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Camp Array Architects Multiplication Project Overview

A Camping-Themed Math Project That Makes Multiplication Practice Fun

As a third grade teacher, it sometimes feels like you are teaching multiplication and division skills for nearly half the year. While students work to understand all the properties of multiplication and memorize all their math facts, you may feel like they need a little dose of fun to mix up your math routine.  The good news for you is you don’t have to sacrifice rigor and standards-based learning while bringing excitement to your multiplication unit this year!  Simply use the math project Camp Array Architects. As your students work on this project, you’ll see them loving every moment of math while you collect high-quality assessment data for your multiplication and division unit.  This resource is perfect for third grade classrooms, but can also be used as enrichment for second grade learners.  Let’s take a closer look at this multiplication project based learning resource.  Project Overview During this math project

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Math Workshop Hands-On Games Q&A Roundup

We have reached the final week of our Math Workshop Q&A Series. This week I’ve gathered the most commonly-asked questions I receive about the Hands-On Rotation of Math Workshop.  Here’s a refresher on the question categories I’ve shared each week during this blog post series:  Mini Lessons (Week 1) Meet With the Teacher Rotation (Week 2) At Your Seat & Technology Rotations (Week 3) Hands-On Games Rotation (Week 4) If you’re just joining us and want to catch up on the previous posts or if you prefer to see all the questions in one place, I’ll send you a PDF with the full collection of questions from this series. Simply click here to let me know you’re interested. Let’s jump into our final question category: Hands-On Rotation (Math Games). Part 5: Hands-On Math Games Questions Q: Do you use games from your curriculum, or do you find them elsewhere?  The

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Math Workshop At Your Seat & Technology Rotations Q&A Roundup

We are heading into week 3 of our Math Workshop Q&A Series. This week I’ve gathered the most commonly-asked questions I receive about the At Your Seat Rotation and the Technology Rotation of Math Workshop.  Here’s a refresher on the questions I’ve been focusing on each week during this blog post series:  Mini Lessons (Week 1) Meet With the Teacher Rotation (Week 2) At Your Seat & Technology Rotations (Week 3) Hands-On Games Rotation (Week 4) If you’re just joining us and want to catch up on the previous posts or if you prefer to see all the questions in one place, I’ll send you a PDF with the full collection of questions from this series. Simply click here to let me know you’re interested. Let’s jump into your questions about the At Your Seat & Technology Rotations.  Part 3: At Your Seat Rotation Questions Q: What do your students

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Back of the classroom with an open oval-shaped small group table

Math Workshop Meet With the Teacher Q&A Roundup

Each week this month, I’m taking time to share a collection of the most commonly asked Math Workshop questions I receive. Today, I’m jumping into the second category of questions which are all focused on the Meet with the Teacher Rotation of workshop.  Here’s a refresher on the questions I’ll be focusing on each week during this blog post series:  If you prefer to see all the questions in one place, or you want a printable version where you can add your own notes, I’ll send you a PDF with the full collection. Click here to let me know if you’re interested. Let’s jump into your questions about Meet with the Teacher.  Part 2: Meet With the Teacher Questions Q: What materials do you use during Meet With the Teacher? Do you use manipulatives when meeting with students? For the most part, I use personal whiteboards, paper and pencil, and

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Math Workshop Mini Lesson Q&A Roundup

When sharing my love for Math Workshop over the past several years, I’ve answered more questions than I can count from thoughtful elementary teachers who are excited to implement this framework in their classroom.  I’m taking time this month to share a collection of the most commonly-asked questions I receive. Some of these questions might be your own…whether you’ve had the time to send them in or they’ve been lingering in the back of your mind.  I hope this series of posts will serve as an easy reference for you as you implement Math Workshop in your classroom.  Each week, the questions will be focused on a different portion of Math Workshop:  Mini Lessons (Week 1) Meet With the Teacher Rotation (Week 2) At Your Seat & Technology Rotations (Week 3) Hands-On Games Rotation (Week 4) If you prefer to see all the questions in one place, or you want

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Place Value In The Wild Cross-Curricular Project – A Math & Science Learning Adventure

Project based learning can help you transform your 2nd or 3rd grade place value unit into a wildly engaging cross-curricular learning experience! Imagine sending your students on a wildlife expedition to find amazing information about animals that interest them in the habitat of their choice.  While your students are fully immersed in their fun animal research, they can also practice essential place value skills as they represent the weight, size, and average lifespan of these animals in word form, expanded form, standard form, and rounded form. You can even have them compare the sizes of the animals from their habitat using place value knowledge.  The good news is all the work of creating a project based learning unit that weaves in place value, nonfiction research, and public speaking has been done for you. This year, your students will absolutely love practicing their place value skills as they work through the

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Third Grade Fractions Math & Art Project

When you’re thinking of ways to weave hands-on practice or project based learning into your 3rd grade fractions unit, the first things that come to mind are probably pizzas, cakes, or baking of some sort.  But have you ever considered focusing on flower growth for your fraction unit? Sounds like a refreshing twist, doesn’t it?! With flowers as your focus, you can weave in a fraction art project and a variety of unique word problems that bring new life to your fractions unit.  The good news for you is all the work of creating a project based learning unit that weaves together fractions, word problems, and a beautiful art project has been done for you. This year, your students will absolutely love practicing their fraction skills as they work through the simulation Fraction Flower Festival!  Let’s take a closer look at this 3rd grade fractions project.  Project Overview Throughout the

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Individual project based learning planning sheet to hold enrichment students accountable when working independently on a PBL unit.

How To Manage Small Group Math Projects and Still Teach ALL Of Your Students

Math projects are an engaging way to provide students with enrichment opportunities when they’re demonstrating mastery at the beginning of a math unit, and the rest of your class needs support and instruction for that unit.  Providing your advanced learners with an enrichment project to deepen their learning rather than bogging them down with busy work will allow them to apply what they know in more real-world contexts while keeping them engaged and excited about the subject they excel in.  It may feel overwhelming to have your advanced learners working on a project while you’re teaching your current math unit to the rest of your class. I used to shy away from providing these types of enrichment opportunities because I couldn’t wrap my head around the logistics of keeping tabs on students who were independently working on a project while I taught a mini-lesson and worked with small groups. I

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A Valentine’s Day Math Project That Covers All Your Data & Graphing Standards

The perfect math project for February is ready for your classroom! When February rolls around, I always long for a little break in the regular math routine. Don’t you? A fun way to make that happen is to spend a week immersed in data and graphing standards through a super-engaging math simulation called Val’s Heart Factory. If your schedule allows for it, you may even select a week right around Valentine’s Day! This resource is perfect for third grade classrooms, but can also be used as enrichment for second grade learners.  Let’s take a closer look at this data & graphing project based learning resource.  Project Overview This simulation introduces your students to four methods for displaying data: frequency tables, bar graphs, pictographs and line plots. Students will have the opportunity to record observations about each method for displaying data and compare/contrast methods for collecting data. They will use this

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Small group meeting area at the back of the classroom with no clutter

Setting Up Your Classroom So the Layout Provides A Flow During Math Workshop

When running M.A.T.H. rotations in your classroom, student independence is key. Independent students are a gift that helps Math Workshop run smoothly each day and give you the ability to focus your attention on meeting with groups after your mini lesson.  One of the most powerful ways to boost student independence and focused learning is to create easy-to-navigate spaces that house the materials students will be using during their centers. Here are some recommendations for creating student-friendly Math Workshop spaces in your classroom.  A Space for Meet With the Teacher Create a space where you and a group of 4-8 students can sit and meet comfortably for small group instruction. Positioning this meeting space in a corner of the room that feels more tucked away from the space where students will be working independently makes it more likely that your small group meetings won’t distract the rest of the class

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A Winter-Themed Math Project That Makes Multiplication Fun

Are you feeling the need for a break from your regular math routine? It’s the perfect time to continue plugging away on standards while squeezing in a little winter-themed math fun. During the weeks leading up to December break, the structure of Math Workshop can remain the same in your classroom, but students can work to be hired as Array Architects for Snowflake Valley rather than completing problem solving task cards during the At Your Seat rotation of workshop. Having a little chunk of time to work on this festive math project each day is the perfect dose of winter excitement students are longing for while still maintaining a focus on rigorous math learning before our longest break of the year. This resource is perfect for third grade classrooms, but can also be used as enrichment for second grade learners.  Let’s take a closer look at this multiplication project based

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How to Weave Project Based Learning Into Your Math Block

A common question I receive is, “How do you find time to teach your full math curriculum, do Math Workshop, and do project based learning?” In my classroom, these three parts of my math instruction are not separate entities, they are all done together during Math Workshop.  Many teachers have the idea that project based learning is something you have to do on top of your regular instruction and Math Workshop routine. In fact, it can be something that enriches your regular instruction and replaces some of the more routine tasks you may be doing during a particular unit.  In this post, I’m going to describe how you can integrate project based learning into your Math Workshop block so students have an opportunity for deeper learning.  Using Project Based Learning In Place of Your Regular Math Workshop Routines Here are a few perfect opportunities to replace parts of your regular

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Math Workshop Hands-On Games Q&A Roundup

We have reached the final week of our Math Workshop Q&A Series. This week I’ve gathered the most commonly-asked questions I receive about the Hands-On Rotation of Math Workshop.  Here’s a refresher on the question categories I’ve shared each week during this blog post series:  Mini Lessons (Week 1) Meet

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Back of the classroom with an open oval-shaped small group table

Math Workshop Meet With the Teacher Q&A Roundup

Each week this month, I’m taking time to share a collection of the most commonly asked Math Workshop questions I receive. Today, I’m jumping into the second category of questions which are all focused on the Meet with the Teacher Rotation of workshop.  Here’s a refresher on the questions I’ll

Read More »

Math Workshop Mini Lesson Q&A Roundup

When sharing my love for Math Workshop over the past several years, I’ve answered more questions than I can count from thoughtful elementary teachers who are excited to implement this framework in their classroom.  I’m taking time this month to share a collection of the most commonly-asked questions I receive.

Read More »

Third Grade Fractions Math & Art Project

When you’re thinking of ways to weave hands-on practice or project based learning into your 3rd grade fractions unit, the first things that come to mind are probably pizzas, cakes, or baking of some sort.  But have you ever considered focusing on flower growth for your fraction unit? Sounds like

Read More »

How to Weave Project Based Learning Into Your Math Block

A common question I receive is, “How do you find time to teach your full math curriculum, do Math Workshop, and do project based learning?” In my classroom, these three parts of my math instruction are not separate entities, they are all done together during Math Workshop.  Many teachers have

Read More »