Wow! It's only Wednesday and I'm posting! I've been having fun learning how to blog...but boy is it more complex than I thought! Thanks to everyone out there that is posting...I'm inspired by your blogs and am finding things on your blogs that I want to learn how to do!
So, addition and subtraction work stations. We have the Investigations series and I think it is going to be a great resource for games and activities for my workstations.
Did you know?...Investigations has math games online. Many of these games will fit in perfectly with the math station activities. You should check it out..Just click here. Let me know if they will be helpful to you in class. I sure hope so!!!
I'm making this a short post...I want to start reading the next chapter. Thanks soooo much for everyone who is posting such great ideas. You have all been so inspiring and you are really helping me get excited about teaching again!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Math Work Stations: Ch. 4
I never imagined that when I started reading this book, that I would feel like I would be in the midst of totally revamping my math time! But, I am so excited, and completely busy!
Chapter 4 has really gotten me thinking about the beginning of the school year. Although this chapter has many ideas for a Kindergarten class, it will be a great place to start the beginning of the year for my firsties!
1. How do you support math vocabulary (math talk) at Beginning Number Concepts stations? In my last post, I expressed that I have not done a great job with this. Every year, I have struggled with what to do because I don't hear a lot of math words when my students have been completing center activities. I am looking forward to using the math talk cards and I think that I will be much better about encouraging my students to use more math talk in our stations.
2. How do your students read, write, order, represent, or compare numbers? What activities support that? This past year, I bought a book titled "Magical Math Centers" available at www.helps4teachers.com/. This book has many activities I used that students can complete individually. There are activites for greater than/less than, place value, making numbers, etc. Many of the activities are presented in a game format so students really enjoy using them. There is also an accompanying book titled "Alfie the Alligator" that shows students how to compare numbers.
3. What is your students' favorite number concepts work station/activity? My students have always enjoyed activities that are treated like games.
If you haven't yet, check out all the freebies in the various posts...I have found lots of great ideas! Thanks to everyone who has posted...you all are giving me such great ideas!
On another note, please keep Arizona in your prayers! A wildfire is at the southern edge of our town and is growing. We are having wind gusts up to 50 mph and they have grounded all air support while the wind is up. It started last Sunday and has burned 21,000 acres. 47 homes have been lost. We have not had to evacuate, thank goodness, but there are many families that have had to leave their homes. There is no rain in the forecast...and no timeline as to when they will have it out. We are praying that it doesn't come into town any further than it has. if you are interested, it's called the Monument Fire. Thanks for your prayers!
Chapter 4 has really gotten me thinking about the beginning of the school year. Although this chapter has many ideas for a Kindergarten class, it will be a great place to start the beginning of the year for my firsties!
1. How do you support math vocabulary (math talk) at Beginning Number Concepts stations? In my last post, I expressed that I have not done a great job with this. Every year, I have struggled with what to do because I don't hear a lot of math words when my students have been completing center activities. I am looking forward to using the math talk cards and I think that I will be much better about encouraging my students to use more math talk in our stations.
2. How do your students read, write, order, represent, or compare numbers? What activities support that? This past year, I bought a book titled "Magical Math Centers" available at www.helps4teachers.com/. This book has many activities I used that students can complete individually. There are activites for greater than/less than, place value, making numbers, etc. Many of the activities are presented in a game format so students really enjoy using them. There is also an accompanying book titled "Alfie the Alligator" that shows students how to compare numbers.
3. What is your students' favorite number concepts work station/activity? My students have always enjoyed activities that are treated like games.
If you haven't yet, check out all the freebies in the various posts...I have found lots of great ideas! Thanks to everyone who has posted...you all are giving me such great ideas!
On another note, please keep Arizona in your prayers! A wildfire is at the southern edge of our town and is growing. We are having wind gusts up to 50 mph and they have grounded all air support while the wind is up. It started last Sunday and has burned 21,000 acres. 47 homes have been lost. We have not had to evacuate, thank goodness, but there are many families that have had to leave their homes. There is no rain in the forecast...and no timeline as to when they will have it out. We are praying that it doesn't come into town any further than it has. if you are interested, it's called the Monument Fire. Thanks for your prayers!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Math Work Stations Ch. 3
Wow! After reading this chapter, I can see that I have a lot to think about in the next 8 weeks. In implementing work stations, I'm going to have to really rework my math time. How scary and exciting at the same time!
There were a lot of great points I took from this chapter:
1. Model, Model, Model! This is something I have not been great about in the past. Reading the examples of management problems in the book sound like Debbie Diller might have been spying on my classroom:) In a rush to get to the next thing we have to do, I have shown students once what to do in a center and then have been frustrated when they haven't followed directions. I must slow down and model a lot more!
2. I Can... lists: It will be so tempting to write these before-hand, but she makes a good point that the students will get more out of them if they help make them. I like how she says to show them the materials in the work station to "plant the seed" and let them help create the activities.
3. Math Talk Cards: What a great idea! I have been thinking about how I am going to move my math area into a corner of the room. I am planning on using the wall to create a math wall...what a great area to post math talk cards after they have been created! On p. 54, she really hooked me when she says "By adding supports like the "I Can" list and math talk cards at stations, you'll find that children's work will by more productive and focused." Love it!!
4. Start slow. The biggest a-ha I've gotten out of this chapter is to slow down. I tend to panic and feel like I'm not doing enough, so then I try to do too much and it always backfires. She really emphasized that you have to take the time to teach procedures and expectations early-on so that as the year goes on, the problems are not overwhelming!
Well, I have a lot to think about in planning for the upcoming year! I'm excited though! I am looking forward to math being fun, productive, and to borrow a word, rigorous! I will keep you all updated to my plans!!!
P. S.: Did you see all the dust in the picture in my last post? How embarassing! Oh well, welcome to teaching in the desert:)
There were a lot of great points I took from this chapter:
1. Model, Model, Model! This is something I have not been great about in the past. Reading the examples of management problems in the book sound like Debbie Diller might have been spying on my classroom:) In a rush to get to the next thing we have to do, I have shown students once what to do in a center and then have been frustrated when they haven't followed directions. I must slow down and model a lot more!
2. I Can... lists: It will be so tempting to write these before-hand, but she makes a good point that the students will get more out of them if they help make them. I like how she says to show them the materials in the work station to "plant the seed" and let them help create the activities.
3. Math Talk Cards: What a great idea! I have been thinking about how I am going to move my math area into a corner of the room. I am planning on using the wall to create a math wall...what a great area to post math talk cards after they have been created! On p. 54, she really hooked me when she says "By adding supports like the "I Can" list and math talk cards at stations, you'll find that children's work will by more productive and focused." Love it!!
4. Start slow. The biggest a-ha I've gotten out of this chapter is to slow down. I tend to panic and feel like I'm not doing enough, so then I try to do too much and it always backfires. She really emphasized that you have to take the time to teach procedures and expectations early-on so that as the year goes on, the problems are not overwhelming!
Well, I have a lot to think about in planning for the upcoming year! I'm excited though! I am looking forward to math being fun, productive, and to borrow a word, rigorous! I will keep you all updated to my plans!!!
P. S.: Did you see all the dust in the picture in my last post? How embarassing! Oh well, welcome to teaching in the desert:)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Math Work Stations: Ch. 1 and 2
Hi! I'm glad to be joining up with the Math Work Stations Blog Party! I am excited to be thinking about how I "do" math in my first grade classroom. I'm looking forward to having the chance to make math more meaningful to my little ones!
Chapter 1
Unfortunately, I have not been doing work stations at all. I have had math centers but even they were only visited when we had time.
1. Materials used by the teacher first, then placed in the station: No
2. Materials do not change weekly, but rather changed to reflect the students learning objectives: No...not really...I don't change the materials weekly, but I have a mix of review of skills and math games we have learned. I definately need to work on the planning of this.
3. All students go to stations daily: No
4. Materials are differentiated: Nope
5. The teacher observes work or meets with differentiated math groups: No, but I am going to start this coming school year! And I'm excited to learn how!
Chapter 2: Organize
I have just recently sorted and purged my math materials. So my next step is going to be to organize them into concepts and figure out how I am going to store them.
Here's my before picture. The wooden shelves are usually full of clear plastic containers with manipulatives. (They are currently being used for summer school.) But the containers are not labeled. So that is one of the things I will have to do. The colorful shelves are where my centers have been. My plan is to buy drawers and change these to work stations.
So... I am excited for a couple of reasons. I am looking forward to having a clearer focus for math. I feel like I've been doing well, my kids learn...but I know I can do better and I sure would like for it to be fun! Also, this is technically my first blog post, so YAY!
Chapter 1
Unfortunately, I have not been doing work stations at all. I have had math centers but even they were only visited when we had time.
1. Materials used by the teacher first, then placed in the station: No
2. Materials do not change weekly, but rather changed to reflect the students learning objectives: No...not really...I don't change the materials weekly, but I have a mix of review of skills and math games we have learned. I definately need to work on the planning of this.
3. All students go to stations daily: No
4. Materials are differentiated: Nope
5. The teacher observes work or meets with differentiated math groups: No, but I am going to start this coming school year! And I'm excited to learn how!
Chapter 2: Organize
I have just recently sorted and purged my math materials. So my next step is going to be to organize them into concepts and figure out how I am going to store them.
Here's my before picture. The wooden shelves are usually full of clear plastic containers with manipulatives. (They are currently being used for summer school.) But the containers are not labeled. So that is one of the things I will have to do. The colorful shelves are where my centers have been. My plan is to buy drawers and change these to work stations.
So... I am excited for a couple of reasons. I am looking forward to having a clearer focus for math. I feel like I've been doing well, my kids learn...but I know I can do better and I sure would like for it to be fun! Also, this is technically my first blog post, so YAY!
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