1st grader working at around K level

[TrekBikeWife]

Need some internet guidance - I've got two little guys who are functioning at about a K level (beginning of the year K) and I need some math work I can give them to work on since no matter how much I level and adapt the Everyday Math stuff, they still don't really even know all of their numbers. Can't count by 2's, 5's independently, no clue on some of the stuff we're working on.

I want them to still be working, not just "coloring" but at this point, they're just not getting what we're working on. No matter how much I level. I have to sit like right there with them and with the other kiddos also needing some guidance on new concepts, that is just not fair to anyone.

 

[Jenny]

math

I can't help you much with the curriculum stuff, but for independent activities have you tried dot to dots?? you can get them with all sorts of number combinations, and their reward for finishing could be colouring. My only other suggestion would be to entirely focus their homework on the most important skills that need to be achieved the fastest. when i get discouraged I remind my self that I only see the kids for 6 hours a day, the parents see them for the other 18, and even allowing for sleep and eating the parents need to live up to their responsibilities too.

 

[Bertie]

idea

Head down to your K teachers and borrow some of their stuff. These kiddos need to learn their numbers, shapes, colors first. They need to count, print numbers, learn the sequence to 10. K teachers have tons of that stuff to lend you so that these guys have something they can work on fairly independently. They might have some games, computer games, or file folder activities too.

 

[ily]

I agree with Bertie go see your K teachers, they can give you lots of ideas. I would start by doing a number at a time and have them practise forming the number on a sheet, and then have them draw that many things. (ie. for 4, have a number 4, then a few 4's to trace then make some of their own 4's then have them draw 4 balls, or cats ect...)
Have them trace shapes and then make their own, so 1 shape at a time.
Have pages that have pictures on them like one box might have 6 trees, they have to count the trees and print the number
Work on extending patterns

*These are our beginning of the year math concepts for K.

 

[mrsed]

Counting Activities

If they're still working on one-to-one correspondence with numbers, you might have them work with another student and play a few math games.
1.We do some where we roll a die and then the child counts out that many counters. You can start with just doing that, then add difficulty by having them group their counters until they add up to 15.
2.Another game we play is "Compare", which is basically the same as "War". Students use cards (remove the face cards and just leave the number cards with hearts, clubs, etc that can be counted if they need to.) They each lay down a card and see who has the highest (or lowest if that's what you're working on). That person says "Me" and keeps the cards.
3.You might also have them make a book of numbers so they start to see them in their environment. This might include your room number, their bus number, the number of sides on a square, the number of wheels on a bike. Take pictures or cut them out of magazines and put them in the book.
4.Make a wrist abacus (a pipe cleaner strung with 10 plastic beads). Anytime you have a few minutes (standing in line at the bathroom or when a classmate has finished their work and can quiz them) have them show you 3 beads, 8 beads, 6 beads and they just move them to one side of the bracelet.
Hope some of these help.