Math Using Photographs

I attended the National Catholic Educational Association Convention this year and brought back an idea I am very excited about.  It was all about using photographs to teach math.  Well, I introduced it to my Kinders and they loved it.  I pulled a few photos from the internet but their favorite activity was going outside to take their own photos.  The photo shown below is actually a picture of a flower one of my students made from our math blocks.  I was amazed at all the great mathematic thinking my little Kinders were able to pull out of this one photo.

With this photo, the children saw shapes and came up with several number sentences.  For example, they saw the red blocks as 3+3+3=9.  They counted the light green squares and the dark green squares.  My kinders had to justify and explain every observation they made before we wrote it on the board.

When the idea was presented at the convention it was actually for older students.  The older students actually took their own photos and wrote about the math in the photos as a class project.  My favorite projects showed pictures of good math and bad math the students had found.  They showed things like sale signs showing prices with a dollar sign and a cent sign.  The most important part of these projects is the student's explanation about why it's good math or bad math.

The Possibilities Are Endless

I started this post a couple of months ago and have yet to post a thing.  I think it is my nasty perfectionist side shining through.  I've been trying to decide what to post and if I want this blog to be a personal reflection or a place to share with others.  I worry that I'm not a great writer but I think it is time to work on that. So today I decided I would just get started and see where the wind blows me.  I'm letting go of perfection and taking the first step to getting this all started. 

I think the reason I wanted to do this was because I have an addiction to my job.  It's all I want to do or talk about.  My friends and family have started to develop glazing of the eyes when I start to go on about the ideas I have for my classroom and the cute things my Kinders do.  It's summer and I have already begun to search the stores looking for ideas and school supplies to use in the Fall. 

I have been teaching for 6 years.  I started out in the public schools spending three years in First Grade and two years in Second Grade.  Those first five years were the best learning experience ever but I heard myself being called to move to my parish school.  After much prayer, I took the leap and took a position teaching Kindergarten.  It is such an amazing school.  My older children went to school there and my younger ones would if they didn't have special needs.  We have teachers who have taught at our school for over 35 years because it is such a great place to work.  I was lucky to have a chance to join the team.  Now I get to practice my faith and do the job I adore.  I finally feel like I am achieving balance in my life. 

That's all for now!  My first post is complete.  I'll be back later to reflect on Debbie Diller's Math Stations book.  The other bloggers I stalk have me hooked.  I started reading it online and had to order my own copy.  Tah Tah for now!