Blended Math: Place Value Table 1

Example of student's work today.

Today I'll guide 23 students and a number of teachers in a complex-for-fourth grade activity.  I will start the activity by telling students that this will be tedious at first, but in the end they'll learn valuable tech skill and math skill.

These are the steps involved.

1. Open a Google doc. 
2. Name the Doc: Place Value Chart 1
3. Place title on top of doc.
4. Set the font size and type: 18pt, bold
5. Make a 2X1 table.
6. Label the table" Column one: base-ten numeral name, Column two: model.
7. Type the number 1,234 in base-ten numeral form (standard form) 1,234, number name (word form): one thousand, two hundred thirty-four, and expanded form 1,000+200+30+4 
8. Open a new window and google, "everyday math etools"
9. Open the etool site, open base-ten blocks, and make a model for 1,234.
10. Screen shot (shift-command-4) the model.
11. Go back to Google doc table, insert and size the image.
12. Click "insert page break"
13. Repeat the process three times with three new numbers: 406, 2,091, and 34,678 (note as numbers get bigger, students may need to make two or more screen shots to make the number.)
14. When students complete all four tables, they should review, print in b/w, show the teacher.
15. Then if they have time, they can attempt to make a challenge number 2,345,678. Note that they will need multiple screen shots for this and use creativity. 

Learning to make tables is a very effective tech skill--a skill that can be applied to all learning areas and a skill that can help students organize information in useful, memorable ways.

Today's lesson will be tedious as the children will want to jump ahead, but I'll take the time upfront to set the stage for their thoughtful, step-by-step investment. 

Let me know if you have any tips, and if you try the lesson, let me know how it goes. 

Righting the Teaching Ship in Wavy Waters

I've noticed that the Internet buzz amongst teachers seems a bit quiet these days, and I'm wondering if the reason is that many teachers are righting their classroom ships in the wavy waters of new evaluation systems, RETELL, new standards, and other matters that create the busy waters of school life.

This week I'm working hard to keep the ship directed towards student learning; sharing the journey's choices along the way with students. For example, the new standards find us working with a bit more precision and detail when it comes to our usual studies. We're thinking deeply about reading strategy, writing craft, and the standards of mathematical thinking.  This precision is fostering even greater emphasis on "learning to learn," habits of mind, and collaboration as we work through the sometimes tedious vocabulary, close reading, and math detail. That's one part of the complex steering mechanism alive in the classroom, yet we know that too much detail can serve to diminish creativity and excitement, hence we've also got the STEAMship and PBL gears oiled and active. The daily conversation about learning, focus, priorities, tenacity, and curiosity keep us energized and ready to learn.

Choreographing this ride well is the key to running a good classroom. Keep the focus, include the right mix of precision, creativity, collaboration, and effort, and don't lose sight of your destination: teaching children well. Happy Travels.

Common Core Creativity at Fourth Grade

I spent the day digging into the Common Core Standards for fourth grade. The specific language of the standards, numerous resources on the Internet, knowledge of my students, and summer learning design research served to set the stage for some great work.

The key to the Common Core is to embed these standards into worthy learning design, design that responds to students' developmental level, essential skill needs, interests, and passions.

Hence with each standard I attached a learning experience that I feel will engage my students, support essential skill development, and prompt further inquiry.  I used a blended approach for the learning design which includes tech integration, video, collaborative work, field studies, hands-on explorations, paper/pencil/tech practice, and celebrations.  The lessons range from one-period detail lessons to multi-period units. Also, with every lesson there's a 1-2-3 range of learning with 1 as a review level, 2 for grade level, and 3 for enrichment opportunities. In addition there's a rubric with which students evaluate their own work then review the evaluation and work with the teacher.

At present, I'm designing many of these lessons for UClass which are available for a small fee. UClass is providing me with a platform, editing, and team to promote my work.  I'm also using all the lessons I create with my fourth graders so that we meet local, State, and national standards. I continue to be excited about this opportunity to dig in deeply with the common core standards in a creative, student-centered way. I am attempting to blend the best of both worlds by combining the essential skill development of the Common Core with project/problem based learning whenever possible.

Take a look if you're interested.  Let me know if you have further ideas.



Disclosure: Just as an author of a book receives royalties, I'm receiving a fee for my work from UClass.

Maker Station/STEAM Share Grant

Our collegial work on our Maker Station/STEAM Grant continues.  We've been researching tools, materials, and processes over the past few days to write this grant.  We'll add the finishing touches tomorrow.

What do we think is important when it comes to this effort?

First, students, in our tech age are hungry for this kind of collaboration and learning.  One boy has been asking me daily when STEAM share will start?

Next, I'm excited about the fact that we've chosen a relatively "dead" teaching time for this invigorating activity as we're planning this grade-level learning exploration and share for Friday afternoons.  Certainly I'd like to schedule this as a daily event, however the standards we're required to teach in order to develop a foundation of essential reading, writing, and math take up most of that time.

After that, I'm really excited that we might be able to start true STEAM exploration at a young age, an age before minds start to close and opportunities narrow.  I'm hoping that we'll inspire some future scientists, mathematicians, artists, tech experts, and engineers.  In particular, I'm excited about reaching out to young girls with this exploration.  The STEAM emphasis provides many inroads to science; avenues that are often not made available to young girls.  I keep thinking about Cornell's School of Human Ecology, a place where interdisciplinary work often takes place to create solutions to world needs and issues.   STEAM supports this kind of thinking and work.

Finally, I look forward to the carrot STEAM will provide for my students who are sneaking Minecraft rather than doing their reading/writing work.  Now I can say, "Hey, Friday is right around the corner, and that will be a time that you and your friends can collaborate with multiple tools to create, innovate, explore, and discover.  Do your skills work now, and then you'll even be stronger at doing what you want to do during Friday STEAM!"  I know this probably doesn't sound wonderful to those outside of the field, but we still do have to shore up those essential skills--skills that some children don't learn easily or gravitate to with zest.

I'm grateful to my colleagues for supporting this effort, and for Ms. Cherwinski (@susan_cherwinski), in particular, who is leading the way with countless hours of STEAM research and exploration.  I'm also grateful to my PLN for supplying me with a multitude of ideas and links that got this effort going last year.  Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed--I hope we get the funding we're looking for, and just think ten years from now our students may return to tell us stories of the amazing STEAM work they're doing as young adults.


Related Posts:
Building Something That Matters
STEAM Labs, Tools, and Play
STEAM Share
Full STEAM Ahead

Macro-Micro Focus

I move between the macro- and micro- focus of education constantly.  As soon as I challenge the macrosphere of education, I return to the microsphere so that I'm exemplifying in my tiny sphere what I'm asking for with the greater picture in mind.

For example, I just asked for greater response and share in my post, Sharing Ideas, so now it's time to ask myself that question--Am I meeting the need for share and response of my students?

There's always room for growth in this regard since most of the effort lies in your personal time--weekends, nights, and early mornings, but like most teachers, I'm committed to this because I know feedback and response matters.

Hence, over the next week I'll attend to the many papers the students have produced--wonderful stories, reflections, responses, and creations.  I'll also continue to check Edmodo and e-mail daily for updates, questions, and ideas.  Further, I'll continue a commitment to updating the class website, daily Twitter about class learning, and a weekly newsletter with information about efforts achieved, current learning, and future plans.  An open door policy invites parents to partake in the learning, join the class for special events, and have meetings when needed.

If I ask a lot of others, I need to ask a lot of myself too.  Time to get busy.

Sharing Ideas

A leader recently chided me for sharing too much.  My response was to say, "Then what do I do when I have an idea or question?"  The leader left without answering that question. Another leader simply never answers my emails--that's another way to send the message, "Questions aren't welcome here." I have other leaders who are responsive, straightforward, and supportive. Leadership matters in schools because supportive, encouraging leadership that takes the time to listen and respond with truth and transparency invigorate the environment and grow the potential possible when it comes to teaching children well.

It's probably troubling to some leaders to have staff who ask questions--another issue to consider, another email to write.  Yet, I think systems of idea share and exchange can serve to move learning communities forward.

Yes, I have lots of ideas. When you sit at the front line of education like I do you are always coming up with ideas to make teaching and learning better because you're forever met with more to do than time to do it--your job is one of constantly prioritizing who and what gets the attention. Most educators accept the fact that it's not their place to think "outside of their role" and don't share their ideas further than the water cooler or the teaching team.

Hence today when I was about to share a few ideas with leadership, I decided to place my ideas on the blog instead.  This morning's awesome and riveting #satchat prompted this share--the chat was great because there was lots of debate and disagreement--the kind that serves to teach you and move you forward.

Therefore my ideas:

How do you keep the vision alive?
School systems will thrive if collective vision is kept alive regularly rather than infrequent attention to our common goals.

Listen to the voices of all stakeholders?
Sometimes teachers get discouraged because no one is listening or answering questions. For example, teachers have strong opinions about what they need to do a good job, but we are rarely asked, and if asked, our responses are not shared with each other.

What's being said at the leadership table?
When the leaders' goals and focus are clear and specific with transparency, the whole organization benefits.  Where are we hitting the mark?  Where are we not hitting the mark?  What is the main focus?

Efficient Process
We've instituted many new structures to move schools forward.  It's clear that some of those new structures are inefficient and don't reap results at least not apparent results.  I wish we could have honest discussions about that--what structures make a difference, and what structures do not make a difference.

Teacher Success
What teachers are reaching wonderful success, and how are they doing that?  I want to know that.  Leaders have all kinds of ways of looking at teachers' success with depth, but that data is often not shared--sharing that data in meaningful, inclusive, authentic, respectful ways can serve to move us all forward.  The data, however, has to be looked at well with all factors in mind.  For example if one class has all well-cared for, advanced students and the other has a pocket of children who struggle for a number of reasons, those factors need to be considered.

Timelines
What's on the agenda today, tomorrow, and in the weeks to come.  How are we going to meet the new State standards, and what's our approach?  It's embarrassing to go to a teacher meeting and not know what's going on in your own system as teachers discuss new initiatives, efforts, and mandates. 

Vision
What is the long term vision?  What are we reaching for?  Where are our rough spots?  Where are our success spots?  How can one advance in our system?  What questions are welcome and what questions are not, and why?  

Yes, I ask a lot of questions.  Yes, I share a lot of ideas.  Yes, I believe that communication, transparency, and shared ideas and vision do work to forward a learning community. Perhaps I'm wrong about this, and perhaps there are issues I'm not aware of.  I welcome your insights.

It's difficult to be passionate and inquisitive and told to not ask questions or receive no response. I'll remember that as I work with my students with similar attributes in the days ahead.

I welcome your thoughts on this matter.

Scores

The Massachusetts' MCAS (standardized tests) scores are in.  The scores are posted and ranked in the local news, and no we were not number one.  Of course, like anyone, I like to be #1 and that's the aim each year, but with all competition aside, what can we cull from this report?

First, I work in a fortunate system.  The children are well cared for and the parents typically have the means to meet basic needs and more.  Hence, our scores are typically good overall.  We all know there's an economic edge to scores.

Next, the scores are one of many indicators from which to assess our work and draw conclusions. I typically analyze the scores with scrutiny and make new goals dependent on what I notice. Over the years my classes have had a range of scores, and when I analyze carefully I can see trends, areas for improvement, and areas that affirm our collective efforts.

After that, I remind myself this is one indicator of overall success for students.  These are relatively short tests where children (my students are fourth graders) sit at their desks for a l o n g time to answer paper/pencil questions that require a good memory, fine grasp of the skills/concepts, and the ability to apply those skills.  That's a lot to integrate for many fourth graders so there needs to be room for variability in scores.  The main area of importance is growth over time, and a positive attitude towards learning.  If we looked at successful adults' childhood scores, I imagine we'd see quite a range.

So let's take these scores for what they are, one indicator of collective and individual performance. Let's see what goals and potential growth for our teaching and student learning we can cull from these reports, and then let's continue on a renewed path of teaching children well.