An important part of our math curriculum is Number Corner, 15-20 minutes used to introduce, reinforce, and extend math skills and concepts.  Number Corner is centered on the calendar and includes the same five routines each month, with slight variations depending on the month and the specific skills we are working on.

Over the course of any given month we place new markers on our calendar each day and make observations and predictions about the patterns that emerge; record the number of days we have been in school by writing the number on a continuous number line and visually representing it with links and dots on ten frames; create a monthly collection of objects (cubes, sticks, pattern blocks) that we use for counting and comparing; practice the counting sequence and number recognition skills using a segment of the number line; and work on computations fluency, often using finger patterns or ten frames.

In November the calendar pattern involves 2-D shapes and 3-D shapes.  Each  2-D shape has a white background, while the 3-D shapes have a green background.  The 2-D shapes are followed by a closely related 3-D shape, for example a square is followed by a cube and a circle is followed by a sphere.  This is giving us lots of opportunity to discuss the difference between two- and three- dimensional shapes and practicing using their correct names, as well as predicting what 3-D shapes can arise from a given 2-D shape.  We all predicted a "box" would follow the rectangle, but it was a cylinder, which gave us a chance to contemplate how a rectangle can turn into a cylinder.  We used a piece of paper to model this process.  The pattern alternates between colored shapes and real life objects that represent each shape, giving us a chance to think of examples of each shape in the world.

Our collection this month is craft sticks.  Each day a child spins a spinner with the numbers 3-5 on it and we add that many craft sticks to our weekly collection.  On Friday we count the total number of craft sticks.  Then we lay them end to end and cut a piece of string to match the total length.  We have been comparing the totals from week to week and making math statements about them.  For example 14 is less than 21, or 15 is one more than 14.

So far we have completed 57 days of school, which is shown as 5 tens and 7 more using both ten frames and links.  We use the number line from 1-20 to practice identifying numbers that come just before and just after a given number.