Building a Curious and Playful Early Childhood Math Community

Toni Cameron and Deanna McLennan in conversation with Stenhouse’s Kassia Omohundro Wedekind about creating a supportive, curious, and playful environment for mathematics in early childhood classrooms, the importance of stepping back to listen, and (of course!) what this all looks like these days.

I am a Mathematician!

My first attempt at recording a reading of one of my books! It's a work in progress...still could use a bit of mic editing and not sure how to get rid of the arrow clicks, but feel free to use this book recording in your class when you explore socio-emotional aspects of math learning with students!

Introducing Children to Strong Characters Using Diverse Texts

"Simply put, a book is both a mirror and a window. It can reflect the reality of a child’s life, allowing them to see the story of someone who looks like them, thinks like them, or lives like them. It can also help a child understand what it’s like for those who live different realities, whether that is a different racial background, religion, socio-economic status, or another facet of identity."

As an educator I have always tried to include diverse texts in my classroom. Whether they are provided freely and permanently to children in the cozy reading area or explored during whole and small group learning, I feel it is so important to help children learn about the amazing diversity in our world. I have spent my entire career collecting texts that help represent the diversity of the children in my care and introducing them to the beauty of humanity beyond their current life experience. I want children to feel seen, represented and appreciated in our learning space.  

A favourite character of mine is Peter featured in books by Ezra Jack Keats. Peter is a typical little boy - spending time exploring nature, connecting with his dog Willie, and feeling the changes that happen in his family when a new sibling is born. I appreciate the artwork created by Keats in the Peter books. They are a staple in my classroom.

This winter I was inspired to research Keats more deeply. I knew he authored The Snowy Day in 1962 but was surprised to learn that Peter is considered to be one of the most consequential children's book characters. Keats felt it was unfair for children to read books that only featured white characters so he created more diverse stories. How did I not know this? Peter is one of the first Black protagonists in a children's story that won the Caldecott award.

Looking back on past readings of The Snowy Day and Peter's Chair, I felt I may have glossed over Peter's Blackness, focusing instead on the plot of the book and its beautiful illustrations. I wonder how many of my students recognized Peter as Black, and made personal connections with him through the beauty of the text. This time I aimed to accomplish more. Before reading the story I introduced Peter to the children as one of the first Black characters in a book. We talked about representation and how before The Snowy Day Black characters were not prominent in books. We discussed how unfair that was and how important Keat's work would have been at that time. This was perfect timing because the children had just learned about the work of Alma Thomas in a previous exploration of concentric art work. During our research we learned Thomas could not attend school because she was Black, and was one of the first Black female artists to have her art displayed in a gallery. Exploring Peter consecutively with Alma Thomas helped give children context when thinking about social issues and racial discrimination. This made our 'text to self' connections to Keat's books richer and more attainable for children. 

I also intended to help children feel more connected to Peter. We used class discussions to think about him. How old did we think Peter might be? How were we alike? What might we say and do if Peter were a member of our class?

         

My teaching partner and I offered children STEM challenges to help design a new chair for Peter...

          

...and we explored the setting and actions he experienced using the language of art. The intent was for children to continue to think deeply about Peter as a character and feel connected to him beyond our initial explorations of the text.

         

As we continue to explore books that Keats wrote featuring Peter and his family, I am hopeful that children will think more deeply about him as a character and recognize that despite our differences we are really the same children at heart, and that all people have a right to feel seen, heard and represented in our classrooms and world. Digging into diverse texts, understanding their histories and connecting with strong characters is a step in the right direction.

Free January Math Prompts Giveaway

Curious about my monthly math talk books? The January edition will be available for free from January 26 - 30 on Amazon. Check it out! Reviews much appreciated!

Click here for link!

Exploring Different Fonts of Numbers

Sorting numbers that are presented using different fonts is an effective way to help children understand that numbers can look many different ways. This activity requires children to sort and glue numbers onto a chart. A basket of cut numbers was offered to children along with a template/chart and glue sticks. Children were challenged to find as many of each different number as they could.

Want to try the activity with your students? Click here to get free printable font pages and the template. Happy sorting!

    

Fairy Tale Inspired STEAM Invitations in the Kindergarten Classroom

"I can help the goats escape that silly, old troll. All I need to do is just make a bridge that is so low to the water there is no room for the troll to hide below. That's the problem with the one in the story. There was enough room for the troll to hide. My bridge won't do that."

 

Young children are naturally curious about the world around them as they marvel and wonder about what they experience in their daily lives. According to Let's Talk Science this means that every moment has the potential for learning because children desire a deeper understanding of the world around them. STEAM learning in the early years is especially important because it helps prepare children with skills and knowledge for an unknown future. Let's Talk Science explains that STEAM activities can:

• Foster natural curiosity and creativity 
• Encourage independent and collaborative learning 
• Improve work habits and grades 
• Promote confidence in learning and ‘science identity’ 
• Promote language learning 
• Improve social-emotional skills 
• Build decision-making, problem-solving and critical thinking skills 
• Support inclusion and reduces gender disparity

In our classroom I have found that children are usually very motivated to help solve problems that appear in books we have read aloud and explored together as a class. In particular fairy tales that have likeable characters that need help evading a villain seem to elicit the most excitement and enthusiasm from kids. Sometimes STEAM invitations that are inspired by fairy tales naturally occur as a result of the children reading and discussing the text together in large or small groups. Other times I will invite children to engage in helping solve a problem by asking a question in our whole group meetings and inviting their ideas, or setting up an invitation for learning based upon the text.

One of the most popular invitations was based on the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. After reading the book I asked children to think about whether they could help the goats by building them a new bridge. On a table I created a quick playscape replicating the river by using green place mats for grass and blue paper for water. I offered baskets of different wooden loose parts for them to explore. I also added three toy goats and a troll that could be used as character props to help inspire children to retell the story after building the bridge.

    

During play time children worked collaboratively to build a number of interesting bridges. It was fascinating to discuss the attributes of each, and listen to the children's rationale for how the goats could evade the troll by using the bridge's features (e.g., close to the water, troll traps, fencing). 

      

  

  

Looking for some STEAM inspired invitations for other fairy tales? Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

The Gingerbread Man:

• build the Gingerbread Man a boat to use when crossing the river to avoid the fox
• design a fox-proof water suit the Gingerbread Man can wear when swimming across the river
• create a trap the bakers and animals can use to trick and capture the Gingerbread Man
  

Goldilocks and the Three Bears:

• build Baby Bear a new chair that will not break no matter how much weight is placed upon it
• design and draw a security system that will alert the three bears next time someone enters their house
• sketch a disguise for Goldilocks so the three bears will not recognize her
  

The Three Little Pigs:

• draw three new wolf-proof houses for the Little Pigs
• build a wind machine for the wolf that will work on a brick house
• build the setting of the story using various materials (e.g., wooden sticks, tape, play dough) that can be used to retell the story when toy pigs are added
  

Little Red Riding Hood:

• design an invisibility cloak for Little Red
• build a strong basket for Little Red that can hold many small objects without breaking (e.g., pennies, cubes, marbles)
  
• create a transportation system to move the basket of food from Little Red's to Grandmother's house
  

Jack and the Beanstalk: 

• build a beanstalk using tubes and card stock as tall as you can without it collapsing
• design, create and test a parachute that Jack can use to escape from the castle in the sky
• create a structure that the hen's golden egg can be dropped into that will keep it safe
  

Goodreads!

Like many educators I am a avid reader who devours historical fiction. This is nothing like a good book that pulls you in and helps you forget the cold, snowy January weather of Ontario. While researching my next read I stumbled upon the Goodreads website. Where has this been my whole life? I was fascinated to quickly and easily find many titles to add to my reading list. I was also deeply surprised to find many of the books I have authored on the site - not just their titles but ratings too! This inspired me to create an author page in order to help me connect with readers in a new and fresh way. If you are on Goodreads come find me! Even better I would love a review of my books if you have read or purchased them. Come ask me a question or suggest your favourite book to read! I'm excited to connect with you in a new way!

Deanna's Goodreads Page

Printable Subitizing Cards

We use these subitizing cards for many games in our classroom. This past week we invited children to play a 'roll and record' game. Using one die or two dice, children would roll, subitize or add, and cover that number on their card using a holiday trinket. Click on the image of the card to download your own copy of the four subitizing cards!

Facilitating Math Talks with Young Children - Printables to Support the Math Talk Books

Math talks are a great way to engage children in open-ended explorations that invite them to think critically and creatively about a concept. Math talks are like number talks, yet include any area of math that an educator would like children to explore. An effective math prompt to facilitate a rich math discussion will be layered; it should be open-ended with multiple entry points for engagement. Even children as young as kindergarten are capable of participating in complex math conversations. In our classroom I aim to invite children into a math talk at least once a day; I sometimes use the numerical date on our morning message as the spark for exploration. Other times an interesting photo or collection of loose parts will be engaging and incite children into further exploration. I try to vary the invitations I provide in order to diversify the math we discuss and to reach as many learning interests as possible. 

In our program we have a morning circle time. This circle is our first whole group gathering time for the day and helps set a positive atmosphere in our classroom. It is also a time to celebrate being together, and share news from our homes. We often use it as an opportunity to read a story and discuss any new and exciting activities or additions to our classroom space about which the children should know in order to be successful for the day. 

When I first started teaching kindergarten many years ago it was expected that the morning circle would begin with 'calendar time' where children would put a sticky number on a large grid to depict the day and there would be an extensive discussion about the calendar (e.g., day of the week, month, year). However over the years I realized that this was a very teacher-directed task and not as meaningful a use of our time. After reading Sherry Parrish's work on number talks I was inspired to use our morning message as an anchor for math talks. Wanting to still introduce the date to students, the numerical representation of the date became the foundation for our number talks most days. Sometimes I would use other prompts depending on the events and interests emerging in our classroom. If you would like to read more about number talks in kindergarten, you can access an article I wrote for the Journal of Teaching and Learning here: Joyful Number Talks in Kindergarten. 

 

Over the years I have shared my math talks on social media and have been asked repeatedly to create a guide to support educators who wish to engage their students in math talks. This inspired my collection of monthly math talk books. Each book contain 25 prompts to engage children in regular conversations in the classroom. The prompts do not need to be followed in order. In order to help educators I have also created free downloadable PDFs that can be printed and used with students. 

 

Click on the book's image to be linked to where it can be purchased. 

 

Click on the printable to be linked to where it can be printed.

Printables that can be used to support this book:

 

Printables that can be used to support this book:

      

       

 

Printables that can be used to support this book:

 

  

  

Cultivating a Mathematically Rich Learning Space

It's almost Labour Day! This time of year always fills me with hope. Although it's sometimes sad to be leaving the fun and comforts of summer - spending time with my children, sleeping in, enjoying the back yard with my pup - it's exciting to think of the possibilities of another school year. Like a blank canvas waiting to be painted our classroom evolves and changes over time as the children and I learn and explore together. 

As we head back into the school year many educators are working thoughtfully to create environments that are rich with math possibility. In Reggio Emilia the environment exists as the 'third teacher' inspiring, supporting, and extending children's learning in rich and complex ways. I have been contacted by many educators asking for advice on how to best set up their classroom and routines in order to create as many opportunities for authentic math as possible. This has inspired today's blog post - how to cultivate a math rich learning space for children at the beginning of another school year.

I thought it would be easiest to create this as a 'math check list' with points to read and consider. When I reflect upon my own math pedagogy and practice, these are what I think stand out as mathematically meaningful for the educators, children and families that share our space. Although this check list isn't all inclusive, I thought it might spark some ideas to support and inspire as we enjoy the final weeks of summer and return soon to our classrooms with open eyes, minds and hearts.

1. Make math a part of every space in the classroom and child's school world. In the classroom are there math tools and materials available for use beyond a 'math center or math shelf'? Do children see how math relates to every subject in the space (e.g., how materials are sorted and stored on the toy shelf, how measurement is used when children decide on a size of paper to use for their project)? Can they translate math tools and ideas into other spaces in their immediate school world (e.g., see how math relates to their walks in the hallway or work in the gym)?

2. Ground and build math concepts into known objects for children. When introducing, extending or innovating a math idea is it organic and natural to the child's explorations and world? For example, it is more natural to engage children in an exploration of measurement if they measure things in their immediate world using the stick they are playing with, instead of using a standardized ruler (e.g., "Can you find something the same length as your stick in the yard?", "What is taller than your body?").

3. Use available math moments with children. In our classroom we have a large block of uninterrupted play each day. It's sometimes challenging to manage children, materials and activities during center time. However I try to engage with children as much as possible in the activities, and take on the role of 'play partner' together with them. When I am actively playing I am able to closely observe what they are saying and doing, helping me to identify and extend the rich math learning that is organically occurring (e.g., helping children to recognize why their tower keeps falling, using math terms when they equally share the play dough, introducing math ideas as they discuss how many cars are in their parking lot).

4. Become a math role-model for children, families, and colleagues. Even if math isn't your favourite subject, how do you discuss it within your school and classroom? Are you excited by new activities and resources? Do you demonstrate a growth mindset? When mathematical situations arise with children that you aren't sure of, can you use these opportunities to showcase positive thinking and problem-solving? Share your new math learning with others - suggest articles and books you're reading and post these throughout your classroom to enhance documentation displays. 

5. Find the math in everything. Many educators plan forward by choosing curriculum and programming expectations and then building activities to fulfill these. Try back-mapping activities from time to time; embrace child-centered, organic experiences and then deconstruct them in order to identify the rich math concepts and curriculum expectations that they utilize. You'll be surprised to find that math happens in almost every experience children have in the classroom.

6. Try looking at life through a mathematical lens. When planning invitations for learning in your classroom see what math you can sneak in as well. Changing one or two elements of the experience might be enough to engage children in rich math. It reminds me of how I used to sneak veggies into my children's meals - a little can go a long way!

7. Collaborate mathematically with colleagues. Share new ideas and resources informally. It's easy and effective to create math invitations and activities and share these within your school or division. If every educator plans one or two activities and these are shared, children will benefit from many rich and interesting games and activities without the burden of planning and preparation it would take one educator to accomplish the same.

8. Record and celebrate your math moments. Help children, families, and colleagues recognize that math happens everywhere in the classroom by creating a documentation display with photos, anecdotal observations and connections to curriculum. This bulletin board can be built over the course of the school year as artifacts of learning are continually added by staff and students. Keep sticky notes nearby and invite observers to record their own ideas and share them by posting the notes within the documentation.

9. Engage families in joyful math with children outside of school. Consider ways that you can promote and extend math for children after school. Encouraging families to play math games and activities together with their children will not only provide children with additional meaningful math moments, but it may help older family members reconcile their fear or dislike of math.

10. Build your collection of math stories, songs and games. Children love to sing, dance and play games. Ask colleagues to share their favourite games and activities, and use these to help with transitions and other 'math moments' throughout the day. Quite often the words in songs can easily be improvised to match something happening in your classroom, and many rich storybooks have mathematical elements and problems embedded within them that can inspire children.

These are just a few of the ways in which I cultivate a rich math space with children. I'd love to hear from you! Share your math ideas in the comments below, and consider following my Instagram @McLennan1977 for regular ideas from my classroom!

Book Review

"Exploring trees outdoors is an enjoyable experience that children love to do! Swinging from a branch, exploring leaves and bark, and observing gnarled roots are all favourite activities that also integrate rich learning. Heading outside to explore the yard uses children's excitement and enthusiasm for sensory and nature experiences to inspire rich mathematical and scientific inquiries about what they are seeing and experiencing."

 

I was excited to see a review of my book Tree Math in the MAMT Spring Journal! You can access the review here!

Quick and Easy Resources for Littles to Help Explain and Explore the Solar Eclipse!

The solar eclipse of 2024 is an exciting event for children! Here are some resources I quickly put together to help educators and families explore the eclipse and use it to inspire a few activities!

Here is a great picture book to help explain what an eclipse is:

Here is a video that delves into the science behind the eclipse:

Here's a neat time lapsed video of an eclipse:

And here are three quick and easy math resources to use that capture children's excitement about the entire experience!

1. Roll, Subitize and Cover the Suns!

2. Which One Doesn't Belong?

3. See, Think and Wonder