Writing in Math--Yes it works

Friday, I had my students do something in my class that made the ELAR teachers at my school shout for joy.

They wrote ARTICLE REVIEWS!!!!

Yes, you read that correctly.  I gave my students an article that I came across in my readings.  I asked them first to read it and summarize it for me.  Then, they had to answer an opinion question with evidence from the article to support their opinion.  It was amazing to see their thoughts and ideas.  

Now I am not a writing teacher, so I do my best to help with grammar, spelling, and punctuation...but to see their thoughts come to life is outstanding.

We are going to be doing this every two weeks.  I am already scanning for my next article.

The Design Process Part 2

Yesterday, my students created interactive presentations over the design process learned during the Marshmallow challenge.

Here is an example one of my male students wanted to share with everyone.  In his words, "Ms. Kinney, it's part of the process...I have to do it." (Make sure you hit present and start clicking around!!!)

My students are engaged and talking like I have never had the first week of school.  I am looking forward to the coming year.

The Design Process and the Marshmallow Challenge

Today was the second day of school and in staying with tradition, my students were given the Marshmallow Challenge.

I use this challenge for two main purposes.

1) I want to see how my students will perform in a group within a not mathematical setting.

2) I want my students to learn the importance of the design process and how we can use it in other aspects of their lives.

My students are given their kits and the timer is started.  It never fails that one of the groups will have a student who pulls out all the spaghetti sticks and breaks them in half in the first 5 seconds of the challenge.  Then said group will spend the rest of the time trying to tape the sticks back together as they build their structure higher.  Most structures do not remain standing after the time is over...but this is not where we stop.

After the timer goes off, we measure the structures and talk about what happened during the 18 minutes of the challenge.  After some reflection, I ask my students who they think does better on this project.  I list their answers on the board and then have them watch the first few minutes of the ted talk video.  Do you know who performs best???  Watch the TED Talk Here 

But this is where I add a little twist.  We talk about the engineering design process.  At our school we have a flow chart on display in our rooms:

Imagine--Plan--Design--Improve--Share (Repeat if necessary)

We talk about each part.  I ask them questions about what the word means to them.  The answers I got today were tremendous.  And we have great discussion on why that step would be important, and when have they used it before.

Then I ask them if they would like another chance at the challenge.  They emphatically shout, "YES!!!".  So I give them their second kit...

The change is almost immediate.  When I told them their time has started, no one reached for the bag.  Instead they talked it out.  Pictures were being sketched, great discussions took place.  Then they began to create some amazing structures.  And at the end of 18 minutes, every single team had a freestanding structure holding up their marshmallow.

This is when the real learning becomes real.  I ask them three questions:

1) What do you think is the most important step in the design process and why?
2) What made you 2nd chance better than the 1st?
3) How can we use the design process to help use solve a math problem?

The discussions we had after they had time to reflect and write were the best I have ever had on the second day of school.  My students are primed for some learning and I am excited to give it to them...

Can't wait for tomorrow!

Math Can Be Paperless...

Yes you read that right!

When Google classroom was first rolled out, I was excited.  I had been experimenting with flipping my classroom and it seemed that Google was going to be a more stream-lined way to do this.  But as I began to research it and implement it in small increments in my class, I saw that it was a much more powerful environment than I originally thought.  I began documenting how I could use it to drive the learning in my classroom.

My first barrier, I did not have the technology available to do this everyday (heck I only got the Chrome-cart once a month).  So I made sure that I utilized that time to the fullest.  Students were engaged, discipline was reduced, and students begged for the days we finally got them in our classroom.  I began to plead with the powers-at-be in my school.  I wanted to completely change my classroom environment...and I needed a classroom set of Chromebooks to do this.

I was informed that this year I would be piloting Chromebooks in my classroom this year.  I was ecstatic.  I had been preparing all summer for the chance that this would happen.  I am going to try and turn my classroom into a virtually paperless environment.  When I first proposed this to my administrators they were skeptical.  Like most educators, it is easy to see how a reading, social studies, or even science class can excel in a paperless environment.  When it comes to math, most educators are set in their ways and believe that paper pencil practice is the best strategy for learning.  However, I believe that math is more than just practicing steps.  I am excited to try and mold a new way of looking at a math classroom.

When I suggest to others that I am doing this in my classroom, I always get the, "Well that wouldn't work with my students."  Well I will be honest with you up front.  I am the Intervention teacher on my campus.  Every student in my class was unsuccessful on their STAAR test in 7th grade and only a few have passed at least one test, 3-6.  Not only do I have content barriers, but my students also come with a high number of previous discipline referrals.  So, if my students can do it...any student can do it.

I am excited for my new year...follow along as I navigate this new journey.