Line Graphs

Make Your Own Line Graph

This is a very nice site for making your own line graph.   You can determine how many different data points you need along with a minimum and maximum value.   You can give your graph a title and label the X and Y axis.   You can also add questions or a summary to be printed with the graph.

TEI Questions

Our math coaches have been working on sample TEI questions for each grade level.   The questions have been created using the SmartBoard Notebook software.   If you do not have the Notebook Software you can take a look at the PDF version.   Both of these can be downloaded from Google Drive.

Click here to see a NOTEBOOK sample

Click here to see a PDF version of the Notebook file.

Picture Graphs

We are getting ready to begin graphing in second grade.  Pictographs and picture graphs are so much fun but they take a long time to create.   The creation part is a must.   Students need to collect, display and analyze data in formats other than worksheets.   However, sometimes there is a great piece of technology that can help us to generate lots of picture graphs for the purpose of analyzing data.   I have found the perfect solution for TopMarks.

Five Frames and Ten Frames

Understanding that numbers are composed of tens and ones is an important foundational concept, setting the stage for work with larger numbers. A strong sense of "ten" is a prerequisite for place- value understanding and mental calculations. But how to develop this idea? 

Using a ten-frame, students can easily see that 6 is 1 more than 5 and 4 less than 10, or that 8 can be seen as "5 and 3 more" and as "2 away from 10." Once students are able to visualize the numbers 1

through 10, they begin to develop mental strategies for manipulating those numbers, all within the context of the numbers' relationship to ten.


Researcher John Van de Walle recommends that children in kindergarten and early first grade explore numbers with a five-frame for a week or so before moving on to a ten-frame. Introduce the ten- frame with the following rule, says Van de Walle: Always fill the top row first, starting on the left, the same way you read. When the top row is full, counters can be placed on the bottom row, also from the left. This will produce the "standard way" to show numbers on the ten-frame. (p. 122) 

To get started watch this wonderful short video on using 5 and 10 frames. 

Click on the images above to go to the interactive 5 and 10 frames at NCTM's Illuminations.

My Second Grade Dropbox

I have been searching for math activities and lessons that will support hands-on learning in the K-2 classroom.   I have placed a few wonderful activities in my DROPBOX.   Here is my 2nd Grade Dropbox.

My iPhone

I finally downloaded the Blogger app to my iPhone. This is my first post. I'm using the microphone so all I have to do is record my thoughts and it is converted to text and posted on my blog. What a great tool for those of us that don't type.

Guided Math

My teachers are getting so excited about Guided Math.  One commented today that she wants to do small group Guided Math everyday.  However, she feels that it works best when she has another adult in the room.   We all need to work on management strategies to make sure that all students are engaged.  

Check out this BLOG by a teacher who says her classroom has transformed since using Math Workshops through Guided Math.

http://clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-math-workshop-rotation-board-setting.html

Pinterest

I am not sure I would know what to do without access to Pinterest and all the great Elementary Math activities that I have found there.  Elementary teachers across the country are posting amazing things.  I spent about an hour on Wednesday searching for ideas to use in second grade classrooms for their upcoming unit on basic facts to 20.   I found a wealth of things.  If you have not started using Pinterest,  try this short tutorial.

Classroom DoJo

I am not a writer but I am going to try to start blogging about what I am seeing in elementary math classrooms in Roanoke City Schools.  My fifth grade teachers have gotten very excited about using Classroom DOJO, an iPAD/iPHONE APP for classroom management.  The kids love it!