BAs many of you know we have a new addition to our classroom – the Estimation Machine! Estimation is an important skill for our second graders to develop and it's one they will continue to revisit through the years. The Estimation Machine is a really fun way to bring that skill to life in the classroom.
This morning each student took an estimate. Students were estimating how many counting bears were in the Estimation Machine! Later on in the morning, we went through and counted how many counting bears were actually in the Estimation Machine. We brainstormed possible ways to count all the bears: group them in 2s, 5s, 10s, etc., grouping by 10s was the strategy that won. Ms. LaRose pulled popsicle sticks with students names on them, if your name was called you went to the center of the room and took 10 counting bears. We ended up with 13 students collecting counting bears, so we knew we had over 130 bears (much to students surprise). With 3 extra bears in the circle students quickly learned we had 133 counting bears!
This morning each student took an estimate. Students were estimating how many counting bears were in the Estimation Machine! Later on in the morning, we went through and counted how many counting bears were actually in the Estimation Machine. We brainstormed possible ways to count all the bears: group them in 2s, 5s, 10s, etc., grouping by 10s was the strategy that won. Ms. LaRose pulled popsicle sticks with students names on them, if your name was called you went to the center of the room and took 10 counting bears. We ended up with 13 students collecting counting bears, so we knew we had over 130 bears (much to students surprise). With 3 extra bears in the circle students quickly learned we had 133 counting bears!
We then went through our estimates and Elzie was the winner with an estimate of 120 -- way to go Elzie. Since Elzie was closest she has taken home the Estimation Machine to fill for next week. Next week the student whose estimation is closest to the actual number will take the estimation jar home to refill with a new item. This cycle will continue throughout the school year. Some suggestions for items to put in the Estimation Machine are:
- Animal cookies
- Beads
- Beans
- Bolts
- Bottle caps
- Crayons
- Cotton balls
- Corks
- Drinking straw halves
- Erasers
- Gumballs
- Goldfish
- Macaroni
- Marbles
- Marshmallows
- Nuts
- Paper clips
- Pasta
- Puzzle pieces
- Rubber bands
- Seashells
- Stickers
- Sunflower seeds
- Toothpicks
- Washers
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