Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Math Workshop Made EASY!

 BACKGROUND
Math Workshop revolutionized my math time last year.  Although my class came in almost all reading at grade level, they were VERY low in math.  Less than 1/3 of our class passed the state test the first time.  Around March, I started using Math Workshop, which allowed me to pull intervention groups for nearly an extra hour every day!  With a huge focus in math, I'm proud to say that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY STUDENTS PASSED THE STATE MATH TEST!  Yes, even my IEP students, my ELL's, my students living in poverty, etc!  I'll have to do a whole new post on running smooth, thorough interventions later.  There are a lot of different ways to implement Math Workshop, and I'm just going to present one possible way to run it that only requires you to make about four 15 minute activities to keep your students engaged per week. 

WHAT MATH WORKSHOP IS
A typical Math Workshop week starts with a lesson about whatever standard you're covering.  After this introduction (following the gradual release of responsibility), you introduce the first two centers for the week.  Students are already familiar with the other four centers because they've done them before.  Then, you remind students of expectations (quick transitions, quiet work, high productivity & focus, etc) and start the timer (15-20 minutes worked best for my class last year).  Students jump to their center, you pull your first intervention/TAG/challenge/assessment group.  Twenty minutes later, the timer beeps, students hustle to their next activity, and you either continue with the same intervention group or pull a new one.  Because my students were so low, I spent a lot of time running intervention groups during this time, and my fabulous student teachers and any IA's I could get my hands on did the same.  Repeat one more time, and your hour of math has come to a close after pulling multiple intervention groups, providing meaningful practice for students along with choice and variety. 

Classroom management is easier because they are always moving to something new and they (for the most part) get to choose what they want to do.  I also have clear expectations for students; if they cannot handle choosing a good activity/transitioning quickly/staying focused the whole time/etc, then they will spend the rest of that week doing whatever I choose for them instead of getting to switch through the centers like everyone else.  The students move through the centers with their table group, which are heterogeneously grouped.  I have one super-responsible student switch the table group clothespins after each center transition so students know where to go next.  This is what it looks like, with Activity 1 & Activity 2 being the only two that are different every other day, this time filled in with fraction activities:



THE CENTERS
The reason I only need to plan four, 15 minute activities for my students for the whole week is because I have four Math Workshop centers that stay the same every week.  You might be thinking, "How boring!  My kids will get restless with the same thing week after week!"  That is where the huge list of options comes into play!  Although four centers are the same each week, there are about a dozen different options for each one, so it never gets old.  I also throw in some random options throughout the year just to spice things up even more. Here is an example of what one looks like:
 Each center has a page of options like this one.  It is important to remember that these are not just lists of busy work, but different ways to learn important, standards-based material through a variety of learning styles.  These are differentiated for each learner and are catered to their individual needs as well as the needs of the whole group.  It is not just finding 4 worksheets for students to work on each week and sitting around twiddling your thumbs while they seamlessly move through the centers.  This model of teaching/practicing math allows for a great deal of teacher intervention time, and many teachers sit at one of the centers to teach a topic more in-depth or to assess students during this time as well.  Below, I've pasted all the text for each of the little posters, but if you'd like a digital copy of the Word documents, just leave your email in the comments and I'll send it your way.  I'll post a sample lesson plan using Math Workshop in a fractions unit in my next post.  Enjoy!


MATH WORKSHOP CENTERS

1               Activity 1


2           Activity 2/ Teacher


 
3            Fluency Development


 
4          Vocabulary Development


 
5            Computer Skills


 
6          Math Journal & Math Chants

Fluency Development
*Practice timed test
*Independent flashcard practice
*Wipeboard practice
*Colored pencil fact writing
*Partner with timed test (one person says the equation, the other solves it, then switch)
*Fact games (set on the quiet mode)

Vocabulary Development
*Whisper read your math vocab book
*Rewrite your math vocab words and definitions on a ½ sheet of paper
*Quiz a partner (one person says the word, the other defines it, then switch)
*Highlight the vocab word in one color and the definition in a different color
*Trace each word & definition with colored pencil
*Body spell each math vocab word & definition
*Rainbow write each word & definition on a ½ sheet of paper

Computer Skills
Work on your math skills from one of the following websites:
* Xtramath.com
* SumDog.com
* IXLmath.com

Math Journal & Chants
Sing a math chant in a whisper phone or write about your mathematical thinking, including:
*brainstorming ideas
*recording predictions, observations, & patterns you see on the calendar & number line
*listing questions you have
*justifying answers by solving them two different ways
*explaining the steps in solving the type of math we are doing as though you’re writing to a Kindergarten student
*summarizing the main points of the lesson
*reflecting on what
*creating story problems and solving them
*drawing your own calendar with patterns


19 comments:

  1. I like the ideas of many centers that remain the same, which cuts down on prep time. I'd like to have these in the word format! snowbunni117@yahoo.com Thanks!!

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    Replies
    1. Only having to plan for two centers a week leaves time for planning really good centers and is great for low-prep time. I've sent the files to your email, so let me know if you have any questions after reading over them. I'd love to hear how you end up using these ideas or modify them to fit the needs of your students! Keep checking back on my blog and on http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stephanie-Madison for more teaching goodness!

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  2. I know this was an 2012 post but I would like these in word format. Thanks for a simple but effective way to do math workshop.
    linbet21@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! This is a really easy way to add a significant amount of intervention/small group time to math each day. I've sent the files to your email, so let me know if you have any questions after reading over them. I'd love to hear how you end up using these ideas or modify them to fit the needs of your students! Keep checking back on my blog and on http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stephanie-Madison for more teaching goodness!

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  3. I'm so glad that you found this helpful. I will email you the Word doc so you can implement them quickly in your classroom too.

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  4. Great stuff! Could you also send me a copy in word please? lauraroberts.ces@gmail.com
    Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I've sent the files to your email, so let me know if you have any questions after reading over them. I'd love to hear how you end up using these ideas or modify them to fit the needs of your students! Keep checking back on my blog and on http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stephanie-Madison for more teaching goodness!

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  5. I really like these! Could I get the Word doc as well? rjw2s0003@gmail.com

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure. I've sent the files to your email, so let me know if you have any questions after reading over them. I'd love to hear how you end up using these ideas or modify them to fit the needs of your students! Keep checking back on my blog and on http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stephanie-Madison for more teaching goodness!

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  6. I would love a copy of the Word documents! This is a fantastic post and I can't wait to get started this year!

    Lindsey.Dunwoodie@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! It has been a great help for my students and my planning for math. I've sent the files to your email, so let me know if you have any questions after reading over them. I'd love to hear how you end up using these ideas or modify them to fit the needs of your students! Keep checking back on my blog and on http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stephanie-Madison for more teaching goodness!

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  7. Thanks for this. I used this idea and tweaked it a bit for my 3rd graders. One activity was always a page out of the Math workbook. I chose a review page so that I wouldn't get interrupted and I also graded the workbook page. Our school requires at least one Math grade in the grade book each week. One other activity was always an online or Smartboard game. We do not have a Smartboard for every classroom so I bought a wireless mouse. I turned on the projector and found a math game online (sometimes a review concept and sometimes a game about the topic we were studying that week). Students used the wireless mouse to play the game within their group. They used dry erase boards as a mouse pad.

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  8. I am looking to add an hour a day for math intervention. I teach 6th grade. Are your activities suitable for that age group? Could you please email me your word documents if they are or I could tweak them to fit the abilities within my classroom. hfradette@gmail.com

    Thanks so much!

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  9. This really does provide so many options for students. It's a great way to differentiate the activities. I teach 3rd grade, and my students are very low - similar to yours. I would love a copy of the word documents. Could you please email me the digital copies? My email is lillian.weis@palmbeachschools.org

    Thank you for this awesome post and resources!

    Lillian

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  10. I know this is a little late, but I would love to have the Word docs for this. Please email them to tmweinbrenner@yahoo.com. Thank you so much! I have been looking for a way to do math centers, and this seems very organized. Again, thank you so very much.
    Tania Weinbrenner

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  11. Hello, I will be implementing math workshop for the first time this fall with my fifth graders. I would really love the Word doc for this!! Thank you so much for sharing this great resource! My email is theinrich@pps.net. Thanks again! Tracy

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  12. I would love to use this in my classroom. I am going to try math stations this year. I would like the Word docs!! My email is maricontreras11@gmail.com. Thanks!

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  13. I am wanting to start math workshop with my 4th graders. I also would like the word docs. Thank you so much! eldrish@tulsaschools.org

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  14. I would love this in Word docs. Thank you very much! My email is cooperandreese@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete