If you have a child in 1st grade math class, take some time to learn more about what your child is learning. With a little bit of encouragement at home, you can spark a love for learning for lifetime. One way to engage in math discussions at home is with a craft-based 1st grade math journal. Here’s what you need to know about this tool.
What Is a Math Journal?
A math journal gives kids a place to record the things they are learning in the math class. It provides a place for observations from math activities to be recorded, as well as to get more than one sense involved in learning of math. Many math journal entries can involve crafts to make it more engaging, and this is particularly helpful with 1st grade math students.
How to Create a Math Journal
A 1st grade math journal is very simple to create. You can either purchase a three-ring notebook to add papers to or a spiral notebook to use. Either way, you will help your child enter the activities into the journal, and then you will have a record to look back on as you learn more math facts.
Craft-Based Activities to Include
Once you have your 1st grade math journal created, it’s time to have some fun. Here are some craft-based ideas you can add to the journal and have a little fun while learning together.
- Counting by Fives Hands – Have your child trace her hand and paste it on the top of the 1st grade math journal page. Label the page “I can count by fives” and then write the numbers 5 through 100, counting by 5s.
- Money Chart – Create a chart with four columns and five rows. Title the columns “count,” “heads,” “tails” and “value.” Cut out images of the heads and tails side of each coin from penny to quarter. Fill in the chart and paste in the coins.
- Lady Bug Doubles – Color and cut out six ladybugs that have two wings and a solid space in the middle. Put the same number on each wing, then have children add the double and put the sum on the open space between the wings. Paste these in the journal with an explanation of what a double is.
- Math Fact Flowers – Color and cut out a large daisy with “addition” or “subtraction” written in the center of the flower. Glue it into the notebook leaving the petals free. Fold down the petals and write math facts that match the label on them. Write the answers underneath the petal.
- Pictorial T-Chart or Bar Graphs – Get crafty with graphs in your math notebook. Use graphs to sort pictures of all types, and make entries in the math journal to show your work.
A math journal is a great way for parents to stay on top of 1st grade math and ensure their children are gaining the knowledge they need. If you want to give that knowledge a boost, consider tablet-based instruction to work with your math notebook. Thinkster Math is an excellent choice as it is engaging, instructor-led and proven to be an effective tool to help get kids excited about math.
