Personal Learning Path Blog - Molly Terry

 For this post I wanted to focus on a resource that could allow students to do two things: get outside (especially if it is being implemented during this beautiful summer weather) and to have some active time where they are not expected to sit still at a desk. The more time I spend teaching, the more I recognize how important it is for students to be able to move and physically interact with what they are learning. This idea is from  Fun Math Games: Plot Graph Scavenger Hunt - Edventures with Kids (kcedventures.com)   This activity aligns with the standards: NY-5.G.1 Use a pair of perpendicular number lines, called axes, to define a coordinate system, with the intersection of the lines (the origin) arranged to coincide with the 0 on each line and a given point in the plane located by using an ordered pair of numbers, called its coordinates. Understand that the first number indicates how far to travel from the origin in the direction of one axis, and the second numbe...

 For this week’s blog post I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of sharing a game or online resource to use when teaching, I wanted to share something that emphasizes the importance of teaching math and how kids can learn to love math. This resource is a Ted talk by Dan Finkel, entitled, “5 ways to share math with kids”  https://youtu.be/ytVneQUA5-c In his talk, Finkel explains that he understands that math can be “the best of times and the worst of times” and that while some students love the thrill of discovers, others feel overwhelmed and discouraged. He goes on to outline five principles to teaching math, which are: 1. Start with a question 2. Have time to struggle 3. You are not the answer key 4. Say yes to students ideas 5. Play.  Without giving too much away (you should watch the video!), the speaker wants teacher to allow student time to question, struggle, and argue about ideas so that they see math not as a right or wrong question, but as a way t...

 This weeks learning path is focused on facilitating discussions, deep thinking, and perseverance among students. The resource I found is from 5280Math.com and it provides “creative math prompts” for students to work through, examine, and discuss. The website provides prompts for all grade levels, covering a variety of topics. The prompt that I chose to use can be use in elementary grades to explore equivalent fractions and potentially area.  Standards CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.1 Explain why a fraction  a / b  is equivalent to a fraction ( n  ×  a )/( n  ×  b ) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.A.2 Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing ...

This resource is an online game for students to review and practice their counting skills. The game is appropriate for students grades pre-K - kindergarten and aligns with the standard:  CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.4.A "When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.  https://www.education.com/game/counting-pizza-party/ The activity gives students a number which they must count of toppings for their pizza. When students are done counting the toppings, a bell rings.  The game then counts the topics with the students allowed to review.  The resource provides a variety of games that students can play as they master new skills.  Reflection I think that this is a great activity for students to practice their counting skills in an engaging way. One of my favorite aspects of the game is that is a part of a larger resource that allows students to keep...