Being Better at Math
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Transcript of Being Better at Math
Being Better at Math
Strategies for Elementary Mathematics
Paula L. Naugle
4th Grade Teacher
Bissonet Plaza/ JPPSS
Lack of prior knowledgeMissing foundational skillsLimited experiences with “doing” math“One right answer” approach“Permission” to be “bad” at mathOthers?
What Makes Math Difficult?
Are you teaching students or learners?Let’s describe a …
Student LearnerActiveEngagedAn independent thinkerInternally motivatedFocused on the learning
PassiveBoredTold what to thinkTypically unmotivatedFocused on the grade
Strategies
Constant exposure to meaningful mathAllow students to verbalize their thinkingProvide for meaningful use of manipulativesHelp students develop “bridge” toolsCreate “reference” resources
Every day, provide meaningful math investigations through manipulatives, games, puzzles, and stories.
Content example: Guess My UnitPIGClosest to 100Two of Everything
Strategy 1 - Constant exposure to meaningful math
Select a unit. Give clues about your unit until someone guesses what it is.
mile centimeter pound gram
inch kilometer cup decade
quart milligram foot liter
Guess My Unit
The goal of the game is to be the first player to reach 100.
On your turn, roll the dice as many times as you would like, mentally keeping a running total of the sum. When you decide to stop rolling, record your total for that turn and add it to the total from any previous turns.
If a 1 comes up on one of the dice, your turn is over and you score 0 points for that round. If you roll a 1 on both dice, you lose your turn and ALL points.
Playing PIG
Roll a die. Decide if the number represents 10 or 1. For example, if you roll a 4, you must decide if you would like 4 or 40 points.Pass the die to the next player who also rolls once and decides how many points.After each turn, add your points.Play 7 rounds (you must play all rounds)The player who is closest to 100 (above or below) after 7 rounds wins!
Closest to 100
Every day, expect students to explain theirthinking.
Content example: Math journals or blogs Follow Me
NIM
Strategy 2 - Allow students to verbalize their thinking
Math Journals or Blogs
Everyday I have students write explanations to math problemsin their math journals (Spiral notebooks – so last century).
I will have my students keep their math reflections on a blog from now on. (21st century)
www.kidsblog.org or www.weebly.com
Bennett’s Blog
Follow Me(I Have … Who Has…?)
Make your own set using this site – http://www.senteacher.org/Worksheet/46/Loopcards.xhtml
Follow Me(I Have … Who Has…?)
Select a partner and count out 21 beans.
One partner begins by selecting 1, 2, or 3 beans from the pile.
The second partner then takes 1, 2, or 3 from the remaining beans.
The person who takes the last bean loses!
NIM
NIM Online
You can play NIM online against the computer or a classmate
here.
Manipulatives should be available and integrated into every math lesson.
Content example: Loose Caboose True Blue Snap cube measurement
Strategy 3 - Provide for meaningful use of manipulatives
Trina wants to win a goldfish at the carnival. In order for her to win, she needs to pick 2 blue tiles out of the “True Blue prize bag,” without looking.
If the prize bag contains 3 blue tiles and 3 red tiles, what is the probability of winning the game?
Predict the number of wins you willget in 40 trials. Then, conduct the trialsand record the outcomes.
True Blue
Students should be taught specific strategies toimprove memory and understanding.
Content example: Coin Chants Finger Multiplication
Strategy 4 - Help students develop “bridge” tools
Coin Chants
Multiplication on Finger - Video.flv
(Click on the words above and the video will open in a player and start playing.)
Finger Multiplication
Students should maintain a math journal or blog to record and store math resources.
Content example: Gallon map Big Inch
DMSCBSRounding Cadence
Real Life Math Chart
Strategy 5 - Create “reference” resources
Gallon Map
0 112 2
2
14
24 4
4
34
18
28
38
48
58
68
78
88
The BIG Inch
DMSCBS
• When teaching long division, I use the DMSCBS acronym. The sentence we use is: Does McDonalds Sell Cheeseburgers & Shakes?
• D-Decide and Divide (Decide where to place the first digit in the quotient and then divide.)M-MultiplyS-SubtractC-Check and CompareB-Bring DownS-Start Over Again
Estimate means to round a numberLook at the neighbor and rememberRound down 1, 2 Round down 3, 4Round down 1, 2, 3, 4
Estimate means to round a number When I say zero, you say down.Look at the neighbor and remember Zero, down, zero, down. Round up 6, 7 Round up 8, 9 When I say estimate, you say round.Round up 6, 7, 8, 9 Estimate, round, estimate, round.
Go Math!The number 5 is in the middle But rounding it is no riddleRound up the number 5 Round up the number 5Always round up the number 5
(Blue = Boy sing and girls repeat White = boys Red = girls Yellow = everyone)
Rounding Cadence written by Paula L. Naugle
Check out these resources
http://pnaugle.blogspot.com
http://plnaugleclasswiki.wikispaces.com/
http://groups.diigo.com/group/elementary-maths
http://tinyurl.com/yhzycjc
Some of the material contained here I adapted from
Heather Sparks
2008-2009 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year &8th grade algebra and pre-algebra teacher
Taft Middle School, OKC Public Schools