Squirrel Away – Subitizing Game for Structuring Numbers (1-6)

“Can we play again?”

This is an awesome game I use to help teach spatial patterns and subitizing while working on structuring numbers with my first-grade math intervention group. They love it! This is the 1-6 version. The 7-12 version will be coming soon.

Goals of the lesson

Squirrel Away Number Match 1-6 Game from Kat and SquirrelCCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.A.1
Count to 100 by ones and by tens.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4
Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.5
Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a
rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a
number from 1-20, count out that many objects.

CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.A.1
Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals
and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Get the Game from Kat and Squirrel

 

Click here to check our Squirrel Away Dice game for numbers 7-12

 

“Pair it” Parrot Game – ABC Recognition

This is a super fun card game that can be used to reinforce letter recognition. Great for intervention groups or centers. Includes an original Kat and Squirrel story and a bonus ABC order worksheet.

"Pair it" Parrot - ABC Recognition Game from Kat and SquirrelGoals of the lesson

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.K.1.d Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

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The Pair It Parrot games by Kat and Squirrel

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Keep Kids Moving

Keep kids moving - Seeing things from multiple perspectives increases learning.Kids feel great with their bodies in motion, and I do too.  Almost every lesson can be adapted to add movement.  It could be as simple as showing a character’s mood through facial expression.  Or it could be as complex as simulating the inner workings of an animal cell using human bodies.  Seeing things from multiple perspectives increases learning.

I recently discovered the game “Scoot” which can be adapted to any subject or grade level.  To play the students start at one area (desk perhaps) answering a posted question, then when directed they “scoot” to the next location (another desk maybe) to answer a different question.  They keep track of their answers on a student recording sheet. You can find many printable “Scoot” games online (and better directions) by doing a simple search.

In this Ted talk by gamer Jane McGonigal, she explains her remarkable recovery from depression and illness by building 4 types of resilience – one of which includes the FUN of moving.

Crack open those games – what a great way to keep moving, build resiliency and have FUN!

Kat and Squirrel - See things from multiple perspectives poster

Post Series "Making Learning Fun"