Estimation Jar

When you think Estimation Jar, you usually think younger grades. Or at least I did. This last week at the Creative Mathematics Math Camp, I learned how valuable this is in the 5th, 6th and 7th grade classroom. Estimation is something that kids struggle with a lot! Probably a great deal of this comes from the fact that our curriculum teaches it in a matter of a week or two during the school year.... and that's it!

Estimation is something that should be taught weekly if not daily. And how in the world do we have time to do that you ask?!? With an Estimation Jar. Each week, there is a poster giving the problem along with the jar.  Of course the problems are more complexed with the older guys and not your basic "How many pieces do you think are in this jar?" questions. 

I know this is close to impossible to read (thank you, iPhone) but it says:

Estimating Jar

Estimate the total number of continents on the globes in the jar.

and then this was the jar. 

so the kids are doing a multi-step question. 

1st: Estimating the amount of globes they think are in the jar

2nd: Multiplying that number by the amount of continents on the globe

The way it was explained (and I plan on doing this the same way next year) is that the Estimating Jar will be introduced on Tuesday. I will have a poster up with the question and the jar in front of it. Students will get to problem solve and estimate Tuesday, (and Wednesday) place their estimations on post it notes and post to the board. Thursday we will take some time to go over the students estimates and strategies on possible ways to get to the correct answer. Estimating Jar and Problem of the Week (a blog to come) will take the place of my warm up activities. It will take about the first 10-15 minutes of each class and will be something the kids can come in and begin on their own. I am really excited about the new structure of my math class next year. 

I leave you with pictures galore! We each brought in a sample Estimating Jar this week with a question.  I hope this gets the ball rolling in your head and sparks some ideas like it did for me. :)

Math Camp

For the last four days, I've been attending probably one of the best workshops I've ever seen! 

Math Camp 2012

I'm a big fan of Kim Sutton! I've been to 2 of her workshops so they are always sending me emails when they come to Texas. In the small case you've never heard of Kim Sutton...you should definitely find out who she is. (Or click the picture below) She's like a Marilyn Burns or Debbie Diller.  The way she teaches math is unbelievable. Just about all the math teachers at my school use her ideas, activities, or products, and they are so beneficial in our classrooms. If you ever get the opportunity to go to anything put on by Creative Mathematics (her company) DO IT! ...and no, no one told me to say this. It's just my and a million others opinion. :)

Like I've said, I've been to 2 other Kim Sutton workshops. When signing up for Math Camp, I was a little bummed that my grade level was with another teacher and I wasn't able to be with Kim. BUT...the minute we started I knew why this guy was traveling with Kim Sutton. I loved my teacher, Paul Agranoff.

 The ideas and strategies he gave us were phenomenal!! I am so excited to start getting all my new ideas together...and "Katie-ify" them. :) Over the next few days/ weeks I have blogs planned sharing ideas we learned at camp. I did get Paul's permission to share his ideas...so please take what you want and continue to share them. 

100 Best Web Resources for Educators

About a week ago I received an email from Online Masters in Education letting me know my blog had been nominated as one of the 100 Best Web Resources for Educators. They're a website catering to current and prospective educators who service many accredited colleges and universities across the US. To be completely honest, this was a total shock to me especially since my last post was, uhh....May 21st. Whoops! No way would I ever make the final cut.

Well, today I received word that through their research and evaluating factors such as peer recommendations, web presence and content quality Katie Lately was chosen as one of the 100! *blink, blink* You read it, they chose my blog as one of the 100 Best Web Resources for Educators!

I think I am most excited at the fact there is a list of 100 great blogs all in one place. I am so excited to go through all the elementary (maybe some middle) school blogs and get some great ideas myself! I recognized a lot of the great ones I already follow, CONGRATS ladies!!

If you don't have time now, please bookmark this article and come back to it later. For real, this is some great, valuable, AMAZING stuff!!!!

100 Best Web Resources for Educators

There is now an apple (like the one above) on my sidebar. If you click the apple, it will take you straight to the article...for future reference. Thank you to the people who nominated Katie Lately and the committee who chose it to be on the final list! I am very grateful of this honor. :) Get ready folks...some great teacher ideas coming to a blog near you SOON, I promise!!!

Long Division

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a pin explaining how to do some VERY easy long division. Now this find comes about two weeks too late. I spent a week DREADING the days I taught long division. It is just sooo hard for them. So I am very happy to find this...and share with you. :)

UPDATE!
I just found out today where this awesome idea came from. And no, it wasn't Pinterest. :) It comes from Alicia, who is a stay at home mom/ homeschool teacher. Please click her name to take you to the article she's written about it. She also has a ton of other really good educational posts as well. Thank you Alicia!!!

Ok...

The EASIEST Long Division EVER!

 Here is the traditional way that I teach, you know, the one that makes us want to pull our hair out! 

 And here is the easy way. Different Problem...

How many times does 4 go into 8? 2 times.

How many times does 4 go into 9? (without going over) 2. 

One is left over, so put it before the next number

 How many times will 4 go into 17? 4 times.
One is left over, so put it before the next number

 How many times will 4 go into 14? 3 times with 2 left over. No more numbers, so that is your remainder. 

Crazy Easy Right?!?

Math Workshop

UPDATED: You can now buy this start up kit at my TPT store. Follow this link to purchase my set. 

This summer, I came across a few blogs that talked about Math Workshops in their Math classes and loved the idea. You can read about them on Beth Newingham's blog or The Clutter Free Classroom. These two blogs were such an inspiration to me and I knew I wanted to try it out. I teach 5th grade, and I think the blogs I read were geared for more of the younger grades, but it works great for my kiddos! Anyways...I wanted to share my version of Math Workshop to you.

Here is my board...

Which was inspired by {and looks A LOT alike} my inspiration board from The Clutter Free Classroom...

This half of the board has the rotation map. I {strategically} assign 4 different groups of kids and they follow the schedule displayed. The far left says 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th rotation down the side. Where their group number and rotation number meet is where they need to be for that rotation. 

 This half of the board is where I display their choices at each station. I saw that sentence strip charts were great to use for this, but since my 5th grade classroom isn't overflowing with sentence strip charts...I used the next best thing. Poster board and clear desk, name plate cover things. It works great and I can just slip the assignment in.

So that is the setup. 

Now on to how it works in my classroom...

I loved the idea that the Clutter Free Classroom used by using the word MATH as my stations. Math facts, At your desk, Teachers choice and Hands on. My math classes are 75 minutes a piece, so I spend about 10 minutes explaining the stations and then I let them start. Each rotation is 15 minutes long. 

The prep work was a little more strenuous the first time around, but I think it will get easier in time. I print cards for the slits so they will know what their choices are. Another reason I love this is because I can hit all the different levels of my kids at one time through different assignments. #winning!

And just because I'm crazy organized, I came up with a system to make it run smoother. I put all my copies/ materials for the weeks workshop in my little rubbermaid bins. Then in the crate, I have a color-coded system so the kids know where to go to get instructions or work that they need to complete. 

The rotations went REALLY well, even better than expected actually! Here is the run down on what I did at each station.

Math facts...

At this station I combine anything that can reinforce what the objective is I'm teaching as well as give them more practice at those basic facts. I use dice, decks of cards, number puzzles, computer games...anything I can find that will go along with what I'm teaching. 

At your desk...

This is pretty much where they do their independent work. It may be a worksheet, a journal entry, an assignment from their math book. They are sitting at their desks for this station.

Teachers choice...

This is when I use my small group time. I pull the group down to the floor and we work at the whiteboard. Speaking of whiteboards...LOVE THEM! Hello, best way to engage a 5th grader. Give them a whiteboard and Expo Marker. They're in heaven! Oh my gosh...it is SO much easier focusing on a group of 4 or 5 rather than a group of 20. The kids really open up and ask questions, where as in a big group they stay quiet. It's a great opportunity as a teacher to see exactly where my kids are struggling. 

Hands on...

This station is usually a game or activity that ties into what were doing. There always some kind of manipulative for them to use and discover with. 

Honestly, I haven't completely decided how often this will be going down in room 207. I know some teachers do Math Workshop everyday...it's just how their Math class is structured. I, on the other hand, do not have it in me to teach the same lesson 16 times in one day. {SIXTEEN} Sorry if that makes me lose teacher of the year, but y'all thats a beating!!! I was thinking I will try it twice a week and see how it goes. We'll see...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my version of Math Workshop and a big THANK YOU to the blogs who inspired me to take it up a notch. I owe you guys BIG TIME! :)

B2S Resources

I came across a blog the other day that I pretty much fell in love with. Yes, for real. Ms. Jasztal from Jasztalville: Where Inquiry and Creativity Rules has some pretty amazing things for back to school that she's sharing with us. I've already downloaded a bunch of ideas to start the year out with. :)
Check out what I took...I'm super excited about them.

Please, Please, PLEASE go get these {and other} FREEBIES. You won't be sorry! :)


Another great resource I found on her blog was a link to ...

Math Resources from MathLearnNC: "This website is the creme de la creme of incredible math websites." If you have never visited this website, it is appropriate for the elementary level, yet a lot of ideas can be adapted for middle school students. My most favorite thing that I CANNOT WAIT to use is the "Week by Week Mathematics Essentials."

I hope you guys go check this blog out...and find it as wonderful as I have. :)

Math Charts

As I was getting school ideas tonight on Pinterest, I stumbled on THIS great website. First off, I am in love with the fact that this teacher clearly loves markers as much as I do...and her handwriting and artistic abilities is amazing. {She has other subject charts too...I just picked the math ones}

It's easy to lose track of this kind of stuff when a million and two different types of technology is being thrown at you...But, I love it!!  My kids do Math Journals and this would be some great information to add to it. I think I might just be adding "make big colorful math charts" to my never ending to-do list!

TAKS is Near...

My door for testing "season"

Our little motto for TAKS this year is Just Do It, with a symbol that looks a lot like Nike's swoosh...but it TOTALLY isn't...riiiiiight. LOL. Yep, it's that time of year...The good news is it's the last year for TAKS. Bad news...the test STARR will be more "rigorous" next year. {Womp, Womp} We're facing the biggest budget cuts in state history, but don't worry...we can afford a multi-million dollar brand new test. Does something seem wrong here?!?