Math Minutes

2021/2022 Quarter 4

Jump Start Your Math Class

One of our favorite mathematicians, John SanGiovanani, has a series of books called Daily Routines To Jump-Start Math Class. There is a book for elementary, one for middle school, and one for high school. These books contain a variety of fully developed routines to engage students, improve number sense, and practice reasoning.

Why Jump-Start Routines?

"The opening few minutes of a mathematics class offer a rich opportunity to capture the attention of students and prepare them for the lesson ahead. As teachers, we must be aware, however, that students often walk into our classes with all of the distractions of their electronic lives as well as issues with friends, parents, or even health concerns. Their bodies may be in a room with us for the required time period, but their minds may be somewhere else entirely. The opening few minutes are also the time when students' brains are freshest and they tend to remember more of what is being taught during this segment than at any other time during the learning episode (Sousa, 2007). That is why it is such a critical time to help students shed their distractions, capture their attention, and jump-start their brains. Engaging students immediately increases the likelihood that they'll stay engaged and motivated to learn throughout the lesson." (quote from p. 1, Daily Routines To Jump-Start Math Class, Middle School)

Computational Thinking Meets Mathematics

Everyday Mathematics 4 (EM4) has added two new computational thinking units called Action Fractions. (Twelve lessons and three assessments for each of grades 3 and 4).

Here is how EM4 describes these:

“Action Fractions is a cohesive sequence of activities designed to align with math standards for fraction instruction in 3rd and 4th grade as well as Computational Thinking (CT) learning goals drawn from learning trajectories for sequence, conditionals, iteration, and debugging. The lessons, designed to be implemented in the recommended sequential order, include both computer-based and "unplugged" activities as well as assessments.”

This is a National Science Foundation project that was originally developed for use with the Everyday Mathematics curriculum. However, these activities may be used with any mathematics curriculum. We encourage you to try out these activities with your students.

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Does your District have a Math Vision?

An instructional vision articulates what teaching and learning should look like in a particular content area. While standards name the specifics of what students should know and be able to do, and the instructional shifts within the standards describe the types of instruction the standards call for, an instructional vision is a district’s articulation of what students should experience daily and the overall goals for student learning. Having a clear vision for instruction will guide the adoption process and serve as a critical lens through which all potential materials are viewed.

Here is a great resource from EdReports to guide you in your math vision building process. The sample math visions begin on page 4 of this 8 page document. Our favorite is math vision sample #3, which begins on page 5.

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Summer Offerings: Check the Course Catalog for dates

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AAIMS

This class is designed to train Special Education and General Education teachers with AEA staff to use the Algebra Assessment and Instruction Meeting Standards (AAIMS) progress monitoring tools. Participants will be able to administer, score and use data from the measures; understand the relative merits and weaknesses of each of the measures; and consider issues related to implementing algebra progress monitoring.

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Numeracy Project

This workshop will provide training on the Numeracy Project. It will introduce teachers, teacher leaders, administrators and consultants to the trajectory by which learners acquire a solid foundation in numeracy. This package contains assessments (universal screeners, diagnostic tool, progress monitoring) and intervention activities.

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Best Practices: A Deeper Dive into Numeracy

Participants will gain a robust understanding of math progressions and evidence-based practices so they can provide and/or support quality grade level learning and equitable experiences resulting in increased student conceptual understanding and numeracy leading to increased student achievement. License renewal credits are available.