It's that time of year when the details are most important. There's lots to do to support a quality, responsive math program for our wonderful fifth grade students.
Learning Environment
The room is ready for yet another makeover now that I know the students and also now that we've moved beyond our very creative and yes, very messy, cardboard challenge project. I need a few hours of high energy time to complete this task. I imagine I'll get that time soon.
Assessments
Most initial assessments are complete. There's one more to go--a problem solving assessment which students will hopefully take today. Soon they'll also take a Foundation Unit assessment so that I can see who learned what. I'll use that information to inform future teaching and units.
Online Learning
Students are regularly using Symphony Math. Some have already completed the fifth grade level of this program. The students are also using TenMarks and some are using Khan Academy. This Friday I'll print the parent reports related to TenMarks and send those home to parents so they know how to check their child's progress. I also hope to match TenMarks more closely to our unit study. Additionally, I want to spend some time explicitly teaching students how to access TenMarks and Kahn Academy to learn well. After that I'll begin to dig into the online reports to better coach each student.
Number Posters
Students will create 0-100 posters to hang up in the school as a way to review foundation number information as well as to teach the whole school about those numbers.
Place Value
We'll invest in our place value unit with depth and a focus on the many fifth grade standards related to this.
Response to Intervention (RTI)
Soon we'll create RTI groups. The first protocol is computation so that will give us some time to focus on students computation skill in a targeted way.
Vocabulary and Lesson Plans
At the University level students will focus on math vocabulary and math learning experience plans and practice.
There's lots to do in the math week ahead. It's an honor to lead this learning with the students. Onward.
