Math Journaling and Key Words

Well....I feel very out of sorts.  I'm not sure about the rest of y'all but my summer went by WAY too fast.  I had appointments almost weekly between both my daughters for their ears/tubes.  Our kids come back on Tuesday, so at least I have tomorrow to tidy up a bit and prepare.  We are doing a huge breakfast for our staff tomorrow so this may be a short post. 

Math Journaling....
After the first few items in their math journal (multiplication chart, and factor Ts), we start discussing those pesky word problems and how we tackle them.  I mentioned before that my goal of their math journal is to be a resource they use throughout the year, and it must have just as much (if not more) of their writing in it as print out/notes I give them.  Key words, like context clues, help us to make sense of these tricky word problems.  Rather than just have my kids list out the key words, I have them do a sorting activity call Who Knows Key Words?

There are 58 total cards with a two doubles.  For example, the key word - Total is double since I really want my kids to realize that total can mean both sum and product.  I am always amazed by the complex and deep conversations that this activity creates for the groups of students.  Sometimes I have the groups write their answers on butcher paper and hang them up for a few days.  I did include a cut, sort, and glue evaluate piece if you needed that.  Next we put these words in our math journals,

This is just a starting list.   We add to it throughout the year, and I see my students use it often to help when they get stuck. 

I, then use it as a super cute bulletin board outside in the hall.  Which I never change until testing time.

My teammate hung it on her wall in her room.

Here's a preview.  It'll be on sale through Wednesday. 

Have a great First Day!!!!

Shannon

Place Value is the key!

I apologize for being such a slacker this week.  I had a very sick baby and was home for a few days, but it's hard to blog holding a sick baby all day.  I have been working hard on a new center activity called On The Case, Hunting For Tens Addition Center

Another great math center activity to help students grasp place value (which we all know is the key to future math success!)  The idea started in my head since going to another Singapore Math training.  The first set of cards are single-digit addends, which show the students which number to break down to easily find a ten.  The second activity involves double-digit addends (without regrouping) using what is referred to as branching method.  I usually just think of it as place value method, since the students break down the addends into tens and ones, and then add.  This method does make addition of large numbers become mental math.  The next game I'm working on is Comparing Fractional parts - my fifth grade teacher requested it. 

I'm done Christmas shopping!  I know I can hardly believe it myself, but this might be bad.  I tend to get done early, but then I find "the gift" after I already bought a gift.   Then I end up buying "the gift" because it's so perfect.  Anyway...I love this time of year.  My family goes looking at Christmas lights every Friday evening until Christmas.  BTW...we dress in our jammies before we go, and sometimes we take snacks (usually chocolate ones).  Our work Christmas party is this Friday at the principal's house.  We always do a white elephant exchange, and last year - someone gave a ream of paper.  No joking there.  We were having issues with hoarders at our campus and as soon as paper would come in (six cases mind you), they would be gone the next day.  We couldn't figure out which team (we thought we knew but could never verify it to be true).  So we basically would order one case per grade level and label them when they came in, and then teachers would have to divide up paper amongst the team and drag paper to the copier EVERY time.  Teachers HATED it, and I did too.  I don't blame them.  This year, they have copy codes.  They hate that too, but less than last year.  Anyway - the copier paper last year was the funniest item.  We had some horrible pink Christmas flamingos too.  I got a singing hat.  This year - I got some pretty funny items.  I won't disclose yet since a few of my teachers read my blog. 

Gotta go...baby crying.

Currently Movember!

Thank goodness Shocktober is OVER!  Not sure I was going to be able to survive any longer.  This week was packed full of training, inventory, full moon (behavior sucks at this time), and oh yes...Halloween.  My personal life....my hubby normally wears facial hair (looks a little like Edward Norton).  Well, it's Movember, therefore clean shaven now and started to grow a stashe that his teachers pick.  I'm a little nervous about this.  My girls weren't real sure who he was without his facial hair until he spoke up.  lol.  Here he is now. 

I'm currently working on Math Wizards for my upper grades.  These lil gems are math riddles in which kiddos use their vocabulary knowledge and apply it to a riddle to come up with correct solution.  Here's a preview...

I'm making a checklist for my kiddos to test their answers too. 

I'll upload it tonight for those interested!  I LOVE these riddles. 

Something fun (my first time to participate - I hope I do it right)

~Shannon~