Think Math

I am amazed at how deeply my Kindergarten students are able to think :)  We have really been trying to do more hands on, investigative math lessons with our students this year.  (We are thrilled that our school system has adopted Investigations for the next school year!)  I saw a fabulous idea on Deanna Jump's blog and had to try it out- she calls it "Think Math."  I have either started or ended the majority of my math lessons this way for a few weeks now and I LOVE it.  Basically, it gives the students the answer and asks them to figure out the problem.  This morning, mine said "The answer is 3, what is the question?"  The answers that my students came up with blew me away.

They were able to come up with addition and subtraction number sentences, as well as word problems.  The most amazing part was one student who said "I know that 30- 27= 3."  I asked him to explain his thinking.  (I am really working hard to create a community of learners and let them guide my instruction.  They have learned so much this year from their classmates thinking.)  This child said that he knew from the word problems we had come up with earlier saying that if 10- 7= 3 and 20- 17=3, then 30-27 had to equal 3.  I just love it when they can spot the patterns in math on their own :)