Learning Targets

      Tomorrow will be our first supervisory walk-through.  It is stressful, no doubt about that.  The focus I am sure will be our learning targets and the way kids are able to articulate their understanding of just what they are doing.  Having learning targets presented to children is nothing new.  I remember doing them back when I used the SIOP model in my classroom.  Students were given the objectives for each lesson.  Now though it is a little different- these learning targets need to be written in a student friendly way called and " I can" statement.
       For example,  "RL 4.3  I can uncover reasons for a character's’ thoughts, words, and actions, and use them to describe the character". Now I will still say that if my students don't know what they are doing and have to refer to an " I can" statement in my classroom then I am not doing my job. The purpose of each lesson should be given at the beginning and the end so students can articulate their job once they leave. I don't think that it will make a big difference as to whether or not the student will be successful, like I said it's my job to be sure they know what they are doing and why they are doing it. What good is an " I can" statement if the child can't read it- say a kindergartner. Again, it comes back to being explicit and concise in your teaching so your lesson is focused enough so that the child knows what they are doing.
So, while you think on this I am off to type of up my " I can" statements for our next units and get them in my fancy new table tents. How does your district use learning targets?

Math in Thanksgiving Diner

      Planning before a break is always tough. The kids are excited their minds are dreaming of turkey and potatoes and sleeping in. Oh wait, that's me.  Well I'm sure they are just dreaming of not coming to school for five whole days! So, using their excitement for break I created some Thanksgiving math activities.  It's always ideal to bring in the real world application of math so they understand that what we do is purposeful and they will use it! This is no different.  I am trying to incorporate more three-act math into my workshop.  You can see in previous posts that I love inquiry based teaching, so this is perfect.

     The first act is to show a picture and the kids brainstorm questions about the picture.  Since they are familiar with this their questions are naturally in the direction of math.

    Then once they are thinking of their question we will work to solve it.  Now, I am planning on them asking about how much it costs for these groceries or a Thanksgiving diner in general.  I have gathered up some ads we will look at and created a differentiated recording sheet where they can track their thinking.   This is an example of the "hardest" version.  For my other children I have changed the numbers of servings to "friendly numbers" or made alterations to the final question and required number of dishes.  I  also am providing my struggling math students with items that are already priced out to numbers that will be easy for them to work with.   (GLEs 4.OA.3, 4.OA.2 4.NBT.4)  (MP1 MP5 MP6)

     Differentiated learning is a building goal of ours and is quite easily attainable when you think about your learners and their needs.  Changing the numbers to those "friendly numbers" or changing the amount of problems that a child has to complete can change their attitude about math, especially when they struggle. Now, no it is not always so simple as in this task where my struggling students have a completely different set of materials.  If you want to learn more about creating a differentiated classroom you need to read this book by the "guru" of differentiation!

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What do I believe about how students learn?

     So yep, another challenge.  Reflecting on my teaching and pushing my willingness to share inner thoughts even further.  
     How do children learn? Well, my philosophy is that children learn by doing. They learn by getting in and getting their hands dirty in the process of discovery.  There are certainly times where we must tell them explicitly what we are doing, and why- but often times we can have them come to those answers on their through inquiry.
     Inquiry based teaching and learning is the most fun, yet a challenging way for me to approach the curriculum.  It can be challenging to find ways to bring inquiry into the curriculum, but once you find a rhythm the lessons come naturally to both you and the students.  I have seen over the years as my knowledge of inquiry based teaching develops so has my students ability to use questioning to guide their learning. They are more apt to take on their own projects and wonders.
   I love that this year I have been able to squeeze out some time for the students to tackle their passion projects.  These are student driven, based on their own wonders and ideas.  I have had kids present on everything from making tutus, finding bigfoot, and explaining how the heart works. It was amazing to see their desire to learn and apply what they have been taught to their own passions.  I hope this is something that I can continue in addition to curriculum constraints.
   If you're looking for resources on how to start with inquiry based teaching and learning, or the additional component problem based learning, check out the list below!

Now this book, though geared for middle school, definitely has some good ideas about how to make the connection between science and math through inquiry.   Have you ever seen 3 Act Math? Check that out- I love using it during engagement. It does need some modification at the elementary level.  

Not gonna lie- science is my passion.  It is the easiest place to fit inquiry into on a daily basis.  

This book is just a general overview of inquiry at the K-5 level.