Kindergarten Kindergarten

Math Problem Solving Week 5: Position Words

Ahh...position words. This is a hard week to plan, because, in general, kindergartners' oral language and understanding of the concept is much more advanced than their reading ability and writing skills. I also never know, from year to year, how easy or hard this will be for them. (This is very easy for kids who have had a lot of exposure to the English language--MUCH harder for our ESL learners!)

So--as you will probably guess--I read these problems to the kids--slowly and several times, repeating parts when necessary. Often, we don't even get out our individual notebooks. We just do these problems together in our Big Class Notebook. I can always give them more problems to do individually later in the year, when they're reading skills have improved.

I start everyday with the Position Word Warm-ups found here.

Day 1

 

 

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

 

Of course, you know your own class and can make the problems harder/easier according to their previous knowledge and experience. And this will be a concept you will practice all throughout the year in informal settings--doing art projects or playing games, even cleaning up (I like that one! Please put the frog puzzle underneath the farm puzzle!)

Math Warm-Up: Position Words

So here is a fun activity I do to start my math unit on position words. I made a PowerPoint that has some of the scrapbook layouts I have created in it. We look at the pictures together as a class and I have the kids tell me everything they can about it. I am looking specifically for descriptions that contain position words--i.e. "The apples are in the basket." If somebody gives me a description that is not position-related, I guide them with questions, most obviously, "Where is it?"  

I record all of their position-related responses on a chart paper.

Then I tell kids that I am looking for words that describe position--or where things are. We work together to find them and underline them.

And then we transfer them to a chart we can keep up in the room for future reference. When we think of new position words, we add them to the chart. This activity works well with any picture that is engaging to kids and has a lot of details. Art posters work well, as do big floor puzzles, like the ones from Melissa and Doug.

Here is my PowerPoint if you would like to try it in your own classroom. There are 5 different pictures. I do one a day and just keep adding to the same charts.

Download Position Words Powerpoint

I'll be back later today with my Position Word problems and a few more warm-ups. Happy Friday!