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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Parent and family volunteers are a major asset to any classroom. Here at the start of the year, many afternoons are filled communicating with volunteers about expectations, scheduling and training. When bringing parent volunteering into the classroom, it’s important to dedicate time and effort toward creating routines and expectations for
Focusing on parent communication during the first week of school can help you build trust in your classroom community. It can also make your entire school year immensely easier because parents will begin to see you as an organized, proactive expert. A strong start in the communication department really helps
Originally posted on August 2, 2015 | Updated on: July 19, 2021 Elementary students are filled with enthusiasm and powerful emotions. Harnessing those attributes in productive ways can be a full-time job in and of itself, which is why the first weeks of school leave us feeling teacher tired like
Taking the time to plan your morning routine carefully can help ease one of the greatest challenges we face as teachers…finding enough time for all the instruction we need to fit in. Often, we feel there is a need to hurry on to the next topic once we see a
Helping young learners stay organized during a multi-day project doesn’t have to be a challenge. With a little planning and visualizing, you can easily create organizational structures in your classroom that will help your students stay organized. You no longer have to feel like the project has completely overtaken your
Tidying and organizing your classroom shouldn’t be something that takes much of your teacher time. Your students share the space with you and they should share the responsibility of keeping it clean/getting it ready for learning each day. When your students work with you to keep the space clean, there’s
These five communication tools make it easier for you to consistently share student progress about math understanding with families. If you love using hands-on learning, multi-step projects, and work that students refer to multiple times throughout the unit so they can build on their learning and deepen their understanding, these tools are for you! Each tool is designed to keep parents in the loop with what their child is learning and how they are progressing in your workshop-style classroom.
Learn how to use rubrics to help students set goals that lead to high-quality work and keep them engaged so they can make meaningful growth.
When Words Their Way is first introduced to you, it can feel a bit overwhelming. Wrapping your head around how to best organize and prep all the differentiated word sorts students will be working on from week to week takes a bit of trial and error. In hopes of saving
Have you ever noticed your students get a little more excited than usual during the days leading up to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas? Do I even need to ask? It’s inevitable really…and who can blame them? For many of your students, the weeks at the end of the calendar year
I’ll never forget the first time I tried incorporating games into my math block. It was my first year of teaching, and I had all the right intentions, but the execution was a total disaster. Sound familiar? My plan was to teach a math lesson to the whole class, and
The key to correcting morning work in a way that’s easy and seamless is to use a format that’s consistent each day so your brain doesn’t have to adjust to a new format as you’re checking student work. This also makes it easier for your students to complete their morning
A calm and consistent morning routine in your classroom sets the tone for the day. You will notice your students are happier, more peaceful, and far more productive when you start each day with the same routine. A consistent format for your students’ morning work is one of the most
If you want to incorporate a project based learning component to one of your 3rd grade math units this year, but you’re having trouble deciding on a project, you’ve come to the right place! All eight of these math projects are designed with third graders (and their busy teachers) in
Project based learning can help you transform your 3rd grade geometry unit into the most memorable math unit of the school year. Your students are going to love applying their knowledge about the characteristics of quadrilaterals as they complete the project Quadrilateral City! Rather than spending time on worksheet after
Your telling time unit is the perfect opportunity to connect math to the real world in a creative way. Rather than having your students complete worksheet after worksheet in an effort to master reading clocks and telling time, bring your math unit to life with an engaging hands-on project! If
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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