Counting the Days
Celebrating the 100th day of school is a tradition for early primary students at Independent Day School that builds on critical math concepts.
 |
| Early primary students mark the 100th day of school by participating in a variety of developmental centers designed to celebrate the milestone and reinforce math concepts. |
Feb. 7, 2011 (TAMPA, Fla.) – In a world where national budgets are in the trillions and even hamburgers are counted in billions, understanding exactly what “100” means is fundamental – a Florida Sunshine State benchmark, in fact, for all kindergarteners.
It’s a mathematical concept that early primary teachers at Independent Day School-Corbett Campus introduced on the first day of the 2010-2011 school year in each of their classes. On Aug. 25, they put the first straws in the ones pockets of place value charts, marked square one on classroom hundred charts, and made the first checks on tally sheets.
And so it continued for the next 99 days. During that time, students learned to count by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s as they grasped what multiples are and the language of multiplication. They bundled those “ones” straws every tenth day and moved them to the next place value pocket. And they updated their tally data.
So by Feb. 7, all students knew it was a landmark day -the 100th day of school – and they had the numbers, in multiple formats, to prove it.
Celebrating the 100th day of school in the early primary grades is an IDS tradition that takes on a centenarian theme. Teachers don gray wigs, frumpy house dresses and bulky shawls. Some carry canes as they slowly shuffle along, and a few even push walkers – all to the delight of their students, who also do their best to look practically 10 decades older than they are.
 |
| IDS teachers dress up as centenarians on the 100th day of school. “We want the children to understand that 100 is a lot of anything, including a lot of years,” said kindergarten teacher Ande Felder. |
“We want the children to understand that 100 is a lot of anything, including a lot of years,” said kindergarten teacher Ande Felder. And with each grade engaging in mathematical activities focused on the concept of 100 at its own ageappropriate level, Felder says it’s also a fun way to help bring all of the early primary grades together.
The 100th day of school culminated with developmental centers designed to celebrate the milestone and reinforce learning, while appealing to each of the multiple intelligences. Students conducted a survey to measure which teacher’s elderly costume was the favorite. They used dot paints to create patterns of 100 spots of color on large graph paper. They ran races, created 100th day glasses, played musical chairs, and enjoyed games of bingo in both English and Spanish.
Like most milestones, the 100th day of school was also an opportunity for students to think about how much they had learned since the first day of school. Kindergartener Devin Hair, for example, wrote about Space Day and Living Thanksgiving. Reflecting on the International Baccalaureate Programme Learner Profiles, Maya Mehta wrote, “I learned a lot about being a risk taker.”
So what comes next after counting up, day by day, to the 100th day of school?
Counting down from 80 to the last day.
Founded in 1968, Independent Day School-Corbett Campus is a fully accredited, nonsectarian private school located on Orange Grove Drive in northwest Hillsborough County with over 500 students from PreK3 through 8th grade. At IDS, all children experience the International Baccalaureate Programme in a highly academic and nurturing environment focused on excellence and excitement in learning. IDS-CC has become recognized as an exemplary school with over 6,500 visitors observing and learning from IDS-CC teachers. For more information, visit www.idsyes.com or contact the Admissions Office at 813-961-3087 for a personal tour.
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Morrow, Director of Admissions Independent Day School-Corbett Campus Telephone: (813) 961-3087 jmorrow@idsyes.com
|
