Daughter Emily is halfway through kindergarten, and it’s been a lot of fun seeing all the math she’s been bringing home. As a secondary teacher, I don’t get to see much of the elementary CCSS math material up close. I have a deeper interest in Talking Math with Your Kids these days and ordered the most recent box of math for K and 1st grade. I signed up as a guest reader for a few weeks from now, and after chatting with her teacher, I’ll be working through some WODB puzzles and maybe some “How Many” prompts as well.
Well today, she brought home this worksheet.
Ten frames are about the only early years tool I’m familiar with. After working through many a number talk, I am always intrigued with the different methods kids will use to group units when counting. So when she showed me this, the following took place…
Dad: So how many ten frames are in 80?
Emily: 8.
D: Cool. How many are in 70?
E: 7.
D: Ok, how many are in 100?
E: … I’m not sure.
D: How many ten frames in 70?
E: 7.
D: How many in 90?
E: 9
D: So how many in 100?
E: Oh! 10!
D: Ok, now how many units are in a half a ten frame?
E: 5!
D: Nice. So how many ten frames in 15?
E: …. 1 and a half!
That was a lot of fun. I really wasn’t sure how she would deal with the half talk. I have no idea if this is on target or ahead or behind where other kids in her class are. But she enjoyed it and so did I.
the rational radical 