Kindergarten Kindergarten

Math Problem Solving: Exploring Capacity

Kids have a lot of misconceptions about capacity, and they can really only be cleared up through hands-on exploration.

Sadly, I don't think they get opportunities for this like we did when we were kids. Instead of playing in a sand box or with cups and bowls in the bathtub, kids are playing with iPads and Wii's. And so many districts (mine included) are taking away sand and water tables from kindergarten, in favor of more "rigor." Because of this, kids are not building the schema necessary to understand more abstract concepts about capacity.

So please, please give your kids lots of time to explore by filling up cups with water, sand, rice, beans, cubes...whatever you have! If you are lucky enough to still have a sand or water table, it is the perfect excuse to use it. Don't let anyone tell you it's not "rigorous"!

Day 1

I start my unit by showing a quick little powerpoint, to get a discussion started.

You can download the PPT by clicking the link below:

Download Will an Elephant fit in a Bathtub

The kids are able to quickly give the correct answers. But I push them--I want to know why! (Because the blue bucket holds a lot more than the red cup, so you won't need as many bucketfuls. It will be quicker...)

Then I show the kids several bottles, cups and other containers and have them put them in order from what would hold the least to most amount of water (smallest to largest capacity). I make sure it is very obvious which containers hold more/less water. I'll make it trickier soon enough!

Finally, I have the kids draw and label something in their math journals that would hold more water than their water bottles...a milk jug, a pitcher, a vase, a lake, the swimming pool, the ocean... They usually come up with some good ones!

Day 2

NOTE: We do not record anything in our journals for this "problem". We are going to play with water, and water + math journals = very, very stressed teacher. So the math journals stay safely tucked away, warm and dry. Don't be afraid of the water, though. Clearly lay out your expectations (Please keep as much of the water in the containers as possible, no splashing, etc). Bring a couple of big towels to school. Clear off your tables and let them explore!

So on Day 1, I made it very obvious which containers had larger and smaller capacities. On Day 2, it gets a little trickier! I tell the kids that I am really thirsty and show them 2 cups.

The obvious answer would be the blue cup. It is much smaller than the green cup and will, therefore, hold much less water. But then (insert evil laugh here), I show them the red cup...

Now the answer is not so obvious! The kids usually guess that the green cup holds more, because it is "bigger" (taller). But I tell them I want to know for sure--how are they going to prove it? I do not show them how to figure it out. I give each table a green cup, a red cup, and a tub of water. I also leave out a variety of other containers, including some small dixie cups, and tell them they can use whatever they want to try and figure the problem out. I let them work together and discuss their various ideas. And I push them in the right direction with questions only when I think they need it.

There are several strategies the kids can use. The most obvious is to fill up one cup, and then pour it in the other to see if there's room left or if it overflows. Another would be to use the smaller dixie cups to see how many it takes to fill each cup and compare the answers. Another yet would be to fill up both cups and then pour them into a common container to compare.

Your job as a teacher is to guide them. Tell me what you're doing? Why did you decide to do that? What does that tell you? What are you going to do next? (And only when they're completely stuck) What would happen if...?

So which cup do you think has the larger capacity? It turns out that they're pretty darn close, but the red cup holds just a few ounces more.

The most important part of this investigation is the discussion afterwards. Have the kids demonstrate what they did and talk about what worked and what didn't. Which cup had the larger capacity? WHY??? The green cup is taller, shouldn't it hold more? (Ahh...but the red cup is wider.) Remember--kids learn from each other so much better than they learn from us!

Day 3

Here's a chance for kids to learn about capacity and practice their estimating skills at the same time. You can use cubes, or cups of beans, or any other unit of measurement you like.

Day 4

For this activity, I give the kids a variety of containers. The dollar store is a great place to get them. (Like you need another excuse to go to the Dollar Store!) Do not make the answer obvious (i.e. make sure the containers do not fit one inside the other like measuring cups.) Make sure some are tall and some are wide, so the kids will actually have to fill them with beans to place them in order.
 

We use little plastic "Dixie" type cups to measure. Don't make the containers so large that it becomes frustrating for the kids. See the square sandwich container below? It actually holds the same amount as...

...this cylinder take-out container. It's true. Even I had to fill them up with beans before I would believe it!

If you can get your hands on some graduated cylinders from your science lab, the kids LOVE them. Just make sure you have a variety of shapes and sizes.

Day 5

More practice comparing capacities. I do not tell the kids what to do. I let them decide the best way to figure out which one holds more.

Challenge Problem

This is a very abstract and challenging problem!

But every year, I have several kids who can handle it. So I'm giving it to you in case you can use it. By the time we do our measurement unit, we've already covered quite a bit of basic joining and separating--so we have a solid foundation, already. This is a classic Join, Change Unknown problem. Once again, I do not tell or show the kids how to figure the problem out--I just guide them with my questions.

This is a really fun unit, for both the kids and the teacher. So take a deep breath, and...

Let them play!

And the Gold Medal goes to...

So are you all as excited about the Summer Olympics as I am? I love them! I've pretty much been glued to my TV the past few days watching swimming and gymnastics and soccer...not to mention David Beckham, James Bond and the Queen!

And it got me thinking--I could have been an Olympic Athlete. Except I usually want to die after just 1 Zumba class. But if there were such a thing as Kindergarten Teacher Olympics...I would be on that podium for sure!

So here are just a few of the events I think we would all qualify for...

 

What's you record? Once, I laminated enough to stretch all the way down the kindergarten hallway! And then I cut it all out. Yeah--I got a blister. But I'm dedicated that way.

 

Don't laugh. This takes talent! It's just as much of a "sport" as some of the real Olympic events. (I won't mention specifics, but if you can be more out of shape than me and still win a gold medal, it's not really a sport.)

 

Because when we need to, we can get somewhere really fast...using our walking feet...possibly pulling a 6 year-old with a bloody nose behind us. Let's see Usain Bolt pull that off (in cute shoes).

 

So the Olympic version includes pistol shooting, fencing, swimming, horse jumping and running. The kindergarten version includes putting a band-aid on a skinned knee, tying a shoe, breaking up a fight, finishing your lunch, and monitoring 100 or so kids on the playground. But we do all 5 events at the same time--SUCKAS!

 

This is the premier event. Kindergarten teachers can go for hours without using the bathroom. And we should get difficulty points, because we're usually drinking a Sonic Route 44 Diet Coke while doing it.

So, in honor of all of the incredible US athletes competing in the Olympics, and in honor of all of us Kinder Teachers--who compete in our very own sort of Olympics every day, I say....

So what events do you think should be added to the Kindergarten Teacher Olympics? I'll bring it up to the IKOC (International Kindergarten Olympics Committee).

 

Building Your Classroom Library

So you think you don't have enough books to start Reading Workshop...

Well, I bet you do! Really think about how many books you have--I bet it's more than you think! But if you're wanting to expand your classroom library, and don't have bucketfuls of money to spend, here are a few ideas:

Talk to Your Principal

If you are truly interested in starting Reading Workshop and feel like you need more books, talk to your principal. Show him the research that supports it. Tell him your plan. You might be surprised. There may be some extra money that he is itching to spend! (It wouldn't take that much. You can get a 50 book collection from Scholastic for under $200). Or, there may be a stash of books hiding somewhere in your school that you can use to beef up your library. (Of course, I do realize that your principal might, indeed, be a female. Same thing applies).

If you never ask, the answer will always be NO!

Be Smart!

Spend your money wisely. Think about what kinds of books you want to buy. I like to focus on just a few types of books at a time, until I have enough of those to make a whole basket. For example, right now, I'm looking specifically for Frog and Toad books,  Mem Fox books and Ezra Jack Keats books. But I don't need anymore Dr. Seuss or Clifford books, so I won't waste my money on those.

I really try to buy the best quality literature that I can--stories that kids will fall in love with and can learn from! I would rather have one Kevin Henkes book than 3 Disney Princess or Transformer books.

Choose paperbacks whenever possible. They're cheaper, take up less space in your baskets and are easy to repair.

Use Scholastic Book Club Points!

I've gotten more books from Scholastic than from anywhere else--either for free or really cheap. Even when I worked in lower-income schools, my parents still ordered from Scholastic. Not only do I love the free books, but I truly believe that it's an excellent way for families to get good quality books for a reasonable price. And research shows that the more books children have in their homes, the better readers they become. So it's win-win!

I do everything I can possibly do to get bonus points. Sometimes, if I order just one more book on my book order, I can get 500 more points. They have special deals and promotions all year long--pay attention and get those points! I get free books with every single order I place!

When you order you books, either with points or money--look for the special packs of books. For example, last year, I got 5 Karma Wilson bear books for $18. I also like their non-fiction, sight word and phonics book packs.

Speaking of Scholastic--Have you even been to one of their warehouse sales? OMG. That's all I'll say. Check {here} to see if or when there's a warehouse sale near you.

Buy Used Books

Check garage sales, library sales and used book stores for used books.

I get a lot of books from Half Price Books. And they have a teacher discount and special teacher appreciation days, as well.

Beg

I'm not afraid to do it. Ask friends to donate the books their children have outgrown to your class. What if your friends only have extra copies of Fifty Shades of Grey lying around? Ask them to donate them anyway. Take those books and sell them to Half-Price Books and then buy children's books with the money!

When your parents ask you what you need for your classroom, tell them--BOOKS!

Add an Amazon wishlist to your class blog or website.

Ask for books in lieu of Christmas and teacher appreciation gifts (Come on--do you really need another scented candle or mug?)

Check-out Reading A-Z.com

They have fiction and non-fiction leveled readers to print and assemble. Your school or district might already have a subscription. And if not, they have a 7 day FREE TRIAL. Click {here} to check it out!

Make lots of Class Books

These are always some of the most popular books in my library! And they are FREE.

 

Use the Books from your Adopted Reading Series

I use the leveled readers, anthologies and trade books that came with mine. I put a piece of painter's tape on spine so I can easily keep track of which books belong to the school and which ones belong to me. And check around for old, out of adoption books. We seem to get a new reading series every few years, and thus have an abundance of books. I snag them from the first grade teachers when they want to get rid of them.

Make Lots of Charts and Posters

I think it's good to have a variety of things for kids to read. They love getting pointers and reading the various charts and posters around the room.

Submit a Project to Donors Choose

I know lots of tecahers who have gotten some pretty amazing things for their classrooms this way!

Want a Free Magazine Subscription?

Every year, I send home the flyers from Highlights magazine. If you get enough of them back (and the parents don't actually have to subscribe--they can say no!), you get to choose a free gift. They have lots of cool stuff, but I always go for the free subscription! I've gotten a free subscription to High Five for the past 3 years. (I like it better than Highlights for emergent readers). Click {here} if you want to try it.

So, in the next few days, I will post a sneak peek of how I organize my classroom library and talk about the kinds of books I like to start the year off with. And if you have any great ideas of how to get books, please leave a comment. We would all love to hear it!

Happy Reading!

Draw * Write * Now Books

Like many of you, I've been reading In Pictures and In Words by Katie Wood Ray this summer.

And it's really made me realize just how important the illustrations are in kids' writing!

Even before kids are actually writing "words," they are creating incredible stories through their pictures! That's why I was excited when Barker Creek products sent me a set of their Draw * Write * Now books by Marie Hablitzel and Kim Stitzer.

Have you seen these? They are colorful books that show kids (and, ahem, adults) how to draw all sorts of things--from animals to people to much more. As you can see, the directions are colorful, clear and easy enough for even kindergartners to follow.

I love them, because not only to they show step-by-step directions for drawing specific items, they teach kids how to add a background and details to make their pictures even better.

Don't misunderstand me--I am completely against showing kids one way, and one way only to draw something. I would never want to stifle a child's own creativity. But these books give kids the tools and the confidence to create their own drawings!

There are 8 books available:

Book One: On the Farm, Kids and Critters, Storybook Characters

Book Two: Christopher Columbus, Autumn Harvest, The Weather

Book Three: Native Americans, North America, The Pilgrims

Book Four: The Polar Regions, The Arctic, The Antarctic

Book Five: The United States, From Sea to Sea, Moving Forward

Book Six: Animals & Habitats: On Land, Ponds and  Rivers, Oceans

Book Seven: Animals of the World, Part 1: Forest Animals

Book Eight: Animals of the World, Part 2: Grassland and Desert Animals

As you can see, they would be great to integrate into science and social studies units. I can already see some awesome science journal pages.

They also include text for handwriting practice and lots of fun facts.

I plan on doing specific lessons from the books with my kids throughout the year. I also plan on putting all of the books in my art center, where I'm sure they will be well-loved!

So head on over to Barker Creek, and check out these books, and all of the other great products they have for teachers!

Kindergarten Reading Workshop: Questions and Answers

Wow!

I got a lot of questions about Reading Workshop after my post about it. I've tried my best to answer the questions below, but my thoughts are kind of all over the place this morning! I've only been doing Reading Workshop for 2 years now, and I am definitely still learning--and still tweaking! I'm going to do a whole series of posts over the next year, and I'll answer these questions a lot more in depth then. But for now, here goes: 

Susan asked: Can you tell me how you set up your classroom to be able to supply so many books? 

My library is a mish-mash of books collected over the last few years and includes books I've bought, had donated, gotten free from book-orders, books I've made, and trade books from our reading series. My next Reading Workshop post will be about setting up the classroom library and I'll give lots of details, then. So check back soon!

The students were really able to pick a book that was on their level, and read the whole time?

Yes...But not on day one!

Or week one. It takes a lot of time, specific mini-lessons to teach the expectations and lots and lots of practice/feedback. Remember, reading can be reading the pictures, reading the words or re-telling a familiar story. So at the beginning of the year, you might see most of the kids looking at the pictures, making up a story to go along with them, trying to remember and tell the story in their own words, reading familiar books that they've memorized or reading very simple, predictable texts. Any of the Reading Workshop gurus will tell you that is authentic reading! As the year goes on, and their reading skills improve, the kids will transition into actually reading the words.

Also (and this is a biggie!), although the kids are reading for 30-40 minutes at a time by the end of the year, at the beginning, they might read for 5. It's called building stamina, and the 2 Sisters do an excellent job of telling you how to do that step-by-step in the Daily Five.

Independently choosing "just-right" books is a skill that must be taught and practiced over time. I generally check my kids' book boxes once a week. I have them make piles of their too easy, too hard and just right books. Then I have them read a little from each book to confirm. The kids can then adjust their piles and see for themselves how many are actually "just-right". If they are really struggling, we go over to the library together and I guide them as they choose new books. It takes time, but they get it eventually!

Liz asked--What does the rest of your literacy program look like?

Reading Workshop is the bulk of my literacy program. But remember, it includes a read-aloud, mini-lesson, small groups, individual reading conferences, response time and share time. I do a separate writing workshop (which is a whole post on its own!)

Jonelle asked: Do you teach all day?

Yes! We go to school from 7:45-2:45. 30 minutes for lunch, 20 for recess, 50 for special areas. The rest is all mine.

How long is your reading workshop block?

My Reading Workshop block is about an hour and 15 minutes long (depending on the day!)

What does your reading workshop look like if you are not doing Daily 5? What books do you use?

It's very similar to the Daily 5, but technically I only do 4 (because writing workshop is its own separate time and is very heavily based on Lucy Caulkins). The different components of my Reading Workshop aren't as defined or formal as they are in the Daily 5 (for example, listening to reading is just another choice my kids have during "Read to Buddy" time). I've kind of taken lessons from Growing Readers, Revisiting the Reading Workshop, the Daily 5 and even blogs and combined them into my own version. And it's definitely still evolving!

Little People Learn asked: I wonder how you manage, plan, differentiate and control kids during the reading sessions.

This changes throughout the year. In the beginning, while kids are still building their stamina and learning expectations, the workshop has a lot more structure (as in I tell the kids what to do!) But by the end of the year, the kids have a lot more freedom. They choose what they read, where they read, how they respond, etc. Management is no harder (and actually probably easier) than trying to manage kids (and rotate them) in literacy centers or stations.

Differentiation is the easy part, because the kids are all reading books and responding to them at their own level. Nobody is being forced to do a center activity that is way too easy (or hard) for them.

Do you group them?

I do not group the kids while they are reading. I still pull groups, similar to guided reading groups. However, the groups are flexible and based on specific needs. For example, I might pull a group to work on using letter clues to decode new words, and those kids will most likely be on the same reading level. But the next day, I might pull a group to work on making inferences, and those kids might be on a wide range of reading levels. I pull groups a lot more in the first half of the year than I do the last half (when I mostly do individual conferences).

How about the kids who are not familiar with phonics?

I still teach phonemic awareness and phonics. I just do not devote a huge chunk of time to it. I do a lot of mini-lessons and quick activities during our morning meeting as well as when when I pull small groups. And there is a word-work component to Reading Workshop. My kids do a combination of sight word work and phonics (this year, I'm trying Words Their Way...I'll let you know how it goes). But when it comes down to it, kids learn to read by reading, and though phonics can be helpful, it should NOT be the biggest part of your reading instruction.

Elissa asked: I am curious on the books the kids read--is it literature or leveled readers?  I have a district mandated reading series. 

Both! I have a large variety of reading materials for my kids to choose from. They are categorized by author, genre, theme, and yes, even by level. I also have a reading series, but luckily, we are not required to do the lessons from the TE's (as a matter of fact, my district encourages a reading workshop format and offers trainings and even mentoring for it!) But even though I don't use the TE's or workbooks, I put the books (the leveled readers, the trade books and even the anthologies) in my library!

I am assuming the mini lessons are things like phonics, etc???

Not necessarily. Most of the mini-lessons are either on workshop procedures (choosing a just-right book, what a good-reader does...) or on comprehension!

Leah asked: I do Readers Workshop in my classroom and have for the past two years.  My big problem is getting the kids to actually be engaged during their independent reading time.  Most of my students would tell you that they don't like Readers Workshop.  HELP!!!!  How can I help my kids love this awesome part of their day?

I would say don't give up and try it again this year! Make sure you start off with just a small amount of independent reading time and then increase it gradually. Make sure the kids have a wide variety of books and other reading materials to choose from and feel success with. Make sure you put a big emphasis on share time--kids LOVE to talk about what they read.

Holly asked: OK reading workshop- Do you think it will work with 30 students?

YES! It will be much easier to manage than literacy centers!  (And Bless your heart! 30? Wow!)

*******************************************************************************************

I have a feeling this post may have created as many questions as it answered. But--we can answer the new ones together! I really hope you all will join me here in the coming year. I am going to document what I'm doing in my own room. But I would love to hear from YOU as well! Don't be afraid to jump in and answer a question or respond to a comment from someone. We can help each other--share what works, what doesn't, resources we find, etc.

We can create a whole community of teachers embarking on a Reading Workshop Adventure!

So, I'll start on Thursday with a post about where I got my books, so if you have any great ideas about where to get books, get ready to share! See you then!

Tel Me More Linky Party

I'm linking up with Step into Second Grade for this linky party...

Because I know you're dying to know more about me. Right? So you want my "quirks"? Here they are!

10 Things you Never Wanted to Know About Me

1. I live in Austin, TX but I left my heart in San Francisco (I used to live and teach there).

2. I love, love, love, love, love my Kindle Fire. I can't go anywhere without it. I read on it, watch movies and TV on it, check my e-mail and my Pinterest and my Facebook on it, play Words with Friends on it...it's basically the most awesome thing ever.

 

3. I play too much Words with Friends. I scored 84 points on the word hazy last week. (And yet...I still lost that game).

4. I love to read. This has been the "Summer of Fluff". I have read lots of books, but nothing very deep. I keep saying that my next book is going to be really deep and meaningful...then I end up reading another young adult dystopian future book again.(Darn you Hunger Games!) I just finished Insurgent by Veronica Roth.

5. I've read every Jane Austen book at least 3 times. Have you read all of her books? You should. She's funny and romantic and she was actually making some pretty bold statements about social class and the role of women in Regency England. She was the Nora Ephron of the early 1800's. And come on...Mr. Darcy!! (You can get all her books FREE on the Kindle. So do it!!)

6. My Starbucks drink is a Grande Black Tea Latte with six pumps of classic syrup. It is NOT good for me.

7. When I'm around my friends, I listen to really cool music. (But when I'm alone, in my house, I sing and dance around to the Backstreet Boys, Justin Bieber and the soundtrack to the Little Mermaid.)

8. I'm still waiting for my Mr. Darcy. (In other words, I'm single). I think Jane Austen would think I'm a spinster! I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I spend most if my time either with 5 year-olds, in Hobby Lobby, listening to Justin Bieber or watching reality TV on my couch? Hmmm....

9. I have the cutest dog in the world. Don't argue...

10. I am starting at a new school this year and I'm scared! I feel like I'm 5 years old and am starting kindergarten for the first time. Will they like me? Will I make friends? Will they have toys there? Insert worried face {here}.

My Very First Monday Made it

So...I'm in the mood for some Linky Party Action, so I'm gonna do TWO today! I'm linking up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It party--because you know I love to get my craft on!

I am so excited about my Big Scissors!

I put the pencil there so you can see just how BIG they are!

I bought them at Hobby Lobby in their wood aisle. They were $7.99--but I had a 50% off coupon--so they were only $3.50. I painted them red and gray, and then added some silver paint to bling them up. Then I sanded them to add some age and put a coat of Mod Podge on top. Took me 30 minutes at the most! Seriously, who doesn't need a big pair of scissors hanging on their wall?

I'm going to hang them over my art center (which I'm changing form yellow to red this year)--right over those letters.

Super Cute Big Scissors! (It takes so very little to make me happy). So run to Hobby Lobby right now and pick up your very own big scissors. And don't forget your coupon...

I think I might need an intervention...

Seriously. I bought more plastic storage at Dollar Tree today. Why??? I have enough! But look at how cute and colorful and practical it is! I can find stuff to put in it later, right?

Besides, they were only a dollar. Each. They were only a dollar each. (Do you realize how fast "only a dollar each" adds up???)

I seem to be hoarding this stuff, and I don't know why! If a zombie attack ever happens, I'm gonna be ready. With lots and lots of cute, colorful, practical storage.

I need storage for my storage.

(Somebody help me!)

School Tools Emergent Reader and Sight Word Set--YAY!

I finally finished my latest full-color emergent reader and sight word set for my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

School Tools Emergent Reader and Sight Word Set     $5.00

I really love this one. It's an emergent reader, with a simple, repetitive pattern: Look at the ____. But you also have the option of including pages that teach children the expectations for using all of their school tools--perfect for the beginning days of school.

The illustrations are bright and engaging...

Included is:

• A full-color emergent reader
• A reproducible black-line master for the emergent reader
• A class book template
• Pocket chart cards for retelling the story
• Individual sentence-building cards
• A few other sight word practice activities

I also included some "Just for Fun" bonus content--color labels for supplies and several cute little prints to decorate your classroom...

I hope you like it!

So head on over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store so you'll be ready to go before the first day of school!

(I'm really not a good salesperson!!!!)

We Have a Winner... and a Sneak Peek!

Congratulations to Ana Marie for winning the $25 Gift Certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers!

Thank-you to everyone who played along! I've read each and every comment and am already using some of the suggestions to make my next projects better! Speaking of new projects, here's a little sneak peek of my next 2 emergent readers, which I plan on putting in my store on Monday...

I am also working hard on a packet of Math Problem Solving Prompts, which I hope to have up by the end of July. So make sure you click on the Teachers Pay Teachers link in the sidebar and sign up as a follower so you will know when my new stuff comes out!

And thanks again for all of you kind words!