Guided Math Chapter 2 2014

I'm linking up with Primary Gal for her book study on Laney Sammons Guided Math book.
Note: This is a post from last summer with a few updates.  Today was my last day with kids and I am exhausted so I'm recycling! When I was preparing to switch from 4th grade to 1st grade many years ago, the importance of a print-rich classroom was drilled into my brain.  Each year as I set up my classroom I considered how to create an environment that focused on literacy.  But other than the required Every Day Counts calendar, no one ever seemed to think about making the classroom math friendly.
But in this chapter, Laney explains the importance of also creating a classroom environment of numeracy and gives us the foundational principles of Guided Math.

One of the biggest ideas in this chapter is the importance of communication in math.  The NCTM Communication Standard states that programs should enable students to:

• organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking trhough communciation
• communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers and others
• analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others
• use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas

Our Texas TEKS state that the student is expected to:

•  communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate;
•  create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas;
•  analyze mathematical relationships to connect and communicate mathematical ideas; and
• display, explain, and justify mathematical ideas and arguments using precise mathematical language in written or oral communication.

Here are two books that I have found helpful this year for encouraging math talk:

Edited to add:  I really love these dot cards by Donna Boucher at The Math Coach's Corner!  We used them a lot for warm ups and to talk about addition strategies.

TPT

The rest of the chapter explains how to set up a classroom that will promote literacy. Just like literacy instruction, math requires a large group area, a small group area and an area for students to work independently or with a group or partner.  I arranged my large group area this year so that we could  use the Smart Board for whole group lessons as well as an easel.  My guided reading table also served as the meeting place for small groups in math.  I kept two sets of storage drawers behind my table; one for guided reading matherials and the other for math manipulatives and other supplies for guided math.  Student desks were grouped in clusters, and there was plenty of floor space for students to work with a partner at math stations or problem solving.

Organization is crucial!  Students need easy access to manipulatives during math activities.  I keep all of mine in labeled plastic storage containers on a counter in my classroom.  Students also have a math toolkit in their desks with counters, number lines and other frequently used materials.  (An idea from Kim Sutton!)
Math anchor charts are displayed throughout the room.  This year I hope to add a word wall dedicated to math vocabulary.  I didn't get a whole word wall set up, but I did add vocabulary to my math focus wall.  Math stretches or problems of the day/week can also be displayed so that students can work on them throughout the day.  This year I added Think Math- the kids loved it! Journals provided a place for students to solve problems and explain their thinking using words, pictures, diagrams, etc.

My manipulatives and math tubs.  The pocket chart is used for  math station rotations.

A chart we created early in the year.

This chapter was so full of information, and I feel like I've just skimmed the surface!

Questions to think about:
1.  How do visitors to your classroom know that math is valued?
2. What ideas to you have or use for encouraging communication in math?
3.  Do you have any organizational tips for math manipulatives or guided math?

I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

2014 Guided Math Book Study

Guided math is one of my favorite things to discuss, so I was thrilled to see that Primary Gal was hosting a book study for Laney Sammons book Guided Math.  This will be the 3rd summer that I have participated in a study of this book, but I learn something new each time!
Here is a link to my post from last summer:
Guided Math Revisited

I'll be back next week when school is out to write a new post for the next chapter but in the meantime,
Laney has posed these questions on Amanda's blog.
1. What aspects of your current math instruction are successful?
2. What aspects of your current math instruction trouble you?

1.  Workstations!  My workstation set up was inspired by Deb Diller's book Math Work Stations.  I love that my kids work with a partner and have clearly defined tasks to complete at each station.  This year I was able to incorporate more technology by using our iPad and creating Symbaloos to use on the computers. Although it took several attempts, I finally have a rotation system that worked for me and allowed me to meet with each small group for guided math lessons at least twice during the week.
2.  Assessment still troubles me.  I would like to do more pre-assessing before beginning new units to help differentiate.  I also feel like I am still too dependent on worksheets.  Laney has a new book that I can't wait to dive into this summer, Guided Math Conferences, that should be helpful for using observation data and anecdotal records to help assess my students' progress.

If you have not read Guided Math yet, I highly recommend getting a copy NOW!

Five for Friday

Doodle Bugs Teaching

I'm finally linking up with Doodle Bugs' Five for Friday linky to share five random pictures from my week.

1. I've been enjoying a wonderful Teachers' Appreciation Week!  One of my thoughtful parents delivered this yummy lunch yesterday.  Italian food is my favorite!

2. Not school related, but Tuesday night my husband and I went to see the incredible Bruce Springsteen.  I have been in love with The Boss since my freshman year in college.  Each time I attend one of his concerts I am blown away by his energy.  His shows are amazing!

3. I totally scrapped my plans yesterday after I found this adorable poetry/visualization activity while doing my every morning blog surfing. Our Green Giants turned out so cute!  The activity was from One Extra Degree and the printed poem is from Welcome to Room 36.

 


4. We have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first grade chicks. They started hatching on Monday and by Thursday, each classroom was able to have some feathered friends.

5. I am so excited that my new book from Laney Sammons arrived yesterday.  It was backordered on Amazon, but it's here now for me to start reading this weekend.  I hope it's sunny so I can sit by the pool!

OK, I have to add a 6th picture.  Since it was Teacher Appreciation Week, I received a lot of sweet cards and drawings from my class, but this one just cracked me up! (I am a HUGE Steelers fan and my kids know it!)

If you can't read the words it says "You stole my heart.  You get it?  Steelers "stole" my heart!"  I love this little guy!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Looking Ahead

I could start off with excuses for why I haven't blogged in more than a month, but all I'll say is that, until this school year is over and I am relaxing poolside, I will most probably be a "once-in-awhile" blogger.  It's just been one of those years, folks!
Anyway, because it's been kind of a rough year, I find myself looking ahead to next year.  I like to have a focus for the summer to guide my professional learning.  For the past couple of summers I have worked hard to get math workshop and guided math up and running in my classroom, and I have to say I am really happy with the way it is working in my room right now.
Reflecting on my teaching so far this year, I realize that for whatever reason, Daily 5 hasn't worked as well for me as it has in the past.  So this summer I want to read the revised version of the book and explore some variations of the format.  It is definitely time to spruce up some of the reading materials and supplies I use as well!  I did buy this really great caddy to organize some of my small group supplies:

I bought this at my husband's favorite store- Harbor Freight!  He was thrilled when I said I wanted to go with him on his last visit!

The other subject area I want to focus on is science.  I feel like science gets overlooked sometimes in my classroom.  Scheduling usually puts science instruction time at the end of the day, and I will confess there are many days when I use that time to catch up on language arts or math work.  We read a lot of science related books or watch videos, but I need to give my kids more time to explore and "do" science.  Science classes were never my favorites in school, and I've always said I just don't like science.  But thinking back to my childhood days, I realize that wasn't always true.  I loved going on hikes and exploring the woods near my home.  I had a rock collection.  On our annual trip to the shore (the beach to most of you!) I gathered seashells.  I pressed leaves and flowers and made scrapbooks identifying them.  It wasn't until science turned into reading chapters in textbooks and memorizing facts and formulas that I lost interest.  I just finished reading this wonderful book, A Place for Wonder by Georgia Heard, and I am super excited to start letting my kids do what they do best, wonder and discover!  (And with perfect timing, my school will be setting up a primary science lab for next year!)

Oh yeah, as I say EVERY summer, I'm going to work on being super-organized next yearl!   I probably just need to face the fact that I am never going to be one of those teachers who has everything laid out for the week in wonderfully color-coordinated folders and tubs.  But a girl can dream, can't she?

More Think Math

I am just loving our Think Math activity!  Here are some of the stories my class has created this week.

A Star Wars fan?

I love that these last two examples show partial number lines.  I just briefly demonstrated using an open-type number line yesterday and showed how they could just include the numbers they needed without showing every number.  Apparently they DO listen to me from time to time!

One of the few students who chose subtraction.  She's one of my ESL friends; notice sell instead of buy.

Their stories can also show me students who may need some reteaching.  This friend arrived at the correct answer, but showed a 10 frame that is not a 10 frame.

This story just made me smile!  Almost everyone else stuck with the leprechaun/St. Patrick's Day theme.

I discovered this weekend that there are some teachers on Twitter who are sharing a similar activity using the hashtag #1stnumbertalks.  I can't wait to get connected to some other first grade classes!

Problems with Problem Solving

After a very relaxing spring break camping trip, it's time to get back into "teacher mode."  I've been working on a few things these weekend, particularly for math.
Problem solving is one of my favorite things to teach, but some of my little ones are having difficulty with the process this year.  Although they can usually arrive at the correct answer, they aren't always able to explain what they have done or use another strategy to solve the problem. I have a few friends who still just want to write an equation and say "I'm done!"  (These are the same students who have been "tutored" to memorize facts without really understanding the operations.  A few can even recall multiplication facts, but have no real understanding of the concepts.) When asked to solve a problem in a different way, they may just show the answer in another format.  I've even had a student just write several other equations that equal the same number as the answer that had no correlation to the problem at all.
When we started doing more complex problems- ones that didn't just ask for simple joining or "take away", many of my friends seemed to have trouble visualizing what the problem was asking. Our Think Math activity (click here to read more) is helping, and we have spent some time working with CGI problem types. This week we will focus on going through the steps of problem solving BEFORE considering the numbers. I'm hoping this will help those students who are stuck on one strategy visualize and approach problems in a different way.
Here's the powerpoint I created to guide us through our lesson on Monday.  I'll be back later in the week to share how it went!

Link to Powerpoint

For more about how I've approached problem solving, check out this post, this post and this one from last year.

"Pin"spired!

I think I might be a little bit addicted to Pinterest!  I have more recipes and craft projects pinned than I will EVER have time to try and so many teaching ideas that I have forgotten what I have on my boards.
This pin is one that I had forgotten:

From Scholastic

But the other day one of my teammates was talking about Think Math-asking students to write a story problem based on an answer.  As she explained what she had done, I remembered this pin.  So I got to work and created my version of Think Math.

My kids are loving it!  They were all upset on Monday because I hadn't put up the new answer yet.  (Hopefully they are enjoying it because they like writing the problems and not just because they can use Post-It notes.  What is it about first graders and sticky notes?)  

After I put up this chart I was inspired to spruce up my whole math wall.

Now I'm headed back to Pinterest for some fresh ideas for my writing wall!