Making the Case for How the Numbers Work: K-5 math training
by Julie Shaw for CSSD11
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
8AM – 4PM, Tesla room 116
Syllabus:
My goal in developing this class is to address the question, “Are we satisfied with our current math scores?” and what to
do about it.
8:00 - Opening
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Introductions
i. mine – history in education/focus since 2002
ii. tables – whip around: Name, grade level, school
Agenda/ House-keeping
Working Agreements: Make the Learning Yours, All Voices in the Room, Balanced Participation, Take Care of
Yourself, Have Fun
Rationale for the day: Introduce Plickers Cards
i. Use Plickers Question 1 (www.plickers.com – user id: shawj@d11.org, password: Johnis26) Apple ID shawj@d11.org, John is 26
1. “Are we satisfied with the current math scores in our district? Our country? With CCSS and
the Standards of Mathematical Practice, how do we make sense of it all? Do we want better
math scores?”
Warm-Up
i. Response posters – Start with Dave’s quote: “We must raise the bar of rigor, AND lower the
threshold so more can get in.” widen the door…what does this mean to us?
ii. Use Plickers Questions 2 and 3 with the Poster consens-o-grams:
1. “How did you feel about math as a child?” Using a halved composition book, have
participants write down a reflection on it, have them put a blue dot on the consens-o-gram,
and then stand there, and then get a few stories from each end and the middle.
2. “What is the highest level of mathematics that you studied/attained?” Put a red dot on the
consens-o-gram. Compare the two charts.
3. Ask, “What does this tell us about our students and how they need to learn math? What is
working? What is not working?” Discuss Math Anxiety, parts of the brain (Poster), and Mind
Gym Book – (if you think you can’t, you physically can’t).
4. Tell them we will reflectively write all day long. Just write down each question and jot down
a brief response to it on the next clean page in the half comp book.
iii. Use Plickers Question 4
1. Question/Table Talk – Sing the Alphabet Song like a little one. Ask, “If a child can sing the
alphabet song, they know…”
2. Ask, “What does it mean to truly or deeply understand something?” Discuss and Read some
quotes from the book, Making Sense.I
iv. Use Plickers Question 5 and 6 – True or False
1. “All of math is patterns.” Set game?
2. And, “If you know 10, you know everything.”
9:00 – Binary lesson here?
9:45 - Doing some math with the four operations – 3 F Words – What if you didn’t know any algorithms? How would
you work the problem using what you know about place value?
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
4 corners activity: Do, then process and write
Do some more: 27-19 = decomposing/composing number
Using the stuff, CRA, accessible algorithms
Skip counting – finding the patterns, relate to In/Out or Function Table, linear equations, rise and run
Number lines, number grids, hundreds charts: Have different grids for each table, small and poster sized.
i. Greater Than, Less Than game
ii. Find the Sticky Note Number game
10:30 – Break
10:45 - Basic Facts
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
fact families (and their published names)
strategies and fingers (doubles and near doubles by yourself and with a partner)
fact grids: +, - and *, /, philosophy of they don’t know their facts and what helps, targeted practice
Other fact games: dice, cards, Top It, fact triangles and targeted individualized practice
11:30 – LUNCH
12:00 or 12:30 – Math Talk, Questioning, Classroom Structures, and Dr. Fuson’s white papers and videos
12:45 or 1:15 - Fractions, Decimals, Percents
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
¼ of 1/3, fraction bars, improper fractions (what are they really?)
When do you multiply across or find common denominator?
Show Youtube video: Beyond Slices of Pizza: Teaching Fractions Effectively Part 3
Clock Circle Math lesson – use 16 clock worksheet and rulers. Use doc cam or white board
i. 1/12 of 60
ii. Fractions, percents, decimals, degrees (180’, 360’, 90’, 270’, relate to others)
iii. What about a protractor and compass? Why use until you make this connection? Why not always
use a full 360’ protractor?
1:45 or 2:00 - Break
2:00 or 2:15 - Books at the tables: Read one, summarize it for your table, and generate ideas for how you would use it
in your classroom. (books listed below) Choose some (number depends on how many participants are present) to
take.
3:00 or 3:15 - Your Turn – What Else? Burning Questions Poster, Write About It
Materials:
√ White boards, markers in black socks
√ Paper of different types/sizes; plain, colors, grids (3)
√ Comp books (cut in half)
__ Place value blocks (at Adams Elementary School) – enough for some on each table
√ Secret Code Cards – make 30 student sets
√ Number Path and 120/240 poster in plastic sleeves – make 30
√ Decks of cards
√ Dominoes
√ Packs of dice
√ Fact Grids – use blue booklets or make more
√ Game instructions ???
√ Supply Totes: pens, pencils/sharpeners, sticky notes, markers scissors, tape, gluesticks
√ Number Line(s) with negative numbers and multiples (student version master copy) Make 30
√ Hundred’s Charts – several versions (vertical and horizontal)
√ Rulers: in closet (30)
√ Scissors: in closet
√ 360’ and 180’ Protractors – 30 of each
√ Pencils w/erasers and sharpeners in totes
√ Response Posters for Math
√ PBS Developing Mathematical Thinking with Effective Questions
√ Dr. Fuson’s white papers – Make table copies
√ Outline poster of the head/brain
Math Concept Books (by author):
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Pat Hutchins: The Doorbell Rang
Marilyn Burns: The I Hate Mathematics Book, Greedy Triangle, Spaghetti with Meatballs, Math for Smartypants
Cindy Neuschwander: Sir Cumference and the First Round Table, Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream (w/MBurns)
Greg Tang: Grapes of Math, The Best of Times, Math Fables, Math Potatoes, Math Appeal, Math for All Seasons:
Mind-Stretching Math Riddles, Math-terpieces
Stuart Murphy: Divide and Ride
Dayle Ann Dodds: Full House
Elinor Pinczes: Remainder of One, One Hundred Hungry Ants
Trisha Speed Shaskan: If You Were a Fraction
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Divide-Ride-MathStart-StuartMurphy/dp/0064467104/ref=pd_sim_b_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=0WX6RMZFEM09QXZZM7X5
Resources:
Adding it Up, by National Research Council
How the Brain Learns Math, by David Sousa
Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics, by Liping Ma
Making Sense, by Dr. Karen Fuson et al. (author of Math Expressions)
Mind Gym, by Gary Mack
Teaching Elementary and Middle School Mathematics, by John Van de Walle
What if Your ABC’s Were Your 123’s? by Leslie Minton
5 Easy Steps to a Balanced Math Program, by Ainsworth & Christinsen
Math supplies (reasonable prices): http://catalogs.etacuisenaire.com/i/51632-math-science-2012/97
Number line with room for multiples dots: www.creativemathematics.com
Math Researchers: Dr.’s Karen Fuson, Liping Ma, Deborah Ball, Matt Larson, Tim Kanold, Mary Pittman, Michelle
Douglass, Matthew Peterson
Math Influencers, and Experts: John Van de Walle, Marilyn Burns, Kathy Richardson, Greg Tang, Kim Sutton, Melissa
Colsman, Elaine Boyer, Dora Gonzales, Dave Sawtelle, etc.