Sorting Shoes: Groves Kindergarteners Learn About Graphs
- News
Things got a little smelly in Lee Ta’s kindergarten class at Groves Elementary.
“Watching their excitement and curiosity reminds me why I love teaching and how much potential these little learners have,” Ta said.
The shoes came off as students learned about sorting and charting using their very own footwear.
“I'm incredibly proud of how engaged my Kinder students were during the lesson,” Ta said. “Watching them collaborate and find joy in learning math was amazing!”
One by one, each kindergartener decided where to place their own shoes according to the type: strings, boots, slip-on or velcro.
“They giggled and talked about their ‘stinky’ shoe data with each other as they sorted by types of shoes and then graphed it on our huge grid,” she said.
After each student had a turn, the class then analyzed the data collected and discussed which type there were more of and fewer of.
Next, they found a partner and analyzed their data even further by stating complete sentences that explained their own observations of the chart.
“Using our own shoes made graphing feel real and tangible, transforming what could have been an abstract concept into something students could see, touch, and connect with,” Ta said. “It's fun to help them see math as part of their everyday lives!”
- Groves