Because the kids are grasping addition and subtraction concepts so readily, I decided to challenge them a little bit and assess how easily they are transitioning to more abstract approaches to solving equations. They are still in kindergarten, but their sense of number is developing rapidly.
Most of them still require something concrete to solve for the sums and differences, as I expected. Some of the kids just whip through the problems and ask for more. Being a glutton for the punishment only small children can dish out, I decided to bump up the instruction a knotch and see what happens.
I worked with the class in small groups to help them figure out how to solve equations that don't give them anything to count or cross off. I showed them how to use their fingers or to draw dots on the paper to help computation.
Kael was doing pretty well on his own but was stumped with 0 + 6. The "finger" method wasn't quite working for him, so I tried to make it more concrete.
"How many cats do you have, Kael?" I asked.
"I don't have any cats. My gramma won't let me."
"Okay.. so you have what...? Zero cats?"
"Yeah. I can't have any cats. My gramma is allergic to cats."
"So, you have zero cats."
"Yeah, I can't have a cat. My gramma... her eyes get all puffy and then she can't breathe......."
"Okay, Kael," I interjected, sorry that I ever mentioned cats. "So you have zero cats. Let's say that SIX cats came into your yard."
I quickly drew six little dots to represent cats.
"Now, how many cats do you have?"
Kael stared at the six dots.
I waited.
"Kael. If you had zero cats and then six cats walked into the yard......how many cats do you have?"
Kael stared at the dots some more. Then he looked up at me with alarm and replied loudly, "TOO MANY!"
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5 comments:
Gosh, I love kids. Kael needs to come to my place. I have six cats (well 5 and 1 that thinks it lives here). Thanks for your comment on my blog. I appreciate the response.
He sounds precious! Keeps you on yor toes! I sure miss teaching Kindergarten!
Forgot to say what a nice surprise to have you visit my blog and comment too!
Come one, Kim. You can thinnk math when you are dealing with that much reality. I was going to recommend the books Too Many Cats and Cat Up a Tree. I will in spite of there being toomany cats in your math example. The kids will love them. Can't think of the authors right off. Let me know if you want me to look them up.
LOL! Good one, Kael :o)
What happened to the cat who swallowed a ball of wool?
She had mittens ;o)
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