Hands-On, Montessori Inspired Math for 1st and 2nd Grades (Level B) 3x a Week

Hands-On Learning=Mastery, Confidence, and Learning that Sticks!

This class helps students dive deeply into number sense in a hands-on way using physical or printable Montessori manipulatives, creating a firm mathematical foundation from numbers 1 to 9,999.  

Students who truly understand and master math concepts learn to love math, and we want our students to experience math in a hands-on way where they know they can try new things, make mistakes, and learn from them.  

Each class begins with a routine-oriented calendar time to help build number fluency, confidence, and class relationships.   Fun games, songs, and mathematical conversations help engage students and give them a natural way to apply concepts.  

We work with place value, addition and subtraction with and without regrouping (static and dynamic addition), skip counting, patterns, fractions, telling time, money, data and graphing, probability, basic and advanced multiplication, basic division, geometry, and measurement.  Every lesson and activity is planned to help students understand and apply what they are learning in a hands-on way!  We play games and frequently review so that we are constantly learning new skills while building mastery of older skills. 

Students need to have the actual manipulatives with them (or a provided printable version) as we work through lessons together.  There is a second camera used in class to show the teacher's table so that the students are guided through problems step by step, working toward independence.  This class can be used as review of first grade math or for a first or second grade math class.  Each week of class is unique and students may stay all year or come in for the week they need.  

This schedule may be adapted to meet specific learner needs:

End of August/September:
Fact families within 10
Adding on a 20 Frame
Count sets of pennies
Counting by 10s and count sets of dimes
Create numbers to 999 with Montessori beads
Use Montessori beads for static addition and subtraction

October:
Spiral review of previous content
Use Montessori beads for dynamic addition and subtraction
Use snap cubes to create and add and subtract with story problems

November:
Spiral review of previous content
Explore geometrical shapes and figures
Use rulers to measure to the nearest inch
Count by 5s and count sets of nickels

December:
Spiral review of previous content
Explore with fractions
Count by 2s 

January:
Spiral review of previous content
Use the Montessori Stamp Game to build numbers, add, and subtract
Begin counting sets of mixed coins
Explore with multiplication as repeated sets of Montessori beads

February:
Spiral review of previous content
Explore with the Montessori Multiplication board to multiply
Use fractions to measure more accurately

March:
Spiral review of previous content
Use multiplication strategies to solve story problems
Explore with measuring time with clocks

April:
Continue reviewing all previous content
Explore with the Montessori division board
Use multiplication and division strategies to solve story problems
Begin exploring with geometrical lines and angles

May:
Continue reviewing all previous content
Explore with surveys, data, graphing, and probability

Beginning late May, students may enroll in the 1 day a week summer version of this course to keep their skills fresh over the break.  https://outschool.com/classes/summer-review-hands-on-montessori-inspired-math-level-b-for-1st2nd-grades-v9yVYRKU?refuid=6msWnIQO. 

Many students are ready to move on to Level C after completing this course. https://outschool.com/classes/hands-on-montessori-inspired-advanced-math-level-c-2x-a-week-with-manipulatives-MZSy4qds?usid=6msWnIQO&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link or retake Level B, depending on progress.  

The class restarts in late August. 

Class Policies:
-All students need to have either printable or physical versions of the manipulatives needed for class to fully participate.
-I prefer videos on and students are often able to tilt their screens to show what they are working on at their tables.
-I prefer students stay unmuted to help with participation, but sometimes, due to background noise or static from a connection, I may need to mute students.  
-I am happy to share recordings for missed classes.  
-The students and I try very hard to create a supportive and respectful learning community.  Please be kind with your classmates.