It was so wonderful meeting parents at Curriculum Night this week! One thing we talked about that evening was our new math program, Math In Focus (MIF). At the heart of the MIF program is understanding concepts and problem solving. As we dived into the math curriculum this week, we are starting to do just that. Energizer We start each lesson with an energizer from Estimation 180 for building number sense. Visit the site http://www.estimation180.com to get a taste of the types of questions we work on daily. Also, ask your students about them! Problem of the Week Our lessons are followed by a Problem of the Week. Students take a few minutes each day to work on the same problem each week. This "productive struggle" approach teaches students to stick with a problem, try out different methods and strategies, engage in cooperative learning, and feel what it is like to be a real mathematician. Problems of the week are problems that require deep thought and time to solve. The answer is not immediately obvious. Students must apply their knowledge of math. For many students this kind of thinking will take time to develop. Please encourage your student to stick with problems and think of strategies for solving those they encounter at home and elsewhere. Math Vocabulary Next we discuss our math vocabulary by discussing definitions, examples, pictures, and more. It is important not only to know the concepts, but also to know the terminology. Many questions on standardized tests may ask a student to demonstrate a particular concept but if a student does not recognize the math vocabulary word, they may not know how to respond, even if they know the concept. Mini Lesson After a discussion of our math vocabulary, I do a quick mini lesson to introduce a new skill/ strategy that students can add to their math toolbox. I keep this very brief, so that we save most of our time for guided groups, station work, and independent learning. Guided Groups During guided groups, I pull one group of students (who have similar needs) at a time. With each group, I may reteach, review, or extend a concept, depending on their needs. This often involves manipulatives, math games, and/or working on pages in their math book/journal. Stations Stations are activity centers around the room that allow students to practice fluency, reinforce concepts, and/or work on individualized projects. Independent Learning Students also have time to do targeted or adaptive practice using technology. Some programs we will be using in our classroom are the following: -Zearn -Front Row -iXL -XtraMath I will be introducing these programs one at a time. This week, students accessed Zearn. We will spend the next week or two getting comfortable using this program. Please have your student spend about 15-20 minutes on this program each day. It is fun, kid friendly and has many excellent visuals for understanding concepts. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate!
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AuthorMiss Amy Carroll Archives
March 2020
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