The Mathematical

Technology is great but can also be a challenge for math teachers who want to see student work. Here is an option for using online assessments which allows teachers to see student work for each problem plus allows for a way to give valuable feedback for the teacher and the student. Thanks to Ms. Wray and Mrs. Mol at White Oak Elementary School, they have implemented a form for students to show their work when doing online assessments like Pearson topic tests. These teachers have found that this has not only been a great way to give feedback, but they have also noticed that their students are now reaching for scratch paper when doing other online math activities like IXL.

For younger students, this strategy can also be a great way to help them learn to navigate inputting their answers online. Teachers can have students do their work on paper and then help them enter their answers online.

Here is a link to this Online Scratch Paper. Teachers can make a copy of it in their Google Drive to change it accordingly to fit the length of problems or add images if needed (like graphs, number lines, clock faces, etc.) to help students solve. If a problem is one that doesn't need to be worked out, teachers can simply cross off the box. Some of these examples have already been added to give teachers an idea of how it can be used.

Weekly Challenge Question: Use questions from GCA, GoFar, or from an enrichment question in the textbook to create a weekly challenge question. Start off as a weekly challenge (if you want with incentives of some sort - candy, half-homework pass, etc.) with the whole group which makes it a lower-risk activity. This will help increase student involvement and build their confidence for when they are faced with answering these questions independently later. Introduce the question and discuss what strategies could be used to solve it. Give them a day or two to think about it and come back to the problem to see if they can figure out the answer. Exposing students early with these types of questions will help improve their success when they encounter these types of questions on the end-of-course and end-of-grade assessments.

*This will be posted in Google Classroom in a new Topic section called "Enrichment." If you try it with your students, please post a reply and share how it went with your students.

Mrs. Lewis from Jefferson Parkway has shared with us a way to spiral in skills as she is doing warm-ups with her students. This is similar to Mountain Math and is a great way to re-enforce valuable skills and incorporate a number talks all at once. The template was created as a Word document to make the editing process easier. Download the version and simply change the numbers as needed. For the older grades, the fact families can be changed to multiplication and division. For younger grades, the base ten blocks can be changed to ten frames. Here's a link to the template.

Strategies for Mastering Sixes and Nines

The nines and sixes multiplication facts are sometimes considered harder to learn than the other basic facts. With the right foundation and the multiplication strategies described in this article, they can be a breeze!

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Doubling Strategy for Multiplication

Doubling is a strategy that people of all ages frequently use. Young children first learn doubles as an addition of two groups. What multiplication facts can be used by using a doubling strategy? If you said the twos, fours, and eights facts then you are correct! That’s what makes this strategy so powerful.

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Use-Tens Strategy for the Fives Facts

The use-tens strategy highlights that 5 is half of 10, so the product of a fives fact will be half of the product of a related tens fact. This strategy enables the students to easily figure out facts beyond the range of the basic facts.

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Is it to fill gaps? Make sure students can do a skill or group of skills?

Is it to guide students carefully into a deep understanding of the math...to connect learning together...to build conceptual understanding?

Or is it to develop mathematical thinkers?

Which one are you? Read More to find out how it effects your "Role."

• Math Misconceptions: From Misunderstanding to Deep Understanding, Grades PreK-5 by Honi Bamberger, Christine Oberdorf, and Karren Schultz-Ferrell
• Uncovering Student Thinking About Mathematics in the Common Core, Grades 6-8: 25 Formative Assessment Probes by Cheryl Rose Tobey and Caroline B. Arline
• Making Sense of Math: How to Help Every Student Become a Mathematical Thinker and Problem Solver by Cathy Seeley

More information is posted in the MS Google Classroom including a live link to register.

More information is posted in the HS Google Classroom.

The Northside STEM Academy, an after school club sponsored by Mrs. Thompson, was featured in the November 5, 2018 issue of the Newnan Times-Herald. EMC lineman visited with the club to explain what they did and demonstrate what it's like to be a lineman.

Read the full article here.

You may have noticed the small blue 'C' on the top right of your or your student's menu bar. Clever is a handy little app that is now in place to make your student's log in experience easier! Clever gives students and teachers a single login for all of their online learning programs and resources. No more headaches of students who can't remember their passwords!

Click on the blue 'C' on the right of your menu bar and see how easy it works!

The Great Debate: Fractions vs Decimals

Dec 10, 2018 - Online Webinar, 4:00 - 5:00

This light-hearted debate will review the history and mathematics of fractions and decimals, and will dive into pedagogical challenges and strategies for each. By the end of the debate, attendees will learn some new facts and insights about fractions and decimals, as well as some new teaching strategies and connections between fractions and decimals. Webinar is free.

Register here.

2019 STEAM Winterfest

Jan 5th, 2019 - West Georgia RESA, 8:30 - 1:00

Spend a day collaborating, sharing and learning the newest trends in STEAM education. Winterfest is for all grades and content areas. Event is free.

Register here.

Middle School Math Collaborative Meeting

Jan 23, 2019 - Lee Middle School, 4:00 - 5:00

Collaborative Meeting among 6-8 teachers, review scope and sequence (2nd 9-weeks), and other updates. Please bring a charged chromebook to the meeting.

Making Sense of Mathematics, Grades 3-5: Algebraic Reasoning and Geometric Decomposition

January 29, 2019 - West Georgia RESA, 9:00 - 3:00

This workshop is intended to support content teachers, co-teachers and teacher leaders in situating this knowledge within learning progressions, classrooms, and the TQE (tasks, questioning, and evidence) process.

Register here.

GoFormative Training: Instructional Technology Training

Jan 31, 2019 - Werz - PLC, 4:00 - 5:00

Training session on using GoFormative in your classroom to assess students in an effective way to collect data and item analysis. Want to learn more? Join us on Jan 31st. Please bring a charged chromebook and a short assessment (about 5 questions). Registration will open the beginning of January.

As you continue to reach towards achieving your goals, please utilize me as a resource. I would love to spend time with teachers and admin during your planning or instructional periods. If interested in a meeting, a class visit, or modeling, please complete this form to request a time. You can also send me an email anytime!

Chubb, M. (Jun 9, 2016). What Does Day 1 Look Like? Retrieved from https://buildingmathematicians.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/teaching-approaches-what-does-day-1-look-like/

DePaul, D. (n.d.). Effective Strategies for Mastering the Nines and Sixes. Retrieved from https://www.origoeducation.com/blog/build-down-build-up-multiplication-strategies/

DePaul, D. (n.d.). Skip the Skip-Counting Strategy for the Fives Facts. Retrieved from https://www.origoeducation.com/blog/use-tens-strategy/

DePaul, D. (n.d.). The Doubling Strategy for Multiplication. Retrieved from https://www.origoeducation.com/blog/doubling-strategy-for-multiplication/

Please contact Michelle Clarke, Math Content Specialist, with any comments, questions or concerns.

Email: michelle.clarke@cowetaschools.net
Website: curriculum.cowetaschools.org
Location: 167 Werz Industrial Boulevard, Newnan, GA, 30263
Phone: 770.254.2800
Twitter: @clarkemath