Math Resources for Kindergarten

Here are some web sites with worksheets and/or online games and exercises for math:

IXL Math - Incredible web site with online questions for pre-school through 8th grade.  Algebra I and II as well as Geometry are coming soon.  State standards are listed here (good to know!).  This site would be good to go to WITH Merrick and walk through the answers to each question. 

Free Math Worksheets - can generate your own worksheets (aka. create a worksheet with clocks where you fill in the time in 5 min increments/half hour increments/1 hour increments, etc).  The pre-made worksheets start at the 1st grade level.

Homeschool Math - some articles and resources for homeschool math.  Info on math curriculum and helpful book suggestions.

Time, Money, Temperature - Unit study for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders
Info from AAA Math:

Kindergarten Goals

• Learn to recognize the numerals 0 through 9.
• Know that numbers have an order and be able to count easily.
• Relate numbers to quantities in real life.
• Know comparative measurement terms.
• Develop a vocabulary for the names of common geometric shapes.
• Know that quantities of items can be measured and the measurement can be expressed as a number.
• Recognize that recurring patterns occur in real life.
• Begin to manipulate numbers by simple addition and subtraction.
• Recognize the meaning of addition and subtraction.

More important and valuable lessons occur when the student learns to use math in normal daily activities. This reinforces the idea that math is not just an abstract exercise done at school but a valuable tool that is used many times each day. Examples of the use of math in daily activities include:

• Money transactions
• Telling time
• Using a calendar
• Measuring quantities
• Finding patterns and using the pattern to predict what comes next.d reading calendars or clocks. 

Kindergarten Hands-on Activities

Be able to find the value of a group of pennies (or the local smallest denomination coin) containing up to 20 coins.

Know the names of the common coins and currency.

Know the names of common measuring devices and what they measure.

Device	Measures	Describes
Ruler	Length	How wide, long, tall or far
Scale	Weight/Mass	How heavy
Thermometer	Temperature	How hot, cold or warm
Clock	Time	When
Calendar	Time	When
Measuring Cups & Spoons	Volume	How much

Know comparative measurement terms.

Measurement	Comparative Terms
Length	longer/shorter, wider/narrower, taller/shorter
Weight	heavier/lighter
Temperature	hotter/colder, warmer/cooler
Time	earlier/later, before/after
Volume	more/less, larger/smaller

Know the names of common geometric shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle) and be able to name the shape in any orientation.

Know how to use tally marks to record the number of a type of event. Be able to find the total number from the tally marks.

Sort items into groups or categories by similar properties such as color, shape, size, material, etc.

Sort items into groups by using two properties such as size and color, shape and size or shape and color.

Determine a pattern and tell what the next event will be. Patterns might include numbers, letters, shapes, colors, sizes, movements or sounds.

Learn important numbers such as home telephone number, emergency phone number, street address and the dates of birthdays and holidays.

More Unit Study Themes

Childrens Educational Books

Here are some more unit study themes I'd like to check out:

- Dr. Seuss
- The Sun (or Solar System)
- Texas/Rodeo 
- All About Me -
           1.  KinderKorner
           2.  Mrs. Nelson's Class - has a great "All About Me" book download. 
           3.  Another All About Me Book
           4. Awesome All About Me Lapbook downloads.  Example of it here.
- Spanish
- Hondurus, Mexico
- Money

November

 - (2012) Election

 - Thanksgiving - Lapbook Idea

December
 - The Polar Express
 - The Gingerbread Man

Handwriting Exercises

I learned today that if you allow a child to use the computer too much before he learns to write, his hard will hurt using a pencil.  The concept is that his hand will become used to being formed around something larger and that the muscles will not be used to using something small as a pencil.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure I've let Merrick use the computer...way...too...much.

As it is, Merrick is not interested in writing. 

The following are some ideas of how to inprove his handwriting (or at least prepare him for handwriting).  Apparently, connect-the-dots and mazes help develop coordination that will help prepare him.

Handwriting Worksheets - preschool and kindergarten.  Traceable worksheets for every letter of the alphabet.  LOADS of great sheets. 

Kindergarten Writing Activies - tons of activities from this lacing card activity here to writing secret messages.  These exercises are simple and fun.  Lots of great ideas.

Occupational Therapy - exercises to help develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity.  Great information.

How to hold a pencil - instructions from Draw Your World, who has books for sell to help kids learn to draw.  Very cool.

Writing Resources - tons of great links including this awesome one where you can print out a custom tracing page.  You can write "Dinosaurs poop big poops" and they will print it out in a traceable worksheet!

Yeah!  Those are enough links to keep us busy through high school.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Great theme for a unit study!  You can use this theme to study out clouds, nutrition, weather, farming, and more.

Happy Homeschool - tons of ideas of things to do in this unit study

Homeschool Share - includes many ideas geared toward younger kiddos

TeacherVision - lesson for reading comprehension

Free Printables from Yahoo Associated Content

More free printables from School Family - includes connect - the - dots and word find

Schooing Memoirs - blog from a homeschooling mama.  This is a great post with lots of ideas including a bible scripture and story (manna falling from the sky!).

Rainforest Unit Study

Science Art

Lovin' this unit for kindergarteners on the rainforest.  I thought after we could do this unit and, after we finish, we could go visit a Brazilian rainforest.  If that's not in the budget, we could always go to the Rainforest Cafe in Grapevine, TX (which happens to be very close to a huge waterslide park). 

Kindergarten Rainforest Unit

Cybrary Man - tons and tons of links to more rainforest activies, lessons, ideas, etc.  

Rainforest songs and arts & crafts

K - 3 Learning Links - loads of other Rainforest links

Super Helpful Links

Here are some links to some super resourceful sites:

Homeschooling Adventures - great lesson plans, worksheets, tips, and activities

Sing to Learn - CDs with songs that help you learn about everything from math to oceans to phonics

Enchanted Learning - this is a subscription based web site.  For $20 a year, you get access to tons and tons of printable books.  There are several free sample pages or books as well.

Best Homeschooling - tons of links to articles and activites regarding homeschooling kindergarten

Cybrary Man - over 20,000 links to educational web sites.  Has pages set up according to grade level or subject.  Incredible resource.  Also has lists of kindergarten teachers' pages to check out.

K-3 Learning Links - links to ideas and activities to over 250 topics.

Little Giraffes - One kindergarten teacher's web site.  Check out the themes link.

Calvary Chapel Children's Cirriculum - lots of coloring pages, word searches, crossword puzzels, etc, for every book of the Bible.  Lots of these worksheets are best for upper elementary, but the coloring pages are good for letting the younger children color while reading from the Bible.

Bible Story Printables - Lots of good printables for Christian studies, lapbooks, etc.  Their other site is dedicated just to homeschooling and lapbooking.  There are several good videos on different crafts to do with the children, including a good Pumpkin Parable craft.

CLC Bible Curriculum - FREE bible curriculum.  Wonderful!  Separated into Old and New Testament lessons and into different levels - preschool, then level 1 - level 4.

Pre-K Pages - Don't be fooled by the name.  There is a lot to learn on this page for Kindergarten as well.  There are some interesting articles about moving away from worksheet and letter-of-the-day teaching.  Also, there are many, many unit studies on this site that would be appropriate for Kinder.

Magnet Unit Studies and Lessons

Mike Curtis

When I asked Merrick what he'd like to learn about when we homeschool, his very first response was, "Magnets!"  He also said, "reflexing," meaning, reflection.  He really likes the fact that if he is in the car and holding a CD, the sun will reflect off the CD and make a rainbow on the ceiling.  Maybe we can do a unit on the sun and talk more about this.

Magnet links:

Magnet Polarity - lesson for K-5

Magnet Printables and Coloring Page - includes crossword puzzles, word searches, etc.  For upper elementary mostly, but there is a coloring page that would be kinder appropriate.

I also found an entire unit study for kindergarteners in pdf form.  It's saved on the downstairs computer in the desktop/homeschooling folder.