Can't wait for fall break!!!!

I doesn't seem possible, but Fall Break is almost here!  Heck Yeah!  and I am soooooooooooo excited.  I don't have any definite plans as of yet, but I'm not worried.  I'm sure it will be action packed.

Let's get down to business, shall we?  We Shall!!!

Next week is a short week for me in terms of teaching.  Friday is a Hornet Walk at the Rim.  Hornet walk is our yearly fall fundraiser.  It is a hectic and tiring day, but there's no lesson plan for the day.  I just get to show up.  

It has taken me all weekend to commit to objectives for this week. I am feeling like I am behind. When I look at my plans from last year, I actually am a little behind. ugh! First 9 weeks of last year, I had covered multiplying and dividing fractions.  With that in mind, I am going to skip adding and subtracting mixed numbers for now and go forward with multiplying and dividing fractions, which is something that I like teaching and there are problems in the book.  I don't use the book much for assignments, but I do whenever I can.  Covering multiplying and dividing fractions works for me in several ways.  :)  

There are so many activities and idea for Multiplying and Dividing fractions. 
I bought this bundle last year from 4mula Fun.  I will use it again this year.  Let me know if you would like to see it.  I found this one too that I really like.  It seems like you get a lot of stuff for the money.  Here's the link for the blog. I really liked the way it illustrates dividing fractions by whole numbers. If I don't buy the bundle, I may imitate some of the examples. 

There's one last thing I want to share that caught my eye.  It applies fractions to baking.  It's pretty cute. Here's the link to it.

Monday ~ September 29

Multiply Fractions
I found the video below.  We'll be watching this several times.  It's pretty catchy! 

While searching YouTube (YT and Pinterest are my favorite websites), I ran across Flocabulary.  I really like the multiplying fractions vidoe.  Now I'm torn between the two video.  Do you have any favorite videos that you watch with your students?  Please share if you do, I love using videos to teach concepts.

Tuesday ~ September 30
Divide Fractions

Wednesday ~ October 1
Review Multiply and Divide Fractions

The test will cover divisibility rules, factors, multiples, adding and subtracting fractions, and multiplying and dividing fractions.  I am going to use this day to practice multiplying and dividing fraction.  I saw this pin.

and immediately knew I had to incorporate this into today's lesson.  A couple of years ago, I bought a bunch of cards from dollar tree.  I think I will just put some cards in baggies and put the students into groups.  I think they'd enjoy that!


Thursday ~ October 2
Test!!    

Friday ~ October 3rd
Hornet Walk!!!

Internet Find

I found this while trolling the internet look for math stuff.  It is a 7th grade Interactive Notebook by Maria Gonzalez.  There are some things I really like about it.  I like the weekly vocabulary.  I'm still thinking about how I could incorporate into my current notebook.  Another thing that caught me eye, is the weekly prompt.  How clever!  I found her notebook to be inspiring in many different ways.

How are things working for you in your room so far?  Have you found some cool and interesting things?  Did you use the butterfly method from last week's post?  I did, and I think I liked it.  Most of the kids did as well.  I'd love it if you left a comment and let me know what is or isn't working for you.  I'm glad to help out in any way!!

I could keep this blog post going on forever.  There are so many good finds out there.  I hope I have provided you with something that is useful.  I hope you have a great week and an even better fall break!!!

~jenn

A week full of assessment!!!

September 22 ~ 26

This week my students will be taking ThinkLink, Discovery Ed, in three subject areas: ELA, Math, and Science.  Being that I also teach Computers, I take on the responsibility to administer Discovery Ed.  This week also starts our journey into fractions, at least the basics and possibly ending the week adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  Below is my testing schedule for this week.

Monday ~ ELA.

I have 2 - 50 minute periods, or block, to incorporate Math and Computers. It takes several students the entire block to finish ELA.  I hope to squeeze in some kind of pretest over fractions.  I want to see what skills students have over the basics:  adding and subtracting with common denominator, change improper fraction to mixed number and vice versa.  I don't expect to get much else accomplished.

Tuesday ~ Math

Thankfully, the math portion does not take as long as ELA.  I will be able to do some math today but I doubt I will have a full 50 minute period.  I plan to keep things simple, I will go over converting improper fraction to mixed number and vice versa.

I found this journal entry on Pinterest(what did I do before Pinterest came into my life?  I don't even want to think about those days.  lol).  I want to do something like that today with students.

Wednesday ~ No Discovery Ed today

I will have a visitor with me on this day to see how I run my classroom.  Because of that I decided that students will take a break from Discovery Ed.  The results of the pretest will determine more of what I will be going over on this day and the rest of the week.  At this point, I am certain that I will be adding and subtracting fractions.

I had never heard of the "Butterfly Method" until I started searching around the internet.  But I think I will try it with the kiddos this year and see how it goes over.  Here is a picture of it.

I'm not sure how I feel about the butterfly method.  I've always preach to find the LCM to find the common denominator so there is less simplifying to do.  This method finds just a common denominator by multiplying the denominators together.  I still think I'm going to use this method and see how the kids like it.

Here is what my journal entry will look like.

In addition to the journal entry, I will give students 2 or 3 problems to work in pairs.

I don't make many assignments out of the book, but with this lesson it is possible.  I will assign students Pg. 15 4 - 9, 13, 14.  I am proud of myself for sticking to the RISE method this year.  I tried RICE last year, and it was an epic fail for me.  I just was not able to stick to it, but with RISE I am doing much better.  My students now know that all word problems are to be worked using the RISE method.  13 and 14 are RISE problems.  If you would like to know more about RISE let me know.  Its a great problem solving technique that Melanie from South Lincoln came up with.  It's a lot like RICE, but just a little different.  I really like it!!!

I also found a video, you know how I love videos.  I love Mario too.  I couldn't resist sharing it with y'all.

Thursday ~ Science Discovery Ed

Thursday is Science Day!!  The last day of the Discovery Ed testing!  This test usually only takes one 50 minutes class period.  Today I will cover adding mixed numbers.

I found this worksheet that I like.  Although, I wish there were some problems with unlike denominators, but I like the pictorial representation of the mixed numbers.

My assignment for this day is coming out of an old math book that we used to use.  I really dislike how our book only has one page of adding and subtracting fractions, much less adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  I kept a classroom set of the old math book that we use to use.  I will jot some problems on a piece of paper, copy it, and give to the students for homework.  When it comes to fractions, I end up writing their worksheets by hand instead of typing it up.  Typing fractions is more work than its worth in my book.

Friday ~ Quiz Day

The quiz for this week will cover writing improper fractions as mixed number, mixed numbers as improper fractions, adding and subtracting fractions, and adding mixed numbers.

I hope you have a great week.  Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with!!!

September 15 ~ 19

This week I will be covering Divisibility Rules, Factors and Multiples.

I have found two flipables to use with divisibility rules.  At this moment, I can't decide which ones to use, both are awesome!!

Here is the link for the foldable above.  I found it on Pinterest. This foldable above covers rules  2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.  If I use this one, I am going to take off the 7, and add 10

Here is the link for the other foldable: it is more of a book.  The book covers rules 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10.  I really want to cover the divisibility rule for 8, need to figure something out if I am to cover it.  The link above takes you to a blog.  There are instructions on the folding and cutting part.

Time is closing so I need to decide here in a bit.  I hope you find one that works for you!!!

Monday and Tuesday

I will be covering divisibility rules.  I think it will take a good part of Monday to get the foldable completed, and do a couple of examples.  Tuesday, I will have the students do problems together in pairs.

Here are the journal entries that we created last year.

Day One

Day Two

As far as assignments, I am using worksheets that I got from Math-Aids.com.  The website has other great worksheets too, and they are generated.  You can get multiple worksheets!!!  I also think I am going to have students shade in the box for Yes, and leave blank in for No's.  In my opinion students like to color, so I thought it would be a good twist if the students colored the sheet.  It's just an idea.

Wednesday

I will cover factors.  I want my journal page to look a lot like this.  

Here's what last year's entry looks like.

 I need to scan the copy of this days assessment.  I wrote out the problems on a piece of notebook paper, and copied it to give the students.  Once scanned, I will be sure to attach the assignment.

Thursday 

I will cover multiples.  I like today's journal entry too.  Below is the entry that I completed last year with my classes.

I don't see me changing this entry much.  

Friday

Friday's are my quiz/test day.  This Friday in no exception.  Students will take a quiz.

I don't have my quiz made out yet.  I hope to have to done by Wednesday. 

Assessment Tools

I used two new websites this week in class, and I am sure I will continue to use them.  I'm so excited about them, I will tell anyone about them that will listen.

Plickers.com

The first one is Plickers.com.  The website takes the place of electronic clickers.  On the website, you do have to create classes and enter your students.  When you enter your students, each child will be assigned a number/picture.  Each picture is different so students will not be able to barrow other's answers.  On each side of the picture is an answer option: A, B, C, OR D.  Give the students a problem, and they will show your their answer using the picture.  You scan the room with either an Apple or Andriod device, (I used an iPad), and the device will record the students answers.  The students that answer incorrectly are highlighted in red.  So you have instant feedback on each individual student.  

One thing that I want to mention, is that you can enter the questions as you go.  Using the iPad, you enter the question and the answer, which only takes a few seconds, then hit scan, and it does the rest for you.

When I used it last week, I had the students practice locating integers on a number line.  I gave them 5 number lines and gave students time to answer all the questions.  Starting with number 1, I collected their answers and then discussed the problem.  What I loved about discussing each problem, is that I was able to get feeback/input from those that missed each problem.  I loved using Plickers, and the students did too.  The next day students were asking when we were going to use them again. 

Quick Key

This website I'm going to tell you about was recommended to me by Katrina!!!  It rocks too.  I used it twice: Thursday and Friday.  This website/tool basically takes the place of a scan tron machine.  I'm not fond of the one that is at my school, and Quick Key is awesome.  The downside to quick key is that is only available on iPhones or iPads, but if you have one of those, then there is not a downside.  :)  It is like Plickers, in that you have to create classes and students, but you also have to create the quiz beforehand. Using an iPad, I scanned each person's answer sheet, which you have to download and copy.  Once an answer sheet is scanned, it will report how many questions the student got correct. Again, I used it twice two days in a row, and will definitely use it again, very soon.

That is all I have for now.  Is there any particular website that you use in your classroom that you recommend to others?  I would love to hear about it.

Have a great week!!!!

The 3rd Week!  I finally feel like things are starting to get in a groove.  Which is nice.  I hope you are experiencing a similar feeling.  If not, then hopefully real soon.

I am excited for this week's objectives!!  I'll be teaching Properties.  I love teaching properties, and the kiddos really enjoy it too.  What makes teaching properties fun are the awesome videos found on YouTube.

My favorite video is by Mr. Q-U-E.  We will be watching this one many times this week.     

Here is the other video I show students.  The girls are pretty silly, but I still like it.



If you have any videos that you use in class, please let me know.  I love incorporating videos into my lessons.

I will be having my first test this Friday.  My test is going to cover everything that we have worked on in the last three weeks: Classifying Number, Absolute Value, Ordering Integers, Plotting Integers on a number line, Properties, and Representing situations using Integers.

Here are some worksheets that I will be using throughout the week,

Identifying Properties Worksheet
Properties Practice
Properties Start to Finish I've not used this worksheet before, but I found it in my Properties file.  I will warn there is a mistake on D.  The expression should be set = to 42 not 56.
Properties Quiz  I think this is a quiz that I used a couple of years ago.  I figured I would include it anyway.  Feel free to use as you wish.

I found this awesome blogger while spending time on internet.  She has a lot of examples of foldables/flippables that she uses in her INB, interactive notebook.  I plan on making a 4 four door flippable with the Associative, Commutative, Distributive, and Identity even though Identity is not required.  I still like to cover it. The flippable template is in her blog.  I also like the Request to Retest document that she has.  I think I'm going to use it.  In theory, I don't believe in redo's.  I know that may sound bad, but that's how life is.  Sometimes you only get one shot at things.  But when it comes to learning I think it is an appropriate thing to do.  The student has to attach proof that they tried to master the objective, that's the part that I REALLY like.  In the end, students need to learn the objectives before TCAP.  If a student follows through with the request, then I am alright with redoing a test.

I will try to get pictures up in the next day or two of my properties flippable.  I also found this foldable activity that may be of help. I like questions that is included with it.  It has given me new ideas to ask the students about properties. I would show you what last year's journal entry looks like, but to be quite honest, it wasn't that great.  I want to do a better one this year.  I want this year's to look more like this (minus the property of zero) I hope you can find something useful in this blog entry.

I hope you have a great week!
Jenn