Customer Reviews

Exploring the Numbers 1 to 100 (Grades PreK-2)

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The mind of a child is sophisticated and sometimes simple but always exploring. The key to teaching "hard" concepts is to make the sophisticated simple and a "treasure" in an exploratory contest. Numbers fit well into this form of activity, in that, while simple, some concepts are very abstract. Consider for a moment the concrete number 2, as opposed to the abstract concept of "twoness", an idea that does not arise in some cultures.
One hundren is an excellent stopping point: It is large enough to grasp the concept of the large yet small enough to fit into most activitites. For example, it is possible to collect 100 empty toilet paper rolls to see how large the pile becomes. Other ideas include keeping a weather chart for 100 days, having a centarian visit the class, making 100 faces and collecting 100 buttons. Each activity is presented as a class project and encourages creative thought and organizing skills. Think how difficult it is to make sure that 100 drawn faces are different and deciding which characteristics make them different.
Designed to be used with children in grades K-2, there are many ideas in this book that can be used by the parent as well as the teacher. Learning can and should be fun, and many concepts presented here will help achieve that goal.

Published in School Science and Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

This book has been a real treat in my classroom. The layout is user-friendly, and allows one to flip through to get some good ideas.

The book is broken down into:
-Introduction
-Day One and Counting (with the story of its origin)
-Warm up to 100
-Centering on 100
-Lit-based lessons
-100 Across the Curriculum
-Culminating Celebration

By allowing children to see how days build onto one another, the lesson of larger numbers is more effective.

What a great reference tool...check out the ideas for Collections of 100!