Second Graders Create "Choose Your Own Adventure!" 

Mrs. Dammann’s second graders found out how a unit on word choice and fictional stories could be so much more than imagined!  They began by mapping out their stories, writing detailed sentences focusing on word choice, creating the setting for a story, and turned it into something amazing! From trips to Mars, Paris, the ocean, and even a ride on a unicorn, the students found that their fictional stories could take them anywhere they wanted to go. The boys and girls used green screen technology to put themselves into their adventures and give readers the opportunity to choose which character they would like to take them on the journey! Not only do they get to choose a character, but the reader gets to decide how they would like the story to end. With Keynote slideshows, the students were able to link their pages to jump from one part of the story to another based on what the reader selects. The “instant alpha” feature in Keynote allows students to erase the background and drop themselves in front of the setting they’ve created. Stickers were used to add extra features or items to the stories. Even the most reluctant writers had no problem getting into these stories!

Finding Distance and Traveling Across the US

“I actually don’t want to leave Math, for the first time ever!”

A student shared while working on this project.

Students were to travel through at least 10 states on a trip across the US. Students had to use the distance formula, midpoint formula, and find fractional distances between each state. Each day they would travel to a new state and make a pitstop that was a specified distance from the start state.

Luckily I have access to a color copier in my building (even the students can color print - it's pretty awesome). I was able to give each student a color copy of the map. I really think this made a difference. The students were very careful about plotting their points and using pencil, and then going back over it in marker. They did not want to mess up their maps. Students were incredibly engaged in this activity. My co-teacher also really liked the activity and was impressed how well it engaged students.

I provided each student with a recording sheet to keep track of their information. I copied this onto the back of the instructions/summary/project page. That way the map was on its own paper and students wouldn't need to flip back and forth. I think I could possibly modify this project by using the "My Maps" feature in Google - but I am not very familiar with the tool and I'm not sure of the exact specifications of how it works. The application to a potential real-world setting (with the map) really engaged the students. 

This is the third Geometry project this year. On each project, the students must include a summary where they respond to specific questions. On this summary, I have added a self-evaluation portion to the grading checklist as well as had them decide which of the 8 math practices they believed represented this project. I really found it beneficial to watch the students as they read the math practices posted in the classroom and debated which one matched best with this project. I also like how easy this project was to differentiate for students. Students could choose whether they wanted to travel along the grid or move at a diagonal distance (more challenging). Some students did a mix of both. 

This project was modified from a project I found here at Live.Love.Laugh.Teach blog.

Here is my modified instructions.

Here is the recording/project sheet.

Writing & Solving Equations in with Slides

Algebra 1 students had a quiet activity to do when they finished their first test. We were about to begin our chapter on solving equations, but I also know that solving equations should have been covered pretty thoroughly in prior years (7th-8th). So I created a Collaborative Slides and shared it with students.

At the top of each slide, I added an integer -1 through 30 (I didn't include zero, but it was an oversight and I will in the future). I shared the same slides presentation with BOTH of my Algebra 1 classes so all 55 students would be working on the same document. Each student had to write three different equations that required more than one step to solve, where x was equal to the value at the top of the page. I was able to flip through the slides and see who really understood this concept before I even taught a bit of it. The next day I had students Google "Random # Generator" and change the parameters to 2-61.

They would randomly get a number, which would correspond to the # of the slide in the presentation, and would solve a problem on that page. THey could choose which of the three problems. If they found one that was incorrectly written, they would need to write a new equation that was correct. The kids were very engaged in this activity.

Finding Distances Challenge

This year I have made a personal goal to include more projects in my classroom. I'm not thinking large multi-day poster projects, but smaller projects where students can apply key ideas to something other than practice problems. Last week students programmed Ozobots while they were learning about naming points/lines/planes. This week we applied our knowledge of the distance formula to create a triangle on the coordinate plane and then find the perimeter around it. Students were given two options - I created a version using the Pythagorean Theorem and my co-teacher created one using the distance formula. Students could pick the one they were more comfortable using.

Students did a great job! They were engaged. They did better following project instructions this time (compared to the Ozobot Challenge).

Finding Distances Challenge

Geometry: Ozobot Line Challenge

After a week and a half of review, we started diving into Geometry. We are learning about all of the vocabulary and notation that goes with Geometry. We made a mini booklet and defined each term, wrote the notation and a picture. I had originally created a card sort for students to complete by matching the word with the given definition, then matching the notation and the picture. Next year I am going to try to fit the card sort in. I believe it would have forced them to read the definition and understand. I did a similar activity with Algebraic Properties with my Algebra 1 and taped examples all over my classroom and they really did well with that. Anyway, the students had some examples to work with and quizzed the next day..

Needless to say, they failed the quiz. Once my first class failed the quiz, I was able to put something different together quickly for my other two Geometry classes during lunch. I found this task card activity from Teachers Pay Teachers, and posted the cards around the room, then had student complete the recording sheet. This really seemed to help. Another idea I have for next year is designing a task for students in Slides that will have them make their own image using the terms (the good things I think of after I teach something will be useful next year!) 

The next day students took the quiz and and I began teaching about line segments and finding lengths. I created a dry erase pocket template that modeled some of the examples in our book (I'm not sure this is the best way to discuss line segments and length and will be modifying this for next year). 

After I graded the quizzes, the students scored better, but were still missing some concepts that I wanted them to have down before we move on. I designed an Ozobot Line Challenge and had students complete. HOLY ENGAGEMENT! I had 100% engagement in ALL 3 of my Geometry classes! It was a success! This task tied in both the vocabulary and some basic foundations of line segment length. I made some improvements on it from what I did with my students to use it next year. I was really impressed with my students who sketched out a plan in pencil before they used their markers. I also did not read through the requirements in advance and I told them they  must read them. While they were working on the project, I walked around and reminded them to read the requirements. I am reinforcing this year that the students need to read through and double check things. I'm hoping that after the first project or two they will be better at attention to detail. I also think that next year I might do an activity where I project pictures, and have students get in pairs (one facing the projector one with their back to the projector) and have the students take turns describing the image using the vocab! I still might do this as we introduce new vocab.

My First Week Back to the Classroom

Week 1 Summary: Seating Challenges, Table Tents, Growth Mindset,

As many of you know I returned to the classroom after spending the last three years as a technology coach. This year I am relearning how to manage a classroom (not that one ever truly forgets), planning for 2 new preps (Algebra 1 and Geometry), and learning a new building and district! No matter how new I may be, nothing I am determined to try new things and make math fun!

The learning coach in my building, Connie, shared this article on Seating Challenges and I thought - "Let's DO IT!" Each day, beginning on the first day of school, students came into the classroom and completed a seating challenge. It really set the tone that students are going to be expected to work as soon as they enter class and with the exception of one class, all students completed the seating challenge in within a minute of the bell ringing by Thursday of the first week! My favorite one was Day 3 - the students had to complete the task in complete silence! I will definitely do these challenges again. The first one was more challenging than I had anticipated, and may change the order for next year. I have one group that is really fighting me on class discussion and communication (already! It's only week 1!). I'll update you all on their progress this year.

Week 1 Seating Challenges Docs (I published and projected these)

In addition to the seating challenges, I took the idea of having students complete table tents with comments and questions from Sarah VanderWerf's blog. These were a great idea! Although, I had two classes that did not write anything the first day, and it took a lot of prodding to get them to share and make thoughtful comments on the inside. I learned a lot from my students and many shared that they appreciated this activity. I co-teach two hours of the day and we took turns responding to the students and had a lot of fun sharing those experiences.

I created an "about me" slide show to share with students on the first day of school. I chose numbers that describe me and had students guess which each was. Before we went over the numbers we did a "Stand and Talk" (should out to Sarah VanderWerf for the idea). They had a TON of fun with it. The students then each created their own slide (we called #YOU) with their numbers on it and throughout the week we would take breaks and go through a few. The students loved this, they shared more personal details then I thought they would, and the kids supported each other in the process. I assigned homework to my students on Day 1. They completed the "What is Math" assignment that I found on Sarah VanderWerf's blog. Seriously, that place is a goldmine. I spent a lot of time this summer combing through her Week 1resources and figuring out ways to use them in mine.

On Day 2 we started with the second seating challenge and moved to our homework. Other than one class, most kids were ready to start class before the bell rang. One class stood in the middle of the room looking at each other and waiting for guidance. I did not give it. I watched from the door to see what they would do. It took a long time, but it was time where they had to figure it out. The task was not complicated, but they would not talk to each other and were staring at each other waiting for someone to do something. Eventually they figured it out, but many were not sitting where they should have been. We learned about each other by going over some #YOU slides and then we completed the 100# Task from Sarah VanderWerf. This was great! The students all had success and all students were engaged, especially my group of strugglers. Sarah suggests using groups of 4. I did use groups of 3 because of how my classroom is set up, and next year I will use 4. I will also make one class set next year and use my dry erase pockets.

On Day 3 students took their pre-test. This took much longer than I anticipated. They completed it online using Illuminate and between student Chromebooks, Wi-Fi, and logging in problems. I'm glad to get those resolved, and the kids were resilient with it. Students took time after their pretest to log in and sign up for the various accounts we use in class (Delta Math, Classroom, Khan Academy, etc.) and download extensions (Screencastify). I'm finding that even with a clear list of things to do, students are not necessarily following the directions. I have been posting a daily agenda for students every day on classroom, and I'm beginning to reinforce the students come in and pull up the document to access class information. I am adding links, videos, homework all to this doc. I'm hoping to build this into full blown hyperdocs as we progress through the year. This may be a slow process.

Happy Friday! We used today to complete a Growth Mindset quiz, thanks to the AMAZING Sarah Carter. I am so thankful I found her on Twitter, which led me to her blog that is a wealth of resources.  I received a lot of positive feedback from the students after they completed this quiz. The students really responded well to this activity and in their week end reflection most students shared how they wanted their mindset to grow. I believe my group that struggled with the seating challenges really benefitted from this activity. After this activity we set up student notebooks. We had a shortened schedule today due to an assembly. It was a great first week! I'm thrilled to be a Chemic!

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Welcome to the Blog!

Hello! Welcome to the blog! We are just getting things started and will be sharing our first official articles after the #techtastic2 event that's taking place on June 26th. In the meantime, please visit the pages across the top of the blog, follow us on Twitter (@KayceeDammann, @TechieKato, @bldammann @emeraldisld777) and Google+. You can also check out our former blogs at swanvalleyedtech.wordpress.com and freelandedtech.wordpress.com.

We look forward to sharing awesome STEM with you in the future! 

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