"Just-Right" Math Games

We were so fortunate to have worked with Danielle Iacaviello, our wonderful math coach. She is credited with thinking of Just-Right Math Games. These are games that students will play with a partner to practice math skills at their level.

Similarly to just-right books that students have in their reading baggies; students have just-right games in their math games baskets.

"just-right games" baskets

math center

inside a basket

materials for various games

In this picture, the games are organized by level in different colored baskets. The partnerships are indicated on the corresponding charts above.

Ideally, we try to play everyday for 10-12 minutes, so it's especially important to decide upon the routines that will help playing just-right games go smoothly, and to practice the routines, with students modeling and giving explicit feedback, ex. "What did you notice about the way Chrissa and Stefanie cleaned up their games basket?"

Some things to make sure students are clear on:

*who their partner is

*where in the classroom they'll sit

*who will get the basket; who will put it away

*how to play the different games

*some ways to problem solve when issues between partners arise

We even made a How-to chart via shared writing:

notice how we've incorporated some
writing genre work into math workshop ;)
this will become one of the mentor texts
that we can refer to and revise
during our How-to writing unit

One exciting way to launch playing just-right games is to have partners make their very own follow-the-path gameboard together. We print this one (below) on colored card stock and they decorate it with pictures or stickers. They can practice taking turns moving one bear or other counter to the finish line. We differentiate by giving students dice (with dots or numbers), OR number cards, OR ten-frame cards, etc. Then later we might give them multiple dice or number expressions (2+3). This becomes one of their favorite games!

Super simple and super fun!

blank gameboard
DOWNLOAD here!

 Then we introduce more games, sometimes whole-class (but partnerships may get differentiated/varied materials) or  sometimes we might pull a small group to teach a new game.

More information on the specific games that we play in a future post!

Happy math!

Chrissa & Stefanie

December Interactive Morning Messages

Number Sets

Looking for a great way to practice counting stationary objects or using different models?

Check out this book for more information:

Some sample Number Sets:

beads on pipecleaners

mini rekenrek beadstrings

buttons glued on cards

Unifix Cube rods

foam stickers on cards

ten-frames

paperclips glued on cards

holes punched in laminated strips of paper

other possibilities:

-objects glued on sticks, in frames, or in flat paper portion cups

-picture stickers on cards

-toothpicks in different arrangements glued on cards

-dot die image cards

-dominoes

Each set can be put in order by amount OR sets can be mixed up and sorted by amount. Super fun!

Happy counting!
Chrissa & Stef

Word Work: CVC Practice

We try differentiate our word work group activities as much as possible.

After administering Letter ID, Sound ID, and the Spelling Inventory from Words Their Way (a developmental spelling, phonics, and vocabulary program), we form goals for students and plan specific activities for each group.

For example, one group might be working on identifying letters, while another group is working on spelling with initial consonants, and another working on spelling with final consonants.

Preparing, organizing, and  maintaining so many activities can be completely exhausting, so we especially love the activities that every group can do, but can be modified for their specific goals.

Here is one of our all-time favorites because it can be used in a variety of ways:

One student, the "teacher", slides the question mark
to cover a letter.

"Can you write mop?"

The group writes the word on their mini-boards and
the "teacher" uncovers the letter.

"Let's see what the last letter is..."

Then they check!

"I did it!"

"Yes! Leg!"

Each group will cover a different part of the word depending upon what they need to work on...the initial consonant, final consonant, or middle vowel. They could even cover the picture if a group needs to work on decoding CVC words. We each group know which part they need to cover of course.

In our classes, we have a lot of beginner English Language Learners so sometimes it's hard for them to name the pictures for which they don't know the English word. We like to play some quick games during transitions or on the line before we leave the classroom to help them learn new words. For instance, using our word work cards, we might show a picture of a mug and a pad, and name them for students. Then say, "I can write on a...mug or pad?" "Pad!"

You might be wondering, "What are those yellow bone-shaped things with the words and pictures that the kids are using??" Chrissa received them through a DonorsChoose grant over 10 years ago; she has no idea what they're called or how to even Google them online...searching 'yellow bone-shaped things with the words and pictures' produced some very interesting results.

But no worries, we were able to recreate these tools for you to print, laminate, cut up and use! These are even cuter than the yellow ones above!

Download in our TPT store!

Happy New Year!

Chrissa and Stefanie

:)

Leaving the Blocks Out

Our students work on their block projects over several days, so we won't normally ask them to clean up the block area each day. It may seem a little messy to some, but we know their creations are meaningful.

We encourage them to add to and "revise" their block projects, just like we do with our writing during writing workshop.

constructing the three bears' house

Game of Thrones??

TIP: Here's a great idea we got from another teacher online.
It's an easy way for kids to find the color paper they need,
and to sort and store the scraps they cut up...

Happy Holidays!
Chrissa & Stefanie

Turning Strategies into Habits

We got this idea from the TCRWP's Shanna Schwartz, but you can download the versions of the "Strategies to Habits" form we created HERE! More info. in previous posts!

graphics from http://www.mycutegraphics.com/

Writing Like Scientists

Hi friends! For more information on this alternative writing unit, Looking Closely: Observing, Listing, and Labeling Like Scientists, check out the TCRWP's Units of Study for Writing "If...Then... Curriculum" book.

We practiced observing outside of the classroom at the park.

We can also visit other places in the neighborhood, gardens, or zoos to make observations.

We made observations in the classroom:

Students might also observe and write about...

rocks, shells, class pets, plants, nuts, twigs, pine cones, acorns, fall fruits and vegetables (apples, pumpkins, gourds, etc)

What else?

:)

Provide students with tools that will help them to talk and write about their observations...

Our writing folders have clear pockets on the outside...

FRONT of folder: "Strategies to Habits" card with reminders we gave the student during conferences or small group work.

We like to make sure the reminders we give them for their "Strategies to Habits" card are written/drawn with students, or that they match the charts used in minilessons around the classroom. The mini versions of the charts are reused and stored in folders for future use:

BACK of folder: Words that they can use to help them write. We put the words and Post-its so students can move them around to help them form parts of sentences.

We create differentiated checklists that match pictures and charts with which they're familiar.

Here's one:

Published work!

Happy writing!

Chrissa & Stef

;)