Beginning of Year Math Update

Math
So far in math, we have been learning the procedures for Math Workshop and practicing the different stations within Math Workshop (while practicing math skills as well). Our math stations include a small group lesson, math practice, math games, computers, and math boxes. During the math practice or math boxes stations, we have several different types of math task options to choose from such as activities involving math and art, math and science, math and English, etc.

• Small Group Lesson:
• Our groups are flexible, which means they change quite often based on who needs to learn (or re-learn) specific math skills and concepts. Small group lessons have not begun yet. 

• Math Practice:
• Toward the end of the small group lesson, students in the group are assigned work to practice the math skills/concepts learned or reviewed during the lesson. They practice these skills and concepts during this station. If they finish before the rotation is over, they can choose from any of the math task options; these include math activities involving various subjects such as art, music, science, English, social studies, etc. Specific examples include math designs, the American Tour, polygon posters, and math books (like The Greedy Triangle, the Math Curse, and Grapes of Math . 

• Math Games:
• Normally, there are a few options for math games, and one of the options is always a game that can be played on the Smartboard. The Smartboard games range from Everyday Math games online (Factor Captor, Exponent Ball, etc.) or games from the Math Links page on our blog. 
• Games are played with 2-5 players, depending on the game. So far in math, we have played Factor Captor and Place Value Go-Fish. 

• Computers: 
• During the computer stations, students complete their individualize math lesson on Tenmarks. Tenmarks lessons are beneficial in the following ways: to help in determining small groups, to provide additional practice after learning a skill/concept, or to offer challenges for those who need enrichment. 
• When students have completed their Tenmarks lesson (10-20 questions, with the option of making corrections to missed problems), they will typically choose a math game from Everyday Math online. Occasionally, they will have a math topic assigned, which they can play any games from the Math Links page on our blog that focuses on that assigned math topic.

• Math Boxes: 
• Students have the option of working individually or collaborating with others in the group on math boxes in their Everyday Math journals. Math boxes provide spiral practice, which means they target a variety of math skills to help with learning retention. Students are encouraged to use their SRBs (student reference books) to help remind/teach themselves skills they need help on in their math boxes. If they finish before the rotation is over, they can choose from any of the math task options; these include math activities involving various subjects such as art, music, science, English, social studies, etc. Specific examples include math designs, the American Tour, polygon posters, and math books (like The Greedy Triangle, the Math Curse, and Grapes of Math .