Math Expressions combines elements of standards-based instruction with traditional approaches. Through drawings, math talk, and real-world examples. This helps students make sense of math. Using a "spiral" approach students build on prior concepts taught throughout the year and revisit them to build further on those concepts.
Kindergarten Math Expressions Outline Unit 1: Understanding Numbers 1-10
Unit 2: 5-Groups in Numbers 6-10
Unit 3: Teen Numbers as Tens and Ones
Unit 4: Partners, Problems, Drawings, and Tens
Unit 5: Consolidation of Concepts
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Math Vocabulary
Number Parade
Reading Street
A astronaut (Prayer hands, push up like a rocket)
B baby (Cross arms in front, rock “baby”)
C cactus (Left arm bent, raise up; Right arm bent, raise up)
D dolphin (Dip hand up and down like hopping over “waves”)
A astronaut (Prayer hands, push up like a rocket)
B baby (Cross arms in front, rock “baby”)
C cactus (Left arm bent, raise up; Right arm bent, raise up)
D dolphin (Dip hand up and down like hopping over “waves”)
E escalator (up, down motion with 2 fingers)
F fountain (Wiggle both fingers and raise up)
G goose (Cross hands and waggle like “wings”)
H helicopter (Raise finger above head in a circular motion)
I igloo (Cross arms, hold opposing arm, rock like “cold”)
J jaguar (Both hands raised in claws)
K koala (“Grab” tree, hand over hand like “climbing” a tree)
L lemon (Fingers raised in letter “L” shape; pull “lemon form the tree)
M motorcycle (rev motorcycle)
N nest (Hands circle, fingers together in the shape of a “nest”)
O otter (Cross forearms one on top of the other)
P penguin (Rock torso, arms down, hands flared)
Q queen (Both hands above head, put “crown” on)
R river (Cross fingers on one hand, wiggle back and forth, raise)
S salamander (Wiggle torso back and forth in an “S” pattern)
T turtle (One hand in fist, other hand “caps” fist)
U umbrella (One fist on top of other, raise top fist to “open” umbrella)
V volcano (Fingers on both hands in a “V”; raise left and right like “lava” erupting)
W watermelon (Hands “holding” watermelon on each side of face; move face from side-to-side like “eating” it)
X x-ray (Four fingers splayed in front of eyes, “open up”)
Y yoyo (Hand at waist, wave hand up and down like “yo-yoing”)
Z zigzag (Trace a “Z” in the air)
Emergent Readers
WHY so much focus on Phonemic Awareness Skills? We are building a strong foundation for future success in reading:
PA is critical for learning to read any alphabetic writing system. Research shows that difficulty with phoneme awareness and other PA skills is a predictor of poor reading and spelling development.
HOW can you help YOUR beginning reader?
1. Model finger-point reading. That means to follow the words with your finger from left to right as
you read them. As your reader starts to read, they will learn to do the same thing.
2. Encourage "reading" or "pretend reading." This reading from memory provides practice
with retelling and practice navigating books correctly.
3. Talk about the story. When your child is finished with a book, be sure to talk about what happened in the story, and maybe "re-read" favorite parts. Talk about any interesting words or new concepts.
4. If they are having trouble with the words, review the sight words in the book before trying again.
5. Encourage attention to the print. If your child is stuck on a word, help him look at the first letter(s) and encourage him to sound it out. If it's a difficult word, or one that can't be sounded out, simply supply the word and continue reading.
6. Take turns reading. By listening to your fluent reading, your child will hear what good readers sound like. After you've read a short passage, ask your child to reread the same passage. This provides a chance for him/her to practice reading with expression.
PA is critical for learning to read any alphabetic writing system. Research shows that difficulty with phoneme awareness and other PA skills is a predictor of poor reading and spelling development.
HOW can you help YOUR beginning reader?
1. Model finger-point reading. That means to follow the words with your finger from left to right as
you read them. As your reader starts to read, they will learn to do the same thing.
2. Encourage "reading" or "pretend reading." This reading from memory provides practice
with retelling and practice navigating books correctly.
3. Talk about the story. When your child is finished with a book, be sure to talk about what happened in the story, and maybe "re-read" favorite parts. Talk about any interesting words or new concepts.
4. If they are having trouble with the words, review the sight words in the book before trying again.
5. Encourage attention to the print. If your child is stuck on a word, help him look at the first letter(s) and encourage him to sound it out. If it's a difficult word, or one that can't be sounded out, simply supply the word and continue reading.
6. Take turns reading. By listening to your fluent reading, your child will hear what good readers sound like. After you've read a short passage, ask your child to reread the same passage. This provides a chance for him/her to practice reading with expression.
Sight Words
They are called “Sight Words” because your child needs to recognize these words instantly, by sight!
Many of the sight words do not follow basic phonics principles, thus cannot be “sounded out”.
Sight words promote confidence…because they occur so frequently in text, a child who has mastered sight words can recognize most of the sentence. If your child begins to read a book and can already recognize the words, chances are he won’t feel discouraged and put the book down, rather he’ll have more confidence to read it all the way through
Sight words help promote reading comprehension. When your child opens her book for the first time, instead of trying to decipher what ALL of the words mean, she can shift her attention to focus on those words she is not familiar with. She will already know at least half of the words, so focusing on the other half helps strengthen her understanding of the text.
Many of the sight words do not follow basic phonics principles, thus cannot be “sounded out”.
Sight words promote confidence…because they occur so frequently in text, a child who has mastered sight words can recognize most of the sentence. If your child begins to read a book and can already recognize the words, chances are he won’t feel discouraged and put the book down, rather he’ll have more confidence to read it all the way through
Sight words help promote reading comprehension. When your child opens her book for the first time, instead of trying to decipher what ALL of the words mean, she can shift her attention to focus on those words she is not familiar with. She will already know at least half of the words, so focusing on the other half helps strengthen her understanding of the text.