Mathematics Teaching Artifacts
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Young children find math everywhere and are not intimidated to explore it. Flexibility allows teachers to take advantage of spontaneous math.
This activity was originally set up as a way for my very active students to use their big muscles to stretch the fabric over an upturned table. Before long it became a discussion of what shapes were being made, how many pieces of fabric could fit on the table, and how many children could fit into the shapes that were made.
Over time, this activity spilled over into other areas of the room, with students using other materials to create shapes and then explore the same questions. Being aware of the students' interests and being flexible with the schedule means that I can help students deepen their learning without their realizing how much work they are really doing.
This activity was originally set up as a way for my very active students to use their big muscles to stretch the fabric over an upturned table. Before long it became a discussion of what shapes were being made, how many pieces of fabric could fit on the table, and how many children could fit into the shapes that were made.
Over time, this activity spilled over into other areas of the room, with students using other materials to create shapes and then explore the same questions. Being aware of the students' interests and being flexible with the schedule means that I can help students deepen their learning without their realizing how much work they are really doing.
Cooking is a great way to learn about both science and math. Children can learn about volume and weight measurements as well as following step-by-step directions.
I believe that children often need their bodies to be involved in the learning process in order to maximize learning. I like to take my students outside or get them moving while we are learning.
When I taught students about boxplots, we went outside to create a boxplot of their heights. Students at the designated points held up signs, and we drew the box and whiskers on the pavement where they were standing. We looked at the boxplot both vertically and horizontally.
Note: The outside version of the boxplot did not include an appropriate scale, which means the boxplot was not complete. Once inside, we redrew the boxplot with a scale and labels so that students could make the connections between lining up the data points and creating the diagram.
When I taught students about boxplots, we went outside to create a boxplot of their heights. Students at the designated points held up signs, and we drew the box and whiskers on the pavement where they were standing. We looked at the boxplot both vertically and horizontally.
Note: The outside version of the boxplot did not include an appropriate scale, which means the boxplot was not complete. Once inside, we redrew the boxplot with a scale and labels so that students could make the connections between lining up the data points and creating the diagram.
Even middle school students benefit from being able to move around. Using proportions to solve problems leads nicely into indirect measurement. For practice, I had students measure a small version of an object and then determine the size of the real object using indirect measurement and proportions.
When studying functions, one of the activities required students to get up and move in a large space. The students here have just completed a large chart that lists a function, a data table matching the function, a graph of the function, and a story that might go with that function. In addition to getting students out of their seats, this activity prompted much discussion of what functions are and the various ways they can be represented.
During a unit on transformations, I had the students design an object to be dilated using unit cubes. Once their object was built, they decided on a dilation factor and drew a picture of their object with the old and new measurements.
Middle school students also like to play games, the sillier, the better. During a difficult unit, I reserved a whole class period for review. Instead of a typical review, we played BINGO. While I do not usually use food as a reward for a variety of reasons, the teachers at this school used candy liberally. I was amazed at how motivating small pieces of candy are for students who are accustomed to them. I used the candy for BINGO markers (you cannot win if you have eaten all your markers) and prizes for winners.
I am unlikely to use treats extensively in a classroom, but I learned that being willing to take into account what students are used to it is an important consideration when planning learning activities. Despite the class' struggles, everyone did well on the quiz after we played BINGO.
I am unlikely to use treats extensively in a classroom, but I learned that being willing to take into account what students are used to it is an important consideration when planning learning activities. Despite the class' struggles, everyone did well on the quiz after we played BINGO.
Even the best students sometimes struggle to make sense of a topic. When one class was studying similar figures, I created notes to help students know what was important for them to learn.
Despite our best efforts, students may need more support than they expected. After most students did poorly on a quiz, my cooperating teacher recommended that we throw away the scores and do some review. This document is a list of practice questions I used. The class divided up into small groups and worked through each problem before they were allowed to have another one. Each time I visited a group I asked a different person to explain the problem to me in order to make sure that each student was comprehending the math behind the problem. The retake quiz was a success for most students, and I learned that it was fine for a teacher to accept that there is more learning to be done before a class can move on sometimes.