Quick Review of Guided Reading

BEFORE READING

• Set the purpose
• Introduce unfamiliar vocab
• When possible, make predictions
• Talk about the target strategy/skill

DURING READING

• Students read aloud
• Ask comprehension questions
• Give prompts or clues as needed 
• If a student is struggling with a word, often the other students tell them the pronunciation. Instead, coach them, "Try that again. Does that make sense? Look at how the word begins."
• Give students an opportunity to read independently to practice the skill 

AFTER READING

• Discuss if using the skill made a difference 
• Ask questions that require more than a Yes or No response
• Help students make connections from text to life

Happy Pi Day! (3/14)

I can't believe that this didn't post last Friday! Pi day is one of my favorite days! So here it is a bit late..

Only 1 year away!

Not had enough?

Okay, last one...

Was your mind blown too? Happy Pi Day!

Cycle 4A (6th Grade Math)

Link to PDF copy.

Helps for Cycle 4A (6th Grade Math)

Smart Exchange:

• Search "Data"
• Search "Statistics"
• Search "Probability"

 Worksheet Works.com

• Probability

Common Core Sheets

• Box Plots
• Mean, Median, Mode and Range
• Probability
• Pie Graphs
• Statistics

Illustrative Mathematics

• Buttons (6.SP.1)
• Identifying Statistical Questions (6.SP.1)
• Puzzle Time (6.SP.4)

 Khan Academy (Don't forget to use the search feature to find more videos on topic)
 
Interpreting data in line plot:

Subtraction Algorithms

The key to solving any operation begins with an understanding of the number sense for that operation. Beginning subtraction is challenging for students, but then throw in regrouping, and a whole new challenge arises. Then add zeros, and more confusion arrives.

Our goal is two-fold. One is to get students to be able to subtract using the standard algorithm. The other is for that algorithm to make sense to them. That is why students struggle when they come to zeros in a problem. They can perform the algorithm because they know the steps, but they don't have the understanding of what those steps represent.

Following are 6 short videos, each one shows a method of subtraction. They are all based on different approaches to an understanding of what subtraction is. Remember, not all students approach a concept with the same understanding. Number 6 is probably the most difficult for us, because we do not approach subtraction from this understanding. But this is what many Hispanic students have been taught, if they went to school in Mexico prior to arriving in the states. (They use dots to indicate adding to a place value, where I crossed out the numbers to make it more concrete.)

Test Taking Videos

Here is the playlist of videos from Kelly's e-mail.

Friday Funny

Or maybe Friday, not so funny with I-STEP going on...



Does your adult conversation sound anything like this?


Seems like we had this conversation at our Staff Meeting last Monday...

Measurement Strategies

Here are 3 strategies for students to use when dealing with measurement.

The first strategy has them taking the unit (5 feet and 4 inches for example) and then creating a fraction based on the larger unit. (In this case, it would become 5 and 4/12 feet.) Once changed into a fraction, they can use their ability to add and subtract fractions, and then they would change their final answer into a mixed unit of feet and inches.

Strategy #1: Fraction Strategy

The second strategy involves regrouping. This strategy is confusing to some students because when we regroup, we normally regroup with units of base ten, but measurements do not always conform to this so it is important they understand they must regroup using the number in the given unit.

Strategy #2: Regrouping Strategy



The third strategy involves changing the mixed unit into one unit, the smallest unit. So something like 3 feet 7 inches becomes 36 inches plus 7 inches, or 43 inches.

Strategy #3: All One Unit
Depending on your student's ability, you might have to spend some time on the basic prerequisite skills. So for the first one, you might need to spend some time converting feet and inches to feet with a fractional part. For the second, you might need to spend some time regrouping with units that are not base 10. For the third, you might need to spend some time converting into the smallest unit, so 3 yards and 2 feet is equal to 9 feet plus 2 feet, or 11 feet.