in fear. But his ever-so-keen dog Spot notices there’s something familiar about these little rabbits and rounds them chil’rens right up!

The Story of Little Billy Bluesocks (1906) This charming story tells about a day in the life of an adventure-seeking little boy. On each page, you’ll find Little Billy Bluesocks as he is going through the day doing various tasks. He wakes up, plants a seed, feeds the rabbits, plays on the seesaw with his dog, picks apples, has a delicious supper, and finally goes to bed. Thumbs up! Sounds like a life well lived, Little Billy.

The Princess in the Forest (1909) The princess lives in a castle in the forest. I’m sure you all know the type. She’s like the forest creature whisperer and her day begins when the dew maids come to help her wash and dress. It’s like a dream come true, really.

The Story of the Wind Children (1910) Poor Little George is desperate for some wind to make his boat sail. The darling little wind child shows up and blows the boat just for him, the lucky chap. Then they are off on a great adventure, as the wind child blows dandelions in the meadows, shakes apples from the tree, blows the leaves around, and eventually blows George back home on a cloud.

The Story of the Butterfly Children (1910) This is just a precious little story of all things that flitter and fly! The butterfly folk live in a kingdom of beautiful gardens. The butterfly children frolic and sing all day long with the caterpillars. They can hardly wait until spring, when they will finally get their wings. First, they must learn about the many brightly colored flowers in the kingdom, so they can take part in the flying procession of peacock, swallowtail, red admiral, and many other butterflies.

The Story of King Lion (1912) As you might expect, King Lion is having a feast. All his animal subjects bring their favorite meal — saltwater lemonade from the fish, snail sausages from the hedgehog, and thistle salad from the donkey. But which dish will King Lion like the best? You have to read it to find out! This tale from the animal kingdom is told in rhyming verses, which really add to the excitement.