Mathematical Monday! February 3

Hello everyone!  Long time, no see!  

I have been busy taking some "me" time, as well as creating some fun things for my TpT store.  But today I'm linking up with I {heart} Recess for Mathematical Monday!

In math for the past few weeks, the third graders have been working on Input/Output tables.  As an introductory activity, we created Input/Output Monsters!

The two white squares in either corner and the rectangle in the middle are laminated, creating a dry-erase surface that is perfect for practicing input/output!

For example, I told the students the rule was subtract 7, which they wrote in the center.  I also told them the input, which was 49.  They had to use the rule to figure out the output.  

Occasionally, I would give them the output, and they would have to find the input using the rule.  Some of my students even chose to grab their Monster when they had an input/output table, using it as a tool to complete each part of the table.

Here's how we got started:

1)  BEFORE doing the project, we cut out the squares (2.5 inch), and rectangles (4 inch by 2 inch).  Each student will need 2 squares and 1 rectangle.  Then we laminated all of the pieces and cut them out so they were ready to go for the project.

2)  We also cut out some card stock "templates" for the kids to use to trace and cut out a body.  We had circles, squares, and rectangles available for body shapes.  If you prefer, you can have students "freeform" a body shape.

Materials students will need:  

- A 9x12 piece of construction paper for the background

- 2 laminated squares

- 1 laminated rectangle

- assorted construction paper to create head, arms, legs, and body

- scissors and glue

- stapler

The process:

1) Have students cut out their body shape and staple the laminated rectangle to the body.  (Trust me, it is much easier to staple the rectangle to the body first before gluing… I learned this the hard way.)

2)  Staple the squares to the corners of their background paper.

3)  Begin to lay out the body, arms, legs, and head.  I made sure my students had their Monster exactly how they liked it before gluing.  They need to keep in mind that the top square is the IN, and one arm should be pointing up, and the bottom square is the OUT, so one arm should be pointing down.

4)  Once their Monster is cut and created, they can glue it all together.  Check out some of the creative monsters my students made!

Once they are all done, they can use a dry-erase marker on the laminated sections to practice Input/Output tables!  I showed my Monster on the document camera, and had a large blank input/output table on the board to fill in the inputs/outputs as we solved.

It's also a clear way for the visual learners to see that the input + the rule = output.

What have you been learning about in math?

Until next time,

- Miss Woodward

Inspired with Writer's Workshop!

Happy Friday Saturday!  I hope your week ended well!  (I tried to write this post yesterday, but fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie with my dad.  Oops!)  Since it is the end of the quarter, students didn't have school yesterday.  Teachers had professional development in the morning, and time to work on grading in the afternoon.

For professional development, we had a group from the University of Minnesota Writing Project come in to teach us about Writer's Workshop and how to implement it in our classroom.  I found it super helpful!  I feel like teaching writing is not one of my strong suits, so I was feverishly taking notes!

After an introductory activity where we learned about the philosophy of writing from the National Council of Teachers of English, we broke into two groups: K-4th, and 5th-8th.  The teacher that presented for us went through the writing process what what to expect in each stage of writing.

For Writer's Workshop, teachers typically follow a basic framework:

1) Mini-lesson (5-10 minutes)
Teachers teach: procedures and organization, strategies and processes, and craft and technique

2) Independent Writing/ Conferencing with Students (30-45 minutes)
Students: write, write, write! Build stamina, and are at different stages in writing
Teachers: 2-4 minute conferences, points out strengths and weaknesses (and uses the information during sharing, small groups, and mini-lessons)

3) Closing/ Sharing (5-10 minutes)
Students and Teachers: modeling student examples, improve speaking skills, and address successes/misconceptions
(can be in the form of an author's chair, partner share, whole group, or individual reflection)



**Right now, I include some "Work on Writing"/ free write time with my Daily 5.  However, it is not as structured as Writer's Workshop, and I don't typically follow the writing process.  The writing process is where I am struggling as a teacher.

Here are some points about the Writing Process that stuck with me:

Drafting:
* Use graphic organizers
* 3rd-5th grade can use lists
*Illustrations! (Yes, even for the older grades!  Think: sketches on the side of notebooks)

Revising:
* Encourage students to NOT erase
* Ask: "Do you have all the information/ details you want?"
* Ask: "How can you make this writing even better?"
* To add a sentence or information, try using a small strip of paper with the new sentence on it, and glue it on the edge of the paper as a flap.

** Give the students the control!  They won't revise everything, maybe just a few parts, and that's OK!

Editing:
*Use checklists and rubrics
* It is NOT your job to edit your students' papers (although it's tempting… don't!)
*For punctuation and mechanics, use mentor texts and read a lot!
*Teach through the writer's lens, not the reader's lens.  (Think: Instead of saying, "Where do you want the reader to stop?" say, "Where do you want your thought to end?"
*Treat your students like a WRITER!


Conferencing:
* Be explicit, name a strength, and explain why it is important (Say, "I love the way you said Walgreens, instead of saying you went to the store, because it really tells the reader exactly where you were."
* If you can, have the student say the skill back to you.  (Say, "What are you going to work on now?")
* Focus on the WRITING (Not, "I see you used a capital letter.")



One AWESOME resource that was shared with us was Mrs. Meacham's Writer's Workshop.  It has great mini-lessons, and tons of printable resources for the writing process, writing traits, writing genres, and printable paper.  Seriously, go check it out!

Here are some of the other resources that were suggested at the workshop:

- Crafting Writers K-6 by Elizabeth Hale

- Writing Workshop the Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher
(This one was suggested as a good starting point, if you're new to Writer's Workshop.  I will be ordering this one soon!)

- Units of Study for Primary Writing by Lucy Calkins
(Coming from a school without a writing curriculum, I may be suggesting this one to administration!)

When we discussed mentor texts, I instantly thought of this post and Jivey's Mentor Sentences.

Because my students are struggling so much with writing and getting their ideas down on paper, I am going to start with giving them time to free-write, and going through the writing process with those pieces, rather than focusing on specific pieces like narratives or letters.  

I am SO inspired to start a more structured Writer's Workshop on Tuesday!  Wahoo!

How do you tackle your writing time?  What is your favorite part about teaching writing?

Until next time,

- Miss Woodward

SEA LIFE Field Trip!

Today the 3rd graders took a field trip to SEA LIFE at the Mall of America!  Sea Life features over 10,000 creatures, and a 300 foot long tunnel aquarium.

To help record their learning from our trip, I created a scavenger hunt and recording sheet that is perfect for ANY aquarium trip.  Click the image to get it for FREE!

Check out what we did on our trip!

At Sea Life, we entered through the Mall of America, and
took the escalators down into an underwater world.  :)

We got to touch some sea anemones, pencil urchins, horseshoe crabs, and sea stars.

We also learned all about ocean habitats.

Then we got to explore the aquarium.  My favorite part was the tunnel aquariums, where the fish swim right over your head!

We had such a great time at Sea Life!

What field trips has your class gone on this year?  My team and I are trying to decide where we want to go next.  :)

Until next time,

- Miss Woodward 

Mathematical Monday- Mobiles

Happy Monday, everyone!

I'm linking up with I {heart} Recess for Mathematical Monday!  Today I wanted to share with you a project that a 4th grade teacher at my school did with her kiddos.

The concept?  Fractions, fraction models, decimals, and word representations.

The delivery?  A mobile to show equivalent fractions and decimals.

Here are the supplies you'll need:

-- Printed fractions, decimals, picture representations, and words for each fraction (she used 1, 3/4, 1/2, 2/4, 1/4, and 0).  She printed them on different colored card stock- so kids could tell the difference between each type of card.

-- Sticks (she collected them from her backyard)- Each student needs 1 stick (clothes hangers or wooden dowels would work well, too).

-- 5 pieces of yarn (each about 18 inches long)

-- scissors and glue

Here's how they did it:

1) Students first laid out their four strings and began sorting their decimal and fraction cards.  At the top of the string was the fraction, then the picture representation, then the words, and finally the decimal towards the bottom of the string.

Each string should have a fraction, decimal, words, and picture representation that are equivalent.  The strings should also be in order from smallest to largest (not mixed up).

2)  Once they had their cards where they needed to be, they began to glue the cards to the string.  They glued a fraction or decimal card on the front and back of the string, for stability and easier viewing.

3) Tie the strings on to the sticks.  For display, you might want to tie one more string to each side of the stick for hanging.

I like that students did not have to spend any time writing or creating the cards for the mobiles.  Their main focus was to identify equivalent fractions and decimals and assemble the mobile.

While the 4th graders used fractions and decimals as the focus of their mobiles, mobiles can be modified for oodles of content areas!

Think: 

equivalent fractions and fraction models

alphabetizing words

food chains in different ecosystems (each string has a different ecosystem)

musical instrument families

vocabulary words and definitions

ordering objects of different sizes

retelling stories

sorting colors (each string has objects of the same color)

Have you ever made mobiles in your classroom?  How do you think you can apply the idea to your grade level or content area?  Tell me about it in the comments below!

Until next time,

-Miss Woodward

Five for Friday- January 3

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for another Five for Friday!

5.  Not over yet….

Thanks to Minnesota being ridiculously cold tomorrow and Monday (not even kidding… it's forecasted to be -30!), all schools in Minnesota have been cancelled.  Which means I have two glorious days left of winter break!  And I'm soaking up every last minute of it!

4.  …. But I did go to school.

Ms. Eichhorn and I went in to school this week to get some lesson planning done.  We even got the copy room unlocked so we were able to make copies.  I got SO MUCH done, and it felt SO GOOD!  I planned our unit for the Human Body, and I can't wait to share my ideas with you!

So many copies…...

3. New Year's Eve

I went over to a friend (and coworker)'s house for New Year's Eve.  I printed off some photo booth props from this site and brought them over (FYI- I printed "Set #2" from the site).  They were so fun!

Me and Mrs. Boos

Me and Mr. Wolf

Me and Mrs. Boos

2.  Awww…..

My dad got a new hunting dog earlier this week.  Meet Trapper, an 8 1/2 week old British Lab.  What a cutie-patootie!  Now my parents have 3 furry friends in their house.  :)

1.  Minnesota Wild

For Christmas, I gave Mr. Wolf tickets to see the Minnesota Wild hockey team in St. Paul.  It was so fun!  And they broke a six game losing streak!

Mr. Wolf and I-- Go Wild!

Until next time,

-Miss Woodward

Flash Freebie!

Teachers in Minnesota are rejoicing today!  Governor Dayton announced that all schools in Minnesota will be closed on Monday due to extremely cold temperatures.

Yep, you read that right…. wind chill of -50!

We were supposed to go back to school on Monday, but, okay…. I'll take another day of Winter Break.  

In honor of the extremely cold Minnesota weather, I'm offering a FLASH FREEBIE in my TpT store!  Polygon Bang! is a great game for Math Centers to help your kiddos practice polygons and polygon characteristics.  The product includes two games to practice polygons.

Click the image to snag up the freebie!  But be quick- it will only be FREE for 24 hours!  It will go on sale tomorrow night at 10:00 pm.  All I ask is that you give me some feedback on TpT!

Happy downloading (and Pinning!)

Until next time,

-Miss Woodward

Love my Followers!

I am so very thankful for all of my followers.  I also love hearing about things my followers have tried in their classroom that they heard about from Miss Woodward's Class.

My cousin Sonja follows my blog and works at a school in Massachusetts.  For the holiday season, she dug into some old posts for ideas.  Remember these dry erase crayons I tried?  And these clipboards I made for my teacher friends?  She decided to make each coworker a clipboard and attach some dry-erase crayons.  I love how they turned out!

The clipboards

The final product!  Sonja has some lucky coworkers!  :)

Clipboards, dry-erase crayons, and a sweet treat!

Thanks for sharing your success, Sonja!

What have you tried from this little blog?  Tell me about it in the comments below!

Until next time,

-Miss Woodward