MPacheco

Chapters 5-8 delt with place value, number sense development, having children develop their own methods, geometry, and measurement.

Chapter 5 concentrated on developing place value concepts and procedures.  Page 131 provided a worksheet working on number words and making groups of 10 that I would like to try with my kindergarten students.  I also found the skip count patterns activity on page 138 interesting.  It will be a good follow up to the 100th day. 

Chapter 6 stressed the importance of allowing students to create their own methods.  Students will make fewer mistakes if they use their own strategies because they make sense to them (p 160).  I have often had children teach to others who are having difficulty with a particular concept.  I have found success with this. 

Chapter 7 delt with levels of geometric thought.  K-3 is usually in level 0 which is visualization.  Many activities were suggested that will be beneficial in the areas of sorting, identification of shapes, symmetry and spacial problem solving. 

Chapter 8 was mostly about measurement.  K level should begin with direct comparison of two or more lengths (p. 228).  I paid most attention to what he suggested for telling time (pp 242-245).  Children need to not only be able to tell time to the hour in Kindergarten, but they need to understand number relationships.  For example, 58 is close to 60 so 7:58 is nearly 8:00.  It was suggested to teach with a clock with just the little hand to begin with and predict where the big hand would be.  Always look first at the little hand to learn approximately what time it is and then focus on the minute hand for precision.  I am about to start a time unit and will approach it using the suggestions in the book.