Your Guided Math Schedule

Calling All Guided Math Teachers...

I am looking to put together a resource of examples of all different Guided-Math schedules.  How many groups do you meet, how long do you meet, what is your rotation schedule, what stations do you use?

The beauty of guided math is that you create a schedule that works for you and your students.  Everyone is different on how many groups they meet, the frequency, and station choices.  My goal is to provide a resource for teachers that are looking for ideas on how to schedule math within the time-frame they have allotted.  This would be a good resource for either teachers starting out or ones that are looking to tweak their schedule or get some new inspiration.

If able, can you please email me with what you do in your classroom. I'll give credit to those who share! Some things to include...

1. How many groups
2.  Time Frame - how long do you meet with each group
3.  Rotation Schedule
4.  What students do at each station
5.  What math program do you use; ex: EDM

I really appreciate you taking the time to do this! :)  Email me at mary@guided-math.com


Thank You!

Featuring Runde's Room: Math Journal Sundays

For awhile now I have been following Runde's Room:  Math Journal Sundays.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jen's ideas on math journals and foldables.  My goal is to use math journals more in the future.  Right now my kids have J.A.M journals or Journal About Math.  Just a plain spiral notebook with the JAM label on the front.  I love making kids guess what the JAM stands for.  A lot of kids get close but I can typically stump them on this one.

I use the JAM now as a way for kids to take notes.  Plain, boring notes. I want to make them more interactive using foldables and such.  I highly suggest you head on over to Math Journal Sundays to get some great ideas on how to use interactive hands-on math journals.  Thanks for the ideas Jen!

Winner of DonorsChoose $25 Donation....

Sorry for the slight delay in posting the winner... but thanks to random number generator... the winner was... Moria!!!

My kinder students love any memory/concentration games we play. We've done shape matching, number matching, number/pip matching, and more. They never get tired of it and most pick up on watching to try to remember where the matching pieces are for their turn.

I just posted a DC math project! http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=785403&verify=1310908132&challengeid=35204

I already applied the donation to your project.  I hope the rest of your funding comes through quickly! 

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes.  I am getting better day by day, slowly but better.  Also thanks for posting your favorite math games, there are some great games that I am going to start teaching my own students.

Enjoy!

Mary

A DonorsChoose $25 Giveaway!!

YIKES! It has been way too long since I've posted!  Although I have some very valid excuses...

#1- On March 31st I submitted my National Board work.  Man I was so glad to get that done and submitted.  The process is hard, a lot of work but hopefully once I am certified, it will all be worth it.  Doing my NB work was even harder because...

#2- I had knee surgery this morning... yes this morning... and no I can't believe I here on the computer posting! Those pain meds must be working.  I hurt my knee three months ago and it has been a big pain. A coworker friend said I have been walking around like Igor for the last three months. Going in today they weren't quite sure what I had done because it was not showing up on the MRI. Sure enough I tore my meniscus (cartilage).  Let the healing pain now begin!

With that being said....

I have a $25 GiftCard to giveaway to DonorsChoose!!

To enter:  Just write a comment answering this question...

What is your favorite math game to teach?

Also please post the link to your current DonorsChoose project.

One winner will be randomly chosen on Wednesday, April 11th.

Good luck and happy entering!

Mary

Do you know SumDog?

I recently discovered a new math website for students called SumDog.  How did I not know about this one before???  It is a fun, interactive math website where students work on their math facts while playing games.

Today I introduced the website to students and showed them how to use it.  The conversation that followed was quite funny...

Me -"I'm going to show you a math website called SumDog."

Kids- "Sun dog?"

Me- "No SumDog."

Kids- "What about some dog?  Whose dog is it?"

Me-" Noooo, sum, S- U- M as in adding.  Let me just show you..."

Let me say they were chomping at the bit to get their logins and to get started playing the games once I showed them what this website was all about.

What I love about this site is that each students gets his or her own login and you can monitor their progress.  Students earn coins and move up animal ranks by getting answers correct.  They games itself have great animation and keep the students' interest.  Students can use coins they earn to buy clothes for their customizable avatar.

So I am passing my new found jewel along!  Even though today was only the first day, I hope you students love it as much as mine do!

SumDog

Enjoy!

Math Toss - Pinterest Ideas...

I feel like I have been away for forever!  I can officially say I have been sucked into the NB black hole.  Not a good place to be in!  I'm looking forward to the end, I won't lie.  I am also battling a sprained MCL in my knee, not fun either.  But... the sun is out today and well I think I could use some sun... even if it is something like only 10 degrees out. 

I just found this one on Pinterest and love it!  I wish I could find the website that features this idea but when I click on the pinterest post, it just opens another pinterest window....  So to whoever thought of this idea... Thanks!!

Cube Toss - These two trays are ice-cube trays from the Dollar Spot at Target.  Write two digit numbers on labels and put them on each ice cube hole.  Kids toss two cubes, one into each tray.  They add the two numbers together on a recording sheet or whiteboard.

Enjoy!

A Geometry Scavenger Hunt

The other day I told my third graders they were about to go on a scavenger hunt.  Immediately I had gasps of excitement, even before they knew what they going to do.  I broke up my third graders into groups of three, I only had 6 third graders that day. I gave each group 8 minutes each. One group out in the hall at a time. I gave them a timer that was set and told them they had to be back when the timer goes off. 

I then gave the group my camera.  I told them they have 8 minutes to find things in the building that show parallel lines, intersecting lines and right angles. Their job was to take a picture of as many examples as they could find.  The kids took their job very seriously, writing down on notebook paper exactly what they had to find and off the first group went.

I was very excited to see what they would come back with and couldn't help but to sneak a peak at what the first group had found before the next group set off.

I have to say it was a very successful, fun activity.  The kids loved it, I loved seeing the building from their perspective.  I put the pictures up on the Smartboard and had each group present what they had found.   My next step is to print off the pictures and create a collage to display out in the hall.  I thought I would share with you some of my favorite pictures they had taken.

Enjoy!