Welcome back! We are nearing the end of the guided math series! Today, I will share with you what a day in my classroom looks like and what each student is doing during guided math time.
I am passionate about guided math because I get the opportunity to assess and have contact with EVERY student in my room, EVERY day during math. I also love the flexibility it allows me and how easy it is to differentiate
My math block is after lunch from 11:55- 1:10, That gives me 75 minutes to teach math. The following chart details how each minute of that is spent! Afterwards I will go into detail about what each part of my math block looks like.
Whole Group Review:
When students enter my classroom there is a math problem on the easel at my carpet. They take a seat and begin solving it mentally. I use the Number Talks model in my classroom. It really helps improve number sense and kids have to verbalize their thinking for their peers! I LOVE it, click on the link if you want to know more! I try to choose review problems that will prep my students and get the background knowledge I need in the forefront of their minds so we can move through the lesson quickly. After we have shared answers and strategies I move on to the mini-lesson.
Whole Group Mini-Lesson:
Sometimes I show a video, sometimes we define vocabulary and sometimes we do example problems. This is where I INTRODUCE the new concept we are learning. I emphasize introduce because I do NOT expect all the students in my room to understand what is going on at the end of the mini lesson. We create an anchor chart as a group with the new information, talk about it for 1-2 minutes and I may take a few questions. The reasoning behind this is that I will see every student in my room back at my table for 14- 19 minutes (depending on the number of groups I have). This is when I can address their questions specifically and offer the support they need to understand the concept.
Rotations:
I have had large classes the past couple of years so I have had to use 4 centers. It is very important to me that the groups are small enough that I have time to work with each student.As you can see from the chart above I give my students 1 minute to transition. I don't want to waste any time so we practice over and over until we can move in under a minute! For students who need extra time to transition we have a special agreement and they wait until everyone else has moved and is settled before they move. Here I will share what happens at each center.
Table (me):
This is where I continue the mini-lesson in small groups. I answer students questions and we walk step-by-step through examples. I am constantly questioning the students and they either have a whiteboard or a sticky note to write down their ideas as we work. My math manipulatives are ALWAYS on hand so I can pull those out for groups that need them. The last few minutes is always spent independently doing a few practice problems while I watch so I can see how each student is doing with the new information. With some groups it will be obvious that they already understand the concept when they get to the table. With those groups I extend and challenge them with higher level thinking questions.
Differentiation: This part is easy! My table groups are created by skill level so I can tailor the lesson to the needs of each group!
Seatwork (desks):
This is the review portion of math. Some days my students have a worksheet, some days there are problems written on the board for them to solve. I always make sure that we are reviewing information that all the students in my classroom have learned already. This means doing review from the previous grade at the beginning of the year. In third grade my students could read directions and the few that could not had an assigned partner to work with them. In first grade I will be using seat work that is formatted in such a way that students will not need to read directions in order to complete it. The beginning part of the school year will be spent teaching how to complete these assignments. If an assignment needs directions I do that during whole group time.
*If students finish this center early they can go work on notes. If their notes are done they can go choose a game.
Differentiation: Students who need a challenge, or students who are behind will have different seat work placed on their desks. My students know that if there is a sheet on their desk at the start of math- that is what they need to complete during their seat work rotation.
Technology(computers/ipads):
In my room I have 6 computers and two iPads. Since I do not have enough iPads to go around I have those on a rotating schedule. When it is their turn for the iPad they go get it instead of doing their computer rotation. I let students take the iPad anywhere in the room they want as long as it is not distracting to anyone else (I take it away if it is, so that has never been a problem). Students who are at computers are working on MobyMax. Check out the link if you haven't seen it yet. I. AM. OBSESSED. There is a free version and I had great success when I used it. This past school year I decided to fork over the money and get the paid version. LOVE IT. This website makes it easy to assess and and assign common core aligned topics to individual students.
I should probably mention that these opinions are ENTIRELY my own and I am no way affiliated with MobyMax- just a really happy customer. Okay, Tangent over. This rotation is one I would never give up. The students are motivated because they love working on the computer, and it means that my students are using a computer every day. These days it is so important for students to have computer skills!
Differentiation: Since I use MobyMax I login at the end of each week, see how students are doing on different topics and assign new ones. If I think they need to I will restart them on a lesson or even end one (because its too hard/easy) and assign different ones.
Notes (carpet area):
Students copy the anchor chart we created during the mini-lesson into their notebooks. (For younger students I take a picture of the anchor chart and they glue it into their notebooks). I almost always leave 1 or 2 answer blanks on the notes page for the students to fill in. When the rotation is over students leave their notebook open on their desks so I can check it at the end of the math block.
*If students finish this center early they can go work on seat work. If their seat work is done they can go choose a game.
Differentiation: For students who struggle with writing- some I give extra time and others always get a copy of the anchor chart to glue into their notebooks and they have a partner who can read something to them as needed.
*This is the rotation I am not particularly attached to. I think it has some great benefits but I don't think its appropriate for all grade levels. Since I am making the move down to primary this year I am playing around with some other center ideas.
Games:
This center is for early finishers. It used to be one of my regular rotation centers but I had too many behavior issues so I got rid of it and added notes instead. I teach different math games during the first week to my small groups at the table. I have games with dice, playing cards, concentration games, etc. Students learn the proper way to handle the materials and how to win or lose graciously. Students also learn games they can play alone. If they are not following expectations with games they lose the privilege and have to stay at their assigned center.
When a student finishes early and sees another student is also done they can ask them to play a game. If they can't agree on a game or other students aren't available they choose an independent game.
Differentitation: Throughout the year I teach students twists or challenges to the games that they already know to make them more difficult.
Another way I have done games is to have assigned game stations. I then place certain games at those stations so students are getting practice on something specific.
Recap:
I always squeeze in a quick recap of the lesson before or right after our afternoon recess. We quickly review any new vocabulary or new skills we learned that day. Sometimes we do it whole group and I call on students, other times I will put up a practice problem and each student will turn a sticky note in to me.
Thank you so much for reading! Please leave me feedback in the comments :).
Watch out for my next post- Guided Math Center and Resource Ideas
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