Math Minutes
First Quarter 2023/24
Free Math Summit from Make Math Moments Matter
The Make Math Moments Matter free Math Summit is a three-day virtual event for K-12 math educators, happening on November 14-16, 2023. The summit is designed to help teachers feel confident and successful in their math classrooms, with sessions on a variety of topics, including:
Creating a positive and engaging math learning environment
Building resilient problem solvers
Teaching math for equity and inclusion
Using technology effectively in the math classroom
And more!
The summit will feature over 25 speakers, including some of the most influential math education leaders in the world. All sessions will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing, so you can participate at your own convenience.
The Make Math Moments Matter team believes that all math educators deserve access to high-quality professional development, regardless of their budget. That's why they're offering the summit for free.
To register for the summit, simply visit the Make Math Moments Matter website and click on the "Register" button. You'll need to create a free account and provide some basic information. Once you're registered, you'll receive an email with a link to the summit platform.
The summit is open to all K-12 math educators, including teachers, administrators, curriculum developers, and instructional coaches. Whether you're a new teacher or a seasoned veteran, you're sure to learn something new at the summit.
Here are some of the benefits of attending the summit:
Learn from the world's leading math education experts
Get practical tips and strategies for your classroom
Discover new resources and tools
Connect with other math educators
Be inspired to make a difference in your students' lives
Don't miss out on this free opportunity to learn and grow as a math educator! Register for the Make Math Moments Matter Free Math Summit today!
Numeracy Project 2.0 Training
This session will provide the initial training to get you started using the Numeracy Project 2.0. It will introduce teachers, teacher leaders, administrators and consultants to the trajectory by which learners acquire a solid foundation in numeracy. This package contains the following: universal screeners, a diagnostic and progress monitoring tool, as well as intervention activities.
November 8, 2023 at the Johnston Heartland AEA office.
Numeracy Project Workshop Training
The Numeracy Project Workshop is for K-8 educators and high school teachers who have been trained in the Numeracy Project and would like further support in implementing it with students. This workshop will address common questions that have come from practitioners who have been utilizing the Numeracy Project 2.0. We will also provide learning to assist teachers and coaches in planning for small group instruction along with suggestions for integrating progress monitoring.
November 14, 2023 at the Johnston Heartland AEA office or
November 29, 2023 at the Adel Heartland AEA office
Register using this link: https://bit.ly/NPworkshopregister
New Course Offering: Figuring Out Fluency
This course will engage participants in conversation and learning around fluency in mathematics. Additionally, this course will help participants develop a deeper understanding of what procedural fluency is and is not. We will identify which utilities, reasoning strategies, and automaticities to attend to while teaching. Participants will have a robust collection of routines, games, and other activities that support a fluency agenda. We will also explore techniques for assessing all components of fluency.
We will take an in-depth look at a variety of applications of the seven significant strategies that encompass, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions and decimals. We will also relate the topics of ratios, proportions, solving equations, and solving systems of equations to strategies as well. This course allows for participants to select the topics that are most relevant to you and your students' needs.
This is the first course in our series of Figuring out Fluency. The next course will be held April 15 and 16, 2024 . Course two will dig deeper into fraction and decimal work, as well as ratios and proportional reasoning.
December 7 and 8, 2023 at the Adel Heartland AEA office location.
Ready to Order: Howard County Readiness Assessments
In our fourth quarter 2022/23 Math Minutes edition, we alerted you to the fact that the Howard County Number Readiness Assessments were updated. Heartland AEA’s Creative Services department has uploaded these NEW assessments in an easy to use book format including a storage pocket to keep the needed components handy.
If you have previously used these assessments, please recycle the older version and replace them with these new assessments.
These assessment books are now available to order from Creative Services. Find them at Item number 3141.
New in Professional Heartland AEA Library
Math by the Book is a K–5 resource dedicated to teaching mathematics strategically through literature. Math is found in all kinds of stories, but how do we connect the reading of a story to significant math learning? Real learning comes from authentically and purposefully linking a story to important mathematical concepts and then, through the story context, exploring those concepts more deeply.
A good story brings math to life. It enhances our teaching, spurs discovery, and supports problem solving. Math by the Book helps students understand the structure and purpose of math in new ways through literature.
We encourage you to check out these new great resources. Remember you can check out these titles, as well as other professional learning resources, by visiting the Heartland AEA website, or by calling the library at (515) 270-9030 and ask for the professional library.
Website to Explore: Legends of Learning
Legends of Learning is a game-based learning platform that provides educators with over 2,000 curriculum-aligned math and science games for students in grades K-8. The games are designed to be fun and engaging, while also helping students to learn and master important concepts.
Legends of Learning games can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom. Teachers can assign games to students as homework, use them as in-class activities, or even integrate them into their lesson plans. The games can be used to introduce new concepts, reinforce existing concepts, or provide students with practice on specific skills.
Legends of Learning offers a number of features that make it a valuable tool for educators. First, the games are aligned to state and national standards, so teachers can be confident that their students are learning the material that they need to know. Second, the games provide teachers with detailed data on student progress, so they can identify students who need additional support. Third, Legends of Learning is constantly adding new games and features, so there is always something new for students to learn.
Here are some specific ways that educators can use Legends of Learning in their classrooms:
As a supplement to classroom instruction: Legends of Learning games can be used to reinforce concepts that have been taught in class. For example, after teaching a lesson on fractions, you could assign students to play a game where they have to identify and compare fractions.
As a center activity: Legends of Learning games can be used as a center activity during math or science class. This allows students to work at their own pace and get personalized feedback.
As homework: Legends of Learning games can be assigned as homework for students to practice skills that they're learning in class.
For test preparation: Legends of Learning games can be used to help students prepare for standardized tests. The games cover a wide range of topics and difficulty levels, so students can practice the skills that they're most likely to be tested on.
No matter how you choose to use it, Legends of Learning is a valuable tool that can help you make your math and science lessons more fun and engaging for your students. Sign up for a free account today at https://www.legendsoflearning.com/ and start exploring the library of games!
Need a Happiness Boost? Check out Goodable and Find your Happiness in 5 minutes a day!
Goodable is a positive news platform that helps people feel happier and healthier. It features daily stories and videos from around the world that are uplifting, inspiring, and informative. Goodable is also available as a mobile app and newsletter, and its content is shared by millions of people each month.
Here are some of the benefits of using Goodable:
Improves mental health. Studies have shown that exposure to positive news can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and boost overall mood and well-being.
Expands knowledge and horizons. Goodable covers a wide range of topics, from science and technology to social justice and the environment. This can help people to learn about new things and develop a more informed understanding of the world around them.
Promotes empathy and compassion. Goodable stories often feature people who are making a positive difference in the world. This can inspire people to be more kind and compassionate, and to get involved in their own communities.
Provides hope and optimism. In a world that can often feel overwhelming and negative, Goodable is a reminder that there is still good in the world. This can give people hope for the future and motivate them to make a difference.
When teachers feel happier, healthier, and more connected to the world around them, so will their students. Find this resource at https://goodable.co/
Heartland AEA Math Consultants
We provide a variety of supports to help schools and teachers enhance student understanding and achievement in the area of mathematics. Services include consulting, coaching, collaboration and professional development in the areas of mathematics curriculum, instruction and assessment. We emphasize the importance of Iowa Core mathematics, conceptual understanding, problem-based learning and differentiated instruction in their work with teachers, teacher-leaders and administrators.
