Place Value Fun, my Intern Rocks!

 

I don't know about you, but my kids are struggling with place value. They can tell you 123 is one hundred twenty-three, but have no clue what place the 2 is in. We have been struggling early on with this concept. I say 'we' as in me and my intern, Christina. We have been trying everything, using base 10 blocks, drawing pictures, ten frames, using kids as physical representation...ugh... we are going crazy! Then BAM! Christina arrives at school on Wednesday and says.."Kids today we get to use scissors!" ahh the magic phrase! and look at what these kids did...they made their own base 10 blocks and labeled their own 3 digit number.

 

 

 

Here, as you can see, she hasn't got the 4 hundreds as 400 yet, but once I snapped this picture I said to her, "Hey I was looking at your number, how do you pronounce it?", She quickly used her finger to track her words(numbers) and said "four hundred...OH!" and fixed it!

 

 

Here you can see all the tools we used!

 

 

Once they made a number. They glued it down in their Math Journals. (A little folding was needed.)

 

 

Here is a great example of neatness! This kid is a really 'clean' worker...notice the problem solving pencil? I got that from a bloggy friend's (Farley over at Oh Boy 4th Grade) TPT store! Best idea for problem solving ever!

Stay tuned for my Science post, we did a STEM activity!

Wake Me Up Before I [have] to Go Go

I have ONE WEEK...just one to put my game plan together! Am I ready? Can I do this?....let me show you what's on my plate!

1. PROCRASTINATION...I didn't make any packets to share for my "BookIt" turned "BUMBLE BEE" project like I WANTED too! Nor did I make the MTH packets or the Book Study Buddies that I used last year in my enrichment group, but I'll get to it right?

2. I need to make my "HONEY BEE CLUB" (like Madden's Monster's Club)

3. Get ready for GUIDED MATH...I read the book, I totally get it...now I just need to organize the how to part!

4. I need a new lesson plan template (AGAIN) to accommodate the new CCCS and our new 'master schedule', which leaves out writing all together, we have to roll that in  with our 90 minute Reading block!(and I still am planing on trying out Amanda's Writer's Notebooks too)

5. Plan how to incorporate my after school activities GOTR with my son's activities.

ONE WEEK....oh and I have to take my son to the doctor, he has a planter's wart that went AWOL...what  a mess...do I have time to do all of this AND decorate my classroom so it will 'BEE' fantastic?

I am in a full panic!

Did I mention my mom is in Europe,(not a pleasure trip,my grandmother died :( ) and can't help me out this  LAST WEEK! (she always helps me with my boy, as I am a single mom)...

okay ladies I have got to get a grip...so here's the plan.....

P R I O R I T I Z E

I have decided that getting the Guided Math sorted and organized is job one... (Well, kinda, getting my boy to the doctor is job one) I have to decide which system I want to use and how it will look in my room...physically how it will look. My classroom is so weird, very long and skinny, two HUGE long windows on one wall and computers, cubbies, sink area, all the cabinets on another wall, then a wall with two doors in it (a short wall too) and the other wall is a long long wall with a HUGE white board on it. ...I need to go in and plan how I want my room to work for my Guided Math time, and Daily 5 time.
Once I decide how it will function, then I can start to decorate it with all the new Happy Honey Bee stuff I got from School Girl Style.

Okay, so that sounds good..I can start right? Well, now I have to get into the building and sketch out my room plan...getting into the building is a bit like getting a meeting with the Queen of England...I hope I can get in?

As for the rest..well, I'll get to it!(hopefully)

I have to tell you I REALLY REALLY enjoyed reading

                                                                       



I want to use this method because it makes sense! Laney Sammons says some really smart stuff and the quotes she uses I will be using them too!

 I chose to prioritize this because she states on page 35

 " Along with challenging our students, we need to create an environment where students recognize the relationship between effort an learning" ,

on page 200 she goes on with "Strong classroom management is essential for math Workshop to be implemented" ( I don't struggle with management usually, but I want to be overly prepared as this will be a new way to do Math, I want to create my surroundings to minimize any management issues!)

 She ends it with " Teachers considering the Guided Math Framework should reflect on how they can adapt and use it to inspire a Love of learning in their students...." on page 250. That is my rational, reflection...I took a lot of notes in my book, a lot of highlighting and sketches of ideas. I need to go in and take a look around and set my room up for ACADEMIC success, not just print rich, but math rich too!

If by some chance [the grace of God], I get in ...I will post BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the set up!

~Natalie

P.S - Did I mention my pal at

is making me the cutest template for my blog ...I can't wait until she gets it all done...you will be impressed!



I have a Guided Math Question for YOU!

     I received this last night around 7 o'clock. I didn't even open the package until midnight, for some unknown reason I thought it was my cute BEE erasers that I ordered from MPM School Supplies, since I also got a big package from them,(I ordered a new Calendar, so it came in a big flat box) which at the time I didn't realize contained ALL my MPM stuff and the little package was from Amazon.....I am not use to the UPS man visiting my house!
      So at midnight after catching up on my DVR, I finally got around to opening my packages. When I opened this up I was so excited...everyone seems to be talking about it, plus last spring I began doing research on how to improve my Math time. I wanted to do the Math Daily 5, but I struggled at how to put it together.(Which boggles my mind, as I feel like an expert in the D5 during my Literacy block), Last spring I downloaded some PowerPoint help from Lindsey Shannon, very good, it got me thinking about my relationship with Math. Then Pinterest and all the "Guided Math" pins...so needless to say 5 months later I ordered the book!
     I have math-phobia...numbers are hard...and the funny thing is parents think we pass down the bad math gene...but the truth is , there isn't a math gene, you don't get it or not get it...you got to work at it, practice practice practice! I was feeling validated just by reading the first Chapter!!
     Well I didn't start reading it at midnight, that would have been crazy, I waited until my son went off to the Library for his weekly Pokemon League, and I had a few hours to clean out his closet, and READ. I am only on Chapter 3 and I love it!  I have so many ideas in my head and I am stopping to write them down as I'm reading, that is why I am ONLY on Chapter 3!
     I really like the discussion questions at the end of the chapter to help you reflect....and I need your brains to pick on this question...so if you would answer it as truthfully as possible because my answer to this question is vague, it's unsure, it's not measurable and that bugs me! So here goes:

Does your math instruction lead your students to a deep conceptual understanding of the math standards that they are learning? If so, WHAT are you doing that contributes to that?  If not, HOW do you think you would like to change your teaching?

I've been 'chewing' on this for hours...do I? How do I know? Not just a test, but really KNOW?

~Natalie

FREE Math resources found

I am starting to look for new Math games to incorporate into my Daily 5 Math Time. As I am pinning, and surfing I came across this GEM:

http://www.k-5mathteachingresources.com/

Many of you probably already know all about it, but I am a newbie to it.
                                               I love it!
I printed out the center signs, now all I have to do is "BEE" them up and make them pop! Can't wait to get started on this project. I will post pictures as soon as the signs are perfect for bragging!