After taking the MAP test three times this year to measure student progress, I've gotten my scores and they are disappointing. We correlated the MAP scores to our state standardized test scores and according to the data, 10 out of 16 of my students are not the "Met" level in Math. In other words, if they were to take our state standardized test (PASS-Palmetto Achievement of State Standards) today, they would not pass. How ironic is that??
So, in light of that information, my administration suggested that I start doing Math Centers to review skills students struggled with. I went back to the first unit on Place Value and we did these activities. I will add more later because I did these in just one day. Visit this link for several place value powerpoints and resources.
What activities do you use to teach and review place value? I would love more ideas and so would everyone else!!
Tunes for Geography
So, I know how horrible I have been about posting lately, but before you give me a hard time, just know that I've been on Spring Break and my mind has been on nothing but reading and relaxing for nearly 7 days now. It has been so refreshing and I'm kind of having a hard time making myself do anything school related.
Nonetheless, I feel I owe you faithful friends something useful. I'm sharing two songs today because I am in a cheerful mood. These songs were written by one of my amazing colleagues. Seriously, I have used more of her curriculum materials this year than anything else and they have been so helpful starting out a year with a brand new curriculum.
The first is a song to teach younger children about what city, state, and country they live in. I am using where I live as the example in the song but you can adapt it to your needs.
Where Do We Live? (Tune: Adam's Family)
Where do we live? * *
Where do we live? * *
Where do we live? Where do we live?
Where do we live * *
Our continent's North America
The US is our country
Our state is South Carolina
Our city is Greenville!
That's where we live, * *
that's where we live, * *
that's where we live, that's where we live,
that's where we live. * *
Whenever you see a * it means snap your fingers
This next song teaches children the continents. I'm sure many of you may already know a song or chant for this, but I'm sharing anyway because it's different!
The Continent Song (Tune: Are You Sleeping?/Where is Thumpkin?)
Nonetheless, I feel I owe you faithful friends something useful. I'm sharing two songs today because I am in a cheerful mood. These songs were written by one of my amazing colleagues. Seriously, I have used more of her curriculum materials this year than anything else and they have been so helpful starting out a year with a brand new curriculum.
The first is a song to teach younger children about what city, state, and country they live in. I am using where I live as the example in the song but you can adapt it to your needs.
Where Do We Live? (Tune: Adam's Family)
Where do we live? * *
Where do we live? * *
Where do we live? Where do we live?
Where do we live * *
Our continent's North America
The US is our country
Our state is South Carolina
Our city is Greenville!
That's where we live, * *
that's where we live, * *
that's where we live, that's where we live,
that's where we live. * *
Whenever you see a * it means snap your fingers
This next song teaches children the continents. I'm sure many of you may already know a song or chant for this, but I'm sharing anyway because it's different!
The Continent Song (Tune: Are You Sleeping?/Where is Thumpkin?)
North America, South America
Antarctica
Australia
Europe and Asia
Oops I forgot one!
Africa, Africa
I love both of these songs because they are so simple and easy to sing along with because of their familiar tunes. When I write my own songs, which I often do to go along with the content I teach, I often choose simple tunes that all of the kids know because it makes it so much easier when teaching them the song. I have plenty more songs where those came from but I'll save those for another day!
Math Games
I apologize for waiting so long to write another post! I have just been so busy wrapping up everything before Spring Break and then exhausted from all the hard work!
So, onto the good stuff! Our district's math coordinator came to talk to us yesterday about using math games to enhance student learning in the classroom. I learned some really great games for all grade levels, so those of you kindergarten and first grade teachers can actually use something from me!
1. Roll and Write (K-2)
Materials: 2 dice or number cubes, pencil/paper
Materials: 1 cup or a pair of cups, 1 set of two-colored counters or a pair, 2 colored markers (1 red/1 yellow), paper
Materials: no more than 30 pennies, 5-6 dimes and nickels, a few quarters, 1 dollar bill, 1 pair of dice
Materials: gameboard, 1 cup, 2 beans, paper, pencil
Materials: number cards 0-9, 2 of each
So, onto the good stuff! Our district's math coordinator came to talk to us yesterday about using math games to enhance student learning in the classroom. I learned some really great games for all grade levels, so those of you kindergarten and first grade teachers can actually use something from me!
1. Roll and Write (K-2)
Materials: 2 dice or number cubes, pencil/paper
- Player(s) roll two number cubes.
- Write two number sentences using the numbers rolled. (For kindergarten, have them verbalize the number sentence.)
- Circle the number you counted on from.
- Explain why you counted on from the number you did. (Students should start to catch on that you count on from the larger number.
Materials: 1 cup or a pair of cups, 1 set of two-colored counters or a pair, 2 colored markers (1 red/1 yellow), paper
- Students divide their paper to look like a large tic-tac-toe grid.
- Assign different combination target numbers to each pair, depending on what they can handle. For example, you might want some children to work on combinations of five counters while others are working on combinations of 10.
- Encourage students to predict what they think they'll see when they shake and spill the counters.
- Have the children begin their shaking and spilling. They record the number of red counters face up and the number of yellow counters that are face up and write it as a number sentence across the top of the tic-tac-toe grid. For example (7 yellow + 3 red = 10 counters)
Materials: no more than 30 pennies, 5-6 dimes and nickels, a few quarters, 1 dollar bill, 1 pair of dice
- Player 1 rolls the 2 dice, finds the sum of the two numbers, and takes the corresponding amount of money in coins of his/her choice.
- Player 1 decideds if he/she wants to make any trades and then passes the dice to player 2, who repeats the steps.
- The first person to get coins worth $1.00 wins.
- You and your students can decide on the rule for ending the game. Possibilities include requiring a roll that gives the winner exactly $1.00 or a roll that gives $1.00 or more.
Materials: gameboard, 1 cup, 2 beans, paper, pencil
- Put the two beans in a cup.
- The first player spills the beans onto the game board.
- The player adds the numbers the beans landed on. If a bean lands on a line, it can be thrown again.
- The player subtracts the answer from 50 using scratch paper if needed. For your challenge students, make them use mental math. (For example: The player spills the beans onto a 5 and a 2. The player says the sum is 7 and then subtracts that number from 50. 5-7=43.
- After each player spills the beans, his or her answer is subtracted from their last number on the score sheet.
- Players take turns spilling beans and subtracting until one player reaches zero.
- Variations: Play with 100 point spill the beans. Begin the game by subtracting from 100. Or how about a 3-bean game? Throw 3 beans and add the numbers together, then subtract from 100.
Materials: number cards 0-9, 2 of each
- One player shuffles the deck and places it with the numbers face down on the playing surface between the players.
- Each player draws 2 cards from the deck and uses them to make the largest number possible.
- The player who makes the larger number takes all the cards.
- The game is over when all of the cards have been used.
- The player with more cards wins.
- Variation: Players try to make the smallest number possible each time. The player who makes the greater number takes all of the cards. The player with fewer cards at the end wins.
Pebble Jars
After the middle of the school year, the novelty of some of my class reward systems began to wear off a bit and so I decided to come up with something new and fun. I visited a first grade teachers class one day and discovered this cute classroom management idea that I have now implemented into my classroom.
First, you need to have students in groups in order to do this. It is really helpful for encouraging kids to work together, stay on task, and move quickly during transition time. You can name your groups, number them, whatever...I gave mine colors. Each group should have their own jar or small container. You need to purchase the "pebbles" to fill the jars as well. I bought some decently sized glass beads that you often see in vases. You can use whatever you choose, i.e. marbles, clear plastic fish tank pieces, etc...
You will also want to make sure you somehow display how many pebbles each group has earned so they don't relentlessly ask you, "How many pebbles do we have now??" I got lucky and found some cube shaped jars with chalkboard paint on them so I can just write the number they have. The teacher I borrowed this from had hooks hanging above each jar. On the hooks were index cards on rings. The index cards had numbers on them so she could just flip that groups number to the right amount of pebbles for the kingdom of the classroom to see! I also thought of making a bar or pictograph of each group to keep track of how many pebbles have been earned.
When you see a group doing a nice job, give their jar a little love by adding a pebble. You will want to make a poster or chart of rewards so the kids know what they are working towards. When a group reaches 5 pebbles, decide on a treat. I have a plastic three drawer thing (not sure what to call it) and each drawer is a different increment. The first drawer is the 5 drawer which I have filled with a multitude of candies. The 10 drawer is filled with small knick knacks and trinkets like pencils, erasers, post its and pads. The 15 drawer is filled with larger trinkets and toys such as koosh balls and other fairly inexpensive toys from the dollar store!
After 15, I moved on to different rewards like Homework passes for 2o, lunch with your favorite person for _______, extra recess for _______, and McDonald's lunch for _______. You can choose you own rewards. These are just examples.
This has been really nice for my room! It allows each group to have the chance to earn rewards. Though some groups will take longer than others (because you know, they have special friends), eventually/hopefully they will all reach the top. After you reach your highest level, just start over again!
The only bad thing about this is that you may want to move a students seat or multiple student's seats and it kind of stinks to have to move someone/them from a group with a certain number of points already earned. But, I guess you could argue they have to suffer the consequences of their actions!
What classroom management/reward systems do you use in your classrooms? What are some ideas you have heard of to motivate students?
First, you need to have students in groups in order to do this. It is really helpful for encouraging kids to work together, stay on task, and move quickly during transition time. You can name your groups, number them, whatever...I gave mine colors. Each group should have their own jar or small container. You need to purchase the "pebbles" to fill the jars as well. I bought some decently sized glass beads that you often see in vases. You can use whatever you choose, i.e. marbles, clear plastic fish tank pieces, etc...
You will also want to make sure you somehow display how many pebbles each group has earned so they don't relentlessly ask you, "How many pebbles do we have now??" I got lucky and found some cube shaped jars with chalkboard paint on them so I can just write the number they have. The teacher I borrowed this from had hooks hanging above each jar. On the hooks were index cards on rings. The index cards had numbers on them so she could just flip that groups number to the right amount of pebbles for the kingdom of the classroom to see! I also thought of making a bar or pictograph of each group to keep track of how many pebbles have been earned.
When you see a group doing a nice job, give their jar a little love by adding a pebble. You will want to make a poster or chart of rewards so the kids know what they are working towards. When a group reaches 5 pebbles, decide on a treat. I have a plastic three drawer thing (not sure what to call it) and each drawer is a different increment. The first drawer is the 5 drawer which I have filled with a multitude of candies. The 10 drawer is filled with small knick knacks and trinkets like pencils, erasers, post its and pads. The 15 drawer is filled with larger trinkets and toys such as koosh balls and other fairly inexpensive toys from the dollar store!
After 15, I moved on to different rewards like Homework passes for 2o, lunch with your favorite person for _______, extra recess for _______, and McDonald's lunch for _______. You can choose you own rewards. These are just examples.
This has been really nice for my room! It allows each group to have the chance to earn rewards. Though some groups will take longer than others (because you know, they have special friends), eventually/hopefully they will all reach the top. After you reach your highest level, just start over again!
The only bad thing about this is that you may want to move a students seat or multiple student's seats and it kind of stinks to have to move someone/them from a group with a certain number of points already earned. But, I guess you could argue they have to suffer the consequences of their actions!
What classroom management/reward systems do you use in your classrooms? What are some ideas you have heard of to motivate students?
Fractions
I've been trying to plan a unit on fractions today and I scoured the internet looking for songs or chants to help teach my students how to remember what a fraction is, but to no avail.
So, I wrote my own song to the tune of "Three Blind Mice"
Fractions
Fractions are fun.
Fractions are fun.
Many parts of one.
Many parts of one.
The numerator's the top one.
The denominator's on bottom.
Fractions are fun.
Fractions are fun.
Do you guys know any other cute chants, songs, or ideas to help teach fractions? This tends to be a very difficult concept for children to grasp so any and all advice is welcome!
So, I wrote my own song to the tune of "Three Blind Mice"
Fractions
Fractions are fun.
Fractions are fun.
Many parts of one.
Many parts of one.
The numerator's the top one.
The denominator's on bottom.
Fractions are fun.
Fractions are fun.
Do you guys know any other cute chants, songs, or ideas to help teach fractions? This tends to be a very difficult concept for children to grasp so any and all advice is welcome!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)