MS-Sunday Funday- Favorite Math Class Game

If I had a laminator, I would laminate everything that moved. I would have to put my family on alert because if they  moved when it was on, they might get laminated. I really want one!!!!

Wanna a chance to win this laminator?

                                        

Visit Yearn to Learn. She is having a giveaway.

Now for Sunday Funday

Today's topic: Favorite Math Class Game

My first reaction was I can't just name one. I love teaching Math through games. It's how I taught for 17 years in elementary. Then I moved to middle school and for some reason I didn't. (I really just want to forget last year) This year though, I am bringing them back. I know kids like games. I know they learn and remember this way. I teach a Math Lab class this year. It is for students who did really poorly on the state test. It's their second math class of their day. Some of them, I have already seen in "regular" math each day. We teach the same topics, but we focus more in depth on the major topics for 6th grade. We do this through games. This past week my students played multiplication war and Math Uno.

 I love cards. I love dice. There are so many math concepts that can be learned using them. If I had to pick, I could use dice and cards and create many games.

Luckily, I don't have to settle. I bought this resource

 from Laura Candler. It is awesome for this type of class. I highly recommend it.

I also wrote a grant on donorschoose.org. Have you heard of it? No, well, click on over there and learn how you can create a grant and anyone can donate for your cause. I wrote one and one month later, it was fully funded. My students LOVE the games purchased from this grant.

Here is one of the games we received, Smath. It's kind of like scrabble. It is awesome and fun.

I also like playing games in my regular math. One I particular like is I Have, Who has?. Last year I created one for our math vocabulary. (Click for that game) I loved the review it gave our kids. The kids liked it so much and made a competition between classes.

I can't pick just one, heck I could list a bunch more right now. What I do know is, kids love games, and games help my students learn and give them a love of learning. I have heard several comments from students like this, "Oh, this is fun." or "I like Math", or "This is my favorite class". These are things that make me remember why I chose teaching and why I chose to try middle school again.

Can't wait to see what everyone else is sharing today. I love adding to  my collection of games.

Divisibilty Lessons- Math Notebook and Centers

My first math related lesson was on Divisibility Rules. Last year we didn't really touch on it and I think it hurt our kids. I want them to have practice with the rules and then have a resource in their notebooks to use when they get stuck.

I used an interactive flipchart first. I am also including this divisibility game in the first set of math centers we do. Click on the picture below to get a copy of the center. (free)

Have you seen this on Pinterest?

source: www.classroomdiy.com

  I made a generic one that I can change anytime. This will  be "Divisibility Swat", next week. As a warm up, I plan to say something like, "Swat a number divisible by 3" A student will swat a number AND explain WHY based on the divisibility rule.

My plan was to have them create this in their math notebooks. Matchbook divisibility rules. Isn't it cool?

Then reality set in, and this is what ended up in their notebook instead, but not in color.

For the left side, student output, they completed a checklist of only four problems. I used it for a quick check and an informal assessment.

This lesson went well. They don't have cool matchbooks in their notebook, but I am over it. (well, maybe not yet. It would have been so cool.) The students really liked the interactive flipchart. To help keep these rules in their minds, I am including this for their daily quiz next week. And I know they will love the swat game.

Student Work- Math About Me

I am sooo busy, and I want to link up to everything, but its impossible.

But, I am linking with TBA Open House for bulletin boards.

I have decided to post about what I am most proud of from the first week of school.

 I have posted about the Math About Me Silhouettes I was going to do this year before. Well, they turned out FABULOUS!!! I shared mine with my kids and they learned so much about me in a fun way.

They were excited to do their own. It was a homework assignment because we just didn't have time to do it in class.
I have over 100 kids that were given this assignment.

I received over 100 of them!!! Seriously, that has never happened. They were even out for our open house.

The quality was pretty good. I did notice I have some things to teach my kids about correct equation writing, but this was a good informal assessment as well.

I also learned my kids have a lot of roosters and animals in general. I have a lot of ESL students too and this was a very telling assignment.
Here's just a few!

I loved that they used Roman Numerals!

 I will definitely do this assignment again!

Currently & Monday Made it

I am linking up with Oh Boy, its 3rd Grade for this month's currently. I love this monthly feature.

I am also making this my Monday Made it with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics. It's once a month now, so I know I don't want to miss it.

Mine is The No Homework Binder from Leslie at  Jack Of All Trades. Mine is actually at school, so the pictures are from her site. (Mine is identical to hers, thanks to her freebies) She has made it so easy for my students to be responsible for their homework not being turned in. It helps me have everything documented and my students know upfront what is expected of them. The only thing I added was the page for each student to sign that have read and understand my homework policy. This was never an issue in elementary school. But middle schoolers, don't turn in homework. I am hoping this changes once this is in place.

TBA- Open House Link Party

TBA is having an Open House week. I am linking up.

My name is Elizabeth Hodges and I teach 6th grade Math. I teach in a small town Elgin, Texas. We are  East of Austin. I also live in this small town with my husband and four boys. They are 21, 15, 6 and 2. We have three elementary schools, one middle and one high school. We are the Wildcats and bleed purple. ALL five schools!

I began my 19th year last week. I have taught Kinder, first, 2nd-5th Math and now 6th grade Math. I love teaching math. It is so fun. Middle school on the other hand has been the hardest thing I have ever done.

I am happy to be doing it again after flopping last year. Well, it wasn't a total flop. I teach in a low-socio economic school/district and we are considered a stage 5 campus with TEA. To explain that in layman terms, we are in serious trouble. Well, last year (my first with the district) we made HUGE gains in Math and passed AYP standards. We are still stage 5 though. You have to pass 2 years in a row to get out. So, I can say it was a successful year, but it was H-A-R-D.

This year, I am department head and mentoring two new teachers at my school. Things are very different at school and it all for the better! I am loving teaching this year and working with my new co workers and even enjoying the kids. I'd say the biggest change is my attitude.

My teaching style is hands on for sure. I love stations and interactive notebooks. I am also incorporating tons of things I did elementary into the middle school world because I know it works!

How about you? Can't wait to read about you too!

What a week! -- Homework time- MS Sunday Funday

It's been a five days since I posted. I have so much to share with you. This was my first week with kids. Thankfully we have a three day weekend. I just woke up from a two hour nap. Does that tell you how it went? I am tired, very tired. On top of school and sports for one of my sons, my husband got sick. My husband doesn't get sick often, but when he does, he does it BIG! He has pneumonia! Let me just say, spouses of teachers are NOT allowed to get sick the first week of school. Heck, the first six weeks of school would be nice actually.

I am tired, just tired. I am pleasantly surprised with how well my week with the students went. I teach six classes, five are identical, one is a math lab which is a lot of work for just one class. But, it is what it is.  I don't teach advisory this year, I have leadership team meetings during that time as department head. I also have two mentees and facilitate for my grade level team. Of the six classes, one is going to be really tough. It's a large class and its after lunch. They are hyper. I am working through this. But, I think I am going to like my schedule this year. Things are looking good and this is a 180 turn from last year.

I also gave my first homework assignment and I only had a handful of students (out of 100+) who didn't complete it. Granted, it was a "fun" Math about Me, which I will be posting about very soon. They turned out GREAT!!!!

This leads to today's topic: Homework...

I know homework is a "hot topic" out in the blog world. So, I added it to our first department meeting agenda and asked them what they did. We don't have a school wide policy. I told my teachers they need a grade level policy. We strive for consistency and I know we get better support from our admin when we are united.
I can't say anyone had a firm answer, but we all agreed in Math, we HAVE to give homework.

One teacher said he checks hw and if a kid doesn't have it, they call their parents that instant (thank goodness for phones in our room) and that normally fixes it. One teacher said she grades every assignment and enters it in grade book. That teacher must not have a life.

Last year, I sucked at homework. If we had it and they turned it in, I never graded it and it ended up in the trash can. I feel guilty about that. I am NOT going to let that happen this year.

I spoke with my department about hw being meaningful for our students. It needs to be a helpful tool and if I see fit to assign it, I better see fit to grade it. They deserve that.

So this year, I have incorporated it into my morning routine. When we have hw, which I think will be about three times a week, it will be due the next day. We will grade it as a class and go over it right after our morning work they complete as they enter the classroom. 

I am going to model it after what I saw from Leslie from Jack of All Trades



What I like about this is the student is made responsible when they don't do their hw.

The other thing I have is positive performance coupons in my room. They are just coupons I give students when I "catch them being good". Each period has a bucket and I draw a few names every week and they get to choose from my free prize collection. Click here to read about those, freebies included. If they return their hw, they get an extra coupon in the bucket.

The binder will start this week. I am also curious as to what everyone else is doing, so I reserve the right to change my mind and do something I read about today!

Team Gifts + One- Monday Made It

Today is the first day of school. I am ready! Of course I have a long list of things to do, but I am ready.

And, I have a Monday Made it! Feeling very proud of myself today.

As new Math department head, one of my challenges this year to build unity among our team. We are 6th-8th grade teachers, 10 of us, 9 women, 1 man. Five are new to our school, three are brand new teachers.

I want to start out on the right foot this year.

So I made these to give each member for the first day of school.

I save every jar imaginable much to husbands dismay. It was handy when coming up with TEN things to put candy in. I got the sign from here, add twine & candy and another item checked off my "to-do" list.

+ One:
I saw these cute things from 4th Grade Frolics and made one for my sons new 1st grade teacher. The print outs are from 1st Grade with Miss Snowden.

And now, I am off to meet 100+ 6th graders. Wish me luck!