Studying geometry? Make geometry more authentic by taking your class on a geometry walk around the school!
Provide your students with a list of things to look for appropriate to what they are learning in math, such as 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional shapes, angles, lines, symmetry, and transformational movements.
Lead the students on a walk through the school, including the garden and playground areas. Point out that geometry is all around them - squares in the chain link fence, perpendicular lines in the brick wall, acute angles in the tree limbs, symmetry in a flower, etc. Then have the students write down or draw the examples of each concept that they see on the walk.
For an extra challenge, have students write down as many examples of each concept as they can. You can turn this into a game!
Students can work alone or with a partner.
Have fun!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Fun Test Review
Tired of boring review for standardized tests? Try these fun alternatives!
Play "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" with those multiple choice questions. Divide the class into teams. Present the question and answer choices on the elmo/overhead to the first person on a team. If he/she does not know the answer, they may use one of the 'lifeline': phone a friend, poll the audience, and 50/50. Each team may use a lifeline only once. If the answer is correct, the team wins a point, or to make it more interesting, money. If the answer is wrong, the team loses points/money. The team with the most points/money at the end of the review wins!
Another game idea: write the letters A,B,C, and D on 4 objects, such as ping pong balls. Put them in a bag. Present the questions and answer choices on the Elmo/Overhead. The first student pulls out a ball and decides if that letter is the correct answer choice. If it is not he/she must explain why. Continue until the correct answer has been chosen.
Just two fun and engaging ways to review!
Play "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" with those multiple choice questions. Divide the class into teams. Present the question and answer choices on the elmo/overhead to the first person on a team. If he/she does not know the answer, they may use one of the 'lifeline': phone a friend, poll the audience, and 50/50. Each team may use a lifeline only once. If the answer is correct, the team wins a point, or to make it more interesting, money. If the answer is wrong, the team loses points/money. The team with the most points/money at the end of the review wins!
Another game idea: write the letters A,B,C, and D on 4 objects, such as ping pong balls. Put them in a bag. Present the questions and answer choices on the Elmo/Overhead. The first student pulls out a ball and decides if that letter is the correct answer choice. If it is not he/she must explain why. Continue until the correct answer has been chosen.
Just two fun and engaging ways to review!
Number Lines
Here's a great idea for teaching number lines kinesthetically.
Using masking tape and a meter stick, tape out several large, blank number lines on the floor. Make sure each number line is different. For example, one might have only whole number hash marks, one might have wholes and halves, and another might have fourths.
On index cards, create a set of numbers (whole numbers, fractions or decimals) for each number line. To add a little difficulty, do not include a card for every possible number.
Allow students to work in small groups to place the index cards in the appropriate places on the number lines. Allow students to rotate through each number line.
This is a great way to differentiate.
Using masking tape and a meter stick, tape out several large, blank number lines on the floor. Make sure each number line is different. For example, one might have only whole number hash marks, one might have wholes and halves, and another might have fourths.
On index cards, create a set of numbers (whole numbers, fractions or decimals) for each number line. To add a little difficulty, do not include a card for every possible number.
Allow students to work in small groups to place the index cards in the appropriate places on the number lines. Allow students to rotate through each number line.
This is a great way to differentiate.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Math Center Idea
Instead of answering problems on a worksheet, write or print out questions on notecards or cardstock. Laminate and put in a center with dry-erase markers and erasers. (Be sure to include any manipulatives the students might need in the center.)
Store or file your cards in a small box divided into sections such as Addition, Measurement, Estimating, etc. Switch out your cards as needed.
You can use this activity for any kind of question: basic operations, fractions, number lines, geometry, problem solving - whatever!
To really get your students thinking, use a multi-step, open-ended question and encourage them to work together to find several different answers to the problem. Be sure to include manipulatives!
Have you tried this activity before? What did you think?
Store or file your cards in a small box divided into sections such as Addition, Measurement, Estimating, etc. Switch out your cards as needed.
You can use this activity for any kind of question: basic operations, fractions, number lines, geometry, problem solving - whatever!
To really get your students thinking, use a multi-step, open-ended question and encourage them to work together to find several different answers to the problem. Be sure to include manipulatives!
Have you tried this activity before? What did you think?
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Adverb Charades
I saw this wonderful lesson in a third grade classroom this morning!
After a brief review of adverbs, the teacher divided the class into small groups. She gave each group an index card with a verb written on it and an index card with an adverb written on it.
When it was the group's turn, they showed the class the verb card. The group then had to act out, charades-style, the adverb.
To make this a game, the team that guessed the adverb first received a point!
The students loved this game and were very engaged!
(One tip: make sure you pre-select which verbs and adverbs you give each team. Some combinations can be very difficult to act out! Loudly blink?
What do you think? If you try this activity, let us know how it went!
After a brief review of adverbs, the teacher divided the class into small groups. She gave each group an index card with a verb written on it and an index card with an adverb written on it.
When it was the group's turn, they showed the class the verb card. The group then had to act out, charades-style, the adverb.
To make this a game, the team that guessed the adverb first received a point!
The students loved this game and were very engaged!
(One tip: make sure you pre-select which verbs and adverbs you give each team. Some combinations can be very difficult to act out! Loudly blink?
What do you think? If you try this activity, let us know how it went!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Being a Design Coach for the past few years has been an amazing opportunity! I have learned so much about teaching I can't keep it all to myself! This blog will allow me to share some of the amazing - yet practical - teaching ideas I have picked up from conferences, workshops, various trainings, and most importantly - my colleagues!
I will share some of the best teaching ideas, tips and strategies I have seen or used myself in this blog. And since I am an avid reader of children's books and young adult books, I'll throw in the occasional book review and how the book might be used in a classroom.
It is my hope that these ideas will not only inspire you to try new things in the classroom, but will put the fun back in teaching for you AND your students!
Please feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, your own ideas, or suggestions for future posts.
Together we can create the future!
I will share some of the best teaching ideas, tips and strategies I have seen or used myself in this blog. And since I am an avid reader of children's books and young adult books, I'll throw in the occasional book review and how the book might be used in a classroom.
It is my hope that these ideas will not only inspire you to try new things in the classroom, but will put the fun back in teaching for you AND your students!
Please feel free to leave any thoughts, comments, your own ideas, or suggestions for future posts.
Together we can create the future!
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