Reflect:
- Video Link: Part 3: Math Experiences that Build Fluency
- Spend some time looking at the Number Routines, Fluency, and Differentiation Pages of our Math Sites. Think about which math games and math experiences help to build math fluency. Here are the links:
- What math games are your favorites for building math fluency? (Remember fluency is more than just fast & accurate. Fluency also means FLEXIBLE).
- What strategies do you use for building number sense in kids?
- What caused you to pause and think during this video?
Respond:
After watching the video and exploring our Math Site, please post your response to one {or more} of the prompts above.
Interact:
Read your colleagues' reflections. Feel free to respond to someone by sharing a comment, insight, or interesting possibility.
From the Number Routine page I have used: Which One Doesn’t Belong, Make it Monday’s, and the Estimation from Steve Wyborney. I like that all of these allow students to make their own answers or opinions and then justify their thinking using math and rationale. This has led my students to really think about what numbers make sense for estimating and for the Which Doesn’t Belong, they have to come up with a math reason why it doesn’t belong. When students share their thinking, they are usually able to convince at least one other person in the class that their thinking is “more right”. Since as long as you use math to justify everyone is correct. I also like how when talking about their thinking someone will usually say- I didn’t think about it that way. That shows good flexibility in thinking and maybe the student who didn’t think about it that way might start to think a little more flexibly in the future.
ReplyDeleteMath games that we used in 4th grade so far this year include the Four in a Row and Product 500, Produce 6500, and the other Product games for multiplication. I don’t know if there was a Product game for 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication, but we did that as well in class. I really love games that are simple and no prep that kids can play with either dice or decks of cards and a whiteboard. I am more willing to have play because there isn’t a lot of getting ready or clean up and the kids remember the games easily and can play them at home.
In Chapter 1, Zero Wins was a fun game to play because the kids had to be very thoughtful of the numbers they used and had to think a step ahead which is great flexibility and fluency to have in their thinking.
I would love other games that are low prep that we can use to build fluency.
What made me stop and think during the video was about word problems. I agree they are important for kids since that really is how we use math in our adult lives. I really wish textbooks and tests were clear in what they were saying and asking for in word problems. Often students struggle to understand or comprehend the word problem even when they know how to do the math.
I have also loved "Which One Doesn't Belong". It is so fun to listen to students share their various observations and justifications. I have loved how engaging this is for all level of students because there is no right answer and all my students seem to enjoy sharing their ideas as well as hearing others.
DeleteI have been creating a routine to start our math each day. I am working on putting more games into it! She talked about having games and the kids will do some much more than if it is repetitive problems. I love that and it is so important to make it fun. We have been using white boards and doing word problems all together and my class has been having a lot of fun with it! Using visuals is also so great. I have been trying to give out blocks or some other fun things when we are working on numbers and the beginning of addition.
ReplyDeleteI am working on building my Math game collection also. I went from teaching kindergarten to third so establishing all of those is a lot of work but well worth it!
DeleteThere are SO many great resources on the math site! I have used a variety of these but really enjoyed spending some more time looking through these resources. One of my favorite games to play with first graders has been first grade Yahtzee. It is SO simple, students love it, and the repetition with the dice helps them work on number recognition and fluency. While exploring the math site more, I found the number talk posters which I definitely want to start using in my class. These will be so helpful to get students talking to and responding to one another rather than just sharing their own answers. This is a very valuable skill that will make our number talks more engaging. The video was a great reminder for me that there are so many opportunities to build number sense with students throughout the day, and to make real world connections with them.
ReplyDeleteI'm so grateful that you were able to spend some time checking out all the math resources. It takes time for sure - but I remember my mind being BLOWN the first time I discovered the math flips. They are so good!
DeleteMy favorite way to get the students thinking about number sense is using Math Flips. After a few days of using the cards (whether on screen or hard copy), the students it's fun to watch the students get an understanding of the relationships between sides A and B. It's like a light bulb goes on in some of them! The games I have the most luck with seem to have a competitive element, so anything like Fraction War or the Bump style games are always a hit. In this video, the mention of using story problems as a main technique for developing fluency made me think more about trying to take note of more real-world application situations that I could incorporate into lessons.
ReplyDeleteI am incorporating number routines at the start of our math time and my favorites I have used are "Which Doesn't Belong?", "What's the Rule?" and math flips. I love that math flips get students engaged as more is revealed. Even my most resistant to sharing in class find themselves sharing and discussing with their peers. They are a great way to build confidence so when we dive into our lesson, they are already meeting their brains halfway. I'm so anxious for my subitizing cards to get to me! They love having that time to work together on building their multiplication facts and I want to give them more visuals to build that flexibility.
ReplyDeleteYay! I love to hear that the math routines are encouraging your reluctant sharers to participate. Huge celebration!
DeleteIn my classroom our math routines are well established. My students are able to complete their independent work after the lesson and have math choices of computer work, Math around the room and math games. I also have been working to provide different independent practice for each of my leveled math groups. I use this time to pull students to work with me.
ReplyDelete