From the very first day of school, classes begin keeping track of the number of days they’ve been in school in anticipation of the 100th day. It’s this anticipation that is actually the first math lesson, as the days are often marked using coffee stirrers or Popsicle sticks, ten of which become a “ten bundle,” paving the way to counting by tens and ones.
When Is the 100th Day of School?
The 100th day of school will vary from school to school, depending on when school started and whether or not there were days off for teacher workshops or inclement weather.
How to Commemorate the 100th Day
There are hundreds of activities and lesson plans devoted to the 100th day of school and many books written to help celebrate the day. You may become involved in helping your child with an assignment or preparing for the 100th-day activities. A few of the more common activities include:
Bringing in a collection of 100 items on that day. If this is the assignment, you may need to work with your child on selecting an item. Discuss what you may have on hand that you have 100 of and could fit into a container to be taken to school. Your child will then be thinking of both the count and the size of the collection. You might even introduce cost into the selection, calculating how much 100 of that item costs and how much one of the item would cost. Calculating when members of your family will turn 100. Exploring the differences in size, weight, and length of different groups of a hundred. (For example, the weight of 100 pennies vs. the weight of 100 cotton balls.) Filling in a hundreds chart. Making patterns or necklaces using 100 beads or Fruit Loops. Physical activities often must be those that can be done indoors or in the gym due to the date falling during winter. Examples include: Doing 10 sets of 10 different exercises (jumping jacks, sit-ups, etc.) as a way to learn the concept that 10 sets of 10 equal 100. Another easy physical activity is walking 100 steps and measuring how far that is. Putting together 100-piece puzzles. Researching the history of the year 100 years ago and what life was like in your location at that time. Writing assignments on the theme of 100. For example, what you would do if you had 100 dollars, what you will look and feel like when you are 100 years old or create a dictionary of 100 words you can read and write. Your child may be asked to come up with her own topic around the number 100.
