Students benefit from hands-on activities to help boost their conceptual understanding of math. This focuses on measuring liquid volume.
Hi Friends…. The past two weeks we have been working on Prefixes and Suffixes in our second-grade classroom! My kiddos were having such a good time brainstorming words with prefixes and then figuring out the meaning. They really had a strong grasp of the concept… I was pretty impressed. After our whole … Prefixes, Suffixes and a FREEBIE Just for YOU! Read More »
Learn about natural ADHD treatments that have been proven, through scientific studies, to work. These will help improve focus, reduce hyperactivity and help with inattention.
Several years ago, in the middle of my third year teaching 6th grade math, I was approached by my middle school's instructional coach about a new (to me at the time!) model of teaching called math workshop. The general idea was that students would be placed in small groups that would rotate through different stations, or centers, throughout the class period. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty skeptical at first. It was a little overwhelming to think about completely overhauling the structure of my everyday classroom routines, and in the middle of the school year none the less! Pair that with the fact that I coach high school baseball in the spring, and I was envisioning what would have been close to zero free time dwindling into the negative numbers! Ultimately I decided to give it a try, and am I glad that I did. I truly believe it has benefited all of my students. *Update: For everything math workshop, all in one spot, be sure to check out my new book, Making Math Workshop Work. Depending on your preference, you can find Making Math Workshop Work as an eBook in the Kindle Store or you can order a hard copy from Amazon! Math workshop can be set up in a lot of ways, depending on what works for that teacher and their students, so let me start by telling you about what I have been doing in my classroom. This year, because I have smaller class sizes of around 22 students, each of my classes are divided into four groups of 5 to 6 students. My first year I had larger class sizes, so I had them rotate through five centers. In general, I create groups based on the level of the students. I have thought about mixing the groups up, but really like how I am able to differentiate instruction when the groups are based on how well the students are understanding the material. The four centers include a center at the front table with me, an assignment center, a technology/hands-on center, and a problem solving/review center. I teach three classes that are 90 minutes each, so after accounting for 10 minutes of checking homework, a 10 minute daily check of what we did the previous day, a very brief introduction to the lesson, and a wrap-up at the end of class, I have about 12-15 minutes for each center. A while back, I wrote a post about how math workshop could work in different class lengths and sizes. You can check that out here! Above is a chart I made to keep track of groups and centers. I also have a document posted that shows what color group each student is in. So, you might be asking yourself, what do each of these centers include? Enrichment task cards for kids who show they've got it! Teacher Center: This is BY FAR the most important center for the students and really the number one reason why I decided to switch to a math workshop structure. It benefits the struggling and advanced students in so many ways, not to mention all of the students in between! For my struggling students, I am able to work essentially one-on-one, in their small group, to see what they aren't understanding. With all of my students during this time, I begin by having them work on these Math Task Cards, which are a basic set of problems for each topic we cover in 6th grade. For my advanced students, who usually breeze through these problems, I have spent a lot of time creating 6th grade Enrichment Task Cards for each of these topics. I also currently have task cards available for 7th and 8th grade. These are linked below! I laminate and cut out six copies to have ready, so each student has their own. Originally I had students working in their notebooks at this center, then I switched to white boards, and now I recently turned my front table into a giant white board...and am I glad I did! The students absolutely love writing on the table! Just be sure you order enough dry-erase markers...they go fast! Math Task Cards - 6th Grade Math Math Enrichment Task Cards - 6th Grade Math Math Task Cards - 7th Grade Math Math Enrichment Task Cards - 7th Grade Math Math Task Cards - 8th Grade Math Math Enrichment Task Cards - 8th Grade Math Homework Center: I always have students head to this center directly after they have met with me at the teacher center. This is their chance to practice what we have just learned at the previous center. We use a textbook series for our math curriculum, so my assignments are usually 10-15 problems from the lesson we covered that day. The issue that arises with this center is that you will have one group that needs to start their day at homework, without having gone to the teacher center. I have my advanced group always start here, since they can usually do the homework with little introduction. Then by the time they get to my center, they have practiced on the homework and are ready for the enrichment problems! Hands-on Center: This center is by far the most loosely defined (and sometimes the hardest to plan for!). A lot of times, at this center, I will incorporate math games that either review a past concept or relate to what we have recently learned. This free Connect Four: Multiplying Decimals game is an example of a game I created for use at this center. Other times I will create a more hands-on activity for them to complete. For example, when multiplying fractions, I had students use fraction dice and cards to create their own problems. They wrote their work on the answer sheet (FREE!) found in my TpT store at this link: Fraction Multiplication Answer Sheet I love these Problems of the Month from Inside Mathematics! Technology Center: This center can also fluctuate a bit. Our school IMC has iPads available to check out, so usually on Thursdays and Fridays I have students play math apps (from a list I have pre-selected!) on six of the iPads that I have checked out. On days without the iPads it varies greatly. I sometimes don't even use technology and have students working on these awesome (and once again free!) Problems of the Month, which are from the Inside Mathematics website. These problems are progressively more challenging applications of recently learned concepts and skills. I print and laminate six copies of one of these problems to have ready to go at the center. Students have about a week to work on each problem. The great part is that there are different levels, from easy to difficult, so students can work at their own pace. What you use for technology will really depend a lot on what you have available for you at your school. Be flexible and creative with what you have students working on! Some common questions arise about starting math workshop, so I will try my best to answer a few. One of the most common is how and if students stay on task at all of the different centers. This was my biggest concern going into math workshop. After using math workshop for about a year now, I've found that if anything it has been easier for kids to stay on task. By moving around and changing activities every 10-15 minutes, it helps them get a quick movement break and refocus on a new activity. Sure, there will always be behavior issues at times, but these behavior issues probably would have occurred if students were being asked to sit through a "normal" class and worktime. Setting up routines at the beginning is very important and I have already done a better job this year compared to past years. I'm sure, like everything in teaching, I will find a way to make it that much better next year. I also use a behavior system where the class starts with four letters P-U-M-A. If I need to take away all four letters for not following expectations, then we lose math workshop for the following day. This is pretty good motivation for them, especially when we are planning to use iPads the next day! Another question that comes up is the amount of preparation. To be honest, it is quite a bit of preparation up front. Having a bank of math games and some form of technology for the technology/hands-on center has been important for me. I do spend a lot of outside the classroom time getting things ready and creating activities, but it hasn't been completely overwhelming. I have been using math workshop for a few years now and I am already starting to notice less preparation because of materials I have ready to go! If you are just starting and want to stock up on a bunch of resources all at once, I have all of my 6th grade materials included in a Math Workshop Full Year Mega Bundle (Upper Elem/MS). This Mega Bundle (8th Grade Math) includes my 8th grade resources. I put these at a HUGE discount when compared to purchasing everything individually! If you plan to start a math workshop structure in your class, my advice would be to find what works for you! I know some teachers who don't have a schedule that allows every group to go to every center each day, so they have them go to one or two centers per day. As far as I am concerned there isn't one right way to use math workshop. I would love to hear any ideas or answer any questions that you have in the comments section below!
For the past three Thursdays, I have shared some fun ways to make your booktalks more interesting in my 31 Ways to Jazz Up Your Booktalks series. This week, I […]
I know I say this all the time...but, seriously, you are just like me. You have a lot to do. Huge amounts of things to plan and carry out and then you have STEM Friday to prepare for and you forget about it and at the last minute you try to throw it together. Only
Have you seen our FREE Sight Word Chants for animals? They quickly became popular at our house and with my readers. So, I created 24 more FREE Sight Word Chants! This time, we’re moving and sounding like different kinds of people. Sight word chants are a great, multi-sensory way to get kids chanting and learning ... Read More about 24 FREE Sight Word Chants
Life consists in motion…the United States presents certainly the most animated picture of universal bustle and activity of any country in the world. Such a thing as rest or quiescence does not even enter the mind of an American. –Francis Grund “Do NOT take all four animals to the vet at the same time.” These were the famous last words as my husband left the house that morning. How did he know I was planning on taking them all at […]
It has been about two weeks since my wife and I got back from Australia. Although it's nice to be back home, I still find myself wishing I had a few more days in Sydney! If you follow me on Instagram (@middleschoolmathman), you probably saw a few of these pictures along the way, but here are a few of my favorites (and then I promise I will get to the freebies!). Now...on to the freebies! As many of you, and myself included, are recharging batteries and getting geared up for another school year, I wanted to take a minute and recap some of the free products available in my TpT store. These are geared towards 6th grade math, however many of the products can be used anywhere from 4th to 7th grade! Now that we have a chance to take a deep breath and prepare, I thought I few of these might be helpful. So what is first up on the freebie cart? Why not start with one of my newest math games...Connect Four: Multiplying Decimals. This one includes 6 Connect Four game boards and 16 playing cards. Students must solve the problem and then cover up that answer on their board. First player to connect four in a row wins! Another free product that I recently completed is a full set of my Challenge of the Week problems for sixth grade math (although many could also be used in 5th grade!). If you click on the Challenge of the Week tab at the top of the page, you can get an idea of how I display and use these problems in my classroom. It is a great way to give my higher students a little extra challenge throughout the week. Click on the picture or link below to get a copy of all of the problems and answers! The Challenge of the Week has been a staple in my classroom for the last few years and my 6th graders love trying them out each week. I know they like them because of all the flack I get when I forget to put a new one up on Monday morning! Challenge of the Week In my classroom I use math workshop, which you can read more about by clicking the Workshop tab at the top of the page. One of the benefits of using math workshop is that I can easily differentiate my instruction, since I am meeting in a small group with each kid. One of my favorite parts of this is that I can really push my higher students. To do this, I created math enrichment problems, or task cards, to give the students who already understand what we are doing. My first unit of these cards is free in my store, so be sure to check them out! The free unit includes topics related to decimals and exponents (I apologize for the terrible product cover in my store...this is on my to-do list, but I promise the actual product is better than the cover!). You can see how my students use these cards in the picture. I laminate the cards and then students show their work on their white board as I meet with them. Another free one that I have available are some questions that go along with the children's book "Math Curse." If you haven't read this one, you need to find a copy! It is hilarious and engaging for the students. I usually read this one to the sixth graders on our half day before Thanksgiving Break. After reading the book, we then break into partners and they get to try to solve some of the crazy questions that come up throughout the story. For those of you that were also a part of the TpT Seller Challenge, this product cover was my "Makeover Madness" product. The new one looks much better that the old! "Math Curse" Challenge Questions Once your students start learning about how to find the percent of a number, be sure to check out this next math game: Percent Scramble. This is such an important skill and one of the most applicable in the real world. From shopping to sports to business, students are going to need to know how to find the percent of a number. Percent Scramble is a fun way for students to practice this skill. This game really helped some of my lower students master this concept, when otherwise I'm not sure that they would have! Percent Scramble I also have a few other free memory games in my store. One of these is Equation Memory: Addition Equations. This is a fun way for students to practice solving addition equations. Like other memory games, they lay out the cards face down in a rectangle. Taking turns flipping over two cards, students try to match the addition equation with its solution. This was a fun one to use as a math center during my math workshop rotations. Equation Memory: Addition Equations The other memory game I have up in my store is Equivalent Fraction Memory. This one helps students practice finding equivalent fractions...another critical skill! This game comes with both a beginner and difficult set to help you differentiate with your students. I found this necessary the first time I tried playing it a few years ago. Equivalent Fraction Memory As we all gear up for another school year, I hope that many, all, or even just one of these free products can help your students succeed in math! I do have a few other free ones in my store (including a scavenger hunt I recently tried for the first time!) so be sure to check those out as well. Good luck getting classrooms ready and I look forward to blogging again soon!
Looking for somewhere new to eat in Evansville, Indiana? These top Evansville restaurants feature a range of cuisines and unique decor.
Are your students sticking out their tongues, pulling on their ears, jacking up their thumbs and making (or trying to make) the Vulcan hand sign? YES!!! At least they will with this fun genetic traits activity which gets students to discover traits about themselves and their classmates they never knew they had! A fun activity for both students and teachers. Playing this game is a great way to get students interested in genetics. May you live long and prosper, whether or not you can roll your tongue. ;)
Students benefit from hands-on activities to help boost their conceptual understanding of math. This focuses on measuring liquid volume.
Are nurse practitioners real doctors? Why yes they are. This article lists and discusses five names that you should never call NPs or PAs. The article ends with an overview of how to respectfully refer to an NPs and PAs as well as some resources for further reading.
Whether we like it or not, our stomachs are probably the biggest indicator of our lifestyle. You can’t hide it (all the time). It’s ok and totally normal to feel self conscious about your stomach and no one feels confident…
Are you looking for my original sight word books? I created those books beginning in 2013. Why not? My original sight word books required readers to use pictures to help them solve words. I created
Uncover the 'glows and grows' of your educational institution with a SWOT analysis. Learn how K-12 leaders can leverage this tool for strategic planning.
Hello there friends! I hope you’ve had a fantastic weekend! Mine lasted four days because of a snow storm on Thursday and Friday. PLEASE, no more snow! I am so ready for spring that I feel physical anger every time I glance at the snow outside. Slight exaggeration, but I am over it. I want it to be HOT. 90 degrees is fine with me. Anyhow, today’s post is all about teaching measurement in kindergarten. We just finished up this unit, so I thought I would share some of my
These cards focus on teaching spelling for visual learners and story-based learners, both of which I have found to be VERY effective with my kids.
A blog about STEM and science topics, easy ways to use STEM in the elementary classroom, help with organizing materials, and tons of helpful hints.
Grab a copy of these FREE Prefixes Fluency Games, a sample from the Prefixes Fluency Game Pack in my shop! FOUR free no prep games are included for these prefixes: un, re, mis, dis, pre and fore. Find more FREE Fluency Games. *Click on the teal download button towards the END of this post to download these ... Read More about FREE Prefixes Fluency Games
These sweet potato tots have a kick, and are made lighter by preparing them in the air fryer. Serve with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.
These 4 back to school crafts are low prep and totally educational. Try them during the first few days of school!
Hello there friends! I hope you’ve had a fantastic weekend! Mine lasted four days because of a snow storm on Thursday and Friday. PLEASE, no more snow! I am so ready for spring that I feel physical anger every time I glance at the snow outside. Slight exaggeration, but I am over it. I want it to be HOT. 90 degrees is fine with me. Anyhow, today’s post is all about teaching measurement in kindergarten. We just finished up this unit, so I thought I would share some of my
Regular readers of this blog and followers on social media know that I was diagnosed with an intestinal infection due to clostridium difficile (commonly known as "c. diff") about four months ago. In my last post, I shared the treatment up to that point and that the next step would be to undergo a fecal microbiotia transplant (FMT) and promised to write an update after that experience. It gives me great pleasure now to do that and to announce that I have now tested NEGATIVE for c diff and am definitely on the path to recovery.
Hi! Sweet Friends, it's Peggy from Primary Flourish. I hope you are having a refreshing summer! I want to share with you a fun, and better yet, effective way to get your little writers to slow down enough to edit their own writing! Just call the COPS! I just love acronyms! They really help anchor concepts in the students' (and teacher's :)) minds! As you can see in the posters, each letter in COPS reminds students important details they need to check for in their writing. This pack includes all you need to teach your students to do their own editing! Use these 4 Posters with kid-friendly 'I Can Statements' to introduce COPS to your students, then leave them up in your classroom for easy reference through out the year. Students love flip books, oh my! This is a fun, interactive way to cement the editing concepts in their minds. I have included this printable for students to practice 'Patrolling with the COPS'. A blank copy is also included, so you can make up your own sentence for your students. I like to use this as a task in their morning work. Notice the COPS boxes to the left of each sentence - that is for students to put tally marks (or numbers) of how many of those edits needed to be made in that sentence. This helps them s.l.o.w. down and actually reflect on their writing. Now, we know there will be some little 'speeders' that rush though their writing without 'patrolling their writing! That's when they get a ticket! Just put a check under the area that need editing and attach it to the writing that needs editing. The student then needs to look back to find and correct their own writing. You can get 'Edit Writing with COPS' for just a DOLLAR for the next three days! July 27, 2015 July 28, 2015 July 29, 2015 Just click here or on one of the pictures above to snag this TEACHER DEAL! Keep soaking up the sweetness of summer!
Don't miss this great set of March Kindergarten Worksheets for your math and literacy practice this month. Perfect for home or the classroom.
I use these daily. The students now have the scale memorized; however, with each standard the scale will change a little bit. I post these separate parts of the standard (the standards unwrapped) on my PowerPoint throughout the lessons. The “GOAL” I have for the kids that day is the level 3 - this is where I want them to be when the lesson is over. If they are a one or two, they decide that based on their work they complete and if they were able to do it alone or with help (with math you can judge it based on how many you get wrong/right on homework or classwork). The level 4 is always something above and beyond. Some reach that level, but not all. This is OKAY! You want them at a 3 - a four is just extra awesome!! Seen in photo of my bulletin board: My students created their little number cards on 1 inch x 1 inch pieces of cardstock I cut up and stuck to magnets. They simply move their number over to the section that tells me which level (1, 2, 3, or 4) they feel they are at. See more about this on my blog: http://littlelovelyleaders.blogspot.com/2016/03/self-assessing-bulletin-board.html
Lets make a family book! Families come in all types and numbers and as far as I'm concerned there's only one thing they all should have in common - love! Now let's celebrate your family
Just over a month ago, my oldest child left home for his freshman year of college. My husband drove him the four and a half hours it takes to get to Boston from our house. Since I had already visited the university twice -- and knew I'd find it tough to keep my emotions in check-- I didn't go. Instead, I cried.
Continuing on my series on Vocations, this is the activity that I used to teach my students about the Sacrament of Holy Orders. It is more note than activity based, and the content is drawn from our textbook, but the kids enjoyed and retained more from this notebooking activity than they would have from plain old lecture/discussion. This was included in our Fulton Sheen Notebook. On the left is a set of notes about the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Most was done by me, but the students had some fill-ins to do. You can print the notes and my key at the end of the post. On the right was a set of notes about what a Bishop is. Since Fulton Sheen was a Bishop and then Archbishop, we learned a little more about this step of Holy Orders. The kids copied their own notes for this one, but there is a printable you could use as a master at the end of the post. We also made cute and easy origami miters to add to the page- definitely the highlight of the lesson. For steps on making origami miters, go here. For a copy of the Holy Orders printable, click on the thumbnail: For a copy of the key I made, click here. For a printable of the notes about Bishops, click on the thumbnail:
We've been working on o-e words at our house. Here's a fun, no prep game! I've shared a giant collection of phonics games and worksheets over the past few years. This game is part of a
