the heart and soul of a teacher

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to YOU!

Q: So what do you think melts a teacher's heart?

• a sweet compliment from a student, parent, or colleague
• a lunch that doesn't require standing in the microwave line in the lounge
• time provided for effective staff development that directly impacts student learning
• new tools for their classroom

A: ALL of the above! :)
My school celebrated this festive teacher holiday last week. We started with student notes organized by our Student Council. I treasure every tiny slip of purple paper with comments from my students. And I can't even begin to describe the amazing event our PTO showcased. Not one...but TWO catered lunches! A day of chocolate desserts...name a teacher who doesn't love chocolate?!? A "You're a Rock Star!" cupcake with a $5 Sonic gift card. Plus a gift bag of fun stuff for each and every teacher. Oh...and did I mention the random drawings for gift cards on the daily announcements? Drawings. Plural. As in 8 drawings each day! I know. They spoil us rotten!

In the midst of the fun, I was able to attend an excellent staff development from ExploreLearning. Karen Lyons came in from New Jersey to get us organized. I'm so thankful for her and the expertise she shared. I learned much as I realized I have not been using this tool to its fullest potential. The interactive simulations they offer will be the perfect complement to my LTF lessons! And by the gracious grant gift from my school district I will not be standing in line to reserve the computer lab to make this a reality. My students will be enrolled in my 1:1 technology classroom for the next school year.

The blessings abound and the fun continues in these final days of our school year. So it's official...this teacher's heart is melting!

I hope you have a fabulous week and feel appreciated for all the awesome work you do with students day after day. Make it count!

teacher appreciation jackpot

I am super excited to participate in the first Teacher Appreciation Jackpot! Sunday, May 6th is sure to be your lucky day! The Jackpot is an amazing "blog hop" event involving over 130 bloggers!

We wanted to show our appreciation for you in a BIG way, so we're all going to give away one of our TeachersPayTeachers products for free on that day! Each free gift will be valued between $3 and $8, so the total jackpot amount is estimated to be over $500! We'll post the actual amount on Saturday, May 5th.

Because so many bloggers are participating, this event will be divided into three grade level groups. Each of those smaller events is being coordinated by one blogger as shown below:

  

I have selected my customer favorite as a freebie for one day only. Be sure to click on the image below to download this lesson bundle for free.
{ETA: The Teacher Appreciation Jackpot has ended. Thanks so much to everyone who joined in on the fun! Be sure to continue shopping through Tuesday, May 8th for sale items.}

Scroll to the end of this blog post to spy the fabulous grades 7-12 participants.
Remember to hop over to my TeachersPayTeachers store and shop because TeachersPayTeachers is throwing a huge "TpT Loves You" Teacher Appreciation Week Sale for three days. TpT is offering ten percent off when you use the promo code TAD12 and all of my math games will be an additional fifteen percent off.

Thanks so much for all you do!
We appreciate your commitment to your students and your dedication as an educator!

classroom bulletin board ideas

Do you have classroom bulletin boards to decorate? One or two? And how often do you change the display? Do you cover your board with fabric or poster paper? Do you hot glue your border to the frame or staple just inside the frame? There are so many options!

I have one long bulletin board in my classroom. It's located above the storage cabinets along the back wall. I've opted to select a display that remains all year. There are other things in my classroom that change according to content; the bulletin board just isn't one of them.

The title reads "Many Faces of ^Wildcat Math Students" and includes a display of different faces. My daughter created the faces with inspiration from the popular "How do You Feel Today?" poster. And my students periodically select "their face" and respond in their journal writing about how they feel with our current content. (Have I mentioned that I love my daughter's artsy self?!?)

Be sure to comment and share your favorite bulletin board display title. We can't wait to hear from YOU!

It's a busy week in my classroom.
Hope your week is off to a fabulous start...make it count!

organization of classroom supplies

"A place for everything, and everything in its place." An organized teacher makes for a happy classroom. What's your motto?

The lovely Stephanie Moorman encouraged her readers to share our best organizational tip. Hop on over to her blog to check out how she keeps up with who has turned in completed work and who is still in progress. Simple and brilliant!


Between math manipulatives and classroom supplies, I have lots of pieces to keep up with on a daily basis. It's crucial that I know what materials my class has available and exactly where they are located.
need for structure + my love for totes = organization of classroom supplies

These 12 totes contain the supplies that my students need for classroom activities each day. The totes for small items also contain a plastic candy store bin for extra organization. The supply storage sits on the counter at the back of the room.

I have a similar system with red totes and a black five-shelf bookcase behind my desk for math manipulatives. The only difference...the totes are labeled but not the shelves.

So how do you organize classroom supplies? By item in a general location? Or grouped into a team supply container?

I'll be back soon with more posts for my classroom tour!
Have a fabulous weekend...make it count!

my students move to learn

Cooperative learning can look different from one classroom to another. Some teachers prefer to have students working collaboratively at their desks in pairs or teams of four. There is definitely a new level of management involved when students work collaboratively as a whole class; however, student engagement continues to increase as structures include choice and movement.

Rachel Lynette is hosting a "Move to Learn" linky party about incorporating movement into the school day. Hop on over to her Minds in Bloom blog and join the party!

I'm thrilled to share one of my favorite activities to use when my students are reviewing for a unit test. In the structure Find Someone Who, students mix around the room to find a partner. The students ask their partners to explain a problem from their record sheet. The students record the responses, and the partners initial accurate answers. Students continue to find new partners until they complete the record sheet. Here's a sample of the Metric and Customary Measurement Find Someone Who record sheet we will complete during our unit review on Monday:

Click on the picture to download this FREE product from my TpT store.

This freebie is part of Manic Monday at Classroom Freebies...hop over and join the fun!

See you tomorrow for our regularly scheduled program...my classroom tour continued.
Have a great Friday...make it count!

displaying student work

How do you display student work in your classroom? My space is somewhat limited. Unfortunately I don't have a blank wall or a bulletin board in the hall because my classroom is in a pod surrounded by lockers. My classroom does have a bulletin board (I'll save that display for another post), but it is above my counter and my height-challenged self would need a ladder to routinely hang student work. :) Thus my dilemma! Enter: the random closet door. I covered the closet door on my front wall, hot glued magnets to the three posters, and labeled the space "Wildcat Math" in fun, giant letters.

We just finished our state tests last week...so my student work display is still empty. I hope to hang our sailboat measurement activity by the end of the week. So what do you have displayed in your student work corner?

More blog posts to tour my classroom...coming soon!
Enjoy the rest of your week...make it count!

teams for cooperative learning

My students learn math in cooperative teams of 3-4 students. We use Kagan structures for cooperative learning. Each team is numbered 1 through 6. Each student within a team is numbered 1 through 4. And each pair is lettered A or B. So each student in my math classroom has a Team number, Student number, and Pair letter. That's a lot for a junior high student to remember!

To offer a silent but constant reminder, each team is labeled with a team tag in the center of the tables.

Visit the cooperative learning tab above to grab a template for making team tags for your classroom.

This post is part of Manic Monday over at Classroom Freebies...


ETA: Please excuse my door...my framed window is missing a few scallops. ;) Let's focus on my classroom motto instead...haha! The motto "Make it count!" is posted above the door so that my students will remember to carry our supportive classroom environment into the school at large. We want to make a difference in the small things...letting each and every action count for a positive impact.

Stay tuned for the continued tour of my classroom...coming soon!
Hope your week is off to a fabulous start...make it count!

differentiation via small groups

For teachers to meet the individual needs of their students, time for differentiation must be integrated into the class schedule. My math students spend 15-20 minutes during each 80-minute block class completing their MATHercise centers. (For more details about our MATHercise routine, visit this blog post for specifics.) This independent work time allows me to gather students at our small group tables. I can work with students who need remediation on specific content. Or I can use this time to enrich students who need challenged.

Here's where the magic happens:

I have seats for six students to join me at the small group tables. Usually I work with a small group for 10 minutes of guided instruction and then allow them to practice together for 5-10 minutes. On some days, I have worked with one group for 10 minutes and then a different group for 10 minutes...it just depends on how many students need served that day.

ETA: We are the Washington Wildcats, and my oldest daughter painted the giant mural on thin 12x12 canvas squares during the summer before her 6th grade year. It's the first thing you spy when entering my classroom. I love, love, LOVE it! :)

For more great ideas on how to use math centers and some fabulous sample centers, hop over to Laura Candler at Corkboard Connections blog.  Laura is hosting a linky party with lots of ideas math centers in your classroom.


Stay tuned for the continued tour of my classroom...coming soon!
Have a great week...make it count!

staff development for math

It's official.
My students are finished with standardized testing.
I still have two days of proctoring in May.
But that's just to help our algebra teacher...
No pressure for me!

Now I will be able to return to our regularly scheduled program.
I'm so ready to finish the last five weeks of school!
This is the time of year that I start planning for next year.
It's always fun to reflect on the big changes I want to implement with a clean start.

Some of the changes I'm dreaming about are dependent upon grant results.
But one guarantee is increasing my use of LTF lessons.
Laying the Foundation is absolutely genius!
The basic premise is taking AP Calculus and AP Statistics problems and back mapping through 6th grade.
It's not just for advanced students...these strategies are appropriate for all math students!
Tomorrow is my last day of training in Year 3.
Check back tomorrow to spy my new favorite LTF lesson...

Have a great week...make it count!

standardized testing

Every teacher has an opinion about standardized testing. What are your thoughts? Do you "teach to the test" in your classroom? Do you dedicate time in your classes to review for standardized testing? I would love for you to share a snapshot of standardized testing from your classroom!

I totally "teach to the test" in my math classroom.  I organize content according to the standards that will be assessed on the standardized test...even sequencing the content to finish the predominantly tested standards prior to the annual test. I view this as setting my students up for success. And to the best of my ability, I consistently teach beyond the standard outlined in the frameworks. Why? Because I wholeheartedly believe that if we carry our students a step or two beyond the required standard then they are more likely to master the basic standard. However, I know my chances of teaching something new two weeks prior to the test and my students mastering the content to a proficiency that will carry over to the standardized test is slim to none. So yes, I dedicate 6-10 class meetings for review...specifically revisiting content my students need a refresher because it isn't an integral concept in our course. For example, I don't review solving equations because we solve equations in everything we do. But writing function rules from a table of values is isolated to one unit in 7th grade math, so my students need a refresher.

We just finished Day 2 of 5 for standardized testing in 7th grade and Day 2 of 4 in 8th grade. Classes resume regularly scheduled programs on Monday. And then my geometry students take their end-of-course test on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. I'm not teaching this week...proctoring the test in the mornings and monitoring activities in the afternoons...and I'm totally exhausted! I told my students that I would much rather be taking the test. :)

In final review for the geometry end-of-course exam, I created an "I have... Who has..." vocabulary review game that encompasses the terminology for the entire course. My students completed seven stations in their teams. Their task was to match the "I have..." terms with the corresponding "Who has..." definitions. And as the teams completed each station, they collected a list of concepts they wanted to review during our last class together before the test. I love this review routine!



The Geometry card set is available as a priced item in my TpT store.

A similiar Algebra 1 card set is available as a FREE product in my TpT store.

Spring break or testing or class as usual...
Whatever comes your way this week...make it count!

currently

Hop on over to Farley's blog and join this linky party!

What's your dream super power?!?
I would absolutely love to fly.
Just think...
long day at work...
the kids are bundles of energy waiting for summer...
no worries!
Just fly to your favorite beach to soak in the setting sun and the sounds of the ocean...
refreshed and ready to continue the summer countdown the next day. :)
A girly can dream, right?!?

Hope your week is off to a fabulous start...make it count!

Socratic Circles in Math

Socratic Circles is an engaging activity that allows students to develop critical and creative thinking skills through class discussion led by students.

Students are provided a text to read critically prior to class…noting questions and/or points they want to make in discussion. In class, the students form two concentric circles. The inner circle examines and discusses the text and the second circle critiques their discussion. The two circles switch places and roles, and the process is repeated with the new ideas from the new inner circle students. The outer circle is required to remain quiet while the inner circle responds to the text. Also the inner circle must listen respectfully to the outer circle’s critique of their discussion.

As a math teacher, I opted to use released open-response items of sample student work provided by the Arkansas Department of Education as the text for discussion. I provided my students with four samples of work, the corresponding rubrics, and a copy of the strands and standards for geometry. The first inner circle discussed two measurement prompts, while the second inner circle discussed two language of geometry prompts. The students were expected to address four key components: content knowledge required to complete the prompt, organization of sample work, accuracy of the response, and rubric rating.
The discussion was enlightening! My students made comments like...

"I don't know why they didn't just say corresponding instead of being so vague in their response"

"This response is a mess to read."

"This student clearly knows what she is doing, but she didn't ask the question posed in the prompt."
These are the things that I want my students to do. Communicate clearly with your expanded vocabulary. Be neat and organized. Read carefully to ensure you are answering the question asked. But this activity far outweighs my "teacher talk" because the students experience and wrestle with sample work that lacks these things.

We completed our first Socratic Circles activity in geometry on Friday. It was wildly successful. When I asked my students if they found this activity to be beneficial, they all said, "Yes!" The reasons provided include...

"Now I will check my EOC prompts like I'm the grader."

"I see how easy it is to miss the actual question."

"It's pretty annoying to review work that's unorganized."

"It helps me to tie the prompt to the strands of standards we will be tested on."
We will squeeze in two more Socratic Circles before the geometry end-of-course exam on April 17-18. And if you're interested in trying this activity in your classroom, you will want to download these number cards:


This FREEBIE is a set of number cards. One set of blue cards #1-15, one set of orange cards #1-15, and a blackline master of cards #1-15. Click on the pic to download a set of number cards to use in your Socratic Circles.

I apologize for being MIA this past week...we are in Benchmark Bootcamp for two weeks before state testing. My evenings are filled with adjusting lesson plans for the following day. I'll be back into full swing by Earth Day. ;)

Enjoy...and make it count!

girls night live

Three of my dearest friends and I had a night out...just moms. :)
We headed to the Walton Arts Center for Girls Night Live after a yummy dinner at Chipotle.
It was great to end my Spring Break chatting with friends and hearing a clear word at the concert.

Laura Story closed with "Blessings"...
And what if trials of this life
The rains, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Mandisa closed with "Stronger"...
When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger!

I love all things that follow a plan. What teacher doesn't love a solid plan with a few alternatives just in case?!? But tonight I was reminded that my plan isn't always the best plan that God has in store for me...and certainly not according to my time preferences. May I choose patience with a perspective that seeks to find the blessing within the circumstance.

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend...make it count!

simplifying radicals

The Common Core State Standards are filled with number sense. Students engaged in the Common Core aligned curriculum will have a deep understanding of rational and irrational numbers...including a rational approximation of an irrational number (CCSS 8.NS.2).

SPOILER ALERT:
No. I'm not talking The Hunger Games. (Although that's at the top of our list for this weekend.) I hereby have given you fair warning that this post is me standing jumping up and down on my math soap box. #justsaying

How would you find the rational approximation of this number?

Ummm...without a calculator. ;)

Here's how we approach this one in my classroom...Well. Let's start with square roots that are rational. We know the square root of 20 is somewhere between the square root of 16 and the square root of 25...so something between 4 and 5. Can you be more specific? Hmmm...the list begins to form...
root 16 = 4
root 17 = ?
root 18 = ?
root 19 = ?
root 20 = ?
......................about 4.5
root 21 = ?
root 22 = ?
root 23 = ?
root 24 = ?
root 25 = 5

Since we have 9 numbers to cover an increase of 1 unit, each increase will be a little more than 0.1. Why? Because 1/9 > 1/10. So we can approximate that root 20 is approximately 4.4. {Ish! At this point we discuss if the "little more" is "enough more" to justify rounding.}

But what about simplest radical form?!? We've searched high and low. No sign of "simplest radical form" in our copy of the CCSS document. (If you find it...please put me out of my misery!)

Could we teach our students to simplify radicals and then in turn use that to find the rational approximation of an irrational number? In simplest radical form, the square root of 20 is exactly 2 times the square root of 5. Hmmm...the square root of 5 is some number between the square root of 4 and the square root of 9...between 2 and 3.

root 4 = 2
root 5 = ?
root 6 = ?
..................about 2.5
root 7 = ?
root 8 = ?
root 9 = 3

Since we have 5 numbers to cover an increase of 1 unit, each increase will be more than 0.1. Why? Because 1/5 > 1/10 (some students will automatically go to the fact that 1/5 = 0.2). So we can approximate that root 5 is approximately 2.2 and therefore 2(2.2) = 4.4.

Bottom line. We reach a valid approximation either way. I think it's important for our students to discover both paths...and even more important for them to critique which approach they prefer and under what circumstances they would select that particular method. I'm ready for a viable argument. How about you?!?

Cooperative practice would be crucial for students to have perspective to support their argument. Here's what we did in my algebra class:

This product is available in my TpT store.

I'm curious...is this particular concept new to your junior high math classroom? This concept isn't specifically outlined in our current standards, but it is something we do. I'm just guessing that you have a laundry list of items exactly like that in your lesson plans too. ;)

Have a fabulous weekend...make it count!

my fave posts today

Mandy over at Cooperative Learning 365 is quickly approaching a milestone...a quarter of a million pageviews on her fabulous blog! Hop on over, hoot a little love her way, and enter her amazing celebration giveaway.

Ordered Pairs + BINGO = PAIRO
(My sweet hubby created these bingo cards for me back in the day...like our dating days...ummm...over 15 years ago!)

Grab this fun game of plotting ordered pairs on a coordinate grid. This game packet includes 30 unique PAIRO cards! Click on the picture to find this product in my TpT store.
Common Core. Need I say more?
My PLC continues to divide and conquer.
We are searching high and low for discovery activities.
Or some sort of hands-on activities that align to our new standards.
Our goal is to engage our students in the content without handing every detail to them in advance.

Anyways, for now we are trying to focus on CCSS that are new to our grade level.
Our 7th graders will first be introduced to probability in our classroom.
From likely vs. unlikely all the way to compound events.
I created this theoretical vs. experimental probability lab activity...

Click on the picture to find this product in my TpT store.

My students love using the Twister game spinner! And it's amazing how the basics from this lab activity stick throughout our entire probability unit. I just love an activity that creates a reference point for future learning...how about you?

Kristen over at Secondary Solutions posed a question on facebook this morning: "Do you write along with your students?" She linked to an article by Marjorie Light on the Teacher to Teacher blog. I wonder if the environment of your classroom would change if you shared your own version of the poem below?!?

Be sure to add the freebie to your probability file! This journal prompt allows for creativity and requires students (and teachers!) to put their knowledge in writing. Click on the picture to download.

Have a great week...make it count!

all about lines

Spring Break Day 1
The girls have Easter dresses and shoes.
Oh...and a take out box from Candy Craze.
And my poor laptop is officially broken.
My sweet hubby brought it back to life after a worm.
Then the keyboard did something funky.
I'm trying to survive without my right hand.

Just before Spring Break, I gave my geometry students a Benchmark diagnostic test. They quickly realized the 8th grade math curriculum involves a lot of algebra...particularly lines. So I tweaked an activity that we did last year to meet our review needs.

This deck of cards is so very versatile. I use the table of values and algebraic equation cards in my 7th grade math. And then we move on and use the algebraic equations and the graphs. But in my 7th grade algebra class we use all four sets to analyze graphically, algebraically, numerically, and verbally. Visit my TpT store to add this to your algebra files. Stay tuned for a similar product for exponential functions and quadratic functions...

Hope your week is off to a great start...make it count!

top 10 blogs

The super sweet Jena over at Caught in the Middle gave my blog a "Top 10" award this week. And I would like to share the love with my favorite places to visit.




Caught in the Middle

I have decided Jena and I are soul sisters. We both love to keep our classrooms filled with fun. Hop over and spy the amazing stuff she has been making on her 2-week break!



The Lesson Cloud
I recently started to contribute to this amazing blog. And believe me...I'm the tiny fish in this ocean of awesomeness. The administrators are total super stars! Hop on over and join the fun!



Education Journey
Ashleigh has a super cute blog! (I often wonder if she would notice if I copied her template exactly. LOL!) And she is a huge fan of math work stations. Hop on over...you will love every ounce of the classroom creations she shares.



Oh' Boy Fourth Grade
Farley is hilarious! I love reading her posts. And I stalk her "Currently" linky party each month. Hop on over and subscribe to her blog so you don't miss the next par-tay!



Science Stuff
Amy is my online teacher hero. Seriously. She makes me dream of teaching science...which I'm not even certified to do. I'm thinking she would be fun to teach down the hall from. Hop on over to her blog and you'll understand what I'm saying!




Math Coach's Corner
Donna continues to post amazing elementary math goodness. And she recently started a grade level linky party. Hop on over and post your teacher blog too!





Runde's Room
I first started following Jen's blog because of her awesome journal prompts. And she also has some amazing foldables incorporated into her math notes. Hop on over and spy the cootie catcher she posted this week!

To The Square Inch
Kate has the most giving heart. Hop on over and check out her bank of science and math activities.

Middle School Math Rules
Sherrie makes me smile! She always has a kind word for everyone. Hop on over and spy her life in 7th grade math.

Pushing Through 6th Grade
Mrs. Piper recently posted some fabulous Pi Day activities. Be sure to hop on over and file away for next year!

Today was my first day of Spring Break! I slept until almost 8:30 am. Fun!
Tomorrow is my Emma's birthday. She has made a request or two. ;)
Hope you're having a fabulous weekend...make it count!