Happy Math Awareness Month

Did you know that April is Math Awareness Month?   Math was my least favorite subject to learn in school, but as classroom teacher I loved to teach math.   I didn't realize that Math had it's own month, but April is it!

Check out this fun video for Math Awareness Month!

You can check out more about Math, Magic, & Mystery and Math Awareness Month on the Mathmatical Association of America's Google + Page. 

Power Up Your Teaching and Learning

My fabulous friend and amazing Curriculum Specialist friend, Meghan Keefer, shared an awesome resource with me that I had to pass on to the blog world.  Power Up WHAT WORKS is a fantastic resource for teachers that provides free evidence-based resources to elevate your professional learning.  Power UP WHAT WORKS is a free, comprehensive guide to technology-enhances teaching and learning in English Language Arts and Math to help struggling students meet the Common Core State Standards.  This site is packed full of resources that you can use for your own professional development or for really using powerful instructional strategies.  For example, if if I click on "English Language Arts" I get a variety of Instructional Strategy guides like you see in the picture below.  They include information about relevant Common Core State Standards, evidence-based practices, and ways to differentiate instruction with technology. The Guides provide value to teachers, as well as PD leaders, teacher educators, and administrators.  I'd love to help you use this in your practice, and I'm sure Meghan would too!   Let us know if you'd like to explore this together to POWER UP your instructional strategies!  If you are interested as well, they do have a blog that you can follow to keep up with their new resources.  Check it out by clicking here.

My Math: Customizing Presentations & Creating Assignments

I hope that everyone enjoyed their staff development meeting today!   Today the other Elementary Instructional Technology Coaches and I presented about Customising Presentations and Creating Assignments.   If you attended one or our presentations, I hope you learned something useful!  Below is our presentation, just in case you'd like it as a reference.

Math Rocks!

Today I received an email from the W.B. Goodwin Community Center's mentoring program.  They stumbled upon an old web page that I had created my first year at Roosevelt to share some math resources.  The students in the program really liked some of the games and resources that I had shared, and they wanted to share a fun one with me!   Upon looking at it, I thought is was an awesome resource to share on my blog here!

Now for the new site from my new friends at the W.B. Goodwin Community Center...  Online Math Calculators!  This site upon first glance doesn't look too flashy or engaging, however, once you scroll down and start looking at all of the awesome calculator links that they have, you'll be hooked!  With almost 30 different calculators, it's a great tool to explore with your students.   Some of my favorites include:

• Use a Simple Basic Online Calculator for Math
• Healthy Eating Meal Planner Calculator
• The Kids’ Talking Calculator
• Calculate Your Body Mass Index (BMI)
• The Piggy Bank Allowance Savings Calculator
• Figure Out How Many Coins are in a Jar
• How Much Do You Have to Save to Buy Something?
• Which Day Were You Born On?
• Calculate Your Age in Dog Years
• How Many Days Have You Been Alive?
• How Tall Will You Be As An Adult?
• The Decimal to Binary Calculator Tool
• The Map Scale Conversion Calculator

There's so many more where those came from too!  Be sure to check out the Online Math Calculators with your students!   Thanks again to the students at the W.B. Goodwin Community Center for sharing this awesome resource with me!

Oh, and if you are looking for a refresher on the resources I shared a few years ago, check them out below!

• Khan Academy - modeling of math algorithms & practice exercises
• Study Island - differentiated practice & reteaching
• IXL - Subscription Required - however, sign up for a 30 day free trial!   Great site to practice math skills.  
• National Library of Virtual Manipulatives - collection of manipulatives by grade level to help illustrate math concepts.
• CCC SMART Math - a collection of interactive lessons to help students understand math concepts.
• SMART Exchange - Look for teacher created interactive lessons for use with your SMART Board.  The best part is, if you don't have a SMART Board you can still use them!

App of the Week: Easy Chart HD

App of the Week:  Easy Chart HD for iPad 

What is it?

In Easy Chart HD you can create line, bar, pie and sidebar charts easily. This application provides you simple and beautiful charts on your iPad. You can save in photos in different sizes like small, medium and large. Now you can also able to use this application without an internet connection.

Many exclusive features:

- Get various color schemes 

- Set font size

- Axis labelling

- Get mini chart styles

Who is it for?

Easy Chart HD for iPad is a great app for all ages - in learning about graphs, as well as creating them.  We can also print out these great graphs for the camera roll.

Are you interested in trying out this app?  It's on Cart #2 in the LRC - check it out!

  

       

Happy Pi Day!

Thursday, March 14th is Pi Day!   How are you celebrating this fun math concepts with your students?   In our yearly circle around the sun, Pi Day comes but once a year. Pi Day is March 14, or 3.14, to celebrate the first three digits of everyone’s favorite irrational number.

Here are some fun ideas that were shared with me from a friend from the website, "Flocabulary - hip hop in the classroom".

Celebrate Pi Day with these activities:

1. Check out the video below.  One person made a massive domino spiral celebrating pi. Have your students use pi to estimate how many dominos are in the spiral. (10,059, according to the creator - they show the math problem at the end of the video).

2. Bake a pie or pizza pie. Use pi and circle formulas to determine its circumference, area and volume. When you cut it up to serve, determine the area of each slice. Eat and enjoy.

3. Review the long history of the discovery of pi.

4. Use our Writing Academic Rhymes lessons and have your students write a mnemonic rap to memorize at least 20 digits of pi.

5. Log onto Google Maps and have students scour maps of your hometown for circles (tops of water towers, roundabouts, swimming pools). Using the key, have students calculate the circumferences and areas of the circles.

6.  BrainPOP has a great video on Pi.  Complete with activities and a quiz!   Click here for the Pi video!  You may need our log in information.  Click here if you need it!

Bedtime Math

Have you seen the website Bedtime Math?   It's a great resource for parents and teachers, giving both parties ways to incorporate math into their everyday lives...  Every day they post a new math question and then differentiate the questions to fit different levels of learners.

Definitely a resource worth checking out and sharing with your parents as well.

Thanks for sharing with me, Dana!

From their website:

How to Do Bedtime Math

Don’t sweat it.  

Bedtime Math hopes to be part of your daily routine, but if you’re having one of those days that started with the toilet overflowing, don’t worry.  Bedtime Math problems are here when you want them, when you’re ready.

It’s not official.  

Bedtime Math isn’t an official “curriculum.”  It’s just a fun chance for kids to do math in their heads, so someday when they’re shopping and everything’s 20% off, they can figure out the sale price before the store closes.

Take it by the horns.  

While Bedtime Math loves mental math, it’s totally cool to use paper and pencil when needed.  And if your child wants to tackle a harder BMP, go for it!  You can walk your kids through the steps if they’re stuck, and they’ll be excited to wrestle hard with something and get the answer.

Simmer down.  

The BMPs aim to be fun and lively, but they won’t keep your kids from falling asleep.  In our experience, math can get kids to sit still, focus, and quiet down.

No sibling rivalry, please.  

If you have more than one child doing these, you might want to give each of them different numbers.  Just as we all love our monogrammed toothbrush holders, kids like custom-tailored things, too.

To help this along, each BMP offers three levels of challenge: Wee Ones, Little Kids, and Big Kids.  Again, these don’t signify rigid age ranges or grade levels, but as a rough guideline, Wee Ones are targeted for pre-school kids, Little Kids grades kindergarten through 1st or 2nd, and Big Kids grades 2nd onward.  That said, they differ a little every day, so feel free to pick and choose – and to swap in your own numbers if you like.  There’s no one right way.

ABCya

This is one of my very favorite educational game websites to be used on the computer.   I was reminded today working with a few teachers of why I think it's such a great resource.

ABCya.com is the leader in free educational kids computer games and activities for elementary students to learn on the web. All children's educational computer activities were created or approved by certified school teachers. All educational games are free and are modeled from primary grade lessons and enhanced to provide an interactive way for children to learn.

Grade level lessons incorporate areas such as math and language arts while introducing basic computer skills. Many of the kindergarten and first grade activities are equipped with sound to enhance understanding. Fun children's Holiday activities are available in grade level sections!  This could be something great to check out for Valentine's Day!

This site can only be used on the computer, laptops, or SMART Board.   The website does not currently work on the web browser on the iPads - however we do have some of their apps.   

Super Super Bowl Activities

I always loved doing some sort of Super Bowl Activity when I was a classroom teacher.  Here are just two of my favorites:

Superbowl Bingo:  I loved printing out Bingo cards and giving kids the option of taking some home to play with family and friends.

Click on the links below for BINGO cards. 

• Studio DIY Bingo Cards
• Buzz Buzz Bingo (refresh page for new cards)
• She Knows Bingo Cards

Mean, Median, Mode, Range: Students can find out the mean, median, mode, & range of the scores for the game totals (each quarter's score) - or individual player stats for each quarter, or the game combined.

Today on E is for Explore they had some great activities that I just had to share as well!

Superbowl Prediction: This activity comes from Kid Zone. Kids draw both teams' jerseys or you could have them design new ones! Who do they think will win? Why do they think that team will win (just a guess, past experience, they like their uniform, statistics, etc.). Click here for the original activity! Kids estimate, tally, and graph!

Team Geography - Locate the teams on a map!

Create a Commercial - Give students 1 minute to persuade their classmates to buy a product they made up! They must create visuals and possibly a jingle!

Halftime Planner - If students were in charge of the halftime show, who would they invite to perform?

Superbowl Scavenger Hunt - Kids try to find things during the game, such as "Which quarterback had the most passing yards?" Visit Illuminations for a free printable! Also, check out their analyzing scores activity!

Superbowl Pool - Free printable from Teach Hub! Students estimate the sum of the final scores while watching the game!

App of the Week: Virtual Manipulatives

What is it?

This app is a a set of fraction bars to be used with students.  This app is meant to be used with direct teacher instruction, and give students the opportunity to interact with fractions, decimals, and percents right at their fingertips.   They are able to drag fraction bars on to their workspace, press and hold on a fraction bar to see an equivalent, as well as draw or show work using their finger and the pencil tool. This is a great tool for visual learners to see how fractions compare as well as spot equivalent fractions.  It's also great for students to see how fractions, decimals, and percents relate to each other.   

Who is it for?

I would recommend this app starting in second grade all the way through fifth grade.  It provides a great instructional space for teachers to instruct whole group or with small groups as well as allows a great opportunity for differentiating with the decimal and percent options.   As a visual learner I would of loved to of used this app for adding and subtracting fractions too!  This would be also a great app for student to use with the AirServer for those teachers 

CCSS Connection

Click here to see in detail how this app can help support the Common Core State Standards in math in grades 3-5.   Specifically:

• Develop understanding of fractions as numbers.
• Extend understanding of fraction equivalents and ordering.
• Build fractions from unit fractions.
• Understand decimal notations for fractions and, compare decimal fractions.
• Use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions.

If you'd like a demo of this app or help implementing in your classroom, please let me know!  I'm happy to help!

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

App of the Week: Sonic Pics

What is it?

SonicPics makes digital storytelling fun and easy! Turn your photographs or pictures of student drawings or work into narrated slideshow movies to share! 

• Add images from your photo library or snap new ones with your camera. 
• Arrange your photos however you would like. 
• Record a voiceover narrating your images as you swipe through them. 

Once you are finished, you have a movie with your images synchronized to your narration. You can share your recording with students and parents. 

What can it do?

• Create and narrate custom photo slideshows.
• Records your voice while you flip through your images. 
• Automatically synchronizes your images to the audio recording.
• Present your stories on the SMART Board or projector
• Make movies of your images and narrations from the iPad.
• Record up to 60 minutes per session! 
• Easy image selection and editing. 
• Give images unique names and descriptions that can optionally be shown during recording.
• Build slide shows with photos from photo albums, camera roll or built in camera (great for taking pictures of student work). 

Who is it Good For?
This app is good for all ages.   Students in primary can take pictures and reflect on their work or build slideshows multiple images (pictures taken or drawn).   This app can be used more complex in intermediate with inserting images from the internet, students own photos, or drawings.  If you are interested in trying this with your students, let me know!  I'm happy to help!

CCSS Connection
Click here to see the connection to CCSS for ELA.

App of the Week: Comic Life

What is it?
Comic Life is an awesome app on the iPad that allows users to create comics from a variety of templates, or allows you to build your own.  You can integrate photos, drawings, pictures, and text to create the perfect comic.

Key benefits of using comics in education

- A great visual Representation of Knowledge
- Presents what is essential
- Easier to remember a visual graphic containing key information
- Engaging through thinking, creating and writing.
- Perfect avenue for writing dialogue
- Incites students with low interest in writing
- Helps organization through storytelling and storyboarding
- Using visual images convey meaning to a story or topic
- Develops creative and higher level thought processes
- Develops composition techniques through visual-verbal connections
- Enriches reading, writing, and thinking
- Serves as and assessment and evaluation tool
- Sequencing promotes understanding

Who is it good for?

This really can be used at all levels and across various subject areas.   Students can collaborate on comics or work alone.  Once the comics are finished, students can print them to display. 

If you are interested in giving this a try, let me know and I'd be happy to show you or model making comics in your classroom!

Khan Academy

Today I was invited to quite a few meetings today... one of them being the BATC (Board Advanced Technology Committee) whose purpose is to keep the School Board informed of new technology trends and make recommendations of what our schools need to create meaningful learning experiences.   In doing some research, this committee discussed the Khan Academy.   Now I've heard about Khan Academy and how the videos can be very useful for students, however, I haven't really been reminding staff members on how great it is.

With a library of over 3,800 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice, Khan Academy is on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

Since math is a  QIT goal for Roosevelt, I thought this would a great resource to reshare... enjoy!

App of the Week: Missing Numbers

App of the Week: Missing Numbers

What is it?

Missing Numbers focuses on problems involving addition and subtraction. Initially students solve problems through counting all the objects visible or through partitioning or segregation and counting all the objects given. Missing Numbers encourages students to use more sophisticated strategies such as counting backward and counting on.   Missing Numbers scaffolds students through the use of seen and unseen (hidden) objects, allowing students to 'check' their answer by 'peeking' at the hidden objects and the ability to move objects to allow ease of counting.

Who is it good for?
This is a great introduction to problem solving for younger students.   The four different games allow a great opportunity for differentiation.  

• How Many - How many altogether?
• Show Me - Move the objects to show partitioning in subtraction.
• Addition - There are 11 altogether.  How many are hiding in my hand?
• Subtraction - There are 4 altogether.  How many are in the box. 

There is also a Teacher Tool available for you to create your own problems or equations.

CCSS Connection:  Operations and Algebraic Thinking
For specific standards, click on the links below.

• Kindergarten
• 1st grade
• 2nd grade

If you'd like to use this with your class, please let me know!  I'd be happy to help!

Virtual Math Manipulatives

Last week, I spent a day and a half at a Math Common Core training with Math teachers K-5.   It was great to learn more about the math standards, and to "play math" with our consultant, Kristen Clegg from the Dynamic Math institute.   I had been in two previous trainings before with Kristen, however, this one was unique as there was no internet!    Kristen really likes the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives which has several applets for you to interact with, and had a desktop version to share, however, we've had some issues with the site working properly on our apple computers.

At a conference that I recently attended, I learned about another great manipulatives site by McGraw Hill.   There are a variety of manipulatives for K-8 that are very dynamic and easy to use.  I love that you can pull in rulers and such as well.  Once done working, you have the option of printing out what you worked on as well - which would be great for a station!    See below for an example.

If you are interested in learning more about this site or would like a personalized demo, please feel free to ask!

App of the Week: Educreations

Educreations

What is it?

Educreations turns your iPad into a recordable whiteboard. Creating a great video tutorial is as simple as touching, tapping and talking. Explain a math formula... Create an animated lesson... Add commentary to your photos... Diagram a sports play... With voice recording, realistic digital ink, photos and text, and simple sharing through email, now you can broadcast your ideas from anywhere.

Who is it good for?

This app can be used at all grade levels AND subject areas... in various different ways.

 TEACH WHAT YOU KNOW

• Help students with homework by working through an example problem.
• Put your lessons on the web so students can watch them before and after class.
• Tutor someone from afar.
• Showcase your video tutorials on educreations.com and share your knowledge with the world.
• Add your commentary to famous works of art.
• Diagram football plays, John Madden style.

FEATURES

• Record and replay your voice, handwriting and drawings

• Add text to any page

• Add photos from the iPad camera, Photo Albums, Dropbox or the Web

• Animate images by dragging them around while recording

• Pause and resume recording anytime

• Create multiple whiteboard pages

• Undo and redo your actions

• Choose from 10 different ink colors 

CCSS ties

This app would be great a great way for students of all ages to work on their Mathematical Practices in relation  to the various standards for their grade level. 

Click here for the Student Friendly Version of the Mathematical Practices. 

           

Record MP3

On Wednesday, I attended a conference geared towards primary students and using technology.  In the coming weeks, I'm looking forward to sharing many of these awesome resources with you.

Record mp3

This site allows you to record your voice or your student's voice.  It then turns the recording into a web address which you could turn into a QR Code that can be scanned on iPads, Smart Phones, etc. or you can keep it as a web address to share with parents.

My mind is racing about how to use this in the classroom!   I've spoken with a few teachers about these ideas...

• Recording a reflection on a piece created in art, then posting a QR code that can be scanned to hear the artist's reflection - OR even about an art style/concept learned in class and how they applied it in their piece.
• Recording a student's singing to be shared
• Recording a student's fluency passage 
• Recording a student reading a piece of their writing
• Recording directions to give to students... or homework!

The possibilities are endless!  Do you think you could have a use for this?   Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!  If you'd like help integrating this into your classroom, please let me know!  I look forward to sharing a sample in the future.

App of the Week: Base Ten Fun

APP OF THE WEEK:  Base Ten Fun 

What is it?

Base Ten Fun utilizes base ten blocks as virtual manipulatives to help children with place value, number sense, counting, addition and subtraction. This app focuses on the one’s, ten’s and hundred’s place using cubes, rods and flats as manipulatives. 

Who is it good for?

Base Ten Fun includes three practice modes and a fun BINGO game. The practice modes and the BINGO game are highly customizable to meed the needs of a variety of learners.   It really provides some visual help for those students who need to interact with the manipulatives. 

CCSS Connection: Numbers and Operations in Base Ten

For specific standards, click on the links below:

• Kindergarten
• 1st grade
• 2nd grade
• 3rd grade
• 4th grade
• 5th grade would use this more for a review of previous grades' standards if needed.

Want a demo or to try it in your class?   Let me know!  I'd be happy to help!