Tabletop Math

When introducing any mathematical concept without a doubt we are using manipulatives.  I like for the kids to explore the concept, make mistakes, and it always gives us a chance to ditch the worksheet/save a tree.  

For teaching addition and subtraction regrouping I get really fancy with Popsicle sticks and beans.  For area they use square tiles and a string for the perimeter and measure it with a ruler.  

For fractions we use pattern blocks.  Each piece gets a name.  The hexagon is our whole and then the kids have to figure out the names of the other pieces.  They make a key as they figure it out.  The triangle is no longer a triangle but 1/6th.  When we call them by those names they stop stressing about the math.  

They quickly start discovering "things equal the same thing Ms. Sarah" and just like that they are working with equivalent fractions.  I ask them to show me their thinking and they always blow me away with what they figure out when given freedom.  I might be green... but boy do they impress me!

For multiplication they roll a dice.  For arrays the first roll is the rows.  They place that many chips down.  The second is the columns and then they fill in the array.  They write the repeated addition and then multiplication problem.  Same goes when teaching sets in a group.  The first number is how many groups the second about is the stars or circles they draw in.

The fact that they get to write on their desk and it's at their own pace keeps them engaged and differentiated.  

I leave for Kenya in ONE MONTH!  It is surreal that we are on the countdown.  This week we are making round two of the chalkboards.  Home Depot donated ALL of the supplies!!! The Boy Scouts cut and sanded the boards and now all of the students are going to be painting them.  UNREAL!

Today I had the honor of depositing this money--- all collected from the hands of students.  You are looking at allowance, first communion money, door to door selling of lemonade.  I can't handle the hearts of kids.  They put everything into perspective.

This money is going to buy one world futbols.  

Join in with us at retouchtheworld.com

Who Would Win?

I am always trying to find ways to integrate multiple subjects into one project.  Last year I was introduced to the book series Who Would Win which lends easily to a student based project.  In each book the author chooses two animals to match up against and provides various facts about each.  He does it as a narrative with pictures but then also adds in interesting fact bubbles throughout the book.  Students can complete a checklist of who would win based on various comparisons--- height, fur, speed, etc.  At the end he puts them in a final match up and students are able to see if their predictions are correct.  They are engaged from the beginning!

As a class we decided we would create our very own who would win books.

#1 I started by reading a book to them.  We noticed various non-fiction text features the author uses throughout the book and listed them.  I then let the kids get into pairs and choose one of the other books to partner read.  I gave them a sticky note.. on one side they completed the checklist and on the other they wrote what new features they noticed.  We shared out and added the additions to our list.

#2 I introduced the kids to World Book online. Go to Kids---World of Animals. We talked about how it wouldn't make sense for me to compare a wasp to an elephant, so when choosing animals they would choose from similar species. In World Book they make it easy and have animal selections grouped by land mammals, water, reptiles, etc.  The kids get to select the two animals to compare and it creates an easy format that shows different facts about each.  The program has an easy print button that doesn't use up all of the ink. 

  

 #3 After students got their animals we came back and listed what we thought would be important to include in each book.  I wanted to give them a framework, but all them AMPLE space for creativity. I modeled some of the pieces for the book and how to do the comparisons with math.

Who Would Win Book Pieces
 1.  A cover--- which we modeled after Steve Jenkins layered artwork.  I made them the cover "Who Would Win" pieces and they did the rest.
2.  An introduction posing a question of what would happen if these two animals came across each other.
3.  THREE math comparing measurement using pictures AND words. (We were working on measurement in math so that's how I tied all of this in :))
4.  At least one page of other facts and a map
4.  Include interesting text features from the list--- tales of the tape, facts, etc.
5.  A final battle
6. Checklist of their comparisons

I set out all of the papers and pieces and honestly let them have at it! It took about 2 math blocks and 1 literacy to get it all done.  They were engaged THE ENTIRE time.  I roamed around and helped as needed... but it was all completely independent.  Clearly there were a few stragglers but for the majority that is all the time they needed.

I bound them with binding combs and then the kids had a book sharing party where they rotated around and read each other's books.  They were so amazed with what the other kids had done and just loved them.  I hung them in plastic zip lock bags outside in the hall as a display so that other kids/adults could read them.

Here are some snippets from their work

Here are the files I created for them to make their books.Happy comparing and creating!

I've added pages for to use World Book to compare Countries!  It's all part of my country report back.  Here's a freebie below

Catapult Math

We have been working on engineering and simple machines in science.  I am of the mindset that if we are going to be doing something awesome/fun in one subject- we better try connecting it across the curriculum.

So here is how our Friday went---

First thing this morning kids made catapults using Popsicle sticks.  Check out THIS website for detailed instructions on how to make the catapult.  We tried different amounts of Popsicle sticks but found that having about 8 in the middle works best for getting distance.  :)

I arranged the desk in a large rectangle and I marked the space in one foot increments in the open space using green frog tape.  

After students made their catapults I had 4 students line up on opposite sides of our "field" (8 total). Each student had 3 trials to flip their pom poms the farthest.  Students filled out THIS RESPONSE sheet which includes numerous math operations and questioning- regrouping, measurement, comparing numbers.  

Here's the kids using the catapults! 

                                   

Students had to measure their distance and figure out how many inches it was total.

During literacy we read about the Vikings and watched how people use catapults today.

During science we watched some of the Punkin Chunkin' videos and decided to have our own in class using the pom poms :)  

We flung a few with our catapults... and then decided that using our simple machine levers... aka our arms might be a bit more fun.

Needless to say the kids loved it!  After it dried we voted on a motto-- which was pretty much unanimous and painted it on our art work. We were inspired by Oliver Jeffers as our mentor illustrator :)

My goal is to encourage the kids and make sure that they know.... it doesn't matter if they have flops... those flops leads to successes.  Success has flops-but you have to DO SOMETHING!  We use this motto all day and it helps relieve the anxiety of not doing something perfect... they just have to DO SOMETHING. This now proudly hangs in our classroom.  My question to you is what do you need to do?  What scares the bejesus out of you or makes you anxious that you need to try or move in that direction?  I have 3 big ones on my list that I am actively trying to DO SOMETHING in.... what are yours?!?

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?

It's fun to get a little messy!  Today, we investigated the characteristics of 3 different sizes pumpkins to find out if size matters in how many seeds a pumpkin has.

Prep--- *  3 different size pumpkins with tops cut * plastic table cloths * spoons * shirts that students can wear so they don't get too messy * bag/bin to collect mess * response sheets * book How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin * paper for Pumpkin Investigation anchor chart-- anchor chart has a 4 square---- The outside is... Lines... Seeds...The inside is....

  I begin by reading the first part of the book and stop just before the kids in the book do the experiment.  I set out the pumpkins and we predict how many lines and seeds each of the pumpkins will have and write them on our anchor chart.  I divided the kids into 3 groups--- each with a different sized pumpkins.  I put plastic table cloths on the desks with trash containers and spoons.  Each kid had a clipboard with the response sheets on it. Then I let them have at it......

After students have cleaned out the pumpkins and have all of the seeds.  We discuss what is the best way to count them... in groups they decide--- 2, 3,5,10, etc.  Skip count, multiply, etc. And draw that on their sheet.

Once cleaned up... each group shares out their results for numbers, seeds, and how they counted them.  We talk about what surprised us with the seeds--- does size really matter for pumpkins?  What was the easiest way to count them... Why?  In science we continued with the life cycle of a pumpkin. In writing they wrote a how to on carving pumpkins.  I took the seeds home that night and roasted them so we could eat them for snack the next day.  

Get the response sheets here for free for the time being... :)