Problem Solving - Choose an Operation

Problem solving is HUGE right now in my district.  Our state math test was almost all word problems and our students are struggling with them.  I have read several books on how to teach math that I definitely recommend you pick up!  

  

Click on either book to be taken to Amazon.com.  Both books are by Susan O'Connell who I think is a math GENIUS!  These books totally changed the way I teach math.  The second book is an old edition.  She now has separated it into 2 different books - a k-2 book and a 3-5 book.  

Basically, the philosophy is that real-life math is presented to us through word problems so why not teach math that way?  Makes sense to me and apparently the people who are writing the state tests figured this out too.  

I am definitely not an expert at this yet but I have found and created some helpful worksheets for teaching kids how to choose an operation.  I have compiled them into a Wizard of Oz mini-unit.  (I'm considering making the same thing but with different themes - let me know if you would be interested in that). 

Click on the picture to be taken to my store

The goal of this resource is to help students understand the key concepts of each operation, give them strategies to choose an operation, help them explain their thinking, and assist them with writing their own word problems.  This mini-unit contains: 

1. A sample Word Problem for each of the 4 operations

2. A graphic organizer to help teach the key concepts of each of the 4 operations 

3. A mini-poster to help your students decide what operation to choose

4. Problem Solving pages that could be made into a notebook or glued into a notebook or to use as worksheets

5. Organizers to help your students go through the problem solving process (can be used with any strategy)

6. Organizers to help students write their own word problems

This item is in my TN store if you're interested...TGIF! 

Assessment Recording Sheets (Freebie)

 I was grading a bunch of assessments and realized that I never made my recording sheets!  I had some from other places but I wanted to use cute fonts so I whipped some up and thought I'd share them with you.

I am required to assess my students on a regular basis.  I like to have a recording sheet that I can quickly look at and see a students progress throughout the year.  For the reading progress sheet, I start with the lowest reading level on the bottom so when I add the students scores, it graphs their progress.  I made a bunch of different reading sheets starting and ending at different levels so there should be one that would work for everyone.  As always, if you want something customized, leave a comment or email me and I will do my best to grant your request! 

I put these on my Teachers Notebook store for you to grab for free!  Click on the pictures to get yours!  

Also - most of the other items in my store are 50% off from now until Thanksgiving.  

Introduction to Problem Solving

My districts math focus this year is on problem solving.  Students who struggle with math typically REALLY struggle with problem solving.  I have just spent the first 3 weeks of my AIS math groups introducing problem solving.

To make it a little more fun, I created a problem solving bulletin board for my students to use.

Each work mat is a step in the problem solving process. 

I write word problems on sentence strips and students can use dry erase markers to solve the problem right on the laminated work mats.  Together, we solve a bunch of simple word problems on the bulletin board (1 problem a day for a week or 2) before I give them the graphic organizer.

I only change the numbers in the word problem for the students first time using the graphic organizer.  For example, the day before I introduce the organizer, I might give the students the following problem to solve on the bulletin board: 

There are 35 birds in a tree.  There are 7 birds on a roof.  How many birds are there altogether?

The next day, I would show the students the organizer and let them try it out using this problem (I just cover the old numbers with post it notes): 

There are 19 birds in a tree.  There are 12 birds on a roof.  How many birds are there altogether?

All of the work from the first problem is on the bulletin board.  Students only have to change the numbers in the addition problem.  This allows the kids to focus on using the problem solving organizer, rather than focusing on solving a problem AND the organizer.  Once students have internalized the problem solving process, they do not use the organizer for every problem because it is time consuming.  

I made 3 more sets of problem solving bulletin board work mats.  I am using the polka dot one at building #2.

There is something so cheerful about polka dots!  I have uploaded the polka dot mats as well as a striped and chevron striped sets to my Teachers Notebook store.  Don't forget to download the free graphic organizer while you're there! 

5 Minute Drills & a Freebie

The way the new New York State IEP's are, I have to probe (assess) my students progress frequently.  For my students who have a goal of solving # of basic facts in x minutes, I assess every 2 weeks.  Some of the students only need 40 addition facts, some need 100.  I don't want to have to make different probes for every student, especially when I have 37 now!  I figured the easiest thing to do was print 20 different 5 minute drills (100 problems).  Some of my students, however, are overwhelmed by seeing 100 problems at once.  I make a quick template for them that only shows one row of problems at a time.

Sorry, the pictures are not coming out well at all!  Download the free template from my Teachers Notebook store!

Enjoy!

Rounding & Teachers Notebook Store

My students were struggling with the concept of rounding last week.  I created a rounding roller coaster sheet to help the kids visualize the rounding process.  The roller coaster has spots for students to write their numbers on it to see if they are rounding up or down.  I liked the sheet so much, I ran to Target on Sunday and bought a laminator so I could use it today.  It was a huge success!  My students loved it.  After doing a few problems with the roller coaster, they "got it".  They all begged me for their own copies they can take home.  I just finished making a set of 5 so they can each use them during class.

I've been thinking about opening a Teachers Notebook or TPT store for a while now.  Before I started, I wanted to make sure I had all the proper permissions to use the graphics and fonts.  I do not want to sell (or give away) any items that I have not tried in my classroom (with success) first.  The rounding roller coaster was so successful in my room, I decided to open my store and use it as my first item!  You can visit my new Teachers Notebook store here!  I have never used paypal before so please let me know if there are any glitches or if you have suggestions.  It's been a long day so I'm off to relax before tomorrow!

-Beckyhttp://teachersnotebook.com/product/fireflies/rounding-roller-coaster

Math Journals

I just found a blog that I LOVE! 

 Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes has a ton of great math ideas and resources.  It seems like most blogs focus on ELA activities which is great but I definitely need more math activities.  She uses the best math journals.  I'm going to try to incorporate math journals similar to hers in my room this year.  As a building(s) (both buildings separately came to the same conclusion) we are going to try to do pull out grade level math groups for AIS rather than pushing into 3 different 4th grade rooms for 3 different students.  It will save time in our schedules and we all feel it will be more beneficial for the students.  2 math sessions a day is better than 1!

In other news, tomorrow is our inservice day.  There have been so many changes in NY that I will basically be in meetings discussing all of the changes all day.  Currently, I have back to back meetings from 8am-2pm (no lunch in there).  2pm-4pm will be spent eating while figuring out my schedule (I only know who 1 of my students is right now).  4pm-7pm I will be in a grad class.  After class I may stop by school again if I feel like I need to.  It's going to be a long day!  Oh did I mention that while I'm driving to school, Dave (my fiance) will be taking our little kittens to the vet to be fixed.  I'm off to do my grad school work before bed!  Goodnight! 

-Becky

Small Group Anecdotal Notes & Vacation Work

In 7 days I go back to work.  Summer has been great and I really don't want to start setting my alarm again but I am ready to start working with kids.  Mentally at least.  Right now, I don't have a list of my students.  I have no schedule (because I have no kids) and therefore I have no lesson plans ready.  Since I can't write lessons, I decided to work on some forms I will use this year.  The first one is what I use to take notes on students when I push into a classroom (usually for math) but you could use it for small group instruction too.

Click the picture for the file.  

It is basically self explanatory- I have a spot for a short lesson or activity description, a list of my students (I type in the students before I print the sheets), a box for attendance, and a spot to mark whether the student mastered the concept, is progressing, or needs more instruction.  The bottom contains a spot for notes and follow up ideas.   

The second thing I want to share I found on Mrs. Smith's blog.  She created a sheet with activities for students to complete when they go on vacation.  I can't tell you how many times I have had students go on vacation during the school year and the classroom teacher expects me to gather work.  From now on, I'm going to send Vacation Tic Tac Toe home with these students.  Such a simple solution to a time consuming problem!

Visit Mrs. Smith Teaches Fifth to get your own copy of this! 

Now I'm going to go relax with my kittens who are currently snuggled up next to me. 

Ally (orange) and Waffles <3

Goodnight!

-Becky

Word Problem Organizer & Behavior Chart (free!)

I was having a hard time finding a freebie during teacher week because I couldn't upload any of my documents.  Well I fixed the problem and now I have something more for you!  In New York, our math tests want students to explain how they got their answers.  This is not easy for kids!  I created this organizer for students to use when solving word problems.  It is two sided (only side 1 is shown below).  I print it double sided to save paper.

Click here to download the sheet. 

I also made a 1 page math keywords sheet for students to take home when solving problems.

Click here to download the sheet.

This year I have decided to use binders rather than folders for my students.  Every student will have a binder to keep their papers in.  I started working on reading sheets I want them to have in their binders - like a make-shift readers notebook (reading goals, books to read list, think-marks).  I will be posting those sheets soon so check back!

Enjoy!

-Becky

P.S. A while ago I posted my version of a clip chart.  Now that I figured out how to upload documents properly I adding the link to download it.

Click here for the chart.