Number bonds are my friends... A five on Friday

I thought that the end of the year was exhausting.  Right now I am that exhausted.  Most nights I come home and just stare!  My five for Friday tonight is going to be a little different.



1.  My lower two groups are still working on number bonds.  I now have about half that have got it and the other half are still working on it.  Number bonds are part of Singapore math, but they are a great strategy to use with any common core program



I really love number bonds.  Everything the student needs to add and subtract is at their fingertips.  The two things that my students are still struggling with is where the numbers go (they want to put the whole in a part and one of the parts in the whole) and how to break numbers apart.  A few weeks ago it was our +1 and -1 patterns I thought I would keep dreaming about.  Now it is number bonds.

2.  Addition facts

My higher two groups have been working on addition strategies.  I have found over my years of teaching that students love to tell you the answer and walk away.  I have emphasized even before common core that the answer is the last thing they should think about.  In fact when I taught 5th grade, I gave any work to solve a problem the same points as the answer.  Many students got points for attempting the problem and getting an incorrect answer.  I also find that the stronger students find showing work more difficult and cumbersome.  I really had to emphasize this week that the strategies were more important.

3.  Animals galore

One of our huge units in 1st grade is Animals.  We have been talking about them in preparation for our zoo trip next week.  My students are struggling with what animal lives in the habitat even with color cues, but we have found success with what they eat!


 All my blocks know carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore.  They also know what they mean!!! Sometimes it is the little battles!

4.  Zoo next week!

I am going to be traveling with 98 first graders on a chartered bus 3 hours to the North Carolina Zoo.  It should be an adventure!  Before we would split up the students among the responsible adults in the group.  Now we have to have background checks on all chaperones, so I am going to have a larger group this year!

5.  PBS

No not the station, this is Positive Behavior System.  It does work most of the time, but we have some very challenging students.  Most days I can get them to do what we need to accomplish, other days it seems a wash.  One block of students seem to battle me every day with talking.  Surprise, they are my group for the trip.  I am determined to get these students to the finish line and beyond.  However, why does it have to be this hard?

Crystal