Math Strategy: Anchor of 10
Math Strand: Numeration
Making 10 Concentration:
Overview:
This game is a variation of the concentration or memory game. This variation, from the original game, helps strengthen students’ understanding of the Anchor of 10 strategy. To begin place 16 cards face down between players. Players take turns flipping over two cards in an effort to find a match that adds to 10. If the two cards add to 10, the player collects the cards. If the cards don't add to 10, they are turned over again. When a pair of cards are removed, they are replaced with two new cards from the pile. At the end of the game, the player with the most cards wins. The game can also be adapted for the five anchor strategy, the same rules can be used to play Make 5 Concentration, using these cards: aces, 2s, 3s, and 4s.
How this activity supports learning:
Making 10 Concentration provides students with an opportunity to practice making 10. It is important for students to build a foundation of numbers using 10 as an anchor. It is a valuable strategy for computing basic facts and later larger numbers. With a solid anchor of 10 students will see that in 7 + 6 we can find a 10. They would take a 3 from the 6 to join it to the 7 to make 10. The remaining 3 is then joined with the 10 to make 13.
This strategy will later be carried over into multi-digit numbers such as 270 + 360. Students will see that in the 70 and 60 there is 100 with 30 left over. They would then be able to combine 500 + 100 + 30. Essentially, this is "making 10" which is an efficient way to solve computations, especially when doing mental math.
Where to next?
Laying the foundation of learning what makes 10 helps students move towards using up/down over 10 strategy. Look for more activities that support this strategy by looking in the book "What to Look For" page 174 - 184.
Share your classroom experiences with Making 10 Concentration with us on Instagram and Twitter at @LKelempro #EngageLK!
The main vision of the FSL curriculum is for students to “communicate and interact with growing confidence in French”. We know that in order for students to successfully learn a second language they need to use it. Second language teachers are always looking for new and engaging ways to get students communicating in the target language in order to purposefully practice the language in meaningful and purposeful situations.
Some of the best activities are ones that can not only be used to scaffold the language for students but then can be transferred to a variety of different learning contexts to provide these meaningful guided opportunities. Once students feel confident with their abilities and no longer need further practice, they can apply this newly acquired language to authentic situations.
Talking JENGA is one of those types of activities. It can be used as a way to give students a chance to practice necessary words and expressions, it can be used to create opportunities for students to ask and answer questions spontaneously in small groups, it can be used to as a prompt for conversation.
What do we need:
• Purchase one or several Jenga sets. Get them at garage sales, or pick up the smaller (more portable versions) at the dollar store.
• Number the blocks individually.
• Create a Talking JENGA Card to support the learning context of your choice. You can access a blank template here.
How to Play
The activity is best played in small groups to promote increased talk time during class. It is recommended 2-4 students per group. Students play JENGA as they regularly would, however, every time they pull a block, they must look at what number is drawn. From there, they will look to the provided Talking JENGA Card for the question they must ask their group members. Each player in the group must answer the question before the player puts the block on top of the tower. Then, the next player takes their turn and the process repeats.
This type of activity works great in small groups if you have enough JENGA sets for the whole class, or can be used for centres. It is a great activity to provide students at the beginning of class to get their Minds On in French. It can also be used as a challenge for those who finish their work early.
It is recommended to spend 5-10 minutes max on this type of activity, to maintain student interest and participation.
What do Talking JENGA Cards look like?
Practicing Necessary Vocabulary, Words or Expressions
The JENGA card could have each number linked to different images of the words and expressions that students are working towards internalizing. See the example here of colours and animals.
The numbers that could be linked to ‘picture sentences’. Essentially, images that you want the students to talk about in complete sentences with their group using focused language structures. For example, here students are learning to describe things. We are starting very basic with just colours and animals. The group could come up with the two sentences to the left. See the Describing Animals Set here.
If students are working on asking and answering questions more spontaneously, the numbers could be linked to a variety of questions related to the learning context. For example, if we are working towards students being able to talk about their families, a set like this one could be used.
A question set could be created based on an image that the group also has access to. For example, if they have a map in front of them like the one here and the question set could look like this.
The opportunities for this type of activity are endless. It is also great because the activities can be provided in a way that many entry points are possible. The activity can also be accommodated by providing students with a question set with sentence starters for prompts.
What other ways have you used this activity with your students? How would you adapt this to your students? Have you used this before? Tell us about how in the comments below.
Overview:
Playing games, like “Dot Plate Pattern Flashes”, is a great way to support subitizing to discover what strategies our students are using and where they are on the continuum of learning. The goal of this activity is for children to recognize the number of dots in front of them so that children can begin to identify the number by using familiar patterns, rather than by counting each dot one by one. By using a game to teach the concept, students will be engaged and this will allow the teacher to have a quick look into where each student is at with this strategy. If you’re looking for additional information around subitizing, check out our blog link below for the previous video “What is Subitizing?”
How this activity supports learning:
With students continually practicing their subitizing skills, they will start recognizing larger numbers by noticing small familiar patterns within the larger number. The more comfortable they become, the easier it will be for them to transition along the Student Continuum of Numeracy Development, from the “What to Look For” resource by Alex Lawson. There are also many variations that could support learning, such as asking students to tell you “one more” or “one less”.
Overview: Popular board games can be used to develop oral language skills with students. Game playing can be done with peers or teachers. It is also a great way to have fun and build relationships with both new students and more advanced learners.
Games can be purchased second-hand or brought in from home. Instructions for playing are the standardized ones that come with each game but can be modified to make the game quicker or easier to play. Cards could be chosen in advance based on targeted learning goals. New cards could also be found online, or developed for individual use.
How board games support students: Any early board games allow for peer tutoring and support oral language development and conversational skills. Some more advanced games also include some literacy.
Early Vocabulary building- Candyland for colours and numbers
Math Strategy: Various Addition and Subtraction Strategies
Math Strand: Number Sense and Numeration
Overview:
This game, located in the Guide to Effective Instruction (K-6, V.5, pg. 48), is used to support students development of multi-digit computations. As seen in the video, students need to determine how much is required to meet the target number. The game should be played whole class for a few rounds before students move to playing it independently. When learning the game, students should begin by playing with decade numbers. Once they are ready, move towards more challenging numbers.
How this activity supports student learning:
This activity would qualify as a "Where to Next" activity. If your students are developing an understanding of a subtraction or addition strategy they can use this game to practice. Most students require 3 to 5 interactions, with feedback, on a new skill/concept to develop an acceptable understanding. This game allows for students to practice a strategy while also receiving feedback from their peers. When it comes to a game, peers will be sure the feedback is given as it puts them in a better position to win!
Depending on the playing card numbers and the target number, this game could support the development of many addition and subtraction strategies seen on Lawson's Addition and Subtraction Continuum. It would work great with strategies like counting on/back, jumps forward or backward of 10/100, overshoot and return, constant difference, and getting to a decade number and taking jumps forward or backward. For subtraction situations, it would work well with splitting the subtrahend (2nd number in a subtraction sentence).
Students can use hundred charts, base ten blocks, and number lines to support their calculations. Remember, as students understand a strategy well they may begin to move away from concrete representations and move towards visual and numeric representations only. A calculator could be used to verify answers but not to find them.
Where to Next:
While students are playing the game observe the strategy they are using. If they are understanding the demonstrated strategy well then modify the game by giving them more challenging numbers. If appropriate, a student could be prompted to try the strategy without the assistance of concrete materials. Once students are using the strategy with grade appropriate numbers encourage them to learn a new strategy or combine it with a different known strategy for more efficient computations.
Good feedback contains information a student can use.
That means,
first, that the student has to be able to hear and understand it. A student can't hear something that's beyond his comprehension, nor can a student hear something if she's not listening or if she feels like it's useless to listen.
The most useful feedback focuses on the qualities of student work or the processes or strategies used to do the work.
Feedback that draws students' attention to their self-regulation strategies or their abilities as learners is potent if students hear it in a way that makes them realize they will get results by expending effort and attention.
Effective descriptive feedback focuses on the
ntended learning, identifies specific strengths, points to areas needing improvement,
suggests a route of action students can take to close the gap between where they are now and where they need to be,
takes into account the amount of corrective feedback the learner can act on at one time, and models the kind of thinking students will engage in when they self-assess.
These are a few examples of descriptive feedback:
You have interpreted the bars on this graph correctly, but you need to make sure the marks on the x and y-axes are placed at equal intervals.
The good stories we have been reading have a beginning, a middle, and an end. I see that your story has a beginning and a middle, just like those good stories do. Can you draw and write an ending?
You have described the similarities between _____ and _____ clearly, and you have identified key differences. Work on illustrating those differences with concrete examples from the text.
According to StatsCan, there are over 60 different Indigenous languages spoken across Canada. In our school board, there are 4 First Nations with 2 very different Indigenous Languages spoken, Lenape and Ojibwe. In this blog post, I am speaking about Ojibwe Word of the Week because that is what I have experience with, but these examples could definitely be used for Lenape Word of the Week.
Let me tell you a story: Last year a teacher at P.E. McGibbon (Nicole Gooding) said, “Hey! Let’s start doing an Ojibwe Word of the Week on our video announcements!” Nicole would find a new word each week, starting with greetings and then moving on to words based on the seasons and special events (eg. snow, rain, rabbit, egg). She, along with Chantima Olivera (Grade 1/2 ) would work together to get these words of the week spoken by children on their daily video announcements and onto the school’s Facebook page. Fast Forward a few months: Jen Gilpin from PE McGibbon and Chantima teamed up with Gretchen Sands-Gamble (that’s me) and Allie Kelly from A.A. Wright to form a TLLP (Teachers Learning and Leadership Project http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teacher/tllp.html). This TLLP team has created a blog to share our learning and understanding of implementing Indigenous Education and culture into their daily lives at A.A. Wright and P.E. McGibbon.
Where to Next?
If you’re wondering how you can include an Ojibwe (or Lenape) Word of the Week into your classroom or school there are many ways that this can take shape. Adding them to video announcements is what works at P.E. McGibbon. At A.A. Wright, a student goes on the announcements on Monday morning and says the Ojibwe Word of the Week for the whole school. A link to the Word of the Week Video is then sent out to each teacher in the school so they can share them in their classes.
Some classes create posters each week and put them up around the school so students are exposed to the Word of the Week when they are getting a drink or walking to the learning commons. Some people post the words to their Word Wall. Maybe instead of sharing through the announcements a class could take on the responsibility of sharing the Ojibwe Word of the Week through videos, emails and signs. The possibilities seem endless! What works at P.E. McGibbon or A.A. Wright might not work at your school, but keep trying until you find what works best for your school population.
Without staff members who are speakers of Ojibwe or Lenape, this can be difficult for most schools. A simple google search might not lead you to the word that you are looking for. There are many dialects of the Ojibwe language and the word you find online might not be the one that is spoken in your area. The best way to accurately find the words you want is to go to a local language speaker. If you’re having trouble finding a language speaker to help feel free to use the Ojibwe Word of the Week videos provided on the TLLP Blog: http://fne21c.blogspot.com/search/label/Ojibwe
Including the local Indigenous languages into your school day allows Indigenous students to hear and see their culture reflected and it gives them the space to feel belonging and meaning in their school. Non-Indigenous students get the chance to experience another culture’s language and share in the learning with the students and staff.
As always, if you need assistance send me an email! I’m here to help
It should be acknowledged that many of us are starting at varying entry points regarding our knowledge of the history of treaties in Canada and the treaty relationships between Indigenous People and the settlers of this country. I encourage all educators who teach in our schools to learn along with their students. This is an important aspect of Canada, and the treaties signed in what has become known as Canada have shaped this country and it would not exist as it does if it were not for treaties.
To deepen your own learning and understanding of treaties this is a magazine with many great articles about treaties, treaty relationship and what our next steps are as treaty people in Canada.
This resource is for teachers to use in the classroom. Your students can open this on their iPads to learn more about the history of treaties in Canada.
A great exercise is to relate the daily land acknowledgement (see an earlier blog post for the land acknowledgement video) to the treaties in the area. This website includes a map that shows you who traditionally lived on the land where you gather, work and live.
This link takes you to a PDF map that shows all of the treaties in Ontario by name and/or number as well as the First Nations in Ontario. Students can use this map to see what treaties are found in their area and then do research to learn more about that specific treaty. By living on treaty land in Canada, everyone is exercising their treaty rights. What treaties have benefitted you and your students? How have they benefitted your school population?
The Edugains website has some resources (lesson plans, links, videos) addressing First Nations, Metis and Inuit education. If you go to the following link, click on the "Resources" link. It will take you to lots of great resources.
A great picture book to use when learning about treaties is Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson. It is a story that is centuries old and tells of the Great Law of Peace and the Haudenosaunee.
Understanding the spirit and intent of treaties: When treaties were traditionally signed between sovereign Indigenous Nations there was a spirit of relationship between the two groups. When treaties were signed between the European settlers and the Indigenous people the two groups both had expectations that differed. The Indigenous People viewed the treaties as more of a covenant than a contract.
Contract/Covenant: What’s the difference? As a covenant, a treaty was seen as being based on good faith and good will, while a contract is meant to be negotiated and in search of the best deal. Contracts are based on written text and oral agreements while a covenant honours the spirit of the agreement. The Indigenous people viewed the treaties as a sacred commitment for both parties involved and recognized the spirit and intent as most important. This commitment was traditionally finalized by a sacred ceremony.
When reading about treaties, it is important to find accurate information on the intent of the original treaty as understood by the Indigenous community signing it. One of the sample questions from the SS/HG curriculum document is, “Why is it important to find accurate information on the intent of the original treaty as understood by the Indigenous community signing it? Why might there be differing interpretations of a treaty?”. It is important that teachers and students understand that there was a differing of views, and to keep in mind who’s voice is being represented in your research.
Treaty with Chippewas of Walpole Island 1857
"Fawn Island" Which was called, Keshebahahnelegoo Manesha
Expectations vs. Reality The expectations that the Indigenous People had regarding the treaties and what they actually received from the treaties differed very greatly. While they expected education, what they got was residential school. They expected health care in times of sickness, but they were given an Indian Agent who controlled the medicines and medical attention that was received. They expected to have their way of life protected but were given farming implements and hunting and fishing rights on reserve (All of which were again, heavily controlled by the Indian Agent). They had expectations of land sharing and in reality, were give small tracts of reserve land that were held in trust by the Crown.
It shows the treaties and the First Nations in our area. The First Nations are in the maroon areas.
When reading this map, consider the differences between land sharing and land ownership. Compare the words stewardship and dominion. How do these words and phrases differ? Have your students discuss these differences in relation to what the expectations of the Indigenous people when signing treaties and what actually received. What could or should have been done differently in the past? How are we all, as Canadians affected by these treaties?
Treaties: Not just a piece of paper In this video Janet MacBeth, Project Review Coordinator from the Bkejwanong Heritage Centre explains the importance of taking the spirit of the treaties into account. She reminds us that a treaty is more than a piece of paper, it is a recording of a living agreement that has many important aspects that go beyond signing the paper.
Where to next? Discuss agreements that you make in your classroom and the responsibilities that arise because of these agreements. Ask your students to think about what if these agreements are interpreted differently by varying people in the classroom? How can we relate this to the treaties that were signed by settlers and the Indigenous People? Write agreements with each other and ensure the spirit and intent of your treaties are recognized and respected.
As we are leading up to Treaty Week many teachers are looking for resources to support students learning. At this time we would like to acknowledge that many of us have learning to do around this topic, and we need to address this learning so we can move forward.
During this week we encourage students and teachers to learn, wonder and ask questions about treaties, treaty relationships and how treaties have shaped Canada as a nation.
“What is Treaty Week?” Treaty Recognition Week occurs in the first week in November and was first introduced in 2016. It was created to bring attention to the importance of Treaties and to help people from Ontario learn more about treaty rights and treaty relationships.
The Canadian Encyclopedia tells us :
"Indigenous treaties in Canada are constitutionally recognized agreements between the Crown and Indigenous peoples. Most of these agreements describe exchanges where Indigenous nations agree to share some of their interests in their ancestral lands in return for various payments and promises. On a deeper level, treaties are sometimes understood, particularly by Indigenous people, as sacred covenants between nations that establish a relationship between those for whom Canada is an ancient homeland and those whose family roots lie in other countries. Treaties, therefore, form the constitutional and moral basis of an alliance between Indigenous peoples and Canada."
From
You may have seen a Wampum Belt and connect that with treaties between settlers and Indigenous people. In Canada, it has been well documented that treaties took place between Nations hundreds of years before European contact. Many of these agreements were documented using wampum belts and are still alive today.
Wampum belts are one example of the way that Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and other Woodlands Nation’s history and culture is tied to oral tradition. For each wampum belt, there’s a certain set of promises that an assigned Carrier of the belt memorizes, and recites at the appropriate times. The design, and even the number of beads, acts as a mnemonic device, much like the picture-writing on the birch bark scrolls. The wampum keeper would hold the belt and read it by sight and touch and memory. The oral tradition of the wampum belts is a formal, highly allegorical diplomatic language. -Ojibwe Cultural Foundation 2011
This video explains the significance of the wampum belts.
This video explains the traditional meaning of treaties:
After watching this video this may be a prompt you pose this to your class:
Notice the language the elder uses,
“..It was to create a relationship where you worked in harmony and consulted with each other at what would work best for all nations, not just one or the other”.
What do you think this means?
Is this spirit of relationship and harmony reflected with the later treaties with the settlers?
Where to next?
The internet has many photos of Wampum Belts, and the Treaty Kit that each school was given in 2017 includes lots of information. Use this kit to help start your inquiry and research into what it means to be treaty people.
This infographic can be a great tool to start the inquiry process around treaties. What questions do you come up with as you read this infographic?
The revised Social Studies/History and Geography Curriculum document has many great sample questions to guide you and your students on learning more about treaties in Canada.
Stay tuned for more resources for your own learning and understanding of treaties and treaty relationships in Canada, as well as resources for your classroom!
