Review: Saxon Math

   


Saxon is one of the most popular and successful homeschool math programs out there. It is recommended by our Classical Conversations group, and I know many who use it and love it. I really wanted to love it. And I did for awhile, when I had just one kid that I was teaching. Now, it seems so very teacher-intensive. And I get it-- it's math. You have to do a little teaching in math. But it just got to be so much for me when I added a second kid. And the worksheets-- they were so boring and so repetitive.

I do like the spiral method used in Saxon-- learning one new concept while continually reviewing the old. And I understand that it has to be repetitive, but the worksheets were boring both my daughter-- and me!-- to tears. She is even a worksheet-type kid. She doesn't mind doing worksheets, but she likes color and variety and visual appeal. Of which Saxon had none.

So even though I love the way Saxon teaches some of the concepts (and still use some of them even though we've moved on to a different math program-- specifically the way they teach addition facts), it's just not for us anymore. And that's not to say we won't go back to it in the later years. I've heard it gets better after 4th grade or so. And also more independent. I still have both these Teacher's Guides and will continue to use them for preschool and kindergarten, but not necessarily the worksheet, and not necessarily in the format they are intended.

Note: Saxon K (which I honestly recommend for preschool, as it's very simple) has no workbook but has an accompanying manipulative kit. I never bought their manipulative kit, but used things I found at yard sales & just around the house. Here is what I found necessary:
- teddy bear counters
- pattern blocks
- a ruler (inches & centimeters)
- some type of Unifix or linking cube (Lego blocks also work fine)

There are a few other things that are used, but you could probably work around, as they're only used in a couple lessons.
- a bucket balance
- student clocks with moveable hands
- Geoboard
- tangrams
- Hundreds board (can find free printable ones online)

I also love the flashcards included with Saxon 1 for addition and subtraction and still use those even with our new math program.

Preschool Math Week 18

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:

- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Practice counting from 51-60. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 51 and 60. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Fifty Family” (51-60) each day, then count from 1-60.

- Also practice counting backward from 10 to 1, as if you were on a rocket ship. If you need help, have the child look at the 100’s chart and point to each number.

Day 1

Act out stories using your teddy bear counters to demonstrate beginning addition and subtraction concepts. Pretend a piece of colored paper or small work mat is a movie theater (or some other place with chairs your child would be familiar with). Pretend your pattern blocks are chairs in the theater.

Have the child put x number (1-9) of same-shape pattern blocks on the work mat. Tell him/ her that when the bears go to the theater, they each need their own chair, so he/ she should put one bear on each block (chair). So how many bears can go to this theater? Now pretend x number of bears went to get popcorn. How many are watching the movie now? (Allow child to count remaining bears.) You can use proper wording for subtraction: “So 6 take away 2 equals 4…”, but don’t expect mastery of this. Continue to make up a story with bears leaving (to go to the restroom, to go home, etc.), and then more bears coming back (“So there were 3 bears, and 3 came back from the restroom—that equals 6 bears in the theater…”)

(At this point we are not going to memorize or learn addition & subtraction facts—just simply introduce the concept of adding & subtracting. Always allow the child to use manipulatives and count to figure out answers to problems.)

Numbers Card Game (reading 2-digit numbers): For this game, you will need 2 stacks of playing cards. In the 1^st stack, place the numbers A (1) to 5. In the second stack, place a mixture of numbers all the way to 9 (remove face cards). Have the child turn over one card from each stack and say the number they have made (so a 3 next to a 6 would be “36”). If he/ she says the correct number, he can keep both cards; if not, they must be returned to the deck.

Create your own “Missing Numbers” Worksheet with numbers up to 60 (select increment value of 6).

Day 2

Have your child make up his/ her own story using the teddy bears as you did yesterday. The bears can get on a bus, shop at the store, play at the park, etc. Help them make up scenarios in which some go away and later some come back. Only use numbers up to 10.

Using colored Goldfish crackers, or cut outs of red & blue goldfish, and this laminated fish bowl, have your child practice adding different numbers of fish. Use a dry-erase marker to fill in the numbers at the bottom and allow them to count the total number of fish.

Try this worksheet to practice writing in missing numbers from 1-50.

Day 3

Use another type of manipulative to tell story problems: the child’s favorite stuffed animals or small toys, matchbox cars, or even a snack food.

Review counting by 10’s & estimation. Collect up to 100 of any item (cereal, beans, pennies, paper clips, etc.)  and place them in a clear jar. Have child estimate how many he/she thinks there are, then practice counting them by putting them into groups of 10.

Learn the number word “three.” Use these 1 to 15 4-Part Puzzles for number three to begin to recognize the word for the numbers. You can also use these Number Word Cards to practice spelling the numbers with letter magnets.

Day 4

Use these “Hands-On Math” Addition & Subtraction Gumball machines with gumball print-outs to practice manipulating numbers to add them or subtract them.

Use the same gumballs to practice sorting by color. Have child make a pile of each color gumball. Then, take some out of the stacks and have child make a “picture” graph using a row for each color. Which row has the most? Which row has the least?

Use the gumball machine and a gumball to test child’s knowledge of the following position words:

Inside or outside?

Above or below?

Top or bottom?

Preschool Math Week 17

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:

- Include a “Skip Counting by 10’s” Maze in a sheet protector with a dry erase marker to practice counting by 10’s
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 51-60. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 51 and 60. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Fifty Family” (51-60) each day, then count from 1-60.

Day 1

Introduction to telling time:

Use some songs to remind child how many months are in a year. Then discuss how many days are in a week. Now challenge them by asking how many hours are in a day? How many minutes are in an hour? What do we use to tell what time of day it is? Go on a “clock” hunt around the house. Show your child several different types of clocks—digital and analog, watches, etc. and talk about why we need them to tell us when things will happen.

Now create your own large clock. Use a large magnetic pizza pan or cookie sheet and magnetic numbers 1-12 to create a clock. Find something else magnetic to use for arrows. Compare this to a regular clock so your child can see that there is both a small hand and a long hand. Move the small hand to various numbers and ask child what number the small hand is pointing to. Then put the long hand on the 12 and tell him that when the long hand is on the 12, we say “o’clock” after the number on the short hand. Demonstrate with a few different times. Allow child to show you a time you call out.

Then, cut apart the digital times shown on this page and read each to your child, showing them how the colon followed by two zeros tells us we have to say “o’clock” after the first number. Help them see how this correlates with what they just learned on the large clock. Use a smaller, more realistic looking demonstration clock as well, to help make the connection.

Cut apart the analog clocks on the same page and have your child match them to the correct digital time. Play a matching game, flipping all the cards over and turning them over two at a time until a player gets a match.

Day 2

Make your own clock from a paper plate. Have child write the clock numbers on small pieces of paper and glue them onto the clock in the correct order.

Use this worksheet for more practice matching times.

Write numbers from 0-60 (choose about 20 randomly) on large pieces of paper, or use large flashcards, and place them around the floor. You could play one of 3 games: Musical Numbers (hop from number to number until the music stops, then call out the number you landed on); Collect the Numbers (pick up the numbers as fast as you can in order); or Number Hop (call out a number and have child find it and hop to it).

Day 3

Now let’s talk about what types of things we do at particular times of the day. Discuss morning, afternoon, and night. Choose some of these Daily Routine flashcards showing activities you and your child do every day. Using your large magnetic clock from Day 1, match the cards to the approximate hour you do that activity, being sure to discuss whether that time is in the morning, afternoon, or nighttime.

Try another worksheet for practice telling time.

Day 4

Create your own worksheet to have your child to practice “Draw the Times” given an analog time.

Practice reading the times on the clock by playing your own game of BINGO.

Learn the number word “two.” Use these 1 to 15 4-Part Puzzles for number one & two to begin to recognize the word for the numbers. You can also use these Number Word Cards to practice spelling the numbers with letter magnets.

Preschool Math Week 16

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 41-50. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 41 and 50. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Forty Family” (41-50) each day, then count from 1-50.

Day 1

Discuss the meaning of weight—how heavy something is. Using only your hands to feel and guess the weight of objects, have your child tell you some objects in the room that are heavier than a water bottle (ex: a table, a person, a dictionary, a can of beans, etc.).

Complete this Sorting Worksheet to determine which objects are heavy and which are light (scroll all the way down to find the printables).

Review the Skip Counting by 10’s song from last week and practice jumping to the 10’s numbers in order by using these Counting by 10’s Cards.

Day 2

Practice using a bucket balance to compare weights of objects. Using this worksheet (“What’s Heavier?”—all the way at the bottom of the page), have children compare various objects to an apple to determine which is heavier.

Then, continue practicing with the balance by trying to determine which objects—or how many objects it would take—weigh the same as a small object of your child’s choice (a toy car or small doll, for example). Give them a variety of objects, such as pattern blocks, teddy bear counters, crayons, etc. and have them determine how many of each object is needed to equal the weight of their toy.

Use the “Coloring Shape Patterns” worksheet to practice with different pattern sets. (Have child color the first using AB pattern, second using ABA, and so on.)

Day 3

Continue practice with the bucket balance by using the “Balancing Cubes” worksheet in the packet from Day 1. Determine how many linking cubes or Legos it would take to balance using each object.

Play Domino War. Play similarly to War with cards. Have child flip over a Domino from his/ her pile at the same time as you flip one. Without counting, have him quickly guess who’s number is higher. (Then let him count if necessary.) The higher number Domino takes both Dominoes until one player has all the Dominoes.

Day 4

Begin practicing reading/ recognizing number words. Use the “Coloring 1-15 Ten-Part Puzzles (1-10)” Number One puzzle to learn the word for number one.

Review pennies and dimes by practicing sorting them into two piles and counting.

Have some PlayDoh fun with these Shape Playdoh Mats.

Preschool Math Week 15

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 41-50. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 41 and 50. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Forty Family” (41-50) each day, then count from 1-50.

Day 1

Sing this song to begin memorizing counting by 10’s.

Using these Counting by 10’s Cards, have your child place them in order from smallest to greatest. Point out that if he/she covers up the “0”, it is the same as lining them up from 1-10.

Now practice taking numbers out of the sequence and having the child guess which number is missing.

Place the numbers on the floor in random order and have your child jump to each number in the correct order when they count by 10’s.

Day 2

Use this “Skip Counting Color-In” Worksheet to color in the Counting by 10’s. Point out the numbers’ placement on the 100’s Chart.

Introduce the dime. Talk about its shape and color, what is on the heads side, what is on the tails side, etc. Then tell the child the dime is equal to ten cents. Remind them when we counted pennies, we counted by 1’s because the penny is equal to one cent. So when we count dimes, we count by 10’s. Practice counting by 10’s as you push the dimes to the opposite side of your table. Be sure to point out that when we get to one hundred, we say “one dollar.”

Create a “store” with items that are 10¢, 20¢, 30¢, 40¢, and so on… Allow your child to “purchase” an item and pay for it using dimes.

Create your own “Order the Numbers” Worksheet with numbers up to 40. If this is too hard, you could use flashcards and place them in the order shown on the worksheet and allow child to manipulate them to put them in the correct order.

Day 3

Practice Skip Counting by 10’s with this maze.

Practice working with large numbers like 100. Find 100 of any particular item: straws, Unifix cubes, cereal, beads, etc. (Here are some ideas.) Have your child determine how to count the large number by grouping them into piles of 10 each. Take some away and repeat the activity with a smaller number and group by 10’s.

Do some review of estimation. Using your same item of 100, or using Cheerios, place a handful on a laminated 100’s Chart. Have your child estimate how many he/she thinks are on the mat. Then have him/ her place one on each number on the chart in order to count the total. (Idea found here.)

Day 4

Try this Skip Counting by 10’s Number Order Puzzle.

Practice counting dimes with this worksheet.

Preschool Math Week 14

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 31-40. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 31 and 40. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Thirty Family” (31-40) each day, then count from 1-40.

Day 1

Use the following objects to teach 3-D Shapes:

Party hat = cone

Gift box or large block = cube

Tin coffee can = cylinder

Ball = sphere

Use this “Solid Figures” Poem to help child remember the names of the shapes.

Go on a hunt around the house to find other objects that are clearly 3-D shapes. Create your own “Shape Museum.” Be sure to point out what each “base” shape is (a cone has a circle base, a cube has a square base).

Practice building shapes with marshmallows.

Mixed-Up Shapes Worksheets

Day 2

Cut & Paste your own 3-D Shapes to play with and explore.

Play this Solid Shape Sort Printable Game.

Shapes Memory Game (Matching 3-D Shapes)

3-D Shape Coloring Worksheet

Day 3

Play around with some Pattern Block Mats.

Spin & Cover Shapes Game-- This can be played as an individual or partner game, by spinning a shape and covering the matching shape on the playing board.

Shape Sorting Practice Worksheets

Create a Missing Numbers Worksheet with numbers up to 40 (Put a “4” in the Increment Value box under “Missing Numbers”).

Day 4

Build some shapes with Popsicle Sticks.

Slap-It! Card Game to practice with numbers and matching—You can use regular playing cards, or print the ones at this site.

Color, count the shapes & Graph Worksheet

Preschool Math Week 13

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 31-40. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 31 and 40. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Thirty Family” (31-40) each day, then count from 1-40.

Day 1

Explore properties of shapes. Can you fill a circle with square Pattern Blocks? What shapes can you make with the square tiles? What shapes can you use to fill a triangle? What about a hexagon—can you show 6 different ways to cover it with your blocks? Fill in this Shapes Table with the correct # of lines and sides in each Pattern Block shape. (In the “Looks Like” column, you could just draw or trace the shape.)

Create a Robot or Monster with your Pattern Blocks. Use the Shape Graph to record how many of each shape you use to create it.

Practice tracing shapes with colored pencils.

Day 2

Play the Floor Shape Movement Game (review from Week 2).

Dot Marker Shapes

Create a Missing Numbers Worksheet with numbers from 0-30.

Day 3

Introduce the Geoboard. First allow the child to make observations about the board. Tell him it is used to make designs, shapes and lines with a “geoband” or a rubber band. Demonstrate putting a band on the board by putting it around one peg, putting your finger on that peg and stretching the band to another peg with your free hand. Allow the child to make whatever lines and shapes they want. Remind him to put his finger on the peg with the band or the band will come off.

Write numbers from 0-40 (choose about 20 randomly) on large pieces of paper, or use large flashcards, and place them around the floor. You could play one of 3 games: Musical Numbers (hop from number to number until the music stops, then call out the number you landed on); Collect the Numbers (pick up the numbers as fast as you can in order); or Number Hop (call out a number and have child find it and hop to it).

Day 4

Use these Geoboard Task Cards to help your child create specific shapes and designs on the Geoboard.

Use this Geoboard Dot Paper to draw your own designs for the child to copy on his Geoboard.

Preschool Math Week 12

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 21 to 30. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 21 and 30. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Twenty Family” (21-30) each day, then count from 1-30.

Day 1

Review: Give the child a cup of pennies and some small number flashcards. Place the flashcards out on the table face up in random order. Have the child put the correct number of pennies on each flashcard.

Print a set of customizable picture Dominoes on cardstock to practice matching and learn the concept of the game. Allow the child to match the Dominoes in a train by himself, or play together by giving each player 7 Dominoes and taking turns.

Practice counting to 25 with this Mouse Number Maze Worksheet.

Day 2

Introduce Dominoes (a set that goes up to Double 6’s is fine). Play a simple matching game, lining up the Dominoes end to end with matching numbers.

Play the Domino Parking Lot game.

Print this Clothespin Number Match #11-20 on cardstock or mount on thin cardboard. Use clothespins with numbers 11-20 written on them. Have the child match the clothespin to the correct number of dots on the wheel.

Choose a Worksheet from the “Matching Equal Groups” section.

Day 3

Learn and practice how to roll a die with this Counting and Block Building game.

Now that you’re on a roll with the dice, play the Dice BINGO Game.

Cut these Number Dot Cards in half. Have the child match the number to its correct number of dots. Practice this several times until the child can do it quickly without having to count the dots every time. Or, play it like a Memory Match game, flipping all of them upside down and turning over two cards at a time to make matches.

Practice counting with a fun Dot-to-Dot worksheet, if your child is proficient at drawing lines.

Day 4

Play the Monster Dice Match Game.

Play a game of two-player Dominoes with your Double-6 Set.

Play a Memory Match Game with Number Cards or your Dot Cards.

Trace, Cut & Arrange Numbers 1-25 with the help of this Caterpillar Worksheet.

Preschool Math Week 11

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

- Practice counting from 21 to 30. Use flashcards and have child put them in order. Each day choose a “Number of the Day” between 21 and 30. Use these worksheets to practice tracing each number, or have them write the number of the day on the chalkboard. Count the “Twenty Family” (21-30) each day, then count from 1-30.

Day 1

Read the book Lengthy by Syd Hoff. Discuss the word length and its meaning. Talk about shorter and taller.

Give the child a “Space Stick,” which is really just a popsicle stick or tongue depressor. Ask him to go around the room and find things that are shorter than his Space Stick & make a collection. Then find things that are longer and collect them.

Give the child a collection of items and have him put them in order from shortest to tallest (ex: straw, Space Stick, crayons, paintbrush, spoon, ruler, paper clip, etc.) Remind child of the importance of lining up all the objects on one end (which will be necessary later when using a ruler).

Number Writing #1-20 Worksheet

 

Day 2

Learn to measure everyday items with non-standard measurement (a unit other than inches or centimeters). Using Unifix cubes or LEGOs, help your child to count how many blocks it takes to reach the length of each object on this recording sheet (scroll down to Day 8). Then let him choose more objects around the house to measure using the second recording sheet.

Long vs. Short Worksheets for practice

Day 3

Introduce the second new concept for the week: estimation. Show a pile of 10-20 objects of some sort. Ask the child to “estimate” or “guess” how many objects are in the pile. Then count the objects together to see how close he got. Repeat several times.

Make a simple recording sheet with 3 columns: the first will show a picture of small household objects to be measured. The second column will be labeled “estimate” and the third “actual.” Be sure to explain the terms to the child. Allow him to first look at each of the items in the first column and write down an estimate (or “prediction”) as to how many LEGOs or Unifix cubes he will have to stack to reach the length of that object (as we did yesterday). Then use the blocks to “measure” each item. Count them together and write the actual answer in the third column. Be sure to assure him his estimates were not wrong—when we are making estimates, we truly do not know the answer and that is why we measure. See this idea here.

Next, measure the same objects using your “space stick.” Add a 4^th column to record how long the objects are when you measure them this way. Talk about why the numbers are so different.

Fishy Estimation Worksheet

Day 4

Marshmallow Measurement Worksheet

Play-Doh Fun Time! Use these Number #1-20 Play-Doh Mats or these Shape-Themed Play-Doh Mats. Make “snakes” of different lengths and put them in order from shortest to tallest.

Preschool Math Week 10

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- #19 & 20 Number Writing Practice Pages
- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

Day 1

This week we will begin to learn about money. Begin by having  a simple discussion on what money is used for (food, toys, clothes, giving to others, house, etc.) Then show the child all different types of coins. You can tell them the name of each but don’t focus too much on any except the penny at this point. Allow him to look at the penny with a microscope. Talk about the “heads” side and the “tails” side. Allow the child to toss pennies into a cup and see whether they got heads or tails. Tell the child that the penny is worth one cent, so you count each one just like you would count anything else.

Coin Rubbing: Glue a penny to a small index card or piece of cardstock. Have the child place a thin piece of paper on top of it and use the flat side of a crayon to rub over the paper and make an impression of the coin on his paper.

Candy Store Game- Fill a small jar with “candy” (small craft pom poms, or real candy). Make money cards by gluing real pennies to small pieces of cardstock (or use coin stickers or just draw them). Have the child pick a card and “purchase” the same amount of candy by taking them from the jar.

 

Day 2

Using flashcards with numbers 1-20 on them, have your child match the appropriate number of pennies to each card.

“The Penny” Worksheet

Go on a Number Hunt Game (outside, or can be done inside) to practice recognizing numbers from 1-20.

Use Number Dice to practice writing numbers up to 20.

Day 3

Act out some story problems with pennies. Draw a picture of a pocket onto a piece of paper. Give the child an envelope or cup with pennies. Tell him you want him to put 4 pennies into his pocket. Help him count each penny as he places it in the pocket. Then tell him you want to put 2 more pennies. Then count to see how many pennies are in the pocket altogether. Count each one. (You can use words like 4 plus 2 equals 6 to show the child that he just added, but at this point that’s not as important.) Put all the pennies back in the cup and repeat, using different numbers. Have him take away one penny out of his pocket to also show subtraction.

“Pick the Pennies” Worksheet

Combine math with science: How Do You Clean a Penny? Science Experiment

Day 4

“Grocery Store” Game: Label real food items from your pantry with prices ranging from 1 to 10¢. Give your child a cup or bag full of pennies and allow him to “purchase” items as if he were really at the grocery store. As added practice with ordinal numbers, make a “conveyor belt” and place the items to be purchased in a line. Ask how much he will be paying for the 1^st item, then the 2^nd item, the 3^rd item and so on.

Roll & Stack Game: Roll a dice and have the child stack the matching amount of pennies on top of each other. Continue playing until they fall down.

#1-20 Four-Part Puzzles as a quiet activity to practice numbers.

Preschool Math Week 9

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- #17 & 18 Number Writing Practice Pages
- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

Day 1

Use teddy bear counters to introduce different types of patterns:

blue, red, red, blue, red, red= ABB pattern

blue, red, green, blue, red, green = ABC pattern

First allow the child to copy your pattern using his own bears. Then, allow him to add on another set to complete the pattern.

Use dot markers or stickers with the printables from this site to practice more patterns. You can also use some of the Cut it Out! Packs linked to that page to begin practicing using scissors.

#19 Coloring Page

Day 2

Use these Color Pattern Cards as a guide—Have your child copy the patterns using Unifix/ linking cubes or Legos. Help him assign each color a letter and discern which type of pattern he has made (ABC or AABB, etc.)

Play with Pattern Block Activity Cards.

Cut & Paste Patterns Printable Activity

Day 3

Make these simple Caterpillar Patterns as a craft using different colored scrapbook paper.

Use these Count & Clip cards (printed on cardstock or harder paper) with some mini clothespins to practice counting 1-20.

Day 4

How Many Ways Can You Make a Pattern? Write a simple pattern on a piece of paper or chalkboard using shapes. Use various math tools and other toys to copy the pattern. Scroll farther down the page and do the activity about making patterns with numbers. Use towers of Unifix cubes of different heights to make number patterns (tower of 3 cubes, tower of 1 cube, tower of 1 cube, tower of 3 cubes, tower of 1 cube, etc.).

Missing Numbers LEGO worksheets—To make this more hands-on, you could write the numbers 1-20 on the actual LEGO pieces and have the child stack them in order. Then remove the numbers that are missing on the worksheet to help him visualize the answers.

Count to 20 Cut & Paste Review Worksheet

Preschool Math Week 8

Daily Calendar Time

See the overview for Calendar Time.

Here is what to include this week:
- What is today's date? Song-- use dry erase marker to write in every day
- Days of the Week Printable w/ song

- Use one of these songs to begin to learn the months of the year. Use this fun chart in your notebook to help remember them!
- "Today Is..."/ "Tomorrow Is..." Printable-- use with dry erase markers
- Trace the number of today's date on the Monthly Calendar
- Find the number of today's date on the picture and color it.
- Introduce the Weather Graph—each day you will look outside to decide if the weather is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and fill in one box on the graph in the appropriate row. At the end of the month, be sure to count totals for each type of weather.

- #15 &16 Number Writing Practice Pages
- Color one number per day on the 100's Chart

- Continue to work on memorizing the child’s full name, parents’ names & address

Day 1

Use teddy bear counters to learn ordinal position. Using one of each color (up to 5 or 6), pretend the bears are in line to ride a ride at the carnival. One at a time, have the child place them in “line,” using the words “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” (or “last”). Mix them up and place them back in line, then ask the child which is 2^nd, which is 3^rd, and so on. You could also use toy cars or small dolls to demonstrate, as well.

“Match it Up” Card Game to practice ordinal position. (You can use only #’s 1-5 to make it easier.)

Practice #17 with this Counting Socks Worksheet.

Day 2

Color each of these ice cream scoops a different color. Then have your child glue them together into the cone with the instructions that the “brown” scoop goes first, the “red” scoop goes 2^nd, etc. (using whatever colors they chose).

Read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss & try some of these activities. Specifically, the graphing activity with colored goldfish would be great review.

#17 & 18 Coloring Pages

Day 3

Do some review with this Sandwich Shop Math Game from Week 2. You could add in a lesson on ordinal numbers by calling out which part of the sandwich to put on “first,” “second,” etc.

Review the Shape Sorting & Graphing Game from last week. After making a “graph” of the shapes with all the same colors in rows and all the same shapes in columns, remove one shape while the child is not looking and have him guess which shape/size/color is missing. Allow the child to take turns with you removing a piece to guess which is missing.

#18 Handwriting Practice Worksheet

Day 4

Play Number Hide and Seek. Hide your Number Flashcards (or large pieces of paper with one number on each) around the room. Have the child find each one and call out the number as he/ she finds it. Then put them in order!

Dog Ordinal Number Puzzle

Ordinal Numbers Worksheet