In this strategy, you introduce a topic to students, and give them an opportunity to think about it. You then have them work with a partner and discuss their ideas. It gives the students some more confidence because they have had the chance to discuss it with a class mate and hopefully see that they had similar ideas. Even if they disagreed initially, they will have hopefully come to a consensus. It will at the very least give the students opportunity to think for themselves.
Gallery walk
To use this strategy, you divide the class into groups, and assign each group a topic. The group will put their ideas on a chart paper, which will then be posted. All of the students will have to opportunity to wander the class (in an orderly fashion) to see what each group came up with for their topic. This way, each student only has to look at 1 topic in any great detail, but will hopefully get all of the information. I like the idea of using this strategy for review, so that students can look at all of the topics in the unit in a somewhat concise form, and identify their weaknesses.
Frayer Model
With this strategy, you have the students create a placemat of sorts. The term in question goes at the centre, and the rest of the sheet is divided into four sections, Definition, Facts, Examples and Non Examples. This can be used as a minds on activity for the class. It can also be used as a way of structuring the chart papers for a gallary walk.
A TIPS Math Lesson.
Targeted Implementation Planning Supports
A Tips math lesson should consist of
A minds on/ Hook
This is something done at the beginning of class. It can be an activity, or a challange question, clickewr questions, a story, demo, game, brainstorming or anything like that. The idea is to get the students thinking. It can also make connections between different strands, as well as student interests, jobs, etc.
2. Action
This is where the students do math. The could be problems to work on, reflection, discussion, invesigations, exploring, creating, listening or reasoning. During this time the teacher observes.
3. Consolidate and debrief.
"Pulls out" the math of the avtivities and investigations. It prepares students for home activity or furthur classroom consolidation. This is the "Lesson" part of the lesson (at least in the traditional sense of the word)
4. Home activity
Meaningful and appropriate, and it should be a follow up to the lesson. Could take the form of journal entries, 5 question, or 1 challange question (No kill and drill)
Other Strategies/Ideas
Dan Meyer - Why We Need a Math Makeover (11:39) From Nathan Chow's wiki (http://nathanchow.wikispaces.com/)
Please watch this video before you teach high school math. A very reasonable perspective that could help you
make math far more interesting and valuable to students. Go to Dan's Blog for ideas
Co-operative Learning. (From Nadine's Wiki)
Is a teaching strategy where students work in small groups working together to complete the classroom activity. This approach has students working together, through group discussion and hands on activities. Some fantastic ideas for co-operative learning are pirate pad, wikis, blogs, and mindmeister.
Integrating Technology (From Nadine's wiki)
Is a teaching strategy where students can learn using computers. There are many computer resources that a useful to use in the classroom and we have seen a few in this course. Clickers are a great idea, because they are memorable for students since they are fun. They are also great for the teacher to get a quick idea of the students interests and how they grasped a concept in class.
Activities
Using a 3L and a 5L container, measure out 4L of water.
A sheet of 8 and a half by 11 sheet of paper can be rolled into a cylinder 2 ways, which has more volume.
Four Fours. Using 4 number 4's, write out the numbers 1 to 20. Example 13=(44/4)+ root(4)
Linking cubes activity for probability (Amy Kelland & Victoria Lyttle)
Have students choose their favourite colour of linking cube from a bag
Once students all have cubes, have the students stand up when you call their colour so students can count the number of students with
each colour of cube
Write the total number of students in the class on the board
Write down the numbers of students corresponding to each colour on the board as you go
If a giant came into the class and randomly took a student with their cube:
What is the probability of picking a certain colour of cube?
What colour would it most likely end up taking?
What colour would it least likely end up taking?
Area and Patterns
Patterned floor tile using pattern blocks (By Amy Kelland & Victoria Lyttle)
Give the students a bag of pattern tiles
Tell them they are to create a pattern that they would like to use to tile their kitchen in the future
Once they have a pattern in front of them, tell them to find the area of their patterned tile where the area of the triangular piece is one unit
Ideas for Consolidating a Lesson (From Kay Finner)
Think Literacy Document (TLD) – Resource for Ideas
Typically lasts 5-15 minutes depending on the length of the class and the complexity of the concepts.
Lesson Focussed
Traditional . Ask 3-4 questions about key points that were covered in lesson. Students may use organizer (sheet with blanks to fill in) to fill in key ideas. Brief PowerPoint Review . Offer 3-4 slide that review key concepts. Best if you have students fill out information in journal or organizer while you to this. OR they could record key points in journal. Journal Entry . (see p37-38 in TLD Have regular entry for key concepts covered in class. Students should keep a summary journal/notebook. Cooperative Summary . Give group of 3-4 students 5 minute to summarize 3-4 key points covered in the class. All students must write key points in their journal. Call on each group to give one key point. OR one group could be responsible for the summary and have to put it on the board. Round Robin . Each student in a group of 4 is given a piece of paper. When the teacher says go, they neatly write down one thing they learned in the class. After 30 seconds, pass the paper to the next student. This process is repeated 3-4 four times. Take up results with the class. Students are required to enter key topics covered in their journals. Concept Circles (p. 32 in TLD). Construct a series of concept circle to find out if students understood the key concepts covered. Happy Face Chart . Have student circle a sad, neutral or happy face beside key concepts covered in the class (on a sheet of paper you hand out). This is handed back into the teacher.
with the class too. The class could solve the question together.
12. Clickers. Great tool for getting feedback at the beginning, middle and end of the class. Students will love this method and they will love the challenge.
13. Stop-Start-Continue. If you want feedback about your teaching methods or suggestions from the class, this is a great tool to use every 3-4 weeks or so.
14. Student Created Questions. Students work in pairs. They each create a question for their partner based on the lesson. They give the question to the partner and grade it.
15. Real-World Applications. Ask student about real world applications, then follow up with a PowerPoint pictures of real world relevance.
16. Learning Objects. There are a number of learning objects that could be used to summarize or illustrate key math concepts. You can view these as a class through an LCD projector.
17. Student Presentations. This works well after an activity-based lesson where students present different solutions to a problem (e.g., a Fermi Problem) – This can take a while, so make sure student presentation are clearly focussed with a summary sheet. Not everyone in the class has to present every time an activity-based lesson is done. Unit Based Consolidation
Placemat Activity (p. 68 in TLD) – Students come up with a list of concepts covered for an upcoming test, then they consolidate in the middle. Class constructs list together afterwards.
Jeopardy Game. You can get this pre-constructed in PowerPoint (see lesson 9). Ask students to do questions as a team OR you can create the game easily with the Clicker (CPS) software.
Who want to be Millionaire? Basically the same as jeopardy – Use template to ask teams a series of questions.
Concept Maps (p. 32 in TLD). Have student construct concepts maps of the their own on a particular unit. Have them share an re-construct. You can also construct a class concept map. This can be done on paper of the computer.
Strategies from Math camp:
Think pair share:
In this strategy, you introduce a topic to students, and give them an opportunity to think about it. You then have them work with a partner and discuss their ideas. It gives the students some more confidence because they have had the chance to discuss it with a class mate and hopefully see that they had similar ideas. Even if they disagreed initially, they will have hopefully come to a consensus. It will at the very least give the students opportunity to think for themselves.Gallery walk
To use this strategy, you divide the class into groups, and assign each group a topic. The group will put their ideas on a chart paper, which will then be posted. All of the students will have to opportunity to wander the class (in an orderly fashion) to see what each group came up with for their topic. This way, each student only has to look at 1 topic in any great detail, but will hopefully get all of the information. I like the idea of using this strategy for review, so that students can look at all of the topics in the unit in a somewhat concise form, and identify their weaknesses.Frayer Model
With this strategy, you have the students create a placemat of sorts. The term in question goes at the centre, and the rest of the sheet is divided into four sections, Definition, Facts, Examples and Non Examples. This can be used as a minds on activity for the class. It can also be used as a way of structuring the chart papers for a gallary walk.A TIPS Math Lesson.
Targeted Implementation Planning SupportsA Tips math lesson should consist of
- A minds on/ Hook
This is something done at the beginning of class. It can be an activity, or a challange question, clickewr questions, a story, demo, game, brainstorming or anything like that. The idea is to get the students thinking. It can also make connections between different strands, as well as student interests, jobs, etc.2. Action
This is where the students do math. The could be problems to work on, reflection, discussion, invesigations, exploring, creating, listening or reasoning. During this time the teacher observes.
3. Consolidate and debrief.
"Pulls out" the math of the avtivities and investigations. It prepares students for home activity or furthur classroom consolidation. This is the "Lesson" part of the lesson (at least in the traditional sense of the word)
4. Home activity
Meaningful and appropriate, and it should be a follow up to the lesson. Could take the form of journal entries, 5 question, or 1 challange question (No kill and drill)
Other Strategies/Ideas
Dan Meyer -Why We Need a Math Makeover (11:39) From Nathan Chow's wiki (http://nathanchow.wikispaces.com/)
Please watch this video before you teach high school math. A very reasonable perspective that could help you
make math far more interesting and valuable to students. Go to Dan's Blog for ideas
Co-operative Learning. (From Nadine's Wiki)
Is a teaching strategy where students work in small groups working together to complete the classroom activity. This approach has students working together, through group discussion and hands on activities. Some fantastic ideas for co-operative learning are pirate pad, wikis, blogs, and mindmeister.
Integrating Technology (From Nadine's wiki)
Is a teaching strategy where students can learn using computers. There are many computer resources that a useful to use in the classroom and we have seen a few in this course. Clickers are a great idea, because they are memorable for students since they are fun. They are also great for the teacher to get a quick idea of the students interests and how they grasped a concept in class.
Activities
Virtual Pattern blocks
Virtual pattern blocks and some associated activites can be foud at:http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_171_g_3_t_3.html?open=activities&from=category_g_3_t_3.html
Math Actvities:
Probability
Linking cubes activity for probability (Amy Kelland & Victoria Lyttle)
- Have students choose their favourite colour of linking cube from a bag
- Once students all have cubes, have the students stand up when you call their colour so students can count the number of students with
each colour of cubeArea and Patterns
Patterned floor tile using pattern blocks (By Amy Kelland & Victoria Lyttle)
Ideas for Consolidating a Lesson (From Kay Finner)
Lesson Focussed
Traditional
. Ask 3-4 questions about key points that were covered in lesson. Students may use organizer (sheet with blanks to fill in) to fill in key ideas. Brief PowerPoint Review
. Offer 3-4 slide that review key concepts. Best if you have students fill out information in journal or organizer while you to this. OR they could record key points in journal. Journal Entry
. (see p37-38 in TLD Have regular entry for key concepts covered in class. Students should keep a summary journal/notebook.
Cooperative Summary
. Give group of 3-4 students 5 minute to summarize 3-4 key points covered in the class. All students must write key points in their journal. Call on each group to give one key point. OR one group could be responsible for the summary and have to put it on the board. Round Robin
. Each student in a group of 4 is given a piece of paper. When the teacher says go, they neatly write down one thing they learned in the class. After 30 seconds, pass the paper to the next student. This process is repeated 3-4 four times. Take up results with the class. Students are required to enter key topics covered in their journals. Concept Circles
(p. 32 in TLD). Construct a series of concept circle to find out if students understood the key concepts covered. Happy Face Chart
. Have student circle a sad, neutral or happy face beside key concepts covered in the class (on a sheet of paper you hand out). This is handed back into the teacher.
12. Clickers. Great tool for getting feedback at the beginning, middle and end of the class. Students will love this method and they will love the challenge.
13. Stop-Start-Continue. If you want feedback about your teaching methods or suggestions from the class, this is a great tool to use every 3-4 weeks or so.
14. Student Created Questions. Students work in pairs. They each create a question for their partner based on the lesson. They give the question to the partner and grade it.
15. Real-World Applications. Ask student about real world applications, then follow up with a PowerPoint pictures of real world relevance.
16. Learning Objects. There are a number of learning objects that could be used to summarize or illustrate key math concepts. You can view these as a class through an LCD projector.
17. Student Presentations. This works well after an activity-based lesson where students present different solutions to a problem (e.g., a Fermi Problem) – This can take a while, so make sure student presentation are clearly focussed with a summary sheet. Not everyone in the class has to present every time an activity-based lesson is done.
Unit Based Consolidation