Day 139
For one year, 365 days, this blog will address the Common Core Standards from the perspective of creating an alternate, ambient learning environment for math. Ambient is defined as “existing or present on all sides, an all-encompassing atmosphere.” And ambient music is defined as: “Quiet and relaxing with melodies that repeat many times.
Why ambient? A math teaching style that’s whole and all encompassing, with themes that repeat many times through the years, is most likely to be effective and successful. Today’s post will feature the next Grade 2 Common Core Math Standard listed in blue, followed by its ambient counterpart as practiced by Waldorf Education and Math By Hand.
Number and Operations in Base Ten 2.NBT
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.
8. Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number 100 – 900, and mentally subtract 10 or 100 to a given number 100 – 900.
The Morning Circle exercises boast much mental math in a variety of fun forms. Here is a sample Circle from the Math By Hand Grade 2 Daily Lesson Plans book. Note: the above standard could be inserted in place of the #3 or #4 exercises, using their same content. (And note the joyful movement and language arts integration!)
Knowledge ensues in an environment dedicated to imaginative, creative knowing, where student and teacher alike surrender to the ensuing of knowledge as a worthy goal. Tune in tomorrow for more Common Core, and its ambient, Waldorf/Math By Hand counterpart.
Grade 2 / Block 4 / Morning Circle I
1) Choose 1-2 classic poems from the B (85-92) and teach/learn them by heart.
2) Recite and/or sing (find the tunes online if you need to) 1-2 rhymes/songs B (96-106).
3) HOPSCTOCH 1-2-3! see the B (83). Play a times tables version of the game, drawing diagram #1 and numbers, with chalk on blacktop or carpet. Or you can make reusable hopscotch times tables diagrams using crayon on 3 poster boards taped to the floor.
4) Do call and response times tables, using the Comet Ball or Color Cubes (post a wall chart if needed). For example, call: 3, response: 6, call: 9, response: 12, etc. Or mix it up by calling various equations, call: 4 x 8, response: 32, call: 3 x 7, response: 21, etc.
5) Choose a number of Tongue Twisters and say them till smooth, the more the merrier!
6) Choose 3-4 Limericks B (93-95) and recite them while walking in a circle and clapping, playing rhythm sticks or a tambourine, waving a small flag, or hopping up and down in place.
