Oh my gosh what a year! I have to admit, I am looking forward to a chance to unwind and to spend time with my family. While I haven't been very good at keeping up on this blog, I did want to have some closure for the year, so here's my "wrap up", pictures of student work, new book titles, and ideas for summer learning:
Wrap Up
1. This graduating class was a special one for me. My son started QAE in 2nd grade during the same year that this group of 5th graders were in Kindergarten. I taught a before school Kindergarten Math Club that year and many of these kids were in my club. It has been such a joy to have worked with so many of them every year since then. And wow - this year they graduated! It was a wonderful event and I will miss them all dearly next year...
2. I am also so happy to end this school year knowing that I will be back next year, as QAE's Math Specialist. This job has been a dream come true to a dream I didn't even know I had!
3. A big "shout out" to Ms. Bonnie for being my student teacher this last quarter. She was a great addition to the program and had an amazing time both teaching and learning from all of our students.
Visuals
Even though I've struggled with keeping up with this blog, I took lots of pictures of all of the wonderful things that our students have done. My teaching methods tend to be hands-on, visual and interactive. Many of the activities that you will see in these pictures, you can do at home with your own children. Give it a try and I'd love to hear from you about how it went!
NUMBER LINES:
This is an easy and fun way to reinforce the concept of number value for whole numbers, negative numbers, fractions, and decimals. I create the number line with the beginning and ending value, and then the students fill in the rest. Exact placement is not important- it's the order in which the values are placed.
Wrap Up
1. This graduating class was a special one for me. My son started QAE in 2nd grade during the same year that this group of 5th graders were in Kindergarten. I taught a before school Kindergarten Math Club that year and many of these kids were in my club. It has been such a joy to have worked with so many of them every year since then. And wow - this year they graduated! It was a wonderful event and I will miss them all dearly next year...
2. I am also so happy to end this school year knowing that I will be back next year, as QAE's Math Specialist. This job has been a dream come true to a dream I didn't even know I had!
3. A big "shout out" to Ms. Bonnie for being my student teacher this last quarter. She was a great addition to the program and had an amazing time both teaching and learning from all of our students.
Visuals
Even though I've struggled with keeping up with this blog, I took lots of pictures of all of the wonderful things that our students have done. My teaching methods tend to be hands-on, visual and interactive. Many of the activities that you will see in these pictures, you can do at home with your own children. Give it a try and I'd love to hear from you about how it went!
NUMBER LINES:
This is an easy and fun way to reinforce the concept of number value for whole numbers, negative numbers, fractions, and decimals. I create the number line with the beginning and ending value, and then the students fill in the rest. Exact placement is not important- it's the order in which the values are placed.
3rd GRADE MATH AMBASSADORS:
This amazing group of 3rd graders explored time, fractions, perimeter and area through partner and small group work. One of their main Ambassador roles was to spend time in each 3rd grade classrooms teaching their peers how to play the game 7 Ate 9.
Take a look at the fraction posters below. I love, love, love how the groups used different visual methods to show fractions. One of the things that we need to be aware of (both as teachers and parents) is that our students know all of the ways that something can be shown or represented. Fractions are not just pizzas and pies for example.
This amazing group of 3rd graders explored time, fractions, perimeter and area through partner and small group work. One of their main Ambassador roles was to spend time in each 3rd grade classrooms teaching their peers how to play the game 7 Ate 9.
Take a look at the fraction posters below. I love, love, love how the groups used different visual methods to show fractions. One of the things that we need to be aware of (both as teachers and parents) is that our students know all of the ways that something can be shown or represented. Fractions are not just pizzas and pies for example.
FIRST GRADE Concepts:
True/False equations - looking at all the ways that equations can be represented
Mystery numbers - finding the missing number in an equation
True/False equations - looking at all the ways that equations can be represented
Mystery numbers - finding the missing number in an equation
New Books
In case you don't know, I have a collection of math inspired (kid-friendly) books that you are welcome to check-out and borrow. This Spring I added some new titles. Please stop by and take a look when school starts up again!
Summer Ideas
I'll close by leaving you with some ideas for summer math inspiration and review. Now be warned ... these are not worksheets, and may involve a bit of parent participation!
Math on a Stick - http://www.mathonastick.com/
Talking Math with Your Kids - talkingmathwithkids.com/
NRICH Maths - https://nrich.maths.org/
YouCubed - www.youcubed.org/
MetaMetrics Summer Math Challenge - www.quantiles.com/content/summer-math-challenge/
Math Photo 2017 - https://mathphoto17.wordpress.com/
That's it! Thanks for sticking with me - through this blog, and this year - haha!
Have a wonderful summer!
Happy Mathing!!
and
I'll see you in September!!!