Math Workshop has 4 components:
1. Number Talk/ calendar- the students help me complete the number of the day poster (the number of the day is how many days we have been in school) and I ask calendar questions... sometimes I have them write the answer on white boards other times they just tell me the answer.
2. Mini-Lesson- this is a 5-8 minute lesson that I review what we worked on yesterday and build on the skill for the day.
3. Math groups- differentiated groups that are led by me on the math skill we are learning ($1.00 group, $5.00 group, $10.00 group, and $20.00 group). I see 2 math groups a day for around 15 minutes. There is also an independent calendar group that goes to the calendar and answers questions.
4. BUILD- (independent practice) inside the buckets of the letters are review activities from the week before. There are 2-3 students at each bucket at a time. There are 2-3 activities in the buckets for the students to choose from.. after all if students have a choice they are more likely to learn the skill.
B- buddy games- these are games that have either been played whole group or in my math group
U- Using manipulative- some examples are pattern blocks, base-ten blocks, clocks, money, etc... there is a task in the bucket that the students are to complete with them
I- integrating technology and literature- students get to use the memio, the computer or read math books and write what they learned; the students go to johnnie's math page (http://jmathpage.com/ )and play the games for the skill we are learning
L- learning numbers- activities that involve numbers (using an egg carton to add or subtract numbers, games that I have found on blogs that have recording sheets)
D- daily practice- flash cards, laminated math fact pages (coming soon in this bucket... activities from www.theschoolbell.com/Links/math/number_families/main/index.html
to help my students memorize their math facts)
At the beginning of the year, we make an anchor chart for what BUILD looks like, feels like and sounds like for the students and the teacher. If you are familiar with the reading program Daily 5 this chart may sound familiar. I adapted the chart pictures from Jessica Meachams' website (http://www.jmeacham.com/). The students and I review this chart before we start round 1 and again when we check-in at the beginning of round 2. The students put their thumbs up if they did the task correctly. They put their thumb to the side if they need to work on that task the next round.
The top half of the chart shows the students where to go during round 1 and round 2. If they are in a bill group that says BUILD then they look at the bottom half of the chart and that tells them what BUILD bucket they are to go to that day. I move the letters and the bill groups down each day. I have found this chart is a great way to manage my math workshop. Last year I let the students pick which letter they went to and that was too much freedom. So far I LOVE the system.
Here are some pictures of my students during math workshop:
Dr. Brown (a helper that comes on Tuesdays') led my math group so I could take pictures... They are playing a game that teaches positional words.
At the beginning of the year.. this is the calendar independent group. The theme of the room is Toy Story.. They were painting the pigs to match numbers and pennies to add to the calendar wall.
B-Buddy games
These two students are playing Race to 30.
U-Using manipulatives
They are matching bears to the number on the mat.
L-Learning numbers
They are playing a memory number game.
D-Daily Practice
This student is matching the shape pictures to the correct shape.
I do not have a picture of I....I will take a picture next week and post it.
