Teaching additive volume is certainly the most complex of the Common Core Core Measurement and Data standards. I first approached the task using hands-on activities and partner work. After two class periods of instruction, I wasn't getting the results I had hoped for. Time for Plan "B". I decided to try direct instruction.
I started preparing the way I often do nowadays- by going on You Tube and looking for a video on the subject. Using the term "additive volume", I found the following video:
The description had a link to a site. This is how I found Learn Zillion. Learn Zillion is a FREE site where registered teachers can find short, quality videos that directly correlate with the Common Core standards in Math or ELA for grades 3 through high school. Teachers can use the movies to introduce or reinforce a concept or they can download the slides and create a presentation on their own. Students can rewatch these videos to help with homework using a "quick code" that their teacher gives them.
I knew the class would need lots of examples for in-class practice and homework. My favorite site for creating lots of worksheets on the same subject is Worksheet Works. On this site you can set the parameters for the Math assignment and then the site will generate a worksheet and answer key using random numbers. You can generate as many worksheets as you want on a given topic. I printed five worksheets using only composite shapes:
1 to model using a document camera
2 to create a double-sided guided and independent practice worksheet
1 page for homework
1 sheet cut up to make a matching game
Here's how the two lessons went:
Day 1
Materials:
computer that can run PowerPoint or You Tube videos, document camera, 1 copy of the modeling worksheet and answer key, copies for students of double-sided worksheet and homework, two different colors of highlighters, markers, or colored pencils, calculators (optional)
Activity Flow:
1. Review the formula for volume of rectangular prisms using chant and actions. (15 minutes)
2. Show the Learn Zillion movie or slideshow on volume of composite figures. (15 minutes)
3. Project the modeling worksheet using a document camera. Show the students how to divide the shape and color each one a different color. Then go over how to use the "clues" (numbers on the sides) to determine the length, width, and height of each shape. Add the volumes together for the answer. Approach each shape like a puzzle. Watch for the common errors of not knowing that shapes are sometimes labeled on their parallel sides and that often you must use subtraction to find out the length of a side of only one shape. Use the gradual release of responsibility model as you work. (15 minutes)
4. Pass out the student worksheets, highlighters, markers, or colored pencils. Do the first several examples with the students. Then have the students try some on their own. To boost their confidence, I projected the answer key on the board. It told them the correct answer, but not how to get it. I encouraged students to work on their own, using the answers to check their work. If they got stuck, they could raise their hand. (15 minutes)
5. Tonight's homework: homework worksheet (send home Learn Zillion quick code for help) and bring in an empty cardboard box tomorrow
Day 2
Materials:
same as Day 1 (included extra blank copies of last night's homework), tape and glue, index cards (3 per box), cardboard boxes (teacher should bring extras from home)
Activity Flow:
1. Go over the homework with the students. (5 minutes)
2. Using the homework as a guide, divide the class into two groups. Those that did well on the homework will continue with yesterday's worksheets. Again, you will project the answers to act as support. Those that did not do well on the homework will go over it with you using a fresh copy. Allow them a few minutes to work on the in-class assignment, too. (15-20 minutes, as needed)
3. Cooperative Group Activity: Divide the class into pairs. Have each student pick a cardboard box from the ones that were brought in. Each pair will: 1) Decide on the same unit of measurement for their boxes. 2) Measure and find the volume of their boxes separately and label the measurements by taping the index cards on their box. 3) Add the volumes of their boxes together and tape them together. (About 30 minutes)
Friday, May 24, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
My Personal Learning Network
All good teachers have a professional learning community. It starts with the people that we work with that we admire and can go to for advice. Here are my top three:
1. My librarian/media specialist: As a former teacher, my school media specialist really understands the needs of teachers. She knows that technology is just one of many tools for a teacher to use. She also understands the time that good technology integration takes and that our time as teachers can be very limited.
2. My school's computer teacher: As a person who teaches technology to grades four through eight, the school computer teacher has many skills and a wider view than mine of the impact of technology in the middle grades. She first introduced me to Edmodo, a education networking site.
3. My next door teaching neighbor: The teacher next door to me was my assigned mentor when I first came to work at my school twelve years ago. She is an amazing teacher. Despite the fact that we now teach different grade levels, she is a person that I can go to with nearly any teaching dilemma. Although she does not use much technology, she is adept in many other areas.
A teacher's professional learning community also lies in the readings we find. In this day and age, most of my professional reading comes from educational websites and blogs. My top three electronic mentors are:
1. Hello Literacy! Jenn Jones (no relation) is a literacy specialist at Lake Myra Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. She has been a literacy mentor to me for two years. Lately, she has blogged about how she uses technology to improve literacy instruction as well.
2. Runde's Room Jennifer Runde is known for her "Math Journal Sunday" posts where she explains and shows an example of how she uses foldables and interactive Math journals. The posts are full of pictures and downloadable templates. The visuals in her blog enhances her ideas and makes them easier to understand.
3. Lucy Calkins Lucy Calkins is the director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College. This organization has existed for more than twenty-five years. TCRWP has both developed teaching methods and provides professional development. She is my mentor for teaching writing because of her complete view of writing. Her books explain in detail how to set up a writing workshop and run both whole-class instruction and individual conferring. They even encompasses assessment.
Professional resources form an important part of my personal learning network. Some of my favorites are:
1. Laura Chandler Laura is a prolific creator of both free and for-profit teacher resources. She has created a wide variety of resources in several subject areas.
2. Emily Kissner Author Emily Kissner's expertise is reading comprehension. She posts her activities regularly on Teachers Pay Teachers and is an active blogger as well.
3. Technology Rocks The author of this website scours the webs for free sites with activities that match different topics and themes that elementary teachers teach. About once a month, the author shares these websites by theme.
4. Manga High, Ten Marks, and ScootPad These Math websites marry assessment and personalized instruction. Teachers can assign activities, quizzes,and games. The site keeps track of the students score and, in come cases, suggests next steps. I want to use these sites more to individualize my teaching.
5. Online support to implement the Common Core State Standards Several states and sites are popping up to help teachers implement the CCSS. Some of my favorites are from North Carolina, New York, and a private company, Mastery Connect, that I have blogged about before.
Three topics that I would like to research further are:
1. Smarter Balanced The upcoming "Smarter Balanced" assessment will be used to evaluate students and teachers in twenty states beginning as early as next year (2014). It promises to be an assessment where teachers will get some data within a matter of days in order to inform instruction. The assessment will also include open response questions where students as young as third grade will type in their answers. Since this test will replace our high- stakes state assessments and be used to evaluate my teaching, I am interested in learning all I can about this new assessment.
2. My Digital Identity As part of my Master's degree courses, I have learned how to create digital videos, blog, websites, and create podcasts. I hope to continue to adopt new ways to combine these methods and integrate documents as well as link between them. I also want to see how advances like Web 2.0, Google Docs/Drive, and Glogster can improve student achievement. Ladybug's Teacher Files is a great resource for doing this.
3. Tablets, iPads, Smartboards, and iPhones I definitely want to learn more about how these devices can be used in the classroom. My district has been very slow to adopt technology. We currently have none of these devices available. But I am sure we will in the future and I want to make a case for them.
1. My librarian/media specialist: As a former teacher, my school media specialist really understands the needs of teachers. She knows that technology is just one of many tools for a teacher to use. She also understands the time that good technology integration takes and that our time as teachers can be very limited.
2. My school's computer teacher: As a person who teaches technology to grades four through eight, the school computer teacher has many skills and a wider view than mine of the impact of technology in the middle grades. She first introduced me to Edmodo, a education networking site.
3. My next door teaching neighbor: The teacher next door to me was my assigned mentor when I first came to work at my school twelve years ago. She is an amazing teacher. Despite the fact that we now teach different grade levels, she is a person that I can go to with nearly any teaching dilemma. Although she does not use much technology, she is adept in many other areas.
A teacher's professional learning community also lies in the readings we find. In this day and age, most of my professional reading comes from educational websites and blogs. My top three electronic mentors are:
1. Hello Literacy! Jenn Jones (no relation) is a literacy specialist at Lake Myra Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. She has been a literacy mentor to me for two years. Lately, she has blogged about how she uses technology to improve literacy instruction as well.
2. Runde's Room Jennifer Runde is known for her "Math Journal Sunday" posts where she explains and shows an example of how she uses foldables and interactive Math journals. The posts are full of pictures and downloadable templates. The visuals in her blog enhances her ideas and makes them easier to understand.
3. Lucy Calkins Lucy Calkins is the director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College. This organization has existed for more than twenty-five years. TCRWP has both developed teaching methods and provides professional development. She is my mentor for teaching writing because of her complete view of writing. Her books explain in detail how to set up a writing workshop and run both whole-class instruction and individual conferring. They even encompasses assessment.
Professional resources form an important part of my personal learning network. Some of my favorites are:
1. Laura Chandler Laura is a prolific creator of both free and for-profit teacher resources. She has created a wide variety of resources in several subject areas.
2. Emily Kissner Author Emily Kissner's expertise is reading comprehension. She posts her activities regularly on Teachers Pay Teachers and is an active blogger as well.
3. Technology Rocks The author of this website scours the webs for free sites with activities that match different topics and themes that elementary teachers teach. About once a month, the author shares these websites by theme.
4. Manga High, Ten Marks, and ScootPad These Math websites marry assessment and personalized instruction. Teachers can assign activities, quizzes,and games. The site keeps track of the students score and, in come cases, suggests next steps. I want to use these sites more to individualize my teaching.
5. Online support to implement the Common Core State Standards Several states and sites are popping up to help teachers implement the CCSS. Some of my favorites are from North Carolina, New York, and a private company, Mastery Connect, that I have blogged about before.
Three topics that I would like to research further are:
1. Smarter Balanced The upcoming "Smarter Balanced" assessment will be used to evaluate students and teachers in twenty states beginning as early as next year (2014). It promises to be an assessment where teachers will get some data within a matter of days in order to inform instruction. The assessment will also include open response questions where students as young as third grade will type in their answers. Since this test will replace our high- stakes state assessments and be used to evaluate my teaching, I am interested in learning all I can about this new assessment.
2. My Digital Identity As part of my Master's degree courses, I have learned how to create digital videos, blog, websites, and create podcasts. I hope to continue to adopt new ways to combine these methods and integrate documents as well as link between them. I also want to see how advances like Web 2.0, Google Docs/Drive, and Glogster can improve student achievement. Ladybug's Teacher Files is a great resource for doing this.
3. Tablets, iPads, Smartboards, and iPhones I definitely want to learn more about how these devices can be used in the classroom. My district has been very slow to adopt technology. We currently have none of these devices available. But I am sure we will in the future and I want to make a case for them.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
USA Elimination: A Game to Review US States and Capitals
As the year winds down, I try to do more and more games to keep students motivated and learning until the very end of the year. With a class of twelve boys and five girls, I find competitive games to be the ones my students want to play again and again. One of the favorites this years has been USA Elimination. In this game students take turns seeing how many states they can identify. The winner is the student who can identify the most states. To extend the learning, you can also have students identify the capital of each state.
What are some of your favorite games that you use in the classroom?
What are some of your favorite games that you use in the classroom?
Me on the Web
mrsc4jones (You Tube Channel)
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Using Partners for Reteaching
Frequent evaluation is the key to helping students not pick up bad habits, particularly in Math. It may seem counter-intuitive to evaluate student responses early in the process of learning a new skill, concept, or algorithm but it is vital in order to stop bad habits from developing. One way I do this is with peer partners.
One example is an exit slip I did at the beginning of a unit on volume. I had just introduced the algorithm of length X width X height, moving students away from the "counting cubes" concept. The front of the exit slip (shown) was all counting cubes. The back was rectangle prisms that did not have cubes, but had measurements instead. It was clear, looking at the front, that only 1/2 the class really mastered counting cubes. Never fear, half the class has mastered this skill. What to do? Partners, of course!
I divided the exit slips into two piles: those that mastered counting cubes and those that didn't. I randomly assigned partners by writing the same number on the top of their paper. The following day, I passed back the exit slips. I had the students meet with the person with the same number. When meeting together, they had two jobs:
1. Figure out what each person did wrong. Write it down on the index card attached to the exit slip. Sign each other's cards.
2. Fix the incorrect problems and pass the work back in.
Having students fix their own work is a powerful teaching opportunity. It teaches students perseverance and problem-solving. The more adept student learns as well. They get to take on the role of a teacher.
One example is an exit slip I did at the beginning of a unit on volume. I had just introduced the algorithm of length X width X height, moving students away from the "counting cubes" concept. The front of the exit slip (shown) was all counting cubes. The back was rectangle prisms that did not have cubes, but had measurements instead. It was clear, looking at the front, that only 1/2 the class really mastered counting cubes. Never fear, half the class has mastered this skill. What to do? Partners, of course!
I divided the exit slips into two piles: those that mastered counting cubes and those that didn't. I randomly assigned partners by writing the same number on the top of their paper. The following day, I passed back the exit slips. I had the students meet with the person with the same number. When meeting together, they had two jobs:
1. Figure out what each person did wrong. Write it down on the index card attached to the exit slip. Sign each other's cards.
2. Fix the incorrect problems and pass the work back in.
Having students fix their own work is a powerful teaching opportunity. It teaches students perseverance and problem-solving. The more adept student learns as well. They get to take on the role of a teacher.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Meeting the Needs of Advanced Students
As much as I love Daily Five, I do miss the guided reading groups from the past. I felt I accomplished a lot when I got to see two or three groups each day. There are times that I would like to meet with more than one group, but I haven't been able to get my head around how I could make that happen. That is until I purchased this new book by Evan-Moor:
(This book comes in several different grade levels.
Click HERE and it will take you to Amazon for more information.)
I am a big fan of Evan-Moor's learning game books. They have books for Reading, Vocabulary, Science, Writing, Math, and Geography. All the materials are in full color and ready to use, which makes the games extremely quick and easy to put together. They are also one of the few publishers that have learning games for the upper elementary grades.
In addition to the learning games in this book, it has answer keys and, most importantly, short assessments for each game. It was the assessments that really got me thinking. My advanced students are very hard-working and conscientious. They are willing and capable of playing a game independently, but just having them play a game unsupervised does not hold them accountable enough. So, using this resource, I decided to assign them a game each day, have them complete the matching assessment, and check themselves using the answer key. The short assessments will keep them accountable for learning and the self-checking component will make it less work for me. :)
The end of the year is a great time to try out new strategies that you may want to adopt for the entire year next year. It's especially important during the "doldrums" after high-stakes testing to keep students motivated for the rest of the year. Changing things up a bit can breathe new life into you students.
What kinds of things are YOU trying out in the last few weeks of the year? How do you use learning games in you classroom? How do you keep students accountable for information learned through game play? I'd love to hear from you!
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