Guided Math Book Study: Chapter 3

 I'm excited to be back this week for Chapter 3 of the "Guided Math". Amanda from The Primary Gal is hosting this book study. I have to say that I am really enjoying this book and am learning so many practical and useful things from this book. I can't wait to try them out.

When my first graders come in, the first thing they do is get out their calendar books. The students write down the number of the day then graph what the weather is like in their books. For the first few months of grade 1, the students trace the number. Once they become more comfortable, they start to write in the number them selves.

2014-2015 will be updated soon!

We then meet on the carpet for our calendar routine on the SMARTboard. I like using the SMARTboard for calendar because it doesn't take up so much room. We fill in the calendar together. We usually have a pattern for the numbers. This month our pattern is AAB. 

We practise counting the numbers in different ways (1s, 2s, 5s and 10s). I usually ask them a problem that has to do with the calendar and have students explain their strategies for solving the problem, i.e. "If there are 22 days of school, how many days until we go on our trip to African lion Safari?"

We then fill in the days of the weeks, graph the weather, and tally the number of days that we have been in school.

We then move into language. 

So far this is my favourite chapter in the book. It has really made me think about my math block and what I can do to improve my creating of a mathematical community.

The idea of starting the day with  math stretches that are simple and don't take up a lot of time has me excited.

I like the idea that each day starts with a different type of math stretch, but that the students are familiar with them.

• data collection (a simple graphing activity) It allows students to respond as the graph is filled. Its very similar to what I use at the beginning of the year to sign in.
• number of the day - represent the number in a variety of different ways
• what's next - begin the pattern and then leave a blank for each student.
• "How did my family use math" - helps students to make real world authentic connections with mathematics
• "Makes me think of..."- allows students to show what they know about the topic.

Calendar

I also like how Laney suggests adding more to your calendar. I find that at this point in the year, I am tired of my calendar routine and so are the kids. Let's be honest, we were probably bored back in October.

Things that Laney suggested adding to your calendar routine: calendar cards that help practice a skill, i.e. fractions, shapes, time, etc...; measuring the temperature; an estimation challenge; incredible equations (give the students a number and they make equations); a problem of the day.

Check out my new math themed calendar cards. 

So there you have my thoughts on Chapter 3.

Don't forget to enter the give away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

100 Minute Book Study: Chapter 5

Today's post is being hosted by Dilly Dabbles Blog. Click HERE to read what she has to say.

Writing Time/Direct Instruction in Writing:

So I've been struggling with how the writing time, at the end of the block, will help my students when it isn't followed by the consolidation piece. This chapter has cleared up a lot of my questions.

Writing time is a great time to create clear learning goals and success criteria with the students. Students can share their writing. You can also look at Mentor texts, which is a great way to co-create success criteria. It's also an opportunity to look at exemplars as well as modelling writing. 

What I was envisioning was a variety of modeled lessons, with no immediate follow through. After reading this chapter, things are so much clearer. I also realized that I can continue to do a lot of things that I am already doing. 

Here is an example of the success criteria that we created for letter writing.

We deconstructed  a letter using the success criteria that we co-created.

Students deconstructed their own writing with a partner to create class exemplars.

This is an example of a shared letter that the class wrote. We used a checklist to make sure that we had all of the success criteria.

To take a closer look at my "Writing Friendly Letters with Learning Goals and Success Criteria", click on the picture. 

To see my other writing products with Learning Goals and Success Criteria click HERE.

 

Guided Math Book Study: Chapter 2

I have linked up with Amanda from The Primary Gal again, this week to bring you my thoughts on Chapter 2 of Laney Sammons book, "Guided Math".

Laney Sammons believes that there are 7 foundational principals of Guided Math. The two principals that struck me are: "All children can learn math." and "Learning at it's best is a social process"

"All children can learn math." 

This one is an eye opener for me. Not that I didn't think that all children could learn math. I always felt myself as a learner that I just couldn't do math...I didn't have the ability to do it...I just wasn't a math person. It's only recently as a teacher that I have begun to fully understand some math concepts. I feel that many parents and students fall back on the belief that their child's lack of achievement is based on inability. However, if we change that misconception and believe that all children can learn math, then think of all of the possibilities this opens up.

"Learning at its best is a social process."

I am a firm believer in the fact that students working together on the same idea enhances student learning. Every since I began my teaching career, I have felt passionately about that. My classroom is designed on that principal. All of the students desks are in groups. I have a variety of tables and spaces around the room where students can work together. I have to say my classroom is rarely quiet.

 Sense of Community

A new student would be able to see and feel a sense of community in my classroom. They would see students working together and showing respect towards all of their classmates. They would see students taking risks and knowing that mistakes are a part of learning. 

Classroom Arrangement

Laney, believes that the arrangement of the classroom is important for guided math to be effective. The arrangement of my classroom encourages socialization. It facilitates movement and allows for easy access of math manipulatives and materials.

Home Area

The students desks are in four groups of between 5 and 6 students. Each group is given a colour.

Large Group Meeting Area

I received a beautiful new carpet this year. This is our large group meeting space. This area is directly in front of our SMARTboard which we use every morning for our calendar activities as well as many other lessons.

Small Group Area

I have a guided reading table where I meet to conference with students. We call it our rainbow table, since it is shaped like a rainbow.

Math Workshop Area

The rest of my classroom is the math workshop area. Groups of students can work on a variety of centres throughout the room, either at the different colour groups, on the floor or at two round tables. 

Organization and Storage of Materials

I feel very fortunate, to have a wealth of math tools in my classroom. Many of the math tools I inherited when I moved into my classroom.  I came from a very resource poor school, so it was a wonderful surprise.

I have all of our math tools on a shelf at the front of the classroom where students can see them as well as access them easily. The organization of them was driving me insane last summer, so I took pictures of each of the math tools and created labels.

Numeracy Rich Environment

A student walking into my classroom would see a numeracy rich environment. They would see both student created and teacher created anchor charts and posters around the classroom. 

This student would see student created "I can" statements. I use a giant speech bubble for them to record their "I can" statements.

 I decided on a monster theme for my classroom this year, so many of my student reference posters are monster related.

Click HERE to check out more of my math poster themes:

I love the idea of building a numeracy rich environment, and I'm happy to see that I am already doing some of things that Laney suggests, but I would like to build a richer numeracy environment. There are many things that I would like to try next year.

Math Journals

I use an interactive reading journal. If we are taking the idea of Guided Reading and turning it into Guided Math why not take a reading journal and create a math journal or notebook instead?

Check out some of my fellow bloggers great interactive math notebooks.
Totally Sweet Math Centers by Tabitha
Diary of A Not So Wimpy Teacher
Primary Possibility - Stephany Dillon

Tabitha from Totally Sweet Math Centers by Tabitha was so super sweet, she gave me three samples of her Interactive Math Notebooks. Click on the links to try them out.
Addition and Subtraction Grade 1
Addition and Subtraction Grade 2
Place Value

Measuring Tools

I think Laney had a valuable point. Measuring tools need to be integrated! 

Math Related Children's Literature

This is something that I do, but I need to do more often. Reading math related children's books allows students to make mathematical connections

Check out this amazing list by Love2Learn2day full of math related children's literature organized by topic!

Math Books by Student Authors

Umm...brilliant idea! We make our own books all the time. Never thought of making our own math books!

Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter, for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate!!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

The Blogger I Admire is...

 I linked up with Amanda from The Primary Gal to participate in this month's blog event. I got to choose any blogger that I wanted and a product, from their store to use in my own classroom, to review. I knew instantly who I wanted to pick. The hardest part of picking this amazing blogger was picking which item, I wanted to use from her store. So who did I pick? Check out the clues below.

Clue #1 This blogger does not have a specific grade in her blog name.

Clue#2 This blogger has three words in her blog name.

Clue#3 This blogger is a mother, a wife and a teacher. She isn't currently teaching.

Clue#4 This blogger uses cardboard, small toys, and my guess is a lot of hot glue to create her different creations.

Clue#5 Whoot! Whoot! The train has left the station!

Did you figure it out? The blogger that I admire is.....

I have been following Laura of Differentiation Station Creations on Teachers pay Teachers and on her Facebook Page since August of 2013. So when I found out she had started a blog, dare I say that I was excited! Her products are amazing and I love how engaged the children are in her pictures! It just looks like fun! And learning should be fun! She is the go to person if you are looking for a way to get your students up and moving and of course to differentiate your instruction.

So what product did I chose to review? It honestly took me a good hour to decide which product I wanted to beg for. I decided that I have some students in my grade 1 class that still need practice counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s to 100 (Ontario expectation). And some students that could use the challenge of counting by 3s. So I chose her "Let's Get Hopping" set. 

This activity took a fair bit of set up, but oh was it worth it. My student teacher wanted to shoot me by the end, I'm sure. How could my students not love it? They get to hop from Lily pad to Lily pad and practice counting at the same time. How cool is that?

What I Love...What don't I love? 

One of the handiest things about this product is that Laura included both coloured and black and white lily pads. I printed the black and white version and then copied them on to coloured card stock. Even though they aren't printed in colour, I love them and even better the students loved them. 

What is included:

- detailed instructions with pictures
- Lily pads in colour and black and white for counting by 1s, 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s to 120
- Frog faces for the students to hold
- Activity pages (2 sets one set goes to 100, the other goes to 120)

What I Love

I love that the lily pads are colour coded. If you are counting by 2s, you step on the green lily pads. If you are counting by 3s, you step on the blue lily pads and so on. Not only are you getting you kinesthetic learners moving but you are helping your visual learner as well. It also helps those students who are just learning what number to step on.

I actually made these cards twice. I printed them, cut them out and laminated them. I then realized that when the cards are  layered that they might slide apart. So I redid them...I cut them out, glued them together and then laminated them. This worked soooo much better. 

What I Love 

Laura also included adorable frog faces that tell everyone what number they are counting by. The students loved the frog faces. She also included blank faces so students could write their own numbers. I had one little guy that wanted to count by 4's. So he wrote on the blank frog that he was counting by 4's.

Laura suggested attaching them to a Popsicle stick or a paint stir stick. I used Velcro to attach mine to a clip board. This way the students could use the clip board to hold their hundreds chart and they could also change the frog face depending on what they were counting by.

What I Love

Laura includes a variety of 100s charts and 120s charts in this kit. While practicing, students can colour in the numbers that they say as they are counting by the different numbers. They can also fill in the missing numbers. 

I set this up as a centre, so I we didn't have too many pile ups on our Lily Pad trail. I had a group of four students hopping along the lily pads.  

What I REALLY LOVE!

I love how engaged my students were.
I love that they were working on fluency and speed.
I love that the activity is differentiated easily for different learners.
I love that that it kept my busy students moving.
Most importantly I loved that they had fun while learning!

So now here is the fun part. Laura from Differentiation Creation Station has given you a sample of this amazing activity. Click HERE to download it.

I just wanted to thank Laura for allowing me to use her product in my classroom and for being willing to share a sample with you. It is definitely one of my new favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up