This is an activity that I use as one of my math stations, so there is not a formal introduction to this lesson. The stations are very briefly discussed at the beginning of the week. This takes approximately 10 minutes. I am fortunate to have a para-pro and parent helper each day of the week during my station time, so they are able to assist students, keep them on task, and work with them at stations. With 3 adults in the room, instructions are able to be brief, as anyone who is having difficulty will be noticed. My station activities always target skills that we have previously learned.
During station time, my students are broke into 2 groups (12 students in each group- totaling 24). On Mondays & Wednesdays, group 1 is working on stations, while group 2 is using technology. Technology includes i Pads, lap tops, and the smart board. On Tuesdays & Thursdays, group 2 is working on stations, while group 1 is using technology. Fridays are free choice. All students use technology and re-visit any of their favorite stations from the week. I have included a picture of my schedule that is displayed in my classroom.
I found this activity on Teaching Fabulous Firsties for free.
I knew this activity would be a little more challenging for my students, so I made sure this was a station that had a parent volunteer.
Students group 23 elves into sets of ten, and are asked:
How many groups of ten?
How many left over?
How many in all?
Make tallies for this amount.
I like this activity because it is rigorous, and actually touches on First Grade math concepts. For the purpose of Kindergarten, students are counting to answer “how many?” questions about items in a scattered configuration. This task requires some higher level thinking. I have included video of a student who was successful at this station.