Welcome to the Math Art Gallery!

So we are closing in on that spring break, which of course means that because of this and the fact we just finished PARCC testing,  our students are all but checked out.  Perfect time to introduce geometry concepts, right?

Right.

Looking at the CCSS, I go through some of the key terms and words that my students will have to know to continue their mastery of learning targets.  A few are ones they have mastery of, some are ones that are familiar, but most are ones that will need some review.

On Wednesday, I start the lesson.  The students walk in and see a stack of white paper, compasses, and rulers.  They also notice bins of colored pencils and markers up front.

I begin the lesson explaining how hard they have been working and I really felt we needed a day to just relax.  No major lesson today - they will have the period to just draw.

An aura of suspicion goes up, but I continue:

Seriously, all I have planned today is for you to draw.

One brave soul speaks up - "Mr. Taylor, you have something up your sleeve."

OK, there are two conditions.  First, whatever you draw has to be school appropriate.  Second, you have to use these tools as intended for their regular use to draw.  You can not draw freehand at all.  I mean I need to add SOME element of challenge, right?

I then introduce the compass and explain how to use it.  I tell them there is some learning curve (hah) to it, and they will need some practice to build the muscle memory.

There is still some doubt in the room to the 'leniency' of the assignment, so again I emphasize the main points:

You can draw whatever you want as long as it is school appropriate and you must draw using the tools as designed (rulers for straight lines, compass for curves and circles.)   No freehand.

I then pass out the paper and tools.  I explain that each student gets exactly one sheet of paper - if they "mess up" they can use the back, but after that they have to incorporate errors into their art.

I give them the period, making sure students are using the tools correctly and helping them use the compass - in fact I end up setting up a mini-lesson station for this tool.  They are excited and work the period.  They ask about color, and I tell them there is no expectation of color, but if they choose to color that can be done by freehand so long as the original lines are visible.  They are also allowed to black outline by freehand (instead of re-using the tool to trace over an established line.)

Here are a few samples of what my students created:

 They ask about homework, and I tell them they can finish their products, remembering the rules.  Some students borrow compasses, others choose to hand in what they have.

The next day students come in and see their works of art hanging around the room.  I welcome them to the math art gallery and ask them to take their seats.

The girl that spoke up yesterday mentions, "I knew there would be more to this..."

I start by asking who has been to an art museum before.  Many students raise their hands.  We go over norms of art museums:

• quiet voices
• you aren't allowed to touch the art work (or even come close to it)
• walk slowly
• You shouldn't lean on the walls or use them to write on
• Don't clog up any areas

I actually had this video prepared in case students were unfamiliar with the norms, but didn't have to use it:  How to behave in a gallery.

From there I welcome them again to the Math Art Gallery.  Their assignment is to find different forms of geometry in the various works of art in the room.  They should take notes as to who's artwork it is in and where in the artwork they see it.

I also tell them there is a definition sheet in two different spots of the room - if they are unsure about a term, they should reference that sheet for help.

They then take the next thirty minutes in the art gallery looking for the terms, but also admiring each other's work.  I wander the gallery with the same worksheet, finding the same properties.  They complement each other as they pass, and I share some of my favorite observations. We all comment on properties that are easier or harder to find.  Some, we note, are quite rare!  Students also remind each other of the norms as they walk.

I really enjoyed that part of the community building - an unexpected and happy outcome :)

After thirty minutes, we all return back to our spaces and review our work.  Students share where they found the terms - scalene triangles, trapezoids, arcs, chords, and so on.  As we review, students become shocked at how many geometric terms are in their drawing - they are amazed that there is so much to their work.  Specifically, the student that did the 3d cube was amazed at what was found.  He said he just wanted to do a simple shape, but it turns out that he and other students found the following elements in his drawing:

• acute angles 
• cube
• obtuse angles 
• parallelogram 
• parallel lines 
• perpendicular lines 
• rectangle
• right angles 
• right triangle 
• rotational symmetry 
• scalene triangle 
• squares
• trapezoids

Over a dozen terms in that one 'simple' design.  They began to build awareness of geometric terms and properties in everyday objects around them, looking at them through a new lens.  From there students began attaching meaning to the vocabulary.  They gained practice using the tools to create more specific designs.  Their natural curiosity kept the momentum going, and all of this coming the week before spring break.

So for those of you closing in on a week off - keep the lessons real, make the time count, stay away from the worksheets, and keep the students enchanted.

This was my contribution to the gallery.

It's not break yet, but this protocol will get you one day closer!

I hope everyone is doing well!  I have about a week until winter break and am guessing many of you are trying to stay focused on lessons and gradi... oh squirrel!

This week I'm presenting a definition review game.  For those familar with it, this is a kinestetic activity based on a Frayer model. This protocol get students moving about and has them critically thinking about vocabulary while interacting with each other.

Title: Definition Match Up

Quick Summary: Students will get in groups as they review vocabulary concepts.

Materials needed: Index cards (with pre-made sets)

Prep: Before you do this protocol, you will need to create sets of vocabulary cards. The cards will be grouped into sets of three as noted below:

• One card will have the word or key phrase (for example, "primary color")
• One card will have the definition (for example, "A color that can't be made from other colors")
• One card will have an example (for example, "Red") 

Make a separate set of three cards for each term you would like to review.

Procedure:

1) Give one card to each student.  In typical #tlap form, I rarely just 'hand them' a card.  There is something a bit more to it.  "I have a secret message on this card. DON'T LOOK!"

2) On the go signal, have students look at the card.

3) Students have to then find their missing group members.  Eventually they will form groups of three and read each card ensuring they have one word or phrase, one definition, and one example.

4) While groups are moving I put a question up on the board such as, "What big plans do you have this weekend? Don't be shy - I need something to do!"  When groups find each other and are sure they are in their group of three, they discuss this question while other people settle in.  This allows there to be a minimal amount of behavioral issues and helps continue to build community!

I'm blogging between grading... and it is almost tomorrow...

Here is part of a set that I used for a biome unit:

biotic - a living part of a biome - trees
producers - species that creates its own food - flowers
carnivore - a species that eats other animals - tiger
resource - a substance required by all living creatures - water
interdependent - living things that rely on each other for survival - bees and flowers

Initially groups will make mistakes - that's good! Sit back, review the requirements (word-definition-example), but don't 'help' students out.  My group originally got into "flowers, bees and flowers, water," but when they asked "Which one of us is the word", they had trouble getting the other two into definition and example, and realized they needed new partners.

Processing:

After groups are satisfied, and I know where the big party is on Saturday night,  we circle up while still staying in our groups of three.  Students read their cards in order: word - definition - example.  I might have students give a thumbs up or down (agree / disagree) or a scale to see how familiar they were with that term (1 finger for I didn't know it, 2 for I remember hearing it, and 3 for I remembered that term and definition.)  We also discuss if there are definitions or examples that could have been in different places.  For instance, in my example above students discussed how 'trees' and 'flowers' could have changed groups, but tigers could not have since there were no other carnivores.

Carnivore is such a misnomer!

I have used many variations of this activity.  You can reduce the difficulty by color coding the index cards (definitions on red, words on green, examples on blue) to allow students to visually see each part.  I've increased the difficulty by removing a few cards so that some people are only in a group of two.  Depending on how hard I want to make it, I may or may not tell students which terms have groups of 2 or 3.

I'd love to hear other variations that you come up with as you try out this protocol!  Have an amazing holiday break!

Thanksgiving Leftovers Have NOTHING on This Protocol!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!  My family got to host Thanksgiving this year - the first time in quite some time - and while it was great to stay at home and skip the nine~ish hour drive to North Carolina, I did miss seeing my parents, sister, and all of my other crazy family members!  Still, we got to see some great friends, have plenty of food in the house, and I'm super charged to get back to my classroom!

This week's authentic student engagement activity is called back to back, face to face.  It involves students getting into and working in groups of two, so I figured I'd start this blog with some ways I create groups in my class.

Disclaimer: I feel one of the worst phrases uttered in a classroom is

(this may or may not have been me as a student)

In my experience this leads to management issues from groups of people you'd never want together, students feeling excluded, arguments of who asked whom first, and other emotional distresses.  To prevent this, There are a few tools I use to make partnerships a little more random.  If I'm looking to make groups quickly, I use a website called Instant Classroom.  This site allows you to have the computer generate groups, seating charts, or even pick on a student randomly.   I currently have one set up for each of my classes, and when I need groups or want to put students in the hot seat, I just project the site onto the white board and let the computer be the target of the students' ire.

Of course with any group or partner work, students have to have the classroom expectation of emotional safety.  I spend much of the beginning of the year setting up the protocols for getting into groups in both physically and emotionally safe ways.  We talk about how important it is to be a good partner and specifically how to be a good partner.  We talk about how partnerships are important and the purposes of partnerships.

Sometimes, of course, I want to avoid the randomness.  Other techniques I have used involve calling students up by birth month, the last digit of their phone number, handing students playing cards, or using clock buddies.   I've also done the popsicle stick draw, making groups as I go, editing as necessary :)

Hopefully your students are happier than these two are...

Back to Back, Face to Face

Quick summary: This activity has students discuss open ended questions.

Materials needed: None

Procedure:

1. Put students in partner groups
2. Have students stand back to back.  Be mindful of personal space.
3. Explain you will ask a question and to stay silent while you are thinking of your response.  Ask or post a question to the students.  Open ended questions work best.  These questions open up the student's curiousity about a topic.  It is also important that these questions use words that encourage thought and not competition - the goal is for students to learn from each other!

• What is the most important piece of technology in existence today?
• It is three years from today.  How is the main character's life different?
• Are teachers heroes? 

4. Have students think about the answer - give wait time as is appropriate for your class or grade.
5. Tell students that they will turn 'face to face'.  Again, remind students of personal space and to be mindful.  Give a prompt so they know who will go first randomly.  Some ways I have decided who goes first:

• Who has more siblings
• Who lives further from the school
• Who's birthday is the smallest number (the 4th is lower than the 9th)
• Who's favorite color has the most letters 
• How many Ohio State football games you've attended - most wins!

6. After the prompt is given, say 'face to face'.  Students should figure out who is first.  The first student talks for 45 seconds (again depending on the topic, age of students, and maturity.)  While this happens, the listener:

• Must look at his/her partner
• May only smile and/or nod
• May NOT speak at all until the signal is given to switch roles.  This could mean that both people are standing silently at the same time.  

7. Give the signal to switch roles.  Repeat step six.

Depending on the student's abilities, I process in multiple ways.  In any case I start by having the words "I agree", "I disagree", "I'd like to add on",  "I partially agree", and similar I-phrases on the board.  Sometimes I give the students a third round where they can talk back and forth to process.  Sometimes I have them summarize their own ideas for the class.  Sometimes I have them introduce their partner, their answer to part 5,  and have them summarize their partner's words.  In any case, I refer them back to the phrases on the board to help them formulate their response.  

Kids won't take risks if they don't feel safe

Besides getting students to think about answers, another reason I use this protocol is to help build classroom culture.  Notice what I did in step five.  I could have said "whoever is taller" or "number yourself one and two", but by adding that prompt I got students to make a small, personal connection. Emotional safety is huge in my classroom, and helping students build those relationships leads to that emotional safety.  Again, in step six I want students working on those soft skills - listening while others are talking, and being polite, even if you disagree.  I will stop the procedure if students are being obnoxious with eye contact or while nodding.  We review what listening looks and sounds like.  These soft skills are crucial for relationship building in the classroom.  As a teacher, I can't get to the higher levels of thinking and learning if students aren't willing to share their ideas, and if they think their idea will get mocked, ridiculed, or ignored by others, then they won't take the risk.  

To finish this protocol (and any partner work they do), I always have them thank each other for being a great partner.  They shake hands (or fist bump, or do one of many goofy hand shakes we've developed), and I have them say things like, "It was a pleasure to see you again", "I'll have my people call your people", or "Let's do lunch!"

Or maybe Thanksgiving dinner...

Getting in Shape One Math Problem at a Time

In my first of (hopefully) weekly installments, I will be introducing protocols that I have used in the classroom to help build authentic student engagement.  

A bit of background: I currently work in a the middle division of a school that specializes in students that have one or more learning difficulties.  These students often have high energy levels and low social skills.  As a result, many of my lessons involve movement and student interaction.  They also involve a high level of fun because, seriously, if you are going to be somewhere 40-60 hours a week you better be enjoying it! :)

So with that, here is my first installment of authentic student engagement strategies - in which someone from your class may become the next Richard Simmons!

(showing a sweating to the oldies video is a moral imperative)

Title: Math Squats and Jumps

Quick Summary : This activity will have students use body actions to help one student guess the mystery answer from a math problem.

Materials needed: none

Procedure:

1. One student is placed in the ‘hot seat’.  This seat is placed in the front of the room, facing towards the class and facing away from the board.
2. The teacher writes a problem on the board.  This problem should have an integer number as an answer.  The hot seat student is instructed directly NOT to turn around.
3. Students at their desk solve the problem.  Student in the hot seat waits.
4. When a desk student solves the problem, the student stands up. 
5. After all students are standing, the teacher tells the hot seat student a range that the answer is between (such as 50 – 500).
6. The hot seat student guesses a number in the range.
7. The students give a clue if the guess is too high or two low:
• If the answer is too high, the students jump (large jumps = much higher!)
• If the answer is too low, the students squat (lying on the floor could mean MUCH lower.)
• If the answer is correct, the students clap.
8. The hot seat student continues to guess until the answer is reached
9. If a guess is made and students do conflicting actions (jump and squat, squat and clap, etc.) students that don’t agree must conference to find any errors.

Example:

Linda sits in the hot seat and faces the class.  Students (except for Linda) solve the problem on the board (424 ÷ 4).  All students except Linda solve the problem and then stand behind their space.  The teacher gives Linda a range of 30-400.  Linda starts by guessing 350.  Students squat down (a few even lie on the floor to let her know she needs to guess way lower).  She then guesses 100.  The students do a small jump.   Eventually Linda guesses 106 and the crowd cheers!