Counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s

We are keeping it seasonal up here in Massachusetts. It is all about pumpkins and leaves and the season, Fall!

I have been noticing that my students are still struggling with skip counting - especially counting by 2s. So, today, in math we read the book How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara.

In this cute story, a classroom of students receive 3 pumpkins and estimate how many seeds are inside each one. The students then split up and decide how to count the seeds in the most efficient way. One small group counts their seeds by 2s, one group counts by 5s, and the other group counts by 10s and they determine which pumpkin has the most seeds! There are also some fun, pumpkin facts at the end of the book.

I wanted my class to try something similar, but instead of using a real pumpkin (way too messy and time consuming for me), I used some math manipulatives and fall, felt containers from Target.

Grouping and counting by 2s.

Grouping and counting by 5s

  Grouping and counting by 10s.

I split my students up into 6 groups of 3 and each group received a bucket filled with manipulatives and a number (these are from my Pumpkin Math unit, but you could just write 2, 5, or 10 on an index card). The number in their bucket represented how I wanted my kids to practice grouping and counting their objects.

Each group counted their manipulatives and then we switched containers so we could all practice counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s! When all groups were finished, we met together back on the mat and ordered the buckets from the least amount of items to the most! We also talked about which buckets were hardest to count and why... we all agreed counting by 2s is tricky!

These buckets will now go in a math center for extra counting practice :)

I know I've said it countless times, but I realllllllllly am glad to be back in MA appreciating the beautiful, Autumn weather and enjoying so many fall-themed games with the kids!

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Pumpkin Math!

We have been having a pumpkin-filled week!

After a relaxing, longggg weekend we came back to school Tuesday and went on our first field trip to the farm!

Beautiful

We picked pumpkins, fed animals, ate pumpkin spice donuts, and went on a tractor ride. The kids loved every second of it.

I thought I would keep the pumpkin theme going and practice some math skills at the same time! I put together some math games and activities to help my students review and reinforce the skills we have been learning since the beginning of the year.

Here are a couple of the games in action:

 Pumpkin Pickin' Students practiced making 10 with this game. My kids would pick a number from the pumpkin basket (thank you, $1 spot at Target) and place that many counters on the pumpkin. They would then have to solve how many more they would need to make 10 and record.

Recording sheet.

We recently learned how to use a number line as a strategy to solve addition and subtraction problems, so I thought I would make my kids their own pumpkin number line! They used it to complete this Math hunt activity. I don't know about you, but I always turn my "hunts" or "read-the-rooms" into a silent race. I also made 26 problems for this hunt, so it bought me a good 20-30 minutes of silent math time.... tehehehehe.....guilty........

 

While it was wonderful quiet time for me, it was a great way for me to see who could accurately use their number line and solve these addition and subtraction problems within 20.

 

I created 4 more activities that we will be completing throughout the next few weeks in school!

 

I put them altogether in this little math pack, Pumpkin Math!

 There are 6 different math activities included in this pack. Click the picture above to download the preview and see more :)

This pack is on sale through Friday the 18th

Happy hump day!

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