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Objective

Math Journals in the Classroom

Math Journals

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Objective

Students will attend to higher level problem solving with the use of a math journal.

Big Idea

Kindergartners love working together to solve problems. Using the math journal creates a feeling of accomplishment for eveyone involved

Lesson Author

Cassandra Joss

Sterling Heights, MI

Grade Level

Kindergarten

Subjects

Math

Standards

Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).

Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.

Fluently add and subtract within 5.

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Model with mathematics.

Use appropriate tools strategically.

Attend to precision.

Look for and make use of structure.

Math Journals in the Classroom

20 minutes

The Importance of Math Journals

I have looked through numerous math journals that I could incorporate into my Kindergarten classroom. I finally came across some awesome monthly math journals from Ketchen's Kindergarten.

These journals include everything I have been looking for, and build on previous concepts each month. The best part is they are free! I have included a reflection on why I think math journals are important.

The math journals contain anywhere from 20-25 pages per each month. In my classroom, I have devoted a 15-20 minute period each Friday to cover 5 pages or so. The students take out their math journals, I display mine on the whiteboard, and we work together to solve the questions on each page. During this process, we are engaged in mathematical conversations; in which students are constructing viable arguments for their responses (MP3).

The last Friday of each month, we finish up our math journals and students take them home.

I have included a student video highlighting some of the pages in our November math journal.

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