In addition to the students I see in my classroom, throughout the week I also push in to classes so that I can work with more students. I am seeing second, third, and fourth grades classes in writing – which are some of my favorite time slots of the week and I’m pushing into kindergarten math classes on Fridays.

Today my fourth grade math group joined my Seesaw class. They’ll be getting a problem of the week posted in Seesaw and they will post their answers there. These problems require application of the math skills they’re learning and involve having to explain their answers. I sent an invitation to the parents of students in that group. If you join, you’ll be able to see and comment on their work.

Who am I? continues to be a question the second grade is asking itself. We spent some quality time writing today. Students were asked to write a paragraph rather than a list. I asked them to pick one thing they were (answers included: smart, brother, sister, basketball player, girl, and dog lover). They then had to add details to support that sentence, which proved to be more challenging than some expected.

Third grade continued to investigate the concept of area. One group was able to prove the area of a rectangle was 24, even when it was made diagonally rather than along the grid lines. The other groups think they’ve got it, but are still working on how to explain it in a way that they can replicate with a different number. This is a big part of math class – having to explain your thinking – and can be frustrating. They’ll get it, though maybe not as quickly as some would like.

The rain meant that the fourth grade trip to Camp Albemarle was postponed until next Thursday. Students were given a choice between playing Contig or working with the Prime Climb chart, which is something they started last year. Contig is a math game that requires students to add, subtract, multiply, or divide as well as to think strategically about their target numbers.  Prime Climb asks students to take the pattern from the numbers 1-20 and then continue the pattern with the remaining numbers from 21-100.

Third grade continued their study of Cinderella by reviewing the conflict, resolution, and plot. Once we reviewed those pieces, students were allowed to preview different versions of Cinderella including Greek, Chinese, Egyptian, and Islamic versions. Students then ranked their choices for which they’d like to study. Tomorrow they’ll start to read their version and think about how it is similar and/or different to the version I read to them.

Second grade math completed its beginning algebra study. Most students were frustrated at one point or another during the past two weeks, which is good news for me though I suspect students would likely disagree with the idea that that is good news. Students are very comfortable adding and subtracting with small numbers as well as adding and subtracting using unknowns and abstract symbols.

Fourth grade reading had a chance to ask a million questions about the Battle of Britain since there was no reading assignment due today because of the expected field trip. We had great discussions, as always, though it was difficult to stay on track as their questions usually take us to places I hadn’t quite anticipated.

Third grade math has taken their study of multiplication as an array and moved into the study of multiplication as area. Today students were asked to take square tiles to make as many different rectangles as possible with an area of 24. They had to draw and label those rectangles on dot or graph paper. Once they’d conquered that, they had to draw a rectangle with an area of 24 on the diagonal and then prove how they know it has an area of 24. No one has yet been able to prove it, but I heard a lot of good conversations about how to go about it.

The fourth grade math group played the same game as yesterday, with a tweak to the rules. Yesterday they could only add pairs of numbers to help create a multiplication equation. Today they were given a 12-sided die, a 9-sided die and two 6-sided dice. They were allowed, and encouraged, to combine the numbers in any way possible that would allow them to play an array on the board. They added, subtracted, multiplied and divided. Most importantly, they had to strategize in order to come up with equations that worked with the space left on the board. I heard many good math conversations as they worked to find ways to get themselves on the board.

Third grade reading reviewed the basics of story elements. While this was met with some groans of, “We’ve already done this,” I added some depth to their understanding by explaining that setting is both the time and place a story takes place and asked them to consider the words conflict and resolution rather than just problem and solution. I read them one version of Grimm’s Cinderella. This one was certainly different than the one they’ve seen on TV and/or read. There was definitely some groaning as I read them the gross parts. Once we were finished, we reviewed the characters and the setting. When I see them again on Thursday, we’ll review the conflict and the resolution, while also focusing on the plot. Next week students will be working in groups to read Cinderella stories from different cultures. They’ll compare the story elements between their version and the original I read to them. Students will then be asked to compare between their versions.

Second grade math continued their exploration of algebra. Most students have now gotten the hang of it, but still need a bit of practice. As they do, students are being given more challenging problems practicing the same skill. As students show they’ve mastered every type of problem on that front, they’re moving into different types of problem solving. Just as we expect classroom teachers to differentiate within a classroom for the wide range of abilities, I also must differentiate within my classes for the same reasons. This is something that happens in every class at Johnson.

Fourth grade reading learned how to use Padlet, which is a website that allows them, using their school-issued Google account, to create an account, to ask and answer fellow students’ questions and to ask them of me. While I may well answer most of the questions, students were already answering each other’s questions today – which was good because I didn’t always know the answer. They’ve been given the option of letting this replace the use of post-it notes for their reading assignments. Once we conquered Padlet, we broke out some old-fashioned paper maps to answer a question about the Soviet Union. As usual, while we started with a WWII question, we ended up covering a wide range of subjects from the break-up of the Soviet Union to the break-up of Yugoslavia. We ended with a question about how countries are formed, which is going to require a bit more time than we had this afternoon.

We didn’t have our entire group today for 3rd grade math as one class was in iSTEM. So that they didn’t miss anything new, I broke out one of their favorite games – 24. If you’ve never heard of it – ask your child about it. It encourages students to think flexibly about numbers and strengthens their computational fluency. Though this is often done competitively, this group prefers to work collaboratively, which I love.

Fourth grade math reviewed the order of operations in order to play Cover the Field. We reviewed the role parenthesis play in math.  Students played in pairs. Each pair received 3 regular dice and 1 9-sided die. They had to decide how to add two pairs of numbers in order to make a multiplication equation. Their goal was to cover as much of the graph paper they were given. While this seemed like an easy game, students soon learned it was not. They had to combine the numbers carefully so that their array would fit in the remaining spaces, they had to estimate, and they had to plan. Tomorrow they’ll play again, but with a slight change that will make the game both more difficult, but allow them to play for longer.

Third grade reading had an “easy” day as they were given time to read while they were with me. Tomorrow we’ll start discussing the role setting plays in a story and how changing the setting affect the rest of the story.

Most of second grade math continued to work on their beginning algebra assignments. One group was struggling so I pulled them back to my table, which we call the firepit. Sitting at the firepit, we walked through the problem with which they were struggling. The most important part of the conversation was reminding students that it’s smart to ask for help when you need it and that they’re likely to need it while they’re with me. A few students moved onto a more challenging aspect of the algebra by having to figure out the value of sea creatures in a grid rather than simple equations. That group said that was a lot of fun, but still didn’t like having to explain their thinking. A final group is working on solving mysteries called “Mathological Liar,” which requires them to use math clues to determine the culprit behind some crime.

Second grade came back for more during their reading time. We continued to talk about who they are. They were asked to write who they thought they were. Most students started to write a list rather than explaining why they might be one or two things. I asked them to take a break from their writing and asked them to help me write a paragraph about who I was. It was decided that I was the dungeon keeper, with white hair, who wears black when I give kids hard work. They’ll get back to work on their paragraphs tomorrow, hopefully adding more details.

The fourth graders finally finished their visual proofs for multiplication. As I hung the first one out in the hallway, a student said, “Ahhh, the feeling of success!” I know this activity was a little frustrating for some, but that really is OK. If you’re coming for Back to School Night, please stop by to check out their work. The best part is that some of the criticism that stung a little yesterday seemed to be a little easier to deal with and to make changes. Everyone grew a little as they worked on this activity.

Second grade math learned a little more about algebra today as they had to solve equations that only had numbers on one side. Their equations had sea animals on one side and a number on the other side. For instance, a sea horse + crab =9, a sea horse + a sea horse = 8. Students had to determine what the sea horse and the crab were worth. They also have to explain their answer, which has proved to be the trickiest part of the assignment. An important lesson we’re working on involves knowing when to ask for help. There is a happy medium between asking too soon and waiting too long. As second graders, they will become better at this skill as the year progresses. I introduce the assignment, then sit at the “fire pit” (the kidney-shaped table) and wait for them to come to me. It’s all part of the dungeon theme about which they like to complain.

We’ve been reading an Eyewitness WWII book to go along with The War That Saved My Life. We had our first great discussion today. Students had great questions about the war itself, as well as the connections to the novel. We did get off on a few tangents that maybe weren’t in the book but were relevant to the discussion. Book discussions with fourth graders are by far my favorite thing to do. They’ve really started to think about the world around them and their place in it and I never know quite where a discussion will go once we’ve started.

Third grade math continued to try to determine the area of a polygon using a geoboard. One group graduated to a piece of paper, but the other groups are close behind. They were allowed to start with rectangles but can no longer do so, which means they now need to decide how to measure using fractions of squares. There is a lot of math tied up in what they’re being asked to do. This will give them a solid understanding of area, as well as the difference between area and perimeter. Last, but not least, it will also help them understand the concept of area as multiplication, further cementing their understanding.

I hope to see you at Back to School Night this evening!

The fourth graders took a gallery walk of the multiplication visual proofs done by their classmates. We talked about the concept of constructive criticism – what was helpful and what was not. We also discussed the concept of “listening with resilience,” which was a little trickier to master. After reading some of the feedback students seemed quick to brush it off because it was offered by classmates rather than reflect on the feedback itself.  This was a great learning experience, though I’m not sure the bulk of the learning involved math.  We do a lot of these activities in fourth grade because as students get older they need to learn to give and receive constructive criticism from a variety of sources.

Second grade math had to write new equations for new money amounts today. They were shocked when I revealed they had dipped their toes in to the algebra pool. We’ll explore that idea a bit more tomorrow when they move past dipping their toes and move into putting a whole foot into algebra. I am encouraging them to continue working, even when they think they’re finished. Some students were content to come up with only an equation or two while the assignment was to come up with as many different equations as you could manage.

Third graders continued to work on their “What If” not-quite-autobiographies. On Thursday, we’ll talk about adding details and organizing a story to make the most sense.

In second grade reading, we explored the question, “Who Am I?” again. Last week they created posters, for the next week or so they’ll be writing about who they are. We started with a discussion of what they could be – and the list was quite long – but my favorite answer belonged to the student who said she was a writer! I love that she can already see herself that way. I’m really looking forward to seeing who they think they are at the beginning of second grade. We’ll take that piece of writing and then apply it to the stories they’ve read and the stories they’ll write.

Fourth grade math had their last creating day on their visual proofs. On Monday, they’ll do a gallery walk and offer constructive criticism on the other teams’ work and then revise their own work based on the critiques they received.

We jumped into how to pick a good book with my second grade reading group. Second grade, in my opinion, is the most challenging for picking good books. My students are often ready to read books that are longer than their stamina can handle. Many of the books that are at their reading level can also contain content that just isn’t yet appropriate for second graders. We talked a bit about how to pick a good book – I taught them the five finger rule (read a page from the middle and if there are five words you don’t know, it might be too hard; if there are no words you don’t know, it might be too easy). More importantly, we also talked about the content of a book and that there were sometimes a story within a story. Mostly I had a lot of confused looks from that, but they’ll eventually learn what I mean. Perhaps the most important part of the day was when I a) told them I hated books that had talking animals (cue the shocked gasps) and b) told them that by the end of the year, they wouldn’t be allowed to read my Junie B. Jones books any more. Second graders love Junie B, but they cling to them (and books like them) for too long because reading bigger books can be scary, so halfway through the year I emphatically tell them it’s time to move on. Mostly they laugh at me, but they know I’ll give them a hard time if I see them reading one.

I had a chance to spend some time in Mrs. Wayland’s class listening to their writing. I love conferencing with students on their writing and hearing how much detail they can add when it’s time to revise. I can’t wait to read their finished pieces!

I played a few rounds of Dot Ten using my Tiny Polka Dot deck of cards.  Students had to find matches using 2-3 different types of cards. This was a new purchase, so I loved giving it a try with some happy to help me learn kindergarten students!

Third graders broke out some geoboards in order to work out how you measure the inside of a polygon. It was pretty frustrating once I told them they couldn’t use rectangles, but this required a lot of thinking. We’ll continue with this activity on Tuesday.

Fourth grade continued with some very productive struggle while trying to prove efficient multiplication strategies. I had some great conversations with students as they worked. Each group was at a different place, so each conversation was different. Though I’d planned to wrap this activity up tomorrow, it’s clear we need a little more time to work through some misunderstandings about the conceptual underpinnings of multiplication which are really important to their long-term success in math.

Third grade reading assessments continue. I love these assessments, but then are time-intensive. Today students who weren’t being assessed began work on a new assigned designed to loosely tie-in to the writing they’re doing in class. Students were given a choice of assignment: a speech to convince people to follow a rule designed by the student, a memoir for a person to be added to the student’s family, a last will and testament leaving a million dollars to others, with instructions on how to spend it.

I had a great plan for second grade math, but they assured me they’d done something similar in their classroom – which is good because we want to enrich and extend what’s going on in the classroom – but it meant a change was needed. Rather than using pattern blocks to create equations, students were asked to make equations using coins. They were allowed to choose (from 4 provided) their target equation. The trick to this was that they weren’t adding numbers, but were being asked to use algebraic symbols to create those equations. For instance, one equation might be written as 3Q+6P= $0.81. These will come home next week after I get a chance to review them. They’ll do a similar activity on Monday, but with a different number and with some additional instructions.

The fourth grade reading group was forced to renew their productive struggle with me. I’m pretty sure they were happy to see the last of me this morning. They are reading The War That Saved My Life in their classroom and will be reading War War II – an informational text. As I explained to them, I was putting them in charge of their learning. They were asked to come up with a calendar of dates for their reading assignments. This was a struggle, but it was a good struggle. It was frustrating for some but that was also good. We spent some time also talking about time management and planning, which will be an ongoing conversation throughout the year.

Fourth grade continued to work on their visual proofs. We did take the opportunity to talk about the purpose of the assignment – which is to find different ways to multiply efficiently. Creating an array for a 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication problem is not an efficient mathematical strategy, though it is a strategy with which they are very familiar.

Second grade math continued to show their flexible thinking by creating equations for large numbers. They’ll do a quick gallery walk on Thursday and then we’ll move on to new and exciting activities.

I continued to assess third and fourth grade reading students using the QRI. I completed fourth grade today and handed them the book they’ll read with me while they are reading The War That Saved My Life with Mrs. Rickabaugh. Students started asking me about World War II based on some of what they’re reading in the novel. As anyone who knows me knows I am always more than happy to talk about history, I went into the Closet of Doom and came up with an informational text book on World War II. Students need to read pages 6-11 by Thursday. They have post-it notes to write down anything they thought was interesting or any questions they’d like answered. On Thursday, we’ll have more time to plan. I will give students a deadline for the book to be finished and then a good chunk of our time will be spent making a plan for finishing the book before that date. Much of what we do in fourth grade will be designed to teach students independence and give them support on planning when and how to get their work done.

Third grade math wrapped up their exploration of equal groups by discussing the inverse relationship between multiplication and division. While I assured students that if they could multiply, they could also divide, I’m not sure they all believed me. The activity we’ll do on Thursday and Friday, as well as next week should convince them I’m right.