MOOKS/Teachers -- Help with First Grade (CC) Math??

[DarcyLongfellow]

I got a call from DD1's teacher asking me to come in and meet with her because she thinks DD1 is struggling in math. When we met she showed me what they're doing in math so that I can work with DD1 at home.

What she's expected to do is listen to a word problem ("I ate 3 cupcakes and 7 cakes. How many did I eat in all?"), draw it out (such as 3 red circles and 7 yellow circles), write the equation (3+7=10), then write a sentence explaining it ("I started with 3 and counted on 7 more").

Anyway, does anyone have experience with this? I just found some examples online and wrote up a bunch of word problems for her to practice at home. But I feel like I'm not understanding the last part of the assignment.

The teacher talked (quickly) about how she's supposed to explain her work. That "counted on" language or using a number line were her examples.

Can anyone point me to some online resources for this sort of thing? I feel like I don't even fully know how to teach this to her because it's not the actual math she's having trouble with it's the multi-step process and explaining the work.

[luckyno7]

I feel like what you wrote is exactly what she is trying to explain and it will just be a lot of repetition. disclaimer: Not a MOOK. But I took it as you did.

[Deleted]

This is kind of interesting: www.tusd1.org/resources/curriculum/math/1stflippdf2.pdf

I think the explanation part will become more meaningful with more complex work. So for now, she will probably use the same method for all the problems and have the same explanation (I counted, I used a number line, whatever). 

[bbonanza]

This is pretty much what DD1 did last year, and we at first found it difficult in regards to the explaining how part, but what you have written is what was expected. I remember that with each new math skill that was introduced, the teacher sent home a letter that was part of their workbooks explaining to parents what it was that the students would be working on which was helpful. Is there something similar that her teacher could do as well?

[jinkies]

I'm not sure of your question, because to me the way you explained it makes sense.

First grade will be about teaching several different strategies to tackle math problems.

You say your daughter is not having trouble with the actual math. So when she looks at 3+7, how is she getting the right answer? Is she using her fingers and counting 3 fingers, then 7 more? Is she looking at a number line and starting and 3 and working her way up 7 more places?

The teacher just wants her to be able to articulate which strategy she used. I think by the end of first my kid had been taught 4 or 5 different strategies. Not all of them seemed helpful to me, but different kids learn in different ways.

IFull disclosure: I'm not a teacher, but my kid is starting 2nd grade next week.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad it made sense when I explained it. I guess what I'm looking for is more examples of how one might "explain" addition. But it does make sense to me that explaining addition is really just practice for the kids to explain harder things later.

As for how DD1 does it, she uses her fingers mostly. I guess maybe she could even write that?

Part of her problem is that she's not a strong writer yet, so even writing a simple sentence takes her a while.

[Deleted]

"I counted on my fingers" is a valid strategy. Consider the sentences to be 2-for-1 homework that force writing practice. Especially if she can just copy it for each problem.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Aug 27, 2015 12:41:37 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

"I counted on my fingers" is a valid strategy. Consider the sentences to be 2-for-1 homework that force writing practice. Especially if she can just copy it for each problem.

That was my exact thought -- "Hey! Practicing these math problems will give her writing practice too!"

Kind of how I counted her writing birthday thank you notes over the summer as practicing her writing for school.

[hainesherway]

Sorry, can someone define what a MOOK is?

[DarcyLongfellow]

Aug 27, 2015 13:00:33 GMT -5 hainesherway said:

Sorry, can someone define what a MOOK is?

Moms Of Older Kids :-) Or, in MMM-land, anyone with a kid over the age of about 4 :-)

[Marmee]

Didn't she just start school? Seems like a lot to ask right off the bat. I think you can try & explain it using M&Ms (or whatever) with words to describe it until she gets it. Also the teacher may need to re-explain it too. My DDs do Xtra Math (online program) everyday as homework for Math Facts but not sure it'd help with oral word problems. The number line thing is a part of Singapore Math. There are apps & online resources for that. Personally I hate that stuff...lol.

[DarcyLongfellow]

Aug 27, 2015 13:06:10 GMT -5 Marmee said:

Didn't she just start school? Seems like a lot to ask right off the bat. I think you can try & explain it using M&Ms (or whatever) with words to describe it until she gets it. Also the teacher may need to re-explain it too. My DDs do Xtra Math (online program) everyday as homework for Math Facts but not sure it'd help with oral word problems. The number line thing is a part of Singapore Math. There are apps & online resources for that. Personally I hate that stuff...lol.

Yes -- she's been in first grade for 2.5 weeks. And turned 6 less than a month ago.

It does seem like a lot, which is what DH said. I'll check out your suggestions :-)

[Deleted]

Aug 27, 2015 12:40:05 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

Thanks everyone. I'm glad it made sense when I explained it. I guess what I'm looking for is more examples of how one might "explain" addition. But it does make sense to me that explaining addition is really just practice for the kids to explain harder things later.

As for how DD1 does it, she uses her fingers mostly. I guess maybe she could even write that?

Part of her problem is that she's not a strong writer yet, so even writing a simple sentence takes her a while.

I think what you are describing makes sense. So much so that I don't really understand your question? lol. When DS1 gets problems like you describe, he is occasionally asked to draw them out using various symbols just like you describe. He also is told to add or subtract by tens for bigger numbers because it is easier and more "natural" to do it that way. So, like, 17-9 = 17-10+1. And so on. Does that help?

[Dumbledork]

Part of explaining how they got the answer ( counting on fingers, number line, etc) is to understand that they used one strategy, but there are other strategies available.

That way, when they discuss in class, Susie can explain that she had trouble using the number line strategy, but she used this other strategy and it really helped. Now Johnny, Rosie, and Mikey think "I have trouble with the number line strategy too, maybe I can try this other method."

It's partly about being able to understand why the math works and how you think about a problem, but also partly about sharing strategies and learning from the success and failures of others around you.

[mmmomof2]

We used the number line last year (school starts next week here) and they seemed to discourage using their fingers, but I'm not sure why. We have not had to write the strategy yet.

I was relieved to see math addition flashcards on the school supply list. Finally some rote memorization!

[imojoebunny]

Aug 27, 2015 12:40:05 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

Thanks everyone. I'm glad it made sense when I explained it. I guess what I'm looking for is more examples of how one might "explain" addition. But it does make sense to me that explaining addition is really just practice for the kids to explain harder things later.

As for how DD1 does it, she uses her fingers mostly. I guess maybe she could even write that?

Part of her problem is that she's not a strong writer yet, so even writing a simple sentence takes her a while.

DS is in the 1st grade and very good at math, but normal lake woebegone above average in writing.  This drives me crazy about common core. It is math for English majors IMO.  I am sure it is helpful for someone somewhere, but for kids who are strong in math, but not in Language Arts, it is an utter nightmare.  A kid I had over recently had the problem, "Ira learned about exponents in school, he told his mom that 10 to the 4th power (I don't know how to exponent on this device) was 40,000.  Explain Ira's answer.

I told her my answer would be that "Ira didn't pay attention in class".  Apparently you were suppose to explain why Ira is wrong and what he did to be wrong (He did 10x10x10x10x4=40K), and what the correct answer is (10x10x10x10=10K).   Irritating.  Ira makes no sense and is not logical.  Why should anyone have to explain that?  

[DarcyLongfellow]

Aug 27, 2015 19:53:19 GMT -5 imojoebunny said:

DS is in the 1st grade and very good at math, but normal lake woebegone above average in writing.  This drives me crazy about common core. It is math for English majors IMO.  I am sure it is helpful for someone somewhere, but for kids who are strong in math, but not in Language Arts, it is an utter nightmare.  A kid I had over recently had the problem, "Ira learned about exponents in school, he told his mom that 10 to the 4th power (I don't know how to exponent on this device) was 40,000.  Explain Ira's answer.

I told her my answer would be that "Ira didn't pay attention in class".  Apparently you were suppose to explain why Ira is wrong and what he did to be wrong (He did 10x10x10x10x4=40K), and what the correct answer is (10x10x10x10=10K).   Irritating.  Ira makes no sense and is not logical.  Why should anyone have to explain that?  

It IS math for English majors!! Which is kind of funny because I was an English major, and DH is an engineer. So I'm now sort of getting on board with this whole idea of talking through how you got your answer, and DH is all THIS MAKES NO SENSE.