Third and fourth grade math continued to work through Hands on Equations.  In level II, students begin to work with negative numbers, which definitely causes some frustration. The analogy I’m using to teach negative numbers is thinking of zero as ground level – as you go beneath ground level, you’re in negative numbers and above grade level you’ll find positive numbers. I’ve been drawing this for students to help them visualize adding positive numbers to negative numbers.

I conferenced with my third grade reading groups. I met with each museum group to coach them on assigning jobs to specific students and making a plan for their exhibits. Conferencing will continue throughout the project.

First grade took a step back from what we were doing. The predator/prey aspect of our project was giving us some trouble, so instead students are focusing on how the cat from They All Saw a Cat might have seen the animals. They’re having some fun drawing those pictures. Some of the issues we’ve run into have to do with students doing the work quickly, without attention to detail or taking the time to turn in quality work. I know this is something their teachers have also talked with them about, so it certainly helps to hear it repeated from me.