Time to unpack!! No, I haven't been on vacation, but will probably want to go after we begin unpacking the Common Core State Standards.  Seems tedious, but with the help of my fellow teachers there are a ton of resources out there to help us out.  I have wondered though, if this is the "Common Core"  and unpacking consist of stating the objectives with "I can..",  statements based on what we believe the standards are describing, shouldn't these "I can.." statements be consistent across the states?  I have read several "I can" statements from different teachers and different states.  They all seem to differ in one way or another.  Although these statements will be based on the same concept, it does make me wonder how many different ways these standards can be taught.  Will I teach them "rigorously" enough?  One of my wonderful teacher friends found a great little flipbook by McGraw-Hill.  The Common Core-Clarifying expectations for teachers and Students in Mathematics. 

Though I have shown the picture for the Math flipbook, it will not be available to order until June 22nd.  ELA is already available.  It looked like a wonderful tool to use while unpacking and stating these "I can" statements that we will use.  I will definitely buy a 4th grade math book when it becomes available.  It will definitely be a useful tool as we begin to dive into this new curriculum.

An inside look at McGraw-Hills The Common Core:  Mathematics

What have you or your school used to help you unpack?  Let me know!!

MY FIRST BLOG POST!!

I am so excited to join the "teacher blogging" community.  They have given me so much insight and opened me up to a million plus ideas that I just could not wait to join.  So here goes my first post!! :D

Overwhelmed!  That is what I am as I begin to apply the Common Core into my classroom.  There seems to be so many ideas and resources out there that I wonder what is the best.  This summer I have started reading the book The Daily 5.  I really love the ideas "The Sisters" use in their classroom with literacy.  I guess my biggest problem is how I can develop that into a 4th grade math class.  I do plan on using content area books in my math class more often than I have in the past.  I want to know the best way to lay out the day with my students as I attempt to incorporate a method of the Daily 5 in my classroom.

I LOVE PINTEREST!! So I have found this really neat idea from Mrs. Thompson's blog "Adventures in Teaching".  She shares some really great ideas that she uses in her math class.  She uses the acronym "B.U.I.L.D." as her version of the Daily 5 for her 1st grade Math class.  Buddy games, Using manipulatives, Independent reading/work, Learning about numbers, Doing math.  I have shared Mrs. Thompson's picture from her blog Adventures in Teaching below.

Mrs. Thompson's "Build" plan from her classroom.

So, I wonder how I can apply this in an intermediate grade math class.  I have used my white board to brainstorm ideas that can help me incorporate this idea in my classroom.

My "BUILD" Brainstorm

Here are some of the ideas I have for my 4th grade Math class:

B (Buddy Work)

Flash cards, Think Math Investigations, Kagan Games, Cooperative Learning folder games.

U (Using Manipulatives)

We use HSP Math which has a lot of good investigations that incorporate manipulatives.  There are some with each lesson at both an on-level, enrichment and remediation level.  This is my plan for "U".

I (Independent work)

Accelerated Math (This based on their progress) 

Problems of the Day, Spiral Review, Respond to Reading (see below)

L (Learning Numbers)

Math Vocabulary, Fact practices, Independent Reading (Math textbook, content area books) - this may get moved to Independent work.

D (Doing Math)

Study Island, Mega Math, Worksheets, Homework

So, these are my ideas.  Not sure how to make all this flow and still get all the content in for the entire year.  I will continue to research and hopefully receive input from others in the teaching community.