Math technology for the new school year!

I am starting to get into the mode of preparing content for school rather than just thinking about what my room will look like and organizational materials.  I know those are important, but they tend to require less thinking than writing lessons.  I am slowly trying to gear my brain up for lessons...

Anyway, I have come upon some fun math technology tools that I am hoping to use this year.  I have posted before about math websites.    Most of these are new ones that I have recently found.  I thought I would share with you!

You know I love SUMDOG, so I'll just give them another quick plug in case someone out there still hasn't been to their awesome site.  My kids love Sumdog!

McGrawHill has a great work site with math tools that you could use on your SMARTBoard or have students use on individual computers.  Parents might even like to be able to use them from home.

http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/mathematics/ebook_assets/vmf/VMF-Interface.html

Everyday Math has a very similar work site, too.  Both have their tools setup by grade level.

  http://everydaymath.com/EM_eToolkit_Demo/eTools_v1.html


This site from the UK has a puzzle each day.  Love it!

The MathFacts CAFE is free and gives you access to math worksheets, factsheets, and flash cards...

Finally, I liked this resource from Teacher LED will  help students visualize the process of multiplication.

I know there are so many great sites!  It is hard to pick which ones to share!  If you would like to share your own math technology sites, I would love to learn about them!

A St. Patrick's Day Freebie

I created this attached SMART Notebook document to use in the weeks after testing and before we break for spring break.  I don't want to start a new unit, so we will keep busy with some review and extension ideas.  This does a little bit of both. 

I like to use algebra as an extension for my kids who have mastered the skill.  That way they are still working on the same things as the other kids, just in a different way.

This document requires SMART Notebook to open.  I hope you like it.  Leave me a comment if you download.  Thanks.  Luck of the Irish to you! 

Math thinking spoons

One of our math opening activities is something I call math number spoons.  When I first started doing them, I had little ceramic tiles that we used.  Each child received a bag with ten ceramic tiles in it--1 for each digit.  When I left that school, I left those tiles behind.  I now do the same type of activities with little wooden spoons from the craft store. 

The setup is simple.  Make a list of clues in which each digit is used just once.  I display the clues on the SMARTBoard. I try to make my clues to review current math topics, but also to offer some challenge and introduction to math terms.  I encourage my students to TAKE A RISK.  They should do the ones that they are sure of first and then give a go to those that they are not so sure of.  After enough time for most kids to determine their answers, we move into the next part of the lesson.

Students are given a partner to go over the answers with.  The key to this portion of the activity is the reading of the phrases.  One student reads the words and the other student tells what they have for that answer, and then they switch roles.  This continues until they have reviewed all of the statements.  It is a great way for the kids to be exposed to the math vocabulary and to have the opportunity to support  their answers to the partner.  I do not require partners to change their answers.  They can keep what they believe is correct.

Finally, we go over the terms and answers as a class on the SMARTBoard.  This offers everyone an opportunity to check their answers and to learn how to solve the ones they were unsure of.  Kids really like this, and I like the way it offers  me an opportunity to cover many topics.  The image below will take you to a SMART doc with some sample pages for this activity.  We typically do this one to two times per week.

Sometimes, we use the number tiles at our desks while we do our People number math.  It helps to keep everyone involved!

A SMART Freebie!

I know it seems like Valentine's Day is a month away, but this time of year seems to fly by for me, so I am posting a Valentine's Day freebie today.

The SMART document I am linking here, practices basic probability with students using candy hearts.  Kids use the hearts in the jar to determine the probability of drawing out certain sayings.  In order to check answers, students pull across the heart before the problem to the heart following the problem.

In order to use this freebie, you will have to have SMART Notebook on your computer.  I hope you enjoy!

Fun SMART doc

    
   This is a past picture of my chlidren at the holidays. If you click on it, it will take you to a fun SMART doc to use in your classroom.  It is really a doc I created just to use on a Friday afternoon or something, and my students have really enjoyed it.  You can customize it for yourself by changing my roomcode, 3G, to your own.  Also, if you don't get a chance to use it by the holidays, you can cut the Christmas tree from the home page and insert another holiday image (or omit it altogether).  Remember--you must have SMART Notebook on your computer to open the document.

   I am having fun this year with my class, but I am working hard and am not yet into the holidays.  I can't believe that it is so close.  We put up our tree this weekend, so I am hoping that that will help me get into the spirit.  I purposefully made sure to have my plans done until Christmas so that I would be able to have more free time at night to enjoy the holiday time with my children.

   One of our favorite traditions, that we have done since my oldest son was little, is a holiday book countdown.  We pull 24 holiday books and put their names on slips.  Each night, we pull a slip and read that book.  These days, the boys have a rotation and read the books to the rest of us.  Even though 2 of them are in high school, it is something they still ask to do.  Each year they hope that the final book will be "The Night Before Christmas."  (I don't think that has ever happened!)  I enjoy this simple tradition, and I am especially glad that they still do, too.  We'll do it as long as they ask. 

    I hope that this month is full of excitement for your classroom and your family, and I hope that you are able to use the SMART doc in some way in your classroom!

Happy Halloween! A Freebie!

As we prepare for a week when our students are all hyped up for the thrill, mystery, and candy of Halloween, I am sharing a freebie.

It is a story board, and I am sharing the SMARTBoard version as well as the handout for the students.  You won't need a SMARTBoard to do it.  Here's how it works:

Each student needs a die and a pencil.  I have taken different story elements and put them atop each column.  Under each story element, there are 6 options.  Students ROLL their story.  They roll the die to determine the setting, the conflict...(They love this part!)  As they roll an element, they circle it on their storyboard.  The SMARTBoard version is so that you can model how it works, or you can use it to write your own!

When they have completed the storyboard, they use the elements rolled to write their story.  I usually need to remind my third graders to add details (like naming the characters...)  It is a fun activity, and I hope your kids like it.  If they do, you can easily set others up more storyboards for other times of the year!

Vocabulary Linky Party

Pitner's Potpourri is having a linky party!  Link up to share some great vocabulary ideas!

I am sharing a SMARTBoard doc that I use to review the prefixes over-, non-, and dis-.  I used the flyswatter template and filled it with a variety of questions about these prefixes.  Each page has feedback so that the students know whether their choice is correct or not. 

You will need SMART Notebook 10 in order to use this document.

I hope you like it! 

Fireworks all year long on the SMARTBoard!

Follow the link below to see a fun site for the kids to try on the SMARTBoard!  When you are on this site and touch the SMARTBoard, it sets off a firework.  My kids like to try to write words in fireworks and see if we can tell what the word is.  Do you have any other great fireworks ideas?

A freebie for the end of my first week

I am having fun reading and learning about other's teaching through blogging. Today ends my first week as a blogger, and so I decided to share something to celebrate.

I provide SMARTBoard training for others in my district and area, and I have developed many lessons. I really love it, and I work hard to make my SMART docs user friendly and child-centered. If you click on the link below, it will take you to a SMARTBoard math review game for 3rd grade. It certainly could be used at other grades, and the content could be changed as wanted by the user. To open the document, you will need to have SMART Notebook 10 on your computer.

I hope you like it! If you do, share my blog with others!

SMARTBoard math review game

Two free SMARTBoard apps for the Iphone/Ipad

This week, I downloaded two free apps for my Iphone. Both offer support and ideas for ways to use your SMARTBoard in the classroom. Resources can be found on each app, plus they have some training videos accessible, too! Great for those times that I am waiting for a child to finish a practice or activity!

One of the apps is by SMART, the SMARTBoard company, and the other is by Teq, which as I have mentioned before, is a great teacher resource!