Moore Math Messages

Yes, it is imperative that we begin with the end in mind. What is our "end"? Our state standards and objectives. On each page of our MPS pacing guide is listed the standards addressed for each chapter, but that is just the start of what we need to do. Let's look at how we can begin with the end in mind with each chapter.

Before the chapter begins:

1. Examine the standards.

2. Examine the Oklahoma Frameworks for clarification and objective analysis.

3. Examine the item specifications. (For 3rd - 6th)

What do we do with all this information?

Make sure daily work and assessments match the standards, frameworks, and item specifications.

Still have questions? Reach out anytime! I will be happy to help!

Here are some tips and best practices for using our new math curriculum.

1. ALWAYS start with the Dig In (found in the Teacher's Editions with every lesson). This is meant to start off your lesson in a high-engagement way.

2. When assigning online assignments, here are a few things to remember:

• We cannot reassign until the due date has passed, so be careful making due dates too far in the future.
• We cannot edit an assignment once it is made so you may not want to assign too far ahead just in case plans change.
• When using the edited version, always put 3 (or more) hours in the duration blank on the first page. This will ensure that kids aren't "timed out". This is located on the first screen at the bottom of the page when you copy and edit. Picture is below.
• When assigning the practice version, you have two options:
• Practice - students will get three attempts at each question.
• Scored - students will get one attempt at each questions.

3. Keep notes on your pacing guide about difficulties with lessons or lessons we may need to exclude in future years. This will help when we have our spring grade-level meetings to make adjustments to the pacing guides.

4. If you want to sync with Canvas and use the grade-sync with IC, Jennifer Seitsinger (my hero) has created instructions to make it easier. They are linked below.

5. If you find errors, please take a screenshot and send it to me so I can submit a ticket. Big Ideas has been pretty responsive with correcting errors.

This is a repeat, but I'm still getting lots of questions about grading. Please let me know if I can help in any way.

Sometimes finding the grades for online assignments in My Ada is challenging. Please take a look at the video below for help with online grading.

Open-ended questions: Where do I go to grade open-ended questions? Check out the video below.

Are you in the gradebook and only seeing one overall grade instead of each assignment? Click on the "Oklahoma Grade..." in purple. This will expand the list to show each individual assignment.

Students always seem to struggle with number sense. Here are some number routines we learned about last year in our PD series that you can implement to help strengthen number sense. We can start these routines in early childhood grades and use them all the way up!

Math Yapper is a routine that will engage students in communication about mathematical vocabulary.

1. Choose two vocabulary terms to use for the routine. The terms do not have to be associated with each other.
2. Assign partners.
3. Arrange partners so that one faces the screen and the other away from it.
4. Display one of the terms.
5. Remind students that they cannot say exactly what appears on the screen.
6. Students facing the screen will give clues to the term displayed until their partner guesses the word.
7. (You are circulating during this time listening for perspective and misunderstandings.)
8. Students switch roles with the new word.

Follow with class discussion:

• How did your partner describe ______?
• What other ways could we describe ______?
• When do we work with _____ in class?
• Are there any other ideas or words similar to _____?
• Where else might we hear the word ______?

This is one of my favorites to use in class. Let students learn from each other! There are a lot of topics we need to review and refresh, and quiz, quiz, trade is perfect for that! If you'd like me to come by and help you use this in your classroom, please email or text. I am happy to help.

One suggestion: When students are learning the procedure of the game, take the math to easy levels. The focus is learning how the game works, so make the questions a little easier than the current grade level so students can focus on the learning the game, not necessarily on the math.

“Quiz, Quiz, Trade” is a cooperative learning strategy that promotes formative assessment, active engagement and peer-to-peer teaching. It’s particularly effective for reviewing math concepts in a fun and interactive way.

How to play: Prepare a set of question cards related to the math concepts you want to review. Each student should have a card and each card should have a math problem or a question on one side and the answer on the other. Give each student a card and give some time for each student to make sure they know how to arrive at the answer. Arrange students into pairs around the room. Each student should have a different question.

Then have students hold their cards up with the question side facing out. Each student quizzes their partner with the question on their card. They can read the question aloud or show it to their partner. The partner tries to answer the question without looking at the back of the card. If they answer correctly, they receive praise and encouragement from their partner. If the answer they give is incorrect, the partner will coach the student to the correct answer.

• Ex. 4 x 8
• Student A says: 24
• Student B: You're on the right track. 3 x 8 is 24 so we need to add another 8. *

*This is why it is KEY that students know HOW to arrive at the correct answer before they start playing.

After both partners have quizzed each other, they trade cards, find a new partner, and repeat the process. By the end of the time period, students may see questions multiple times, but they will become experts on every card. What does the teacher do? This is your time to wander and listen. Listen for mistakes that students make so you can address it when you come back together as a class. You can also listen for great student explanations to talk about when the class comes back together.

“Quiz, Quiz, Trade” effectively reviews math concepts while promoting active engagement, collaboration, and peer teaching among students. It’s adaptable to various grade levels and can be customized to focus on specific math topics or skills.

We have lots of opportunities for professional learning!

• Only have 20 minutes? We have something for you!
• Have a little longer? We have something for you!

Daily Routines for Problem Solving

• In person for 1 hour per quarter
• Through zoom for 2 30-minutes sessions per quarter. You don't need to come for every session if you don't have the time. Join in when you can.

Learning to Love Math

• Meeting once a month

Ambitious Science

• Meeting once a month

See the schedule below to join in on the learning fun!

Kindergarten at Plaza Towers were learning about all things pumpkins in October. Take a look at this great non-standard measurement activity! Way to go Kinder!

What do we do with the kids not in our RTI groups? Centers of course. You don't have make anything fancy or outrageously difficult. A simple poster, partner groups, numbers an binder clips do the job! Way to fo Jennifer Worley at Winding Creek!

This idea came from Judy Musselman from Bryant Elementary:

We play magic number every day. I give students a number and they create as many equations as they can in 2 minutes.

Great idea, Judy!

Turn that worksheet into a game - 100 Squares Challenge. This would be great for that end-of-chapter review!

The teachers cuts up the worksheets so that each piece of paper includes just one problem, and she makes an answer key for herself.

In class, Feehan lays all of the problems face-down and projects a 100-square grid on her whiteboard. She asks students to form teams of two. When she says, “Go!” students grab a math problem and then work with their partner to solve it as quickly as possible. Once they have an answer, one of the partners approaches Feehan to check their answer.

If the answer is incorrect, the pair has a second chance to rework the problem. If they get it right, they sign their initials in a numbered square of their choice. The goal is to claim as many squares as possible to increase the odds of winning the game. Students move in every direction—racing to Feehan, racing to the board, and racing to get a new problem. Nestor, a 10th-grade student, said, “It was chaotic, but I think it was chaotic in a good way.”

Students continue adding their initials to the grid until every square is full. At that point, students who get a problem right still need to add their initials to a square—but to do so, they have to erase the initials of one of their classmates. Nestor recalls, “I was having a sort of rivalry with one of my other classmates where I would erase his square and he would erase mine. That was certainly very fun.”

At the end of the set time—usually 20 minutes—Feehan uses a calculator to generate a random number between 1 and 100. The winner is the team that has their initials on that square. The result elicits cheers and groans.

Want to see it in action? The video is linked below. Thank you to Vicki Nelson for finding this gem!

Coming up with ideas to help students with subitizing can be a challenge. Take a look below at five different activities to help students with subitizing.

Dot Card Games: Materials and Teacher Tips

Dot card sets are available to print at www.ym.edc.org/dotcard. Sets are 2½ x 2½ and 5 x 5 inches.

You’ll need the following:

• Two sets of small dot cards
• One set of large dot cards
• Blank 5 x 5 cards for children to make their own dot cards (Tip: Use card stock or laminate the cards to make them sturdier)
• 25 tokens or other counting objects (buttons, coins)
• Set of numeral cards 1–10

Tips for extending the learning

You’ll find more than one version of each game.

• When children first play, use cards with one to three dots
• For later games, introduce cards with four and five dots
• When children are ready, add cards with up to 10 dots
• Pay attention to the different arrangements of dots on a card (rectangular and dice arrangements are typically easier; linear, circular, and scattered arrangements are harder)

Why was the decimal worried about marrying a fraction? Because he would have to convert.

I saw my math teacher with a piece of graph paper yesterday. I know she must be plotting something!

What did the acorn say when it grew up? GE- OM-E-TRY (Gee, I'm a tree!)

What do you call an empty parrot cage? A Poly-gon

Come on. You laughed a little! 😄

Students making a D or F in any of the four core subjects are eligible for after-school/evening tutoring offered at the junior high schools. Parents will need to complete the link below to enroll.

Judy Musselman at Bryant Elementary is the winner of this month's drawing!

Everyone register below to be included in next month's drawing!

Thank you for taking the time to read Math Messages this month. Please register for the monthly drawing for some goodies!