Grade 1 Math

By Dale Beltzner
September 19, 2009

There’s a lot to absorb in math this year, from patterns and comparisons to addition and subtraction

First grade is a year of exploration in mathematics. Teachers take advantage of the natural love of learning most first-graders have to boost students’ ability to conceptualize and calculate groups of numbers. This year your grandchildren should really begin to connect the ideas of numbers with the written numerals that represent them. First-graders should be able to count and write the numbers from 1 to 100 as well as be able to count by 5s and 10s to 100. They should be able to compare amounts, determining which is greater or lesser. Children will also use blocks and other “manipulatives” to construct models of simple addition and subtraction “sentences” (otherwise known as equations). At the same time, they will learn to write simple addition and subtraction sentences to represent the models they construct. And they will learn basic addition facts, with sums to at least 12, and basic subtraction facts (subtracting from 12 or more). Among other important and practical concepts during this building-block year are learning to tell time, at least to the hour and half hour, identifying and extending patterns, and identifying similarities and differences among basic geometric shapes. Above all, first-graders should come to appreciate the wonder of math.

Constructing Math Skills. Your grandchildren’s math textbooks may look quite different than those that you or your children used. Part of the reason is the influence of educators favoring a “constructivist” approach to learning mathematics, in which children construct their own meaning of mathematics through various activities, focusing on the process as much as the result. In some schools following this approach, students as young as first-graders are encouraged to use calculators to complete their calculations, rather than memorizing fundamental addition or subtraction facts. But even at the earliest grade levels, the need to master basic facts is essential to success in mathematics. Children who don’t need to think about what 5 + 6 equals will move through their lessons far faster than those who do. Some teachers who are uncomfortable with the constructivist approach add addition and subtraction “drilling” exercises to their lesson plans to help kids master basic computation facts. You can do the same when you’re with your grandchildren.

• David Schwartz and Steven Kellogg’s How Much Is a Million? (HarperTrophy, 2004) helps little kids understand big numbers, making immense amounts immensely less scary.

• The rhyming puzzles and computer-generated images in Greg Tang’s Math for All Seasons (Scholastic, 2005) make it fun for grandchildren to practice working with patterns, grouping, and symmetry.

• Grandchildren will boost memory and shape-recognition skills while trying to beat you in this online game of Concentration.

What’s My Number? Write the numbers 1 to 20 on a piece of paper. Then tell your grandchild that you’re thinking of a secret number. When they guess, tell them if they are too high or too low. The goal is to discover the number in as few tries as possible. As you play, your grandchild can use beans or other markers to cover the numbers that have been ruled out.

Double Digit. Here’s a game to reinforce first-graders’ understanding of greater and lesser values: Prepare two game cards, one for you and one for your grandchild, each with two columns, one for “Tens” and the other for “Ones,” with empty boxes to fill in under each heading. Take turns rolling a die. After each roll, each player must write the number from the roll in either the tens or the ones column. The player that creates the highest number in each round gets a point and the first to five points wins the game.

Editor’s Note: Dale Beltzner has been a teacher, principal, and freelance educational writer for the past 30 years. He has worked in public and private schools in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Dale currently teaches fifth grade in Coopersburg, Pa., and serves as the district’s elementary math subject leader.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Source Grandparants

Tips For Mom on Pregnancy Breastfeeding

By MyPyramid/PIO
Sept. 19, 2009

When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you have special nutritional needs. This section of MyPyramid.gov is designed just for you. It has advice you need to help you and your baby stay healthy.

First — visit your health care provider if you haven’t already. Every pregnant woman needs to visit a health care provider regularly. He or she can make sure both you and your baby are healthy. Your provider can also prescribe a safe vitamin and mineral supplement, and anything else you may need.

Next — get your own MyPyramid Plan for Moms. Your Plan will show you the foods and amounts that are right for you. Enter your information for a quick estimate of what and how much you need to eat. Or, go to the MyPyramid Menu Planner For Moms to see how your food choices compare to what you need.

Then — learn more by choosing a topic from the menu below. The “Sources of Information” will take you straight to the government’s best advice on pregnancy and breastfeeding.

• MyPyramid Plan for Moms
• Pregnancy — Nutritional Needs
• Pregnancy — Weight Gain
• Dietary Supplements
• Special Health Needs
• Breastfeeding — Nutritional Needs
• Breastfeeding — Weight Loss
• Food Safety
• Sources of Information

Source: My Pyramid Gov

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Kids With Behavior Problem

By Jennifer Margulis
Parents
Sept. 17, 2009

Toddlers: Bossy & Bratty

Your once-mellow baby has become an opinionated 2-year-old who responds to your request to put away her toys with a hands-on-her-hips, head-cocked “You’re not the boss of me!”

Brat Buster: Count to three. A snappy comeback might help you blow off some steam, but there is no dignity in mudslinging with a minor. Instead, remember that this is a teachable moment:

Say something like, “I know what you really meant to say is, ‘Sure, Mommy, I’ll pick up my toys.'” Then help by giving clear, specific instructions that she can follow. Remember, she’s only 2 — you need to help her focus on what you want her to do.

The Big Picture: Think of your toddler as a scientist. She’s trying to discover with her sassy stance what kind of reaction she can provoke. She may have realized already that if she picks up her toys when you ask, you’ll go check your e-mail or start dinner. But a little back talk and — wham! — the kid now has your full attention. So don’t slip away and attend to business when your child is happily engaged. Instead, focus on her. This positive reinforcement will gradually teach her that she doesn’t need to provoke you to get your attention. When she does give you attitude, don’t take the bait, but don’t ignore it either. “Call her on it in a clear, simple, unemotional way,” says Dr. Borba. Come up with a statement and automatically use it every time you feel she’s crossing the line. For example: “That’s rude talk. Please rewind and try it again.”

Source: Parents

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

AMILCAR ALAS

Case Type: Endangered Runaway
DOB:	Sex: Male
Missing Date: Aug 27, 2009	Race: White
Age Now: 13	Height: 5’8″ (173 cm)
Missing City: LEESBURG	Weight:120 lbs (54 kg)
Missing State : VA	Hair Color: Brown
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: USVAVA09-99
Circumstances:Amilcar was last seen on August 27, 2009 wearing a light blule tee-shirt and gray jeans. He may still be in the local area.

Missing Kids

BRITTANY LEE AHDOSY

Case Type: Endangered Runaway
DOB: Oct 7, 1993	Sex: Female
Missing Date: Oct 30, 2008	Race: Am. Ind.
Age Now: 15	Height: 5’7″ (170 cm)
Missing City: LAWTON	Weight: 183 lbs (83 kg)
Missing State : OK	Hair Color: Black
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1110037
Circumstances:Both photos shown are of Brittany. She may use the alias name Shelby Lynn Moore.

Missing Kids

ALESSANDRA AVENDANO PALMER

Case Type: Family Abduction
DOB: Oct 13, 2005	Sex: Female
Missing Date:Mar 21, 2007	Race: White
Age Now: 3	Height: 2’0″ (61 cm)
Missing City: ORICK	Weight: 26 lbs (12 kg)
Missing State : CA	Hair Color: Brown
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1107499
Circumstances: The children are missing from Orick, California. They may be in the company of their father and may have traveled to Mexico. Alessandra’s ears are pierced. Their mother has applied for the return of the children under the international civil treaty: The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. DO NOT PICK UP BASED ON THIS INFORMATION.

Missing Kids

OSCAR JAMES AVENDANO

Case Type: Family Abduction
DOB: Jun 28, 2002	Sex: Male
Missing Date:Mar 21, 2007	Race: White
Age Now: 7	Height: 3’11” (119 cm)
Missing City: ORICK	Weight: 40 lbs (18 kg)
Missing State : CA	Hair Color: Lt. Brown
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Blue
Case Number: NCMC1107499
Circumstances: The children are missing from Orick, California. They may be in the company of their father and may have traveled to Mexico. Alessandra’s ears are pierced. Their mother has applied for the return of the children under the international civil treaty: The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. DO NOT PICK UP BASED ON THIS INFORMATION.

Missing Kids

GAD-JUNIOR-ACOSTA-JIMENEZ

Case Type: Family Abduction
DOB: Jan 11, 2005	Sex: Male
Missing Date: Aug 21, 2008	Race: Hispanic
Age Now: 4	Height: 3’0″ (91 cm)
Missing City: HENDERSONVILLE	Weight: 40 lbs (18 kg)
Missing State : NC	Hair Color: Black
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Black
Case Number: NCMC1120903
Circumstances: Both photos shown are of Gad. He is missing from Hendersonville, North Carolina. Gad may be in the company of his mother. They are believed to be in Mexico. Gad may wear glasses. His father has applied for the return of the child to the United States under the international civil treaty: The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Do not pick up based on this information.

Missing Kids

YASMINE RAYON ACREE

Case Type: Endangered Missing
DOB: Oct 25, 1992	Sex: Female
Missing Date: Jan 15, 2008	Race: Black
Age Now: 16	Height: 5’1″ (155 cm)
Missing City: CHICAGO	Weight:125 lbs (57 kg)
Missing State : IL	Hair Color: Sandy
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1088268
Circumstances: Both photos shown are of Yasmine. She was last seen at home on January 15, 2008.

Missing Kids

The Bottlenose Dolphin

By American Cetacean Society
September 18, 2009

CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Cetacea
SUBORDER: Odontoceti
FAMILY: Delphinidae
GENUS: Tursiops
SPECIES: Truncatus

The bottlenose dolphin is perhaps one of the most well known cetaceans, because of its widespread use in marine parks and research facilities. The bottlenos dolphin may be best known as “Flipper” (as seen in the television series). This is the dolphin most frequently seen along the shores of the United States. This species is very flexible in its behavior.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

This is a relatively robust dolphin with a usually short and stubby beak – hence the name “bottlenose“. The bottlenose dolphin (like the beluga) has more flexibility in its neck than other oceanic dolphins, because 5 of the 7 neck vertebrae are not fused together as in the other oceanic dolphins. There are 18-26 pairs of sharp, conical teeth in each side of its jaw.

COLOR:

The color of the bottlenose dolphin varies considerably, but generally this dolphin is light gray to slate gray on the upper part of the body shading to lighter sides and pale, pinkish gray on the belly.

FINS AND FLUKE:

The dorsal fin is high and falcate (curved) and located near the middle of the back. The flukes are broad and curved with a deep median notch. The flippers are of moderate length and pointed.

Length and Weight:

Adult length is from 8-12 feet (2.5-3.8 m). These dolphins may weigh as much as 1,430 pounds (650 kg) off Great Britain, though most are much smaller in other parts of the world. Males are significantly larger than females.

Feeding:

Feeding behaviors are diverse, primarily involving individual prey capture, but sometimes involving coordinated efforts to catch food, feeding in association with human fishing, and chasing fish into mudbanks. An adult bottlenose dolphin may consume 15-30 pounds (8-15 kg) of food each day. Bottlenose dolphins eat a wide variety of food, including primarily fishes, and sometimes squid, and crustaceans.

Mating and Breeding:

Males reach sexual maturity at about 10 years. Females reach sexual maturity at about 5-10 years. The gestation period is 12 months. Calving can take place year-round with peaks in some areas during spring and fall. Calves nurse for over a year (12-18 months), and stay with their mothers for 3-6 years learning how to catch fish and other important tasks.

Distribution and Migration:

Bottlenose dolphins are found worldwide in temperate and tropical waters, absent only from 45 degrees poleward in either hemisphere. They are frequently seen in harbors, bays, lagoons, estuaries, and river mouths. There appear to be two ecotypes: a coastal form and an offshore form. Population density appears to be higher nearshore. Biochemical studies now are providing more information about the relationship within and between the ecotypes. In some areas, dolphins have limited home ranges; in others, they are migratory. A second species Tursiops aduncus, inhabits the Indian Ocean.

Natural History:

Based on a number of studies of nearshore populations, bottlenose dolphins seem to live in relatively open societies. Mother and calf bonds and some other associations may be strong, but individuals may be seen from day-to-day with a variety of different associates. Group size is often less than 20 nearshore; offshore groups of several hundred have been seen. Much of what we know of the general biology of dolphins comes from studies of bottlenose dolphins, both in captivity and in the wild.

Status:

The bottlenose dolphin is protected in U.S. waters by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Bottlenose dolphins are still generally plentiful in numbers, but are near depletion in some areas. Both incidental and direct exploitation of bottlenose dolphins are known to occur, generally at low to moderate levels. The largest direct kills have traditionally been in the Black Sea, where Russian and Turkish hunters apparently have reduced local populations. Bottlenose dolphins are accidentally caught in a variety of fishing gear, including gillnets, purse seiners used to catch tuna, and shrimp trawls. These dolphins also are occasional victims of harpoon and drive fisheries. Live captures of bottlenose dolphins for captivity have had effects on some local dolphin populations in the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern United States, but no commercial live captures have occurred in the U.S. since the 1980’s. Bottlenose dolphins are vulnerable to pollution, habitat alteration, boat collisions, human feeding of and swimming with wild animals, and human disturbance (such as boating). Several die-offs of bottlenose dolphins have occurred. Retrospective analysis of tissues of dolphins that died in 1987-1988 during a large die-off (approximately 800-1,000 dolphins) on the Atlantic U.S. coast indicates that mortality may have been caused by a morbillivirus. This virus has been linked to dies-offs of Gulf of Mexico bottlenose dolphins as well. Dolphins with disease symptoms appeared to have elevated levels of PCB’s, leading researchers to conclude that pollutants may be playing a role in these events. Preliminary evidence from other studies show links between contaminant residues in tissues and impaired immune system function.

Bibliography:

• Wells, R.S. and M.D. Scott. 2002. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus and T. aduncus). Pp. 122-128 In: W.F. Perrin, B. Wusig, and J.G.M. Thewissen, eds., Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
• Reynolds, J.E. III, R.S. Wells, and S.D. Eide. 2000. The Bottlenose Dolphin: Biology and Conservation. University Press of Florida. 289 pp.
• Connor, R.C., R.S. Wells, J. Mann, and A.J. Read. 2000. The bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops spp: Social Relationships in a fission-fusion society. Pp 91-126 In: J. Mann, R.C. Connor, P.L. Tyack, and H. Whitehead, eds., Cetacean Societies: Field Studies of Dolphins and Whales. University of Chicago Press. 433 pp.
• Wells, R.S. and M.D. Scott. 1999. Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821). Pp 137-182 In: S.H. Ridgway and R. Harrison (eds.), Handbook of Marine Mammals, Vol. 6, the Second Book of Dolphins and Porpoises. Academic Press. San Diego, CA. 486 pp.

Acknowledgements:

• We greatly appreciate the knowledge and assistance of Randall S. Wells, Conservation Biologist, Chicago Zoological Society and Dagmar Fertl, Biologist, Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of Interior.
• Illustrations courtesy Uko Gorter, copyright© 2006, 2006 all rights reserved.

Source  American Cetacean Society

Editor’s Note: We want to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

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