This year, I started implementing a math workshop model (you can find some examples of what we have been doing under the heading "math workshop" under the list of topics on the side ). I will never teach math another way again! The kiddos are invested, I am able to differentiate my math instruction in a richer way, and after given them their second math assessment I am blown away! I am seeing so much more progress using a math workshop model than I ever have before using whole class instruction.
I have learned how to keep my prep at a minimum. I learned this the hard way. I started off with high hopes and was creating different games every week. Who has time for that?! The iPads never change-so that's easy. My math fluency station never changes either. Each student has a math fluency folder that contains an addition/subtraction practice page and a one minute fluency wheel that I laminated so they can re-use them each week. These are great! I got them from Teaching Sweet Shoppe. The fluency program contains board games, minute wheels (which I use with sand timers), sand timers and more. I love how I can easily assess progress with the timed fluency test each week. When a student has mastered a level, they move up to the next level. Her product contains an excel sheet for recording scores easily too. I'm telling you- it's fabulous! The programs come in a variety of grade levels. This is great for even those kiddos that may be slightly below or above grade level.
Ok...where was I? Oh right...that leaves- math by myself which is always our Everyday Math Journals. If the kiddos finish early they can work on their Math mission notebooks which I purchased from Cara Carroll.
That leaves my last rotation which is math with someone. This is usually a game from our Everyday Math program. Sometimes if we are in need of a change, I purchase from TpT. Teach with Laughter has some awesome math games. I love them not only because they are fun, motivational, and engaging but they also come with pictured directions so the kiddos don't need to interrupt me when I'm working with my math groups to ask how to play. Love that!
For example, this week with my high flyers, we used coins to show various amounts to "purchase various items", with my low and average groups we reviewed touch money so that they learning the value of each coin. I am also working on number identification and number discrimination with my kiddos that need help with that. My Number Sense 0-20 product has really helped! We review the 0-20 flashcards each day that show each number and the its value on a ten frame and with base ten blocks. We then use ten frames and base ten blocks to show these numbers and number values.
Playing "I Have, Who Has" with numbers 0-20
on the ten frame from my Number Sense 0-20
resource.

These labels are available in my store if you find them helpful.
I'm two months in to incorporating a math workshop model and I love it! I don't ever want to go back. I truly believe it is best practice. Do you use a math workshop model in your classroom? I'd love to hear about it because I always learn so much from you. I'd love your comments!
I too, use Everyday Math with 1st graders. How do you fit in the lesson in only 15 minutes? I know you spend the 2nd day reviewing but do you finish teaching all of the units by the end of the year?
ReplyDeleteHi Hollie, this is my first year using a math workshop model so I'm not sure I can say with 100% accuracy. However, given that I have always finished the curriculum before school gets out and the final chapter is a review, I feel confident that I will finish it. Two of my colleagues who also teach first grade and are not using a workshop model and I are on the same lesson. I teach one lesson over the course of 2 days, 15 minutes per lesson. If you have a SMARTboard I highly recommend Jen Larsen's Everymath lessons. They are the exact lessons as in the teacher manual but interactive in nature with the SMARTboard. It makes EDM so much less painful. Here's a link https://sites.google.com/site/jlarsengm/
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