Personal Objective:This week I explored gaining familiarity with factors and multiples at the 4th grade level.My goal was to create and gather clear visual and written examples that would make the subject area more accessible and fun for students.
Common Core Standard:
4th Grade: 4.OA
Gain familiarity with factors and multiples
4. Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1-100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1-100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1-100 is prime or composite.
Resources/Tips:
Factors of 6 (1, 2, 3 & 6) visual breakdown using Goldfish
Reflection:While I feel that I have a clear grasp of factors and multiples it was helpful to start thinking of how I might go about teaching this material at the 4th grade level. Reviewing how to identify prime numbers was definitely a helpful refresher. While I don't always love the idea of rote memorization, when it comes to students learning factors and multiples it has its advantages. This being said, visuals and manipulatives like the Goldfish I used to depict the factors of 6 are helpful in establishing basic concepts when introducing the subject to students for the first time.
Personal Objective: This week I wanted to take a look at the basics of Ratios & Proportional Relationships: Understand the concept of a ratio at the 6th grade level.My goal in beginning to exploring this standard was to cover the ideas of comparison between two types of items. As always, I think providing fun visuals helps to promote understanding when introducing a new concept.
Common Core Standard:
6th Grade: 6.RP
Understand ratio
concepts and use ratio reasoning to solve problems.
1. Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio
relationship between two quantities. For example, "The ratio of
wings to beaks in the bird house at the zoo was 2:1, because for every 2 wings
there was 1 beak." "For every vote candidate A received, candidate C
received nearly three votes.
Resources/Tips:
Determining Ratios A Ratio is a comparison between two items. The Ratio of Potato Heads to Aliens is two Potato Heads compared to three Aliens. (Toy Story 4 came out this week so my kids enthusiasm must be influencing me.)
We can write this in any of the three ways below:
2 to 3
2 : 3
2/3
This video does a great job explains the basic idea of ratios.
Activities/Worksheets:
Building ratio questions around simple recipe proportions makes the idea relatable.
What is the ratio of sugar to water in the lemonade recipe below?
Answer:
1 to 6
1 : 6
1/6
Worksheet for students to explore their understanding of ratios.
Reflection:While exploring the concept of ratios this week, I wanted to not only provide explanation on what ratios were but to also offer some real life application. The idea of recipes was one of the first things that came to mind. A firm understanding of ratios would help if you had to double a recipe. Keeping in mind that the ratios would need to stay the same as the recipe was multiplied is a good way of crosschecking for accuracy. Upon thinking on it, I found it interesting how often I calculate ratios in my head without thinking of them as ratios, for example when I brew my morning coffee.
The Ratio of tablespoons to oz. is one tablespoon compared to six oz.
Personal Objective: This week I chose to look at Measurement & Data: Work with time at the 2nd grade level.My goal in exploring this standard is to create and find clear visual and tactile tools that can be used in order to help students learn how to tell and write time from an analog clock. In addition, I would like to provide resources that depict a clear sense of the difference between a.m. and p.m. along with defining what makes up a minute and an hour.
Common Core Standard:
2nd Grade: 2.MD
Work with time.
7. Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and p.m.
Resources/Tips:
I think the clock puzzle below, belonging to my sons would be a helpful visual and tactile tool for teaching students how to tell time.
-The short hand tells the hour (hour hand)
-The long hand tells the minute (minute hand)
-Both hands move from left to right (clockwise)
There are 24 hours in a day (12- a.m. hours & 12- p.m. hours)
-Analog clocks have the hours 1-12 listed on their face
-To read the minute hand you must multiplay the number indicated by 5
(below see the example 12:15)
Below is an example of what an hour looks like (11:00 a.m-12:00 p.m.)
Starting with the Hour Hand (short Hand) on the 11:00am and moving clockwise:
Minute hand on 12 = 11:00 a.m.
Minute hand on 1 = 11:05 a.m.
Minute hand on 2 = 11:10a.m.
Minute hand on 3 = 11:15a.m.
Minute hand on 4 = 11:20a.m.
Minute hand on 5 = 11:25a.m.
Minute hand on 6 = 11:30a.m.
Minute hand on 7 = 11:35a.m.
Minute hand on 8= 11:40a.m.
Minute hand on 9 = 11:45a.m.
Minute hand on 10 = 11:50a.m.
Minute hand on 11 = 11:55a.m.
Minute hand on 12 = 12:00 p.m.
You need to know your 5 times table up to 60 in order read an analog clock.
Helpful video on the basics of telling time using an analog clock
Activities/Worksheets:
This worksheet asks students to identify the time indicated on the clock, as well as a.m. or p.m. based on the description included with each question.
I enjoyed the opportunity to breakdown the task of reading the time from an analog clock. I think that it is important to analyze the steps of anything you are going to teach that has become second nature over time. I think something visual and tactile like the clock puzzle I used with the minutes written in the inside ring and the ability to move the hour and minute hands would be a beneficial tool for students beginning to learn the concept of telling time. What I liked most about looking at this part of the Common Core Measurement & Data standard was that it has a clear real life application.
Personal Objective: This week I chose to look at half of the Number & Operations in Base Ten Common Core Standard Ten at the 1st grade level. My goal in exploring this standard was to research and create visual aides as well as tactile activities that would provide clear and relatable instruction for 1st graders. I wanted to compile resources that would be fun, stimulating and easy to understand.
Common Core Standard:
1st Grade: 1.NBT (1.-3.)
Extend the counting
sequence.
1. Count to 120, starting at
any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent
a number of objects with a written numeral.
Understand
place value.
2. Understand that the two digits of a
two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones. Understand the following
as special cases:
a.10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones - called a
"ten."
b.The numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one,
two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine ones.
c.The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 refer to
one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine tens (and 0 ones).
3. Compare two two-digit numbers based on
meanings of the tens and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with
the symbols > , =, and <.
Activities/Worksheets:
In this exercise students would have the opportunity to work with manipulatives. For this example I used Cheerios. Students would be encouraged to build rods and units in two separate groups then make comparisons using a greater than, less than or equal to symbol.
Incorporating a dice game like the one below would provide students with numbers at random to dissect. They would then be asked to represent the selected number with rods and units as well as identify tens and ones.
Reflection: In reviewing the first three points of the Number & Operations in Base Ten Common Core Standards, I found myself reflecting on the importance of a good educational foundation starting in the early grades of elementary school. It seems evident to me that visual reference and tactile tools would be most effective when setting out to teach these basic concepts of mathematics. I especially liked the dice game that prompted students to complete several tasks pertaining to this standard, including mapping the number out and identifying the tens and ones. In addition, I think that utilizing something as simple as Cheerios to encourage students to explore and compare greater than, less than and equal to, provides a simple and familiar tactile experience for students. The alligator trick is also a fun and helpful tool.
Personal Objective: This week I picked Measurement and Data at the 2nd grade level. My goal in looking at this standard was to contemplate teaching strategies that will make basic elements of measuring and estimation fun and interesting while encouraging students to explore and hone these useful skills.
Common Core Standard:
2nd Grade: 2.MD
Measure
and estimate lengths in standard units.
1. Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools
such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
2. Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different
lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to
the size of the unit chosen.
3. Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
4. Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing
the length difference in terms of a standard length unit.
Activities/Worksheets:
Encourage students to come up with a simple trick that will provide a visual reference point when attempting to estimate the size of something. For instance, I know when my fingers are stretched out that the distance between my thumb to my pinky finger is approximately 8 inches or 20.32cm. Have students use a worksheet like the one below to select everyday items of their choice to estimate size and take a final measurement afterwards.
Measure two objects and attempt to determine how much longer one is than the other.
Resources/Tips:
-Line up what you would like to measure with the rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes
-Always start at zero
-Be aware of the units you are measuring in
Reflection: In focusing on the first four points of the Measurement and Data Common Core Standard, I immediately started to brainstorm strategies that I might use to teach the basic elements of measurement and estimation to 2nd graders. I gathered tools to measure in inches and centimeters and soon began rooting around my house for fun items to ascertain the size of. As usual, the kids toy box was my first stop. The two LEGO DUPLO people with varied height provided me with a way of representing how one could compare and identify the difference in size between two objects. In addition, I provided a simple tactic for estimation using the distance between my thumb to my pinky finger when my hand was stretched out in order to approximately represent 8 inches or 20.32cm. I'm confident there are many more fun ways that teachers can ensure students learn these elements while encouraging exploration and utilizing real life application.
