Number Sense Folders!

Oh my gosh, what a hit these are! The boys and girls are doing a wonderful job completing their back-to-school Math work!  

I created this resource for a number of reasons. Of course, reviewing basic math skills was my priority.  But it also functions as an exercise that helps support the routines and expectations we have in our classroom. 

Throughout this activity, students will review their key Math skills such as addition and subtraction, place value, and ordinal numbers. 

We'll also look at new concepts such as finding patterns on a hundreds chart.

While working on this activity, the class will learn about expectations around how we distribute materials, how we colour neatly, use the document camera/Smartboard to learn/demonstrate, how we clean up, appropriate noise level, how to follow both oral and written instructions, and so much more. 

It also helps me to establish the routine for our Math lessons, which go like this: 

• warm up activity or story
• discussion of learning goals
• lesson and practice
• follow-up discussion/clarification of concepts 

The folder activity also gives students an opportunity to work on their fine- motor skills (e.g. cutting, colouring and gluing).  

Upon completion, we'll use the folder to "warm up" our minds for about a week or so prior to our main lesson. There are plenty of good discussion goodies to be had around the work that is to be completed. The students can bring their folder to the carpet, and I can ask them a variety of questions around the skills we reviewed.  It becomes a kind of self-created textbook!