SCES

Background for teachers about problem solving.

Here are more resources about problem solving.

Step by step for students.

Now let's practice.

We are working on addition with regrouping. This is a very good website that teaches how to complete addition with regrouping in a step by step way.

Performance Assessment 1 - Earth Science

Volcanoes
How Volcanoes Work
Volcanoes online
Volcanoes for kids

Understanding Earthquakes
Earthquakes for kids
Earthquakes - Wikipedia
How earthquakes work

Learn about hurricanes
Hurricane safety
Hurricanes for kids
Hurricanes - Wikipedia

Tornadoe safety
Tornadoes - Nature's most violent storm
Tornadoes for kids
USA Today - Tornadoes

Tsunami - Wikipedia
Tsunamis
Tsunamis for kids
FEMA - Tsunamis

Earth's Structure
Structure of the Earth
Earth's Interior
Puzzles of the Earth - Earth Structure

As part of our second Face-to-Face activities, the fifth grade teachers and the core team had to discuss the "Teaching for Understanding" article. We also had to discuss the changes that e-Math has made to brought to our classrooms. Here are is our reflection . . .

We discussed that because of AYP pressure and curriculum maps, time is a major obstacle. If we only teach skills independently, we will not be adequately preparing our students – we have to get them to think. Our math book teaches skills independently. Winona reminded us that it is okay for us not to teach every lesson in the book. We only have to teach the GPS!!! Instead of teaching for introduction, we have to teach the BIG idea. Under the big idea, we need key ideas that review concepts that we have previously taught. What we teach must apply to real-life. We must tell them why they need to know what we are teaching them. Dana shared with us that took pictures of her house as it was being built. She uses those pictures to show students how math skills are used to solve real-life problems. Tracy shared how she gets her students to understand math rather than just do it. As a group we concluded that we must teach our students to think and consider if their answer makes sense. The implementation our units, GPS, and BAMS we will encourage the kind of thinking that we want our students to demonstrate. We are seeing results from the extra BAMs!! Even if they don’t get the BAM, they gain understanding and problem solving skills from the discussion of the BAM. Winona reminded us that it is okay for us not to teach every lesson in the book. We only have to teach the GPS!!!

We also discussed the importance of rubrics. We must tell them upfront what our expectations are – teaching with the end in mind – using rubrics and discussing it with the students prior to the lesson or activity. GOOD rubrics tell them exactly what they have to do!! This encourages self-assessment and puts the responsibility in the hands of the learners. There are a variety of uses from rubrics. Jennifer suggested that start with a checklist and then move to rubrics. Cynthia reminded use that she posted a link to a rubric generator on the SCES math blog, see “Archives” (April 2006).

E-Math opens the door to discovery learning!!! We have the equipment to give them the world. In order to be successful, we must be diligent in our planning and organization. We can use centers to incorporate the creativity and hands-on exploration. The e-Math grant has encouraged us to work together. We can not do it all by ourselves. We all make and share. We can not be isolated we must work together!! The most valuable aspect of the e-Math training is the collaboration. The training sessions give us the time that we need to share and learn from each other.

Other great ideas that were shared:
Cynthia uses “Grand Slam” to review addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division she has a flipchart that she will put it on the “S” drive.
Winona uses “Drops in the Bucket” as a substitute for “Mountain Math.”

For my TIS, I created a flipchart dealing with time. The flipchart can be found on the S drive under 5th Grade Share - Math where it can be downloaded onto each station for student practice.

Choose the appropriate unit of measure.

Problem solving with metrics.

Convert from one metric unit to another.

Put metric units in order.

Match the weight and capacity.

The teachers who are new to e-Math met for half a day on Thursday, November 1^st. During the afternoon, they each setup a blog and a delicious account. (Be sure to check out their links on the left side of this page.) They used Mozilla to practice tab browsing and tagging. They spent a few minutes using Promethean software and learning a few tricks about making flipcharts. The rest of the afternoon was used to complete their Techno-Instructional Strategies. It was time well spent. We are glad to have them as part of the SCES e-Math team.

I have placed a flipchart on the "S" drive titled Thanksgiving Shopping. The students have to go shopping for mom. They can plan their meal and figure out how to feed 8 people. They will then add up their items and pay at checkout. They have to figure out their final total and correct change. They are practicing addition, subtraction, and money skills.
This website is also good for more practice with figuring out correct change.
change maker