Educational creativity

I have shared my love for interactive notebooks in poetry, so now I'll share how I have become attached to them in math. Math is and needs to be a very hands on subject for young children.  I would only use these notebooks after a hands on activity and as an added resource for children to look at. I started to make my own math notebook pages that matched the TEKS but still had a bit of fun in them.  I love all the great people on Teacher Pay Teacher that make clip art.  I have been able to take their art ability and use it to make notebook pages more fun.  I only use black and white clip art to save on ink and to make copies clear.  I have loved making these math notebook pages. Numbers 1-5 if free at TPT Since I am now teaching K,1, and 2 math, I have found as I learn a new TEK,  I can easily make a new notebook page to introduce it to my classes.  I hope as I get better at using the program the pages will become more creative and...

     Because we have been so focused on teaching our children to read at such a young age, I think we do not do enough math or science with our young children.  There are days, while subbing in a class, that I have seen no science and only a cut and paste worksheet for math.  Just as we teach pre-reading skills we also need to teach pre-math skills.  The skills necessary for adding and subtracting and figuring out word problems don't start in first grade.  Unlike letters, left to right, one to one corespondence, math skills come more natural to young children.  Also the math skills we teach, such as one to one correspondence, patterning, and trial and error, are some of the same skills needed in reading.      Therefore, I believe we need to offer more than just practice counting to our students.  I have chosen to split up my reading centers from my math centers to give the same amount of focus on pre-math as pre-rea...

Learning to repeat, create, and continue patterns will help our little ones find and use the patterns in our math system.  Even our base ten counting system is one big pattern.  A child that can count on forever but forgets the tenth number has figured out the pattern. Patterning centers are the easiest to make and can fit into every theme.  I've gotten a lot of rubber manipulatives by themes through scholastic book clubs.  They were about $10 each set.  They are well worth the money.  I have seen apples, Halloween, fall, back to school, bugs, transportation, Christmas and others. I have used holiday stickers to make simple pattern cards.  Children can copy and extend the pattern I've made. Unifix cubes are easy to make color patterns.  I have made cards on sentence strips for children to copy.  I also use the colors we are working on.  Put two colors like orange and black for Halloween in a basket and set it on the table.  C...

Construction - Building with different kinds of materials is important for kids.  They use critical and creative thinking skills as well as trial and error.  It is the one center I have seen very little of in kindergarten.  I always include cars and people to go with which ever type of building material I choose.  Examples might be legos, waffle blocks, brick blocks...  You can put blue prints (make them yourself or child made by crayon resist drawings of buildings and blue watercolor paint)  or copy me papers (include a pattern or 3D structure for children to copy) in the center to challenge the kids.  Include paper, pencils, and a clipboard to encourage writing. Or check out some of these creative construction ideas What about these for building quietly ?  Colorful and creative amazing road kids can put together like a puzzle another neat road another road that cars travel down stairs aren't these buildi...

Children get to explore numbers in a variety of forms.  Numeral to set These types of games are very simple to make.  Pick any theme.  Cut shapes or buy them already cut out.  Then find something that goes with the shape to use as counters.  I like using those shaped erasers you can buy at the dollar store. Here are butterflies cut from the ellison machine. I put numbers 1-10 on the front and 11-20 on the back just so higher level thinkers can have a challenge.  I have snowmen, cars, Christmas trees, hearts, and flowers.  Any little manipulative piece can be paired with a shape to make a thematic game. You can also buy store bought games and adapt them to your needs.  This game is cute but is too easy.  It is set up more like flash cards so that kids can count the number of M&M's on each card.  I use bowls or thought about making candy jars with the little M&M pieces. great number work This site has the cutest printab...