Introduction to Calendars in the Classroom
At Boroondara Park Primary School, our Year 1 and 2 students have been engaging in a creative and meaningful exploration of calendars as part of their learning maths program. From understanding the structure of a year to identifying how calendars help us organise time, students are making strong connections between classroom learning and real life.
Creating a Personalised Yearly Calendar
As part of the unit, each student is creating a personalised classroom calendar. Every month, they’re given a blank template to fill in key information such as the month, dates, and any events that have occurred. So far, they’ve revisited January and February, noting classroom milestones and student birthdays.
This ongoing calendar project not only reinforces number sequencing and date recognition, but it also builds a sense of ownership and pride in their learning journey.
Connecting Home and School Events
To deepen personal connections, we encourage families to discuss special events or birthdays that are happening at home. If you have a family event in March, share it with your child—they’ll love adding it to their calendar page and discussing it with their classmates.
Understanding Time Through Everyday Activities
In another strand of their maths learning, students have been exploring how long different activities take to complete. They’ve brainstormed examples of things that take one minute, thirty minutes, an hour, or even a whole day. These conversations help children develop an understanding of duration and prepare them for more advanced time concepts later in their schooling.
Building Number Skills with Additive Thinking
Number work has also been a big focus this term. Students have been practising additive thinking strategies, such as counting to 20, skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, and combining numbers to reach totals like 20 and 30.
These foundational skills are crucial for learning maths, mental maths fluency and problem-solving.
Domino Maths: Making 20 and 30
One of the highlights of this unit has been using domino cards to explore number combinations. Students worked in teams to create equations such as 10+9+1=20 and 8+7+5=20, then searched for matching domino cards to visualise their answers. It’s hands-on, engaging, and reinforces addition in a fun and interactive way.
Hands-On Learning for Real-World Maths
At BPPS, we believe in making learning maths meaningful, interactive, and relevant. Whether it’s tracking time, recording events, or combining numbers with creativity, our students are gaining practical skills that will support their mathematical thinking for years to come.
How many different ways do you think you could use 3 numbers to make 20? Practice with students at home and see who can find the most ways!