How I Spent My Mid-Winter Break

It's Sunday.  Mid-winter break is over.  Everyone should get mid-winter break because it is fantastic.  It's five glorious days tucked between two weekends during the shortest-yet-longest month of the year, and also the most depressing month because by February you are just ready for spring to show it's blossoming face.

Here's how I spent my days away from school.  I only went to school once.  For only a few hours.  I should probably get there really early tomorrow to be sure I'm prepared to jump back in.

First, I helped some friends paint their living room in their new house.  Painting is so rewarding and refreshing because when it's finished it feels so fresh and clean!

Next, I spent some quality time with my blog, specifically the Websites & Resources tab up above.  I'm pretty excited about it.  I was busy locating and curating a few resources I love.  I expect this will be an ongoing resource for myself...and hopefully others!  Teaching is all about sharing!  Check it out...and let me know what I should be adding!

Then I spent some time enjoying the Puget Sound.  I went kayaking.

Visited Point No Point, the first known lighthouse on the Puget Sound.

Watched cargo ships anchor themselves in the water and wait for union workers to come to an agreement and start unloading ships again.

Visited Chief Seattle's gravesite.

Stood in the Puget Sound water and just generally admired my surroundings.  Love the Pacific Northwest and all it's beauty!

Then, I've had a few unfinished TpT projects taking up space on my computer desktop.  I usually have them ready for my class use, but then drag my feet on the part where I have to prep them for the store.  I was feeling motivated at the beginning of the week to wrap a few of them up.  I prepped a few for my classroom and got them all ready for the RTL store.  A few of them have been sitting around for awhile, so it was nice to get them off my plate!  

Here's a quick share of what I worked on and what's new to the store.

I get super excited when I see my own activity pinned by someone.  My most-pinned and one of my best selling activities is my 100s Grid Art for fractions and decimals.  I l-o-v-e using my SmartBoard center that follows this activity up, so I finally got it all together and up on the RTL store.  So now I have the 100s Grid Art, and the SmartBoard center up separately, but if you want BOTH, I bundled them, too.

(this picture is from before I got my SMARTBoard and was using a Mimio file, but the TpT product is a SMARTBoard Notebook file)

Another one of my favorites is the Retirement Booklet that I have in my store because I love being able to have it on file and ready to pull out at the end of the year.  However, I'm not one for doing the same thing year after year, so I like to have activities on more of a "round", or "spiral", if you will.  So I made another retirement booklet so that I have a few ready at any given moment.

This one is more of a Mad-Libs style (I call them Fill-Ins).  I made it pretty versatile because class personalities can vary from year to year.  I have a page for fill-ins prior to seeing the retirement letter that you can do first and then put your silly answers into the retirement letter page.  Or you could just do the retirement letter page without the first fill-in page so that answers make a little more sense or are a little more personalized.  Or if you have younger kids or students who may need a little extra help picking some words, I have a page with three word selections for each blank to help them out.  It could be done as a class for one letter or individually from each student.  It's up to you.

The cover is also in color or black and white, so you can choose.  This one has been on my mind for awhile so I'm excited that it is together and ready!

THEN (I'm telling you, I was motivated to wrap these up!), I finished a poster set for three sets of commonly misused words to give my kiddos a classroom resource to use.  My goal was that during writing conferring time, I could just point out that a word was used incorrectly and then guide them to these posters to see if they can figure out which word to use for themselves.  I am laminating them today and they will go on my bulletin board tomorrow morning!  Yay!

Again, color and black and white options, in case you're more of a print-it-on-colored-paper person like I am!

I posted a few other things, too... I was productive!

I finished my week of relaxing with a little professional development with on a Saturday.  I got to go hear Georgia Heard, author of Awakening the Heart and Finding the Heart of Non-Fiction (and many more), speak about using non-fiction and poetry to help students become better writers.

I took lots of notes, and I left with some good stuff to work on and bring to my "family of writers".

Ready to see those kiddos again tomorrow and start doing some fresh new learning!

            

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"Basic" facts aren't "Easy"

We've been working hard on making sense out of numbers.  I tell parents at Back to School Night that students need to have their basic facts down because it will make math so much easier in their fourth grade year.

I'm always amazed at how many students still aren't confident in their addition and subtraction basic facts, even in fourth grade.  There is nothing more frustrating for a fourth grade teacher when we do 5 +7 with a "hmmm" and "ummm" and hiding our fingers under the table and then saying "12?" without any confidence at all.  Or the dreaded "11?"  I'm screaming in the inside because do you realize, fourth graders, that we need to master multiplication, and division, and fractions, and decimals this year?!?!  Plus the types of triangles and types of angles and measuring and adding angles?  There is no time for reteaching addition!  We need to add angle measurements.

So I read this {article from NCTM in their Teaching Children Mathematics journal (circa 2005).}

And hey, guess what?  That's totally normal for students to still struggle.

I am a flash card teacher.  I know some people really don't like to drill skills, but facts are one thing that I drill in.  I challenge the kids to beat me.  I'm super fast...at least to a 10 year old!  We make flash cards and keep them in our binder so they are with us all the time.  I stock up on flash cards in the dollar section of Target every year.  I have flash cards on rings hanging on the wall if they finish early in math.  We time ourselves and try to get faster.


I want them FAST.

For this reason, I start everyone in the class on XtraMath addition facts.  Sometimes parents look at my like "What?!?" when I tell them this.  Here's the thing- if your student isn't great at addition facts, they probably aren't going to pick up on multiplication right away either.  Let's go back and master the most basic of the basics.  Also, by starting with addition, I will hopefully build some confidence in those that need it because they feel better about addition.  Don't get me wrong- we are still multiplying during class, but their practice time is spent on what they need most.

XtraMath is set up to have students complete their basic facts in 3 seconds each, which has been researched and found to be the ideal amount of think time for a student to show basic face "mastery".  It's totally free and breaks it down in data format for teachers.  It doesn't have tons of bells and whistles and animated characters, which I actually really like about it.  Sometimes we just need to get down to business.

Some of my students are cruising through.  Once they can do all their addition facts in 3 seconds or less, it moves them to subtraction (then multiplication, and division).  When they have all that done, I bump them to 2.5 second mastery and have them start over.  And then 2 second mastery.  If they can do all their facts in 2 seconds or less then they test out of XtraMath and are good to go!  Those kids are usually the kiddos that are pretty good at math to begin with- usually about 5-6 students each year will pass every level!

I've used the XtraMath website for four years now and I still totally love that it gets my students on the computer and practicing facts.  Now I just need to train them to use the number pad instead of the numbers across the top of the keyboard.....

If I have students that master every level (1.5 seconds in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division is impressive for a fourth grader!) then I set a new challenge.

I love Kakooma for those students who have mastered their straight facts.  There's so many ways to use it- have the kids use the computer, grab the app for it, run off game "worksheets", or laminate game cards.

I have to keep these students focused and motivated in order to keep them involved in our math lessons.

The best part is, XtraMath and Kakooma are both totally free to use in the classroom and at home.

I make these part of my guided math center activities- they can do fact buddies, XtraMath/Kakooma, or grab a multiplication bump game to play during center time/math practice time.  I may rotate out the bump games after about 6 weeks, but the rest of the fact practice stays as a center activity all year long.

What do you use to keep your students motivated and learning those important facts?

            

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Guided Math: What centers look like in my classroom

This is my last Guided Math post and then I'll leave it alone for awhile.  I'm walking through each center I have out right now, so this post is a bit lengthy with lots of pictures (promise?), a few links to products or freebies along the way...plus a lot of my activities don't take money and use minimal supplies, so they are easy to get together!

If you missed my four part Guided Math posts, you can start {here with part 1}, {part 2}, and {part 3}.

Let me start with.... I structure Guided Math and Guided Reading time extremely differently.  There's a lot of student choice in both, but reading is much more timed and structured in my classroom.  The biggest difference is that I time them very differently.

Here's a peek at what my students have been working on while I've been busy meeting with groups.  We've been practicing like crazy, because I give my students a lot of choice during center time.  A really mature group can handle it very well, a more challenging group takes a lot of practice, and with some classes, this approach just won't be as effective...

I let my students choose what they want to do during centers.  I don't do assigned rotations.

I know!  I let go of a lot of control during center time!

The idea behind not doing rotations was that students finish their centers at different rates, and if I have them in assigned rotations, some may finish "early" and then not know what to do and start messing around or being off task.  In Reading, if a student finishes reading early, they know to go back and read it again.  I'm not going to tell a student in Math to go back and start the problems over again.  So instead, they check into a center of their choice, and if/when they finish that center, they move to another.  Some centers take longer than others.

This frees me up in a couple ways.  First, it doesn't mean that I have to have their rotation up and ready for them to see.  I know that sounds silly, but there are so many weekly boards to change that I get behind super easily.  I started assigning them as student jobs, because they don't have enough to do already either....  Of course, I still plan who I'm seeing each day and what we are doing.

Second, if we are working on something that a lot of students are understanding, but some are not, I can check their in class assignments as they finish and tell them to go check into a center.  They can choose what they want to go do for the day, and it gives me plenty of time to check in with each student as they finish, plus the few that are really struggling will be left and I can have them all meet with me while we work through it together.  Even as I'm typing that, I'm not sure if it makes sense.  I wish I had a video to show.

This approach will not work in every classroom.  You have to do what works best for you and for your students.  Make it your own!

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 When my students check in to their center, they have 60 seconds to get the center out and begin.  There are three centers they must complete each week:

 The "Must Do" centers in my math class are:
1. Fact Buddies: practice multiplication and/or division facts with a friend.  I also allow students to get on XtraMath as a replacement for this center to practice facts.

2. Number of the Week from Kristi Conwell from Learning's a Hoot:  {get it FREE here}  I use the blank page at the end of the file and then I made a bunch of numbers that I keep in an envelope.  Students draw a number and complete the page once a week.  I have a first semester envelope and second semester envelope so that the numbers get bigger as the year goes on.

3. Krista Wallden's Boggle Math:  I love this!  {get it here for $4} I copied each board on bright yellow paper and laminated them.  One board is out each week and a bunch of copies of the board for students to work on.  Students know where I keep the boards, so they grab the next one on Mondays.

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If students have completed their Must Do's (time management!!), they can get out a Teacher's Choice activity.  These are the centers I rotate out every 6-8 weeks.  Here's what we have out right now:

 My Teachers' Choice Centers are:
1. 2x2 and 2x3+ Multiplication Dice Game: This is pretty simple.  Students set up a blank multiplication problem (standard algorithm or matrix; I let them choose which they are most comfortable with).  Roll the dice, students place the number where they want- not letting their partner see where they put it.  Keep rolling and placing numbers until your problem is ready.  Solve.  Whoever got the larger (or smallest- they play both ways) product gets a point.

2. Factors and Multiples Game:  I actually got this from this {online game} that we LOVED.   My teacher brain kicked in full time with "How can this be a center?" and I grabbed a bunch of hundreds charts and put them in my Smart Pals and suddenly I had a whole center activity ready.  First student picks a number between 1-50 and colors it in.  Their partner then has to pick a number that is either a factor or a multiple of that number.  Keep going like that until your partner can't choose a number (that number is prime!).  

3. Spoons Number Form Game: Students play spoons using numbers forms.  I use the Advanced Level because it has numbers in the hundred thousands and millions.  {get it here for $1.50}

4. Finally, {SuccessMaker}.  My school has a subscription to Pearson's SuccessMaker.  I have some students that I require to be on SuccessMaker at least once each day for Math.  Those students have an assigned time.  During centers, anyone can go back and get on it.  It is an awesome program that works at each students' individual math level and takes them from there.  This is our second year with it, and I love the data it gives me.

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 Finally (thanks for sticking around...), here's what we are doing during whole group instruction:

I always teach the upcoming center during our whole group instruction or small group time.  I give practice during that time as well so that I know that students are playing correctly and know what to do.  Modeling and teaching each game is super important before giving students full reign of the activity.  Leftovers will become our next center when we finish our division unit.  If I have another division game, I will replace two of our current Teacher's Choice centers.  You can get the {Leftovers game here} for $2.


I keep all my centers in drawers for students to go back and grab when it is time.  They cannot do math centers at any other time of the day.

Whew!  

Finally, if you want to read up on best practices and Guided Math instruction, there are a ton of great books.  Links are below.  Here are a few:

 Guided Math; Guided Math in Action; Math Work Stations; Number Talks; Math Misconceptions; 

and Math Sense.

Have one to add to the list?  Leave a comment and let me know!

            

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Guided Math: How do centers work?

It's a windy little Saturday on a four day weekend (yesterday we had a work day, and we have Monday off), so I'm working on a bunch of fun projects at home.  While the four day weekend is nice, these four day weeks are hard on our classroom routine.  

Before I get started, I'm currently working on a professional teaching portfolio.  I probably should have been keeping up on this every year that I've been teaching, because now it's a rather large project.  Any ideas?  I had one from student teaching, but that was nine years ago, and I don't think it's relevant at all anymore.  Do you have one?  Did you take it when you interviewed?  Did anyone actually look at it?  What was in it?  Thanks!!!  

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I'm back with another riveting segment about Guided Math instruction (this is part three of a four part Guided Math post session, so check my two previous posts to get all caught up!).  Brought to you by the letter C for Centers.

I just started Guided Math in my own classroom last year.  I attended a conference last fall for Guided Math, and then traveled to Chicago last summer for a train-the-trainer Guided Math institute (that was a quick review for those of you who have read my last couple posts).  I loved all of it.  I found that the biggest adjustment for me was finding enough lessons and activities to keep students working hard.  Centers can be a little tricky, because you do need to keep rotating them throughout the year.  I find Guided Reading centers and Daily 5 much easier to implement and prepare.  

I want the easiest, quickest, and most effective way to implement math centers in my classroom.  Don't we all?  There are other things I want to do with my time away from school, even if it is just cozying up on the sofa with tea and a movie.  

What the heck are we supposed to do with the rest of the class while we are focused and teaching our 5-6 students in their small group?  How do we keep the rest of the class focused?  How do we keep them on task?  How do we get them to buy into this approach and look forward to this time?  That's what I'm tackling today.  As always, your ideas are welcome!  Let me know what you're doing in your classroom.

Your centers should be review activities that reinforce concepts that have already been taught in your classroom.  None of your center activities should be over a concept you are currently teaching.  You may, however, have students complete an assignment over what you just taught before they can check into their center.  After they turn it in, they can start their center activity for the day. 

Students should be engaged in activities while you are working.  You don't want them coming up and asking you questions and interrupting your precious 10-15 minutes with your small group.  If they are working on something you are currently teaching, they may be unsure and want to ask a question for clarification.  Likewise, they may also do the entire activity incorrectly for a few days before you realize they've been doing it all wrong.  By that time, they've developed an unhealthy habit that will be harder to break.

I don't mean for that to sound mean.  I'm not walking around ignoring students all day long.  When you are first introducing your Guided Math time to students, it is important to be very consistent about the "Do Not Interrupt" rule.  If I'm meeting with a small group of students and another student walks up and asks a question, I keep teaching or working with my group and do not respond.  It feels weird.  It might take a few times, but finally that student will realize that you were serious about not answering questions during small group time.  If you continue to answer their questions, no matter how big or small (ie: May I use the restroom?), you have taught your class that it is ok to come up and interrupt.  

To use the restroom, my students go over by the door and raise their hand.  When I see them, I wave for them to use the restroom.  This way, they are not interrupting my group and we can communicate without words.  Generally speaking, my center time is an ok time for them to take a restroom break.  However, if it is a student that is trying to avoid checking into a center, I will shake my head for them to return to what they were doing.  

My math gurus wear necklaces (leis or mardi gras beads) so that students know who they can ask if they have a question.  If neither of my math gurus can answer the question, and students cannot continue the center without the answer, then that center closes for the day.  I will address the issue after center time so that it's taken care of for later.  Since all of my students are "trained" to be gurus, it is pretty easy for them to figure out where something is if it is missing from the center drawer.

Here's the kicker.  6-8 weeks.  Don't stress yourself out making task cards every week for center time.  I have one or two center activities for each concept I teach throughout the year, and those will trade out as we work through our curriculum.  I don't necessarily use the same activity or game every year, but there are a few of my stand by favorites that I grab.  You want activities that will keep students engaged that entire time, and that can be tricky.  I try to find one activity or game that they can play that is just slightly different each time.  More on that later.

If you keep a center around for awhile, students will know just what to do when they get it out.  It will reinforce whatever concept you have chosen to have out for that time period so that students get really comfortable with the topic.  

For me personally, I don't use task cards for centers because if I leave those out for 6 weeks, students will have already completed all twenty cards in the first week.  Plus, it takes a ton of time to get those prepped for one time use per year.  I'm all about maximizing their time learning and minimizing my time preparing.  It takes a lot of planning to prep all your small groups, let alone center activities.  

My next post will show just what activities I have set in my classroom right now and how I implement this time with my students.  Check back Monday!

            

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