Monday, March 11, 2013

Cookie Math

Okay so in math right now we are working on addition and subtraction. For the past two weeks we have been working on the numbers 0-5. This week I have decided to break it down into chunks and work strictly on the numbers 6 and 7.

Today I did one of the best math lessons I think I have done in a while. I started the lesson by telling my kiddos that I had baked 6 cookies yesterday and after baking them I couldn't figure out how to share them with Mr. Anthony (the boyfriend).

I then read The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. On a side note, if you have never read this story you should go check it out.

After reading the story, I gave my students 6 cookie cutouts and a blank piece of paper. I told them that I needed their help in figuring out all the different ways in which I could share the cookies with Mr. Anthony. I told them that since I am on a diet that it didn't matter if he got more than me.

I split the students up into pairs of two and had them spread out around the room. They were able to sit anywhere (which if you ever let your kiddos sit anywhere they want, you know they LOVE this!).

The students worked really hard figuring out ways that we could share the cookies. These are some of the results that I just loved and knew that I had to share with the boyfriend (and thankfully I am able to share them with you too).

This one reads: (top) Mister Anthony can have these three cookies. (bottom) Ms. Cannon can have these three cookies. 

This one just shows the different way we could share the cookies. (The numbers are the order in which he did them, it has nothing to do with the number of cookies drawn.)

Afterwards, we came back together and discussed the different ways that I would be able to share the cookies and I recorded their answers for a anchor chart that could be posted in the classroom. And because they worked so nicely with one another they each got one cookie (oreos, because I didn't think ahead and make or buy chocolate chip cookies).

What are you doing in math with addition/subtraction.

1 comment:

  1. We're working on addition too! Thought about trying it with real cookies but figured they'd all get eaten before the work got completed. Ha!

    The Kindergarten Center

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by! I love comments!!