Solve 'n Switch - Task Card Partner Fun!

Fun Freebie to Use with Math Task Cards!

Cooperative learning activities are often designed for teams of four students. However, sometimes a team is just too big, especially in math. Sometimes the perfect number of students for a practice activity is just two. Partners tend to cooperate more and argue less, and kids are usually more actively engaged when working with a partner as opposed to a large team.

With that in mind, I developed a new cooperative learning partner activity that I've named Solve 'n Switch. You can download it for free from my Math Stations page on Teaching Resources. Just add task cards that are appropriate for your unit of study, and you'll have an engaging and fun review activity!

In a nutshell, Solve 'n Switch includes these basic steps:

1. Each partner takes a task card from the top of the deck.
2. Simultaneously, they each solve the problem on their own card. 
3. Next, they switch task cards and solve the new problem.
4. Finally, they share, check, and discuss their answers. 
5. They repeat the steps with two new cards.

The free Solve 'n Switch packet includes three sets of directions so that you can modify it as needed. This activity is intended for practice and is not meant to be graded. After students play Solve ’n Switch, you can follow up with an independent assignment or quiz for assessment. I would not recommend allowing students to choose their own partners for this activity. Instead, I would plan out the partners in advance and pair students of similar abilities. If your class is set up in cooperative learning teams, you can split each team of four in half or pair students with someone from an entirely different team. You might even want to differentiate the activity by providing different sets of tasks cards for each pair according to their needs.

Where to Find Task Cards
If you need task cards for this activity, visit my Task Cards Pinterest Board. You'll find links to sets of task cards as well as games that include task cards that would work well with Solve 'n Switch. You'll also find posts with information about organizing and storing task cards.

What I love about Solve 'n Switch is that it's so versatile. You can use it in math centers, small groups, or even in a whole group setting with students divided into pairs. All you really need is a set of task cards and either dry erase boards and markers or the recording pages in the packet. Have fun with this!

Math Problems - They're Hiding in Every Story!

Guest post by Susanna Westby

One of the challenges in teaching math effectively, especially as student get older, is finding ways to make it meaningful to their experience. Teachers who have heard students complain, "Why do I need to know this? I will never use it," will know what I mean!

One way to teach the relevance of math in an engaging way is to integrate your math and literature. Within every story there are math problems hiding - my job is to point them out and hopefully encourage students to find their own.

When working with younger students, I simply point out the math I found in the stories we read together, and invite them to help me solve each problem. This can be as simple or complex as you like, so long as it uses elements of the story.

Below are several examples that I've used with my class using both fiction and non-fiction.


The Three Little Pigs
We use fairy tales to introduce the concept of making math stories. For example, after reading the story of the Three Little Pigs, we explore basic operations using characters and events from the story. This is a great vehicle for meaningful math, but also encourages a closer reading of the story for details at the same time. After some examples, I invite students to find their own math connections.

Examples:

• If each little pig had one cookie, how many cookies would they have altogether? 1+1+1=3
• If each little pig had 3 cookies, how many cookies would they have altogether? 3+3+3=9 or 3x3=9.

These equations could also be acted out with 3 students holding 3 paper cookies each. It’s a simple concept, but having students organize and “act out” the math problems is beneficial the goal of developing students’ overall math sense.

Here is an example of the recording sheet we use; student work is in red.

A copy of this recording sheet is available to download at the end of this post if you’d like to try it!

The Selfish Crocodile
Using the book The Selfish Crocodile by Michael Terry, we can explore concepts such as counting, doubling, graphing, sorting, and fractions.

Here are the problems my students generated from the picture below:

*Sort the animals below by characteristic and make a graph: animals with horns, animals with spots, animals that are grey, animals that have wings. For this lesson, watching students decide on the sorting characteristics was a great indicator of their understanding.

From the picture below:

• How many teeth does the crocodile have on the top? How many on the bottom?
• Add them together for the total: 32+32=64
• How many teeth are cracked? 1/64
• What fraction shows how many teeth are on top? 32/64 (or ½) or half are on top.

From the picture below:

• How many animals are above the water?
• How many would there be if there were TWICE as many above the water?
• How many are below the water?
• How many are half above and half below?
• How many MORE are below the water than above? Draw pictures to prove your answer.

Deadly Creatures Dictionary
Using the non-fiction book Deadly Creatures Dictionary by Clint Twist, we found measurement questions to explore. We read that a dolphin is 8 feet long. Since we had just recently read a novel about dolphins, students were really interested to see what 8 feet looked like in real life. So, they worked together to measure with rulers and we cut out a life size dolphin. Then we used the dolphin for non-standard measurement, as seen in the photo at the top of this post.

Actual Size
Using the book, Actual Size by Steve Jenkins, we continued this idea of measurement and real-life sizes. (This book shows pictures that are the actual size of various creatures.) We measured the actual size of a giant squid's eyeball (12 inches), cut strings that length, and then recorded things around the room that were bigger, smaller, or the same size as a giant squid's eyeball!

Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed
Some stories lend themselves naturally to math equations. One example is called Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson. This is about a girl who finds some blueberries and decides to leave them on the doorstep for a neighbor as an act of kindness. The neighbor is so pleased that she makes blueberry muffins for 5 people. Those 5 people are so pleased that they EACH do something nice for 5 more people, and the total number of people involved grows exponentially, as
illustrated in the chart below. We had a lot of fun keeping track of the people as the story went on, and older students could expand on this idea in all kinds of ways.

Benefits
These are some of the advantages I’ve seen of integrating math and literature in the classroom:

• It reinforces the idea that math is meaningful and useful in daily life.
• It creates a habit of looking for math outside of math period, which means more practice outside of the classroom.
• It’s a wonderful way to challenge your high-level thinkers to create and solve their own math problems.
• It’s involves questions that are student-generated, which I find leads to more overall engagement.

I hope you'll give it a try the next time you read a story together. You might be surprised at how quickly and efficiently they can make those big connections; I certainly was! If you’d like to use my free recording sheet, just click on the image to download it.

A big thank you to Laura for the opportunity to share these ideas!

Susanna has been teaching primary grades for 20 years and loves sharing ideas with other teachers around the world. Please stop by to visit her at Whimsy Workshop Teaching for more teaching ideas, literacy sets, and teacher graphics!

Top 20 Tips for Landing a Teaching Job

Advice from Real Teachers

Are you seeking a teaching position for next year? If so, you’ll want to check out the responses to this week’s top question on the Teaching Resources Facebook page.

Each Wednesday at 8:30 pm EST, I post the Question Connection announcement and teachers ask questions to be shared with the fans of the page. Through the week, I choose a few to feature on Facebook each day, where you're invited to chime in with your advice. When I see a post that receives a large number of responses, I compile the best answers to create a helpful blog post.

This week’s top question is timely because many new graduates and current teachers are already actively searching for a teaching position for next fall.

Today's Question

Today’s question comes from Kristal, who writes “I am a new graduate filling out district applications. It seems to be difficult to get interviews. I am substitute teaching, but I would like suggestions on what else I can do to help myself get noticed by the districts?"

Over 100 people responded, and you can read all the suggestions on the original Facebook post. However, since most of you don’t have time to read all of the responses, I selected the top 20 responses to share with you here:

1. Jamie Rickman: Try to enjoy where you are now. Be the absolute best sub you can be and you will stand out. You will get more and more subbing jobs which will lead to either a long term subbing job and/or a permanent position. In the meantime, I suggest you carry a small notebook (I did) as you sub and jot down great ideas you are lucky to learn along the way.
2. Donna Pace: When you are subbing, do the very best job that you can do! Teach the class you are subbing if possible, grade any work that students complete, volunteer for extra duties, offer to help other teachers in the school, and leave detailed notes for the teacher you sub for. In other words, go above and beyond what is normally expected of a sub. The word will spread quickly by each teacher you have subbed for, and you will start to earn a good reputation. In addition, as teachers and administrators get to know you better, they will either try to hire you, or they will be more than willing to write you great recommendations. I, too, began my teaching career by substitute teaching, and the experience definitely helped make me a better classroom teacher when I landed my first teaching position. Good luck!
3. Jenna Allen: I got a job right after I graduated with a "brochure" about myself in addition to my resume and cover letter. It was a snapshot of me, my philosophy and experience. Helped me stand out for sure.... At least that's what the admin said after I got hired.
4. Tracy Lott: Volunteer on your off days and ask to "shadow" veteran teachers. Be clever with substitute business cards ("If you're planning ahead or you're in a 'Crunch,' call _____." Then staple a mini crunch bar to the card. Teachers love creative stuff like that!) Once you get an interview, send a thank you note to the principal and/or interviewing team afterward. Whatever you do, DON'T tell teachers there's a better way or this is what I learned in college. Save that for you to use in your own classroom....even if it is a better way. 
5. Jenni DelVecchio: One thing I did was to send a thank you note for the interviews I did get. Thank you for interviewing me and if you would please pass on any notes of items in the interview upon which I could improve... that sort of thing. Never really got back any feedback, but the thank you note is always a nice touch.
6. Lucas Werner-Salsbury: Know the protocol in the district you are applying. In our district, sending emails to principals, showing up to schools, etc. is frowned upon. Work any possible connections, ensure your cover letter is unique and your resume flawless. Best of luck!!!
7. Karen Anne: I subbed for three years including a few long term sub positions. If you add just ONE thing, it could make a huge difference - business cards with your photo and quick credentials!! I always left them at the teacher's desk and left them with the secretaries as well.
8. April Wolf: Build the relationships with the principals where you sub. If you apply for one of their positions and do not get an interview, be professional and go ask how you can personally grow and improve to stand out. This shows how professional, dedicated and determined you are to teach. Remember one principal not only knows the other principals in their district, but often knows principals in several districts.
9. Kathy Wagner: Also - consider getting an endorsement or second teaching license. Schools love teachers with additional endorsement/licensure, they get more $ from the state. Endorsements are pretty easy to get, generally you either just take a test to add it or take couple of classes.
10. Mauri Wilsie: Find the least desirable school in the district and sub there as much as you can. Be professional. Be an outstanding sub. Tell everyone how much you like the school and kids - be a breath of fresh air. When something comes up in the district it will most likely be at that school. You will be on the top of the list.
11. Cheryl Ann: Sub and volunteer...get your face out there. When you sub, don't hide in the classroom during lunch and prep. Talk to teachers and see if you can assist them during your prep, unless the teacher has left something for you to do.
12. Joan Howze: Send or hand deliver copies of your resume to all the principals, too! If you have letters of recommendation, attach copies for them to see. And a cover letter saying why you would like to work at each school (google info to help make it school specific). Good luck!
13. Evelyn Cummings: First, don't give up. Send out letters introducing yourself. Make sure you have examples of your work in a portfolio. Yes, we look at them. The interview is key: know the school by doing your homework. Visit their website and let them know how impressed you are and that you can fit in. Most importantly, show enthusiasm and smile. Good luck!
14. Amy Shook: Another thing you can include with your resume is a video of yourself teaching a lesson (if you have any from student teaching) so you are me than just what's on paper (include the lesson an for the video lesson as well) - you don't have to make dvd's for every application. Post it online somewhere and include a link on your resume!
15. Tammy Sharpe: I moved from out of state and substituted then took a paraprofessional job. After being passed over for a couple of jobs, I went and introduced myself to the head of HR for our district and the superintendent. I just told them I wanted to let them put a face with a name so that when my application came across their desk, they would have an idea of who was applying. This opened up the conversation and allowed an informal interview situation. Very low pressure. I did dress nicely and put my best interview skills forward. Good luck.
16. Rheana McCarley: Go to job placement/fairs events if the district offers them. I agree that you should hand deliver your resume or email directly to principals if it's impossible to hand deliver. Also, try charter and private schools.
17. Tiffany France: Look for tutoring positions. In the game of high-states assessments a lot of schools will have academic tutors for the way below level students. We moved from Florida to Missouri last year and I found a tutoring position. They asked me to apply for a third grade teaching position for next year. I got the job.
18. Christy Hackerott: I submitted my letters of recommendation along with my resume. I live in a college town where hundreds of teachers graduate and there would be over 300 applicants for one job. I did get several interviews that way. Also got a job! Good luck!
19. Shannon Bonner: Know the hot topics in education and be able to converse about them in your interview. Educators love buzz words and references to current teaching theories and practices like Marzano or ESL, Common Core. Be knowledgeable about what you are applying for and what the particular school district is currently using. Also on your resume note what extracurricular activities you’re willing to help out with, I swear being a cheerleading coach gives me more license to do what I want because no one wants to have to take up that job. I also think word of mouth really helps getting your foot in the door. So subbing is a great start but also use any contact you have even if they are just an fb friend. There's no shame in asking for help, the worst they can say is no.
20. Kathryn Rasinya-White: As a Principal, I can tell you do not ask to meet with the principal, we get tons of those requests and it is impossible to accommodate during our hectic days. The subs who stand out to me are those who work hard and take good direction from the teacher and try to learn from them, those who build relationships with the students and take pride in remembering their names, those who volunteer their time when help is needed for any task. Those who come in early and who are over prepared just in case. These are the things that will get you in, not a letter, or face time with a principal.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer this question. Your advice and experience is helpful to so many others.

If you would like to submit a teacher question, be sure to watch for the announcement on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET on the Teaching Resources Facebook page. 

Great Questions + Advice from Real Teachers = The Question Connection! Enjoy!

Mighty Math Tasks!

Guest post by Cassie Tabrizi

Several years ago I was lucky enough to attend a state-wide training on math tasks. When I entered the classroom on the first of four long training days, I thought we would just be talking about word problems or hands-on learning. I was blown away by what I got instead!

The presenters walked us through how our state wanted math tasks to be: open-ended, higher-level, and engaging. This idea fascinated me! Our state had recently adopted the Common Core State Standards, and the level of higher-order thinking skills needed to meet each standard is incredible. The tasks that were presented meant that our kids had to do all of the “heavy lifting” as they went through the mathematical process.

What does this mean exactly? Well, it means that all the math tasks I have created since that training are open ended. This was really hard for me to grasp at the beginning of the training. I thought “There is no way that my third graders are going to be able to estimate reasonable numbers to fit this problem!” However, I was surprised by how much they loved working through the process and figuring things out.

I had to first decide how to set up my math task time. I decided to do math tasks once a week with groups ranging from 2-4 students (I found that groups of 2 worked best!). The first two or three tasks that I gave them, we did as a class. We talked about math task procedures (this is a freedbie for you), and then went over the task. I showed them my thinking and had them help me solve the problem.

After that, we would briefly review the task procedures and then I let them work on a similar problem on their own. They usually had about 30-45 minutes to work. Each task I created had an extension at the bottom for early finishers. My students LOVED task day. It really helped get them involved in their learning and approach math in a whole new way!

Sleepover Treats
Let me give you an example of what I mean. This is a third grade task that I actually used in my classroom. You can get it here for your own use.

If you are like me, your first thought probably was “But we don’t even know how many kids were at the sleepover?” This is what is meant by opened ended. There are many ways to answer this question!

Each group has to reasonably estimate how many students would be at a sleepover party. 3? 6? 10? It really doesn’t matter what number the students come up with because the focus of these tasks is about the mathematical process. As long as the students do the math correctly, they can use any number they want.

Of course you will probably get the student that says “One million!”, thinking they are hilarious. When that happened to me, I let them try and figure it out using that number. They will learn really quickly that one million is a really hard number to work with in this problem and will change to a smaller number.

While the students were working, my teaching partner and I would walk around the room to scaffold where needed. We tried not to give too much information to help them along. Then, we would have a few students share what they had so far on the document camera. After sharing a few, my students would go back to work.

I would walk around and ask questions like: "Okay, explain to me what you are doing" or "Can you tell me more about this?" I tried not to praise too heavily (and the facilitators at our state training said to not praise at all!), because then the other groups think that there might be only one correct way of doing things. I couldn't just look and them and say nothing so I would respond with "I like your thinking here!" or "I really love how you showed me two different ways to solve this!"

These tasks were really great at getting my kids to become deep, independent thinkers. While it was scary for me at first to let go of the reigns, I am really glad that I did!

Cassie Tabrizi is a Teacher-Author who blogs at Create-abilities. She taught five years in 3rd grade and one year in 5th grade. She got her master’s in Instructional Design and loves using what she knows to make quality resources to use in the classroom. She creates products tied directly to the common core and then tries and tests them in her classroom.

Empowering Kids with Multiple Intelligence Theory

BAM Radio Podcast Interview
by Vicki Davis (The Cool Cat Teacher)

Do you follow Vicki Davis, the Cool Cat Teacher? As well as being an author, she maintains an awesome blog and shares amazing resources and information for teachers. I've been following her for years, so I was thrilled (and nervous!) when she asked to interview me about my free Multiple Intelligences survey.

I'm going to keep this blog post short so you'll have time to listen to the BAM Radio podcast that was created from our discussion. As Vicki and I explored this topic, I shared how learning about MI theory can impact students in a positive way by empowering them to focus on their strengths.

Getting to Know You Survey
To help my students learn about themselves, I developed a simple one-page, kid-friendly survey, and it worked so well in my classroom that I posted it on my website for others to use with their students. After you listen to the podcast, visit the Multiple Intelligences page on Teaching Resources where you'll find a link to this survey and additional resources about MI theory. Because the survey is a bit unusual, I recorded a slidecast that explains exactly how to administer it and score it; I hope you'll watch that video before you use the survey with your students.

Every Classroom Matters
By the way, this interview was a part of Vicki's series called Every Classroom Matters. She has recorded dozens of interviews with educators, and I urge you to visit her BAM Radio page to check them out. You'll also find her podcasts in the Itunes store - free of course! I appreciate Vicki taking time to talk with me about something that's been near and dear to my heart for many years. I hope you'll find these resources to be just as empowering with your students as I did with mine!