DRAFT
Math Workshop: Grades 3-4
Calendar Math: (can be done at the beginning of the day or can be included in the
math block) (15 minutes)
To review essential skills, such as place value, estimation, time, measurement, skip
counting, etc.
(Resource: Every Day Counts; Gillespie, Kanter. This is a full program that some
schools purchase, but we are simply using the teacher guide and the existing
manipulatives at our school site.)
Problem of the Day:
(10-15 minutes. The same problem type will be given for several days in a row in order
to build proficiency and confidence. As the year progresses, the problem types will be
varied.)
Possible problem types include:
 Math matrix (Students are given four numbers and are asked to find the one that is
different. They must be able to explain why their choice is different from the
others. The same number can be given as the one that is different, as long as the
child can give a different justification for their answer.)
 True/false statements (i.e., 258=50+8+100+100 True or false? Show how you
know.)
 Word problems
 Mystery numbers (I have three digits, I am odd, the sum of my digits is 11, and
the product of my digits is 21. What am I? Answer: 371 or 173 or 731.)
 Skip counting pattern search, etc.
Workshop:
(30 minutes to an hour)
Possible schedules:
Monday-Problem of the Day is modeled with teacher think-aloud and done as a whole
group
Whole group lesson that teaches the skill of the week
Tuesday-Conferencing with 3-5 students about strategies for solving the Problem of the
Day
-Whole group mini lesson (reviews what was learned the previous day)
-Small group instruction-group 1
-Other children take part in activities that allow opportunities for independent
practice of the skill taught that week, such as computer games, math games,
math/literacy opportunities (i.e., Greg Tang books, or math poetry), or fact
fluency.
Wednesday-Conferencing with 3-5 students about strategies for solving the Problem of
the Day
DRAFT
-Small group instruction-group 2 and 3
-Other children take part in activities that allow opportunities for independent
practice of the skill taught that week, such as computer games, math games,
math/literacy opportunities (i.e., Greg Tang books, or math poetry), or fact
fluency.
Thursday--Conferencing with 3-5 students about strategies for solving the Problem of
the Day
-Small group instruction-group 4 and 5
-Other children take part in activities that allow opportunities for independent
practice of the skill taught that week, such as computer games, math games,
math/literacy opportunities (i.e., Greg Tang books, or math poetry), or fact
fluency.
Friday— Conferencing with 3-5 students about strategies for solving the Problem of
the Day
-Finish activities from the week
-Math Huddle students share and discuss problem solving strategies
-Reflection journal: what skill, strategy, or standard they learned in math this
week
-Assessment