Skip to main content

Calculator Caller!

Hi All,



I had a colleague I taught with for years. She was a passionate second grade teacher with a lot of solid experience. A parent once asked her, "What is the most important thing you can teach a child?" I was thinking that's a tough question. Maybe, to treat others like you would treat yourself? Her immediate reply was, "Place value." Ha, ha! She was a real math maven!


Place value is important though! Here's one fun partner activity that gives kids practice with calculators (which they need in standardized tests as well as real life), place value, number recognition, and number words. It's motivating because most kids love to get their hands on calculators and as teachers and parents we're usually telling them, "No calculators!"

 


1. Each player gets a calculator and a recording sheet. The lead player decides on a number, inputs it into his calculator, writes it down on the record sheet, says it aloud, but does not let his partner see it. Link for record sheet here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PaSjvEE6DMIFbPjSEiU5zRVY-CSszEpM/view?usp=sharing

 

2. Based on what the first person "called out" the partner must then input that number into her calculator. 

 

3. Players then compare calculators side by side to see if the numbers match. If they do, the second player then records that number on her record sheet. The helper sheet can also be used at this time as the player constructs the number before typing it into the calculator.

 

4. Players take turns calling out numbers and writing them.

 

5. Teachers can differentiate by setting parameters for each partnership, such as going up to three, four, five digit numbers, etc. You could also extend this to working with decimal numbers.

 


Tips: Numbers with zeros in the middle are particularly tricky such as “one million fifteen.” Students get practice with reading, saying, writing, and inputting numbers. Proper place value location as well as the use of periods and commas is also in play here.

Kids may notice for the first time that calculators don't put commas in as the number appears on the screen. They have to do it as they write the number.

Here's a link to the "helper sheet" (pictured above) that can supports kids as they work to keep their numbers organized when writing them down. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lvjPoOm0kZee5HIewKPaA-yZstXX9Nar/view?usp=sharing

 Have fun!

Best,

Bob 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Does Not Belong?

 Hi All,   "What Does Not Belong" is such a great little concept and can be applied to so many different areas of math as well as other content areas. Great little game when you are waiting, like for buses to be called or for the day to begin. Also a great game for long car or bus rides where if there are no written numbers or pictures you really have to do the mental math. Present a group of numbers. Start with maybe six. Say, 10     56     17     122     4     98 Ask the players to identify which number does not belong and have them explain why. We want players to look at the characteristics of the numbers and compare them to try to find the selection criteria or "rule" so they can determine which does not belong. For example, we have a mix of 1, 2, and 3 digit numbers, so it's not the "rule" is not the number of digits. We have five even numbers and only one odd number. That's it! 17 does not belong,...
2 comments
Read more

Piaget Would be Proud! Assessment, Mental Math, Manipulatives, Thinking, Missing Addends, and Kumquats!

 Hi All, This is a super simple, but very revealing activity and so works as a good assessment. Fantastic for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1. Try it out and see what you learn about your students. Display a small number of objects in your open hands. Here we have 4 kumquats. (Because I have a kumquat tree in my yard. Any small manipulative will do.) Put your hands behind your back. Close one hand and bring both hands back out in front of you to display 2 kumquats visible in one hand and a closed hand with the rest of them. Remind students that you started with 4 and there are still 4 all together. Ask students, what is in the closed hand. Ask how they know this. Then reveal and discuss. Try another one. Show the 4 objects again, 2 in each hand. Put your hands behind your back and redistribute with 1 object in one hand and 3 objects in the other. Bring your hands to the front and ask how many are in your closed hand. Ask how they know this.  Then reveal and discuss.   Yo...
Post a Comment
Read more