[TNS-list] Math Notes from February PTA

[joanbeard]

Morning Hour tomorrow Tuesday at 8:30!!
Discussion about Testing and Evaluation of Students, teachers and principals and schools


Math notes from February PTA  -  
Math at TNS (uebore) Engage NY is a curriculum developed to align with the common core standards.  The curriculum we used prior to the publication of Engage NY is Investigations, a curriculum that does not align as closely with the new standards.  Three years ago, after many teachers participated in summer professional development, we decided to adopt Engage NY in 1st-5th grades. (as part of common core was adopted three years ago:)

In 1st and 2nd grade, we teach math in our homerooms classes to both 1st and 2nd graders at the beginning of the year and begin streaming (grade level groups taught separately) after about 6 or 8 weeks of school.  During the streaming units, we focus on computation.  We will return to our homeroom groups for the last chunk of the school year and teach math that is accessible to students in both grades. (Mixed grade math in first and second is working on concepts shared by both grades)

(Streaming (when classes meet as first graders and separately as second graders)

First graders are working on mastering addition and subtraction with particular focus on the combinations that make ten.

Second graders are working with concepts of place value, understanding the number system and developing strategies for working with two- and three-digit numbers.  Other important sets of facts children work on in first grade are: doubles, "near doubles" (like 3+4 or 5+ 6) compliments of 10 (8+2, 3+7, 5+5…combinations) and mastering the +1 and -1 facts and understanding how that works (we count one more, or count back one). (Relationship.)



 (on place values in groups of 10)

Engage New York lessons include a fluency component every day.  This gives children opportunities to practice work in a way that leads to being able to automatically solve some problems.  (adopted and first graders working on beiang able to add automatically combination equaling 10 and also using subtraction from 10.  This is called automaticity or fluency.)

Then there is conceptual teaching such as how can one use knowledge of doubles to help one solve another problem.  Or to rephrase the question –what approach did one use to solve a problem.  Example 34 plus 22 equals 56 but racing the steps in the process.  So in Engage NY the approach would be how many groups of 10 are in the equation and how many 1’s (5 groups of 10 and 8 1’s).  This is a different system than the one most of us learned math with as a child.


Children frequently see quantities represented with dots in a "10 frame."  This is a grid that shows 2 rows of 5 so that children have a visual representation of a number.  (Once the student sees a frame of 10 this is the base system.) This is why the 100th day is so important because it is 10 filled 10 frames which would be taught in many ways.  Students use counting straws to create bunches of 10, and then 10 bunches of 10 is 100 straws.  Another way of thinking about is that 10 pennies equal 1 dime so every time you have ten pennies that group becomes 1 dime.  Finally knowing that in counting every time you get 9, the first number changes in the next frame or the next "decade".



Sophia then addressed Engage NY for 4th and 5th graders and teacher modify the content and delivery because because there is so much content at a very fast pace that the needs of students with different abilities is not addressed.  There is always differentiated groups so that students can be learning at their level.  For example there is what engage NY calls the “Exit Ticket” which is what the lesson should teach the students so she keeps her eye on that take away.  For some students they will get that very quickly while others need help getting there.  Sophia finds real life context and uses that as a way to invite students into the math.  For example percentages are taught using 20% off coupons or tipping at 10%, 15% or 20%.  Percentages can also be taught through metrics.  For example if a pencil is 10cm long then how many pencils equals a meter?

Engage NY also uses “sprints” where students do work sheets several times a week to help them become automatic in understanding 2x 3groups of 10’s. or 100’s or 1000’s.  This means students automatically know the answer vs having to figure it out every time. 


5th graders are typically learn abstract thinking about numbers and are able to use ball park figures.  For example if 25 students have $19 each, how much does the group have?  So using a ballpark number, it would be more than $250 and less then $500.  This ability to estimate allows students to judge if a number seems reasonable.  $100 would not be a reasonable guess because with 25 students having more than 10 dollars, there is no way the answer would 100….

Teachers have used professional development with Kate Able, “a math staff developer” to learn more about teaching math.  A new Curriculum requires a lot of thought and planning.  


Pictures bellow by Joan Beard (joanbeard.com) of Groups of 10 on 100th day of School in Dara’s class and children counting groups of 10’s and placing in snack bag!

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