It’s Monday, friends! I’m here to walk you through our little math block. Each day looks different, but I hope this will give you a general idea as to what we try to accomplish in 60-75 minutes!
This week we are continuing to learn how to count coins. I swear if it weren’t for those stinkin’ quarters then we would have this down pat, can I get an amen?! We started off with a little whole group review at the carpet (you’ll just have to imagine it because I didn’t take pictures of this part). We watched a Brain Pop video and counted coins together… recalling the steps and how to add on.
Then, my students worked in partners to complete our Counting Coins Pocket Book. We fold/glue the pocket books together, put the labels on, and all that jazz before we start the actual work part.
Then, I gave my students the counting coins page- they had to write the totals and come show me BEFORE cutting and sorting into the right pocket. Ain’t nobody got time to take little rectangles out and check them one at a time. It’s SO much easier to check the completed page FIRST! I circled any missed problems and gave them a chance to correct before they started cutting and sorting. Once every problem was correct, into the pockets the groups of coins went! I would say this took about 20 minutes to complete from start to finish 🙂
As soon as they were finished with their math activity they headed straight to math stations! This particular group was working on counting money, but each station is different. You can get the station shown below HERE. It takes them between 20-25 minutes to complete their stations.
As my kiddos are working on math stations, I have a math group going on at my table. It’s part of our rotation, so no one is being pulled from their station UNLESS it is absolutely necessary. This week at math group my kiddos are using an activity from my It’s All About the Money unit. We used the cards to make the different amounts of money. Several times I would have them show me more than one way to make the amount because they were reverting back to using what is easy… pennies. I wanted to make sure they can use ALL of the coins 🙂
They had about 5 minutes to spare in math group, so I pulled out my BRAND-NEW handy dandy notebook that I made over the weekend. This was a HUGE hit! I turned to the coin pages and they got after it right away 🙂
One of my friends was needing a little extra help so we pulled out the play money to lay over the pictures of the coins. After doing this a couple of times he was able to put the play money away and finish up! Sometimes you just need to touch the money to “get it”
So, let’s break it down…
Warm-Up/Whole Group lesson: 15 minutes
Activity: 20 minutes
Math Stations and Small Group: 25 minutes
It definitely varies from day-to-day, but I am getting more consistent… finally! What does your math block look like? I’d LOVE to know!
Hi, I'm Amy
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
we just finished using some of your activities! I love them all! such a great buy for me!
I am also using your math unit. This answered my questions I had for today!!! Thank you so much for being willing to share so much…you are a blessing ~
Thanks for sharing! It's always nice to see what other teachers do during their math block! My math block is pretty similar 🙂
Number Talk 5-10 minutes Word Problem of the Day Review 5 – 10 minutes Mini-Lesson 15 – 20 Minutes Math Stations/Rotations 30 minutes
D o you meet with one group a day? And the rest aRe at math stations? You mentioned not pulling anyone from their stations. And when the kids are at their stations is anyone assisting them or checking their work? I'm trying to think through what it all .looks like. Thanks!!
Kari
We started guided math this year, so my kids are in 4 small groups that rotate between 4 stations- Work with Teacher, Work Independently, Math Games, and Fluency/Spiral Review. They stay at each station for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes I do a 10-15 minute mini-lesson at the beginning, but I do most of my teaching in small groups. I am loving it! Thanks for sharing about your math time!
This might seem dumb. But I love your work. However, could you please list the Cavs these stations follow. It would be a big help.
Not Cavs. Ccss.
This might seem dumb. But I love your work. However, could you please list the Cavs these stations follow. It would be a big help.
This might seem dumb. But I love your work. However, could you please list the Cavs these stations follow. It would be a big help.
My kiddos LOVE your Money unit. We used the activities back in December and many in our “teacher time” rotations with my more intensive kiddos. I cannot wait to use your new assessments during my “teacher time” groups. Ms. White's Kiddos Math Block 5 min: Warm-up/songs 5 min: Number Talk 15-20 min: Whole group lesson 15-20: Partners/Cooperative learning 30 min: Daily 6 Math Rotations (math with self, math with someone, math writing, math work, math technology, & teacher time)
This is great! I need more time for math!!
We do not use the common core here in Texas, so I'm not familiar enough to include them in my units, So sorry!! I do believe that my stuff lines up pretty well though!
Thanks for giving up a peek into your classroom and thanks so much for linking to your notebook!! What a brilliant idea. Love it–especially since you are a Texas teacher 🙂 🙂
I know what you mean about those quarters!!! Thanks for sharing such details about your math block. I'm having a hard time getting a good handle on one this year with our new series. This gave me some new ideas to look into. You always have such great ideas!! Melissa Keep Calm and Love First Grade
Just purchased the new show me what you know assessments today! Love them! Printing tonight to be ready for tomorrow, if the ice melts down here in Round Rock! Thanks for sharing, Amy!
Thanks for the sweet freebie 🙂 I teach first grade & my math block is an hour. We do 10 minutes working with manipulatives on a word problem, 15 minutes mini-lesson video. After that, my kiddos break up into groups – 2 groups work with their partners on the assignment before moving to their station for the day (laptop math games or math board games) while my 3rd group works with me for intervention. After that, we all come together to do some problem solving and closure.
This is awesome! I have SO much of your stuff and LOVE all of it. I wish I was as creative as you are so that I can make some for TPT too. 🙂 Anyway, I would love to do my math block like this. It seems to work so well. I would love to see it “in action”. 🙂 I just know my kiddos would come to me in small group. I have 27 kiddos so it's pretty crazy. Thanks SO much for giving us so much detail. YOU ROCK! 🙂
I LOVE the “Show what you know” book! I teach 2nd grade, but 3rd grade math. I have to know, does it take you a long time to make your TPT items? How did you learn how to do it? I would love to make something like this for my math class but I wouldn't even know how to begin! Kirsten
I love your stuff, too, Amy! I particularly love your sorts! We've already taught coins, but definitely need a redo. My math block used to look like this:
Math Facts: 5-10 min Lesson: 15-20 min Small Group: 15-20 min
Now it looks like this…
Math Facts: 5-10 min Mini Lesson: 10 min Math Groups: 3 rotations of 15 min each (Hands-On, Teacher Time, At Your Seat) Closing: 5-10 min
I've been doing my math groups for two weeks now and we all love it! I am fortunate enough to have a student being mainstreamed into gen ed and has an aide that comes with her to help, so I use her for one of my groups. But when I don't have her in the room, I use a center-type activity for the kids to do at my small group table while I teach my lesson on the carpet.
Thanks for the great freebie! I totally agree with the quarters comment! 🙂 I started guided math this year and am LOVING it! Here's what I do: Introduction: 10 minutes 4 math rotations: 15 minutes each where I meet with the leveled math groups. For the first rotation I meet with a group & the class always does number of the day & a mixed practice page. Then they rotate with a partner from their math group. They choose a math station and check it off their list. I have 10 open-ended math stations so they can be done more than once & I keep them there for a month. Closing-5 minutes The kids really like it & I really like it because the kids get feedback so much faster in small group. Thanks for always sharing your great ideas! Check out my blog!
Oh I'm so glad you posted about this! I just started Math Workstations after Christmas break, and my kiddos are loving them!
I teach in a Departmentalized Second grade, so I teach four sections of Math throughout the day. (I love it!)
When the kids come in I do a quick warm-up to start the lesson which leads into the lesson. 5 min: Warm-Up (Video/Fluency) 20 min: Whole Group Lesson 15 min: Workstations (Math Facts, At your seat (problem solving), Teacher's Choice (I meet w/ one group per day), Hands-On (a game or sort) 15 min: Independent Practice (time for a worksheet, activity, test, game, etc.) 5 min: Closure/Clean-up
We have one hour for math and it goes super fast! We are following Common Core and using Math in Focus, Singapore math as our Curriculum.
I am going to use all of these when my daughter comes of school age. Your materials are cool to the eyes and the instructions are simple yet effective. – Layce of Mymathdone.com
teach in a Departmentalized Second grade, so I teach four sections of Math throughout the day. (I love it!)
23 Responses
we just finished using some of your activities! I love them all! such a great buy for me!
I am also using your math unit. This answered my questions I had for today!!! Thank you so much for being willing to share so much…you are a blessing ~
Thanks for sharing! It's always nice to see what other teachers do during their math block! My math block is pretty similar 🙂
Number Talk 5-10 minutes
Word Problem of the Day Review 5 – 10 minutes
Mini-Lesson 15 – 20 Minutes
Math Stations/Rotations 30 minutes
Theresa @ True Life I'm a Teacher!
D o you meet with one group a day? And the rest aRe at math stations? You mentioned not pulling anyone from their stations. And when the kids are at their stations is anyone assisting them or checking their work? I'm trying to think through what it all .looks like. Thanks!!
Kari
We started guided math this year, so my kids are in 4 small groups that rotate between 4 stations- Work with Teacher, Work Independently, Math Games, and Fluency/Spiral Review. They stay at each station for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes I do a 10-15 minute mini-lesson at the beginning, but I do most of my teaching in small groups. I am loving it! Thanks for sharing about your math time!
This might seem dumb. But I love your work. However, could you please list the Cavs these stations follow. It would be a big help.
Not Cavs. Ccss.
This might seem dumb. But I love your work. However, could you please list the Cavs these stations follow. It would be a big help.
This might seem dumb. But I love your work. However, could you please list the Cavs these stations follow. It would be a big help.
My kiddos LOVE your Money unit. We used the activities back in December and many in our “teacher time” rotations with my more intensive kiddos. I cannot wait to use your new assessments during my “teacher time” groups.
Ms. White's Kiddos Math Block
5 min: Warm-up/songs
5 min: Number Talk
15-20 min: Whole group lesson
15-20: Partners/Cooperative learning
30 min: Daily 6 Math Rotations (math with self, math with someone, math writing, math work, math technology, & teacher time)
This is great! I need more time for math!!
We do not use the common core here in Texas, so I'm not familiar enough to include them in my units, So sorry!! I do believe that my stuff lines up pretty well though!
Thanks for giving up a peek into your classroom and thanks so much for linking to your notebook!! What a brilliant idea. Love it–especially since you are a Texas teacher 🙂 🙂
Have a blessed day!
Erin
Little Miss Primary
I know what you mean about those quarters!!! Thanks for sharing such details about your math block. I'm having a hard time getting a good handle on one this year with our new series. This gave me some new ideas to look into. You always have such great ideas!!
Melissa
Keep Calm and Love First Grade
Just purchased the new show me what you know assessments today! Love them! Printing tonight to be ready for tomorrow, if the ice melts down here in Round Rock! Thanks for sharing, Amy!
Thanks for the sweet freebie 🙂 I teach first grade & my math block is an hour. We do 10 minutes working with manipulatives on a word problem, 15 minutes mini-lesson video. After that, my kiddos break up into groups – 2 groups work with their partners on the assignment before moving to their station for the day (laptop math games or math board games) while my 3rd group works with me for intervention. After that, we all come together to do some problem solving and closure.
Shelby
First Time Firstie
This is awesome! I have SO much of your stuff and LOVE all of it. I wish I was as creative as you are so that I can make some for TPT too. 🙂 Anyway, I would love to do my math block like this. It seems to work so well. I would love to see it “in action”. 🙂 I just know my kiddos would come to me in small group. I have 27 kiddos so it's pretty crazy. Thanks SO much for giving us so much detail. YOU ROCK! 🙂
I LOVE the “Show what you know” book! I teach 2nd grade, but 3rd grade math. I have to know, does it take you a long time to make your TPT items? How did you learn how to do it? I would love to make something like this for my math class but I wouldn't even know how to begin!
Kirsten
I love your stuff, too, Amy! I particularly love your sorts! We've already taught coins, but definitely need a redo. My math block used to look like this:
Math Facts: 5-10 min
Lesson: 15-20 min
Small Group: 15-20 min
Now it looks like this…
Math Facts: 5-10 min
Mini Lesson: 10 min
Math Groups: 3 rotations of 15 min each
(Hands-On, Teacher Time, At Your Seat)
Closing: 5-10 min
I've been doing my math groups for two weeks now and we all love it! I am fortunate enough to have a student being mainstreamed into gen ed and has an aide that comes with her to help, so I use her for one of my groups. But when I don't have her in the room, I use a center-type activity for the kids to do at my small group table while I teach my lesson on the carpet.
Thanks for the great freebie! I totally agree with the quarters comment! 🙂
I started guided math this year and am LOVING it! Here's what I do:
Introduction: 10 minutes
4 math rotations: 15 minutes each where I meet with the leveled math groups.
For the first rotation I meet with a group & the class always does number of the day & a mixed practice page.
Then they rotate with a partner from their math group. They choose a math station and check it off their list.
I have 10 open-ended math stations so they can be done more than once & I keep them there for a month.
Closing-5 minutes
The kids really like it & I really like it because the kids get feedback so much faster in small group.
Thanks for always sharing your great ideas!
Check out my blog!
Oh I'm so glad you posted about this! I just started Math Workstations after Christmas break, and my kiddos are loving them!
I teach in a Departmentalized Second grade, so I teach four sections of Math throughout the day. (I love it!)
When the kids come in I do a quick warm-up to start the lesson which leads into the lesson.
5 min: Warm-Up (Video/Fluency)
20 min: Whole Group Lesson
15 min: Workstations (Math Facts, At your seat (problem solving), Teacher's Choice (I meet w/ one group per day), Hands-On (a game or sort)
15 min: Independent Practice (time for a worksheet, activity, test, game, etc.)
5 min: Closure/Clean-up
We have one hour for math and it goes super fast! We are following Common Core and using Math in Focus, Singapore math as our Curriculum.
I am going to use all of these when my daughter comes of school age. Your materials are cool to the eyes and the instructions are simple yet effective. – Layce of Mymathdone.com
teach in a Departmentalized Second grade, so I teach four sections of Math throughout the day. (I love it!)