What Math Concepts Should I Teach in November (Kindergarten)?

It is hard to believe that November is here!  For a lot of schools, they are getting close or starting quarter  2.  For many of you, your hard work is paying off and the students are starting to follow rules and routines a little more independently.  

In November, I start to introduce a lot of new concepts in math.  Although my school implements Everyday Math, the small group activities are not enough to help students learn concepts.  So I have created centers that will help build these important skills.

If your school is like mine, Kindergarten teachers are responsible to create their own timeline of when important concepts should be taught and implemented in the classroom.  I created this blog post to share the math concepts that I introduce and use in the month of November (click on any picture below to see the unit).

Number Identification and Writing Practice (1-10) (1-15) (1-20)

I think their are a lot of teachers that believe that if they introduce something a few times that students should just get it.  Kindergarten has changed so much in the last five years that we are under the assumption that students come into kindergarten with a good number sense.  I have found this to be untrue.  Some students are able to count to 100, but because their fine motor skills are so low they are unable to write the numbers 1-10 in the correct manner.  This is something that needs to be practiced consistently.  We write numbers on a weekly basis.  We have moved on to 1-15.

Ordering Numbers.  In November I expect kids to be able to not only write numbers 1-10, I am looking for them to order numbers 1-10, 1-15.  

Missing Numbers to 10 is another activity that really helps students visualize a number line from 1-10.  Believe it or not students are still mixing up numbers at this point of the year.

Matching numbers to sets is another favorite in the class.  The boys and girls like to use colored pencils (twistables) to represent each number.  It ends up looking like a rainbow write.  Numbers to sets is another good activity to remind students the purpose of numbers.

In November we start to compare objects.  Some of the students are ready to compare numbers alone, but most students are only able to compare objects at this time.

Ten frames are always a good idea.  I still use ten frames at this time of the year.  Ten frames are great for overall number sense.

Estimation can be a hard concept for students.  Kids always want to have the right answer.  This activity is a simple way to practice estimating.  This is a concept that we have done in a large group setting throughout the beginning of the year, but the first time independently.

I like to use this measurement activity in the fall.  I feel that real blocks can be too open-ended for the first half of the year.  The boys and girls will determine "how tall" each fall item is.

In November the boys and girls are able to compare several items at a time.  They love little graphs that they can do independently.  Up until November we usually do graphs in a large group setting.

The Pan-Balance has been a staple in our sensory table.  Students have been using it to weigh cor, beans and anything else I place in the table.  This is the first time they are using it to record an answer.  Sometimes I pair students up or ask other teachers to borrow their balance.  This is the center I keep an eye on or place an assistant at.

Dice games are great for helping students develop quick number recognition.  I try to have one dice game a week.

In November I still use objects to help students add.  Subtraction is similar.  This helps students visualize.

Kindergarten Rocks 2015