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Friday, October 4, 2013

PENCIL POWER


Oh, I have so much fun doing this blog!  Thanks for keeping my creative juices flowing!  I bought some seasonal pencils at a dollar store and I’ve come up with a few ideas for you.  Although I've used Halloween pencils, those of you who are in schools that discourage holidays can use any type of novelty pencil.
Pencil Book
Fold 3 or 4 pieces in half.  Punch two holes about 2 ½” from each end as shown.  Insert a rubber band (needs to be large) in one hole and loop it around the end of the pencil.  Push the other end of the rubber band through the other hole and loop it around the other end of the pencil.  Use these books for creative writing, journals, poems, math, etc.

Addition and Subtraction
Let children use pencils to work out addition and subtraction problems.  After using the concrete objects, ask them to illustrate their work. 
*They could also make patterns or tally with pencils.







Conservation of Length
Give each child two pencils.  Ask, “Are they the same length?  How can you tell?”
Demonstrate different arrangements with the pencils.  “Are they the same length now?”  Line them up evenly.  “Are they the same length now?” 
This is actually an activity that Piaget did with children.  Some of them will “get” that no matter how you arrange the pencils they are the same length.  Some of them will “not get it.”  It’s a good brain exercise for all students and can be replicated with balls of play dough and other objects.  Hummm???  Do a sniff a CCSS here?