Pi R Scared

  This maze has students simplify cube roots with only numbers. The maze includes problems that can't be simplified. This would be a great classwork or homework for students. Cube Root Maze

❤  I’ve heard from the beginning you need to find your tribe but I didn’t know what my tribe looked like or how to find it. Looking back my tribe has always found me.  Why is your tribe important?  For me, they make me laugh or smile on a regular basis.  They keep me straight with deadlines, due dates, and drill times. Apparently mine has always had a jokester, caretaker, and an organizer.  The jokesters have definitely made for good laughs from taking 100+ group selfies when someone left their phone to fart machines, they keep you on your toes. The caretaker always reminds us to eat our lunch, take a break, brings in food to share, and asks about family.  The organizer person helps keep me straight.  When I want to rearrange my room, they suggest drawing a picture before moving objects or putting all my supplies in different colored bins.   At each school, I've found my people but it's looked very different.  In the beginning it was mai...

    Hidden pictures or color by answers bring some excitement to a typical worksheet and allow for self checking. You can create these assignments in Google Sheets or Google Forms depending on how you want students to submit their work.  I like these activities because the students receive instant feedback when they put in their answer.  If they are correct a color appears if they are wrong nothing happens.  In order to ensure they are doing the work, I have them send me their work once they have completed the picture.  Below are activities, 3 of which have been tried in the middle school classroom.  If you are interested in creating your own, check out the video.  I had my students create their own and they came up with some amazing pictures.   Angles of Polygons Hidden Picture Emoji Color by Number - Recognizing Numbers 1-10 Tax, Tip, and Total Bill Hidden Pictures Winter Wonderland Color by Number Multiplying Polynomials

  Google and Donorschoose have partnered up to offer free training and a gift card.  I’ve used the Applied Digital Curriculum several times in the last few years but they have added some new coding curriculum. If you have the time, I’d suggest signing up for one of the trainings. My favorite part of the training was learning how to create a hidden picture and color by number activity.  The student version of this included short videos explaining how to create their own.  I am trying the activity with my students this week.  After completing the training, you get a $100 Donors Choose gift card while supplies last. Check back tomorrow for some activities with hidden pictures and color by number. 

During our school day we have a social emotional focus time. As Thanksgiving approaches we have started to focus on what we are thankful for. Yesterday we made a thankful tree. Each student sent me a list of what they were thankful for and I typed the list into a word cloud website. Our tree is above.  If you have some time next week this was a great activity and only took about 15 minutes.

  While the same routine every day provides great structure and can ease anxiety the same activities can produce a lack of interest or excitement. My students like to play bingo so I have been mixing up the way we play bingo to keep them on their toes.  This round of bingo includes the wheel of the names.  I give the students the bingo board and a timer, they can work on all the questions they want while the timer is going.  Once the timer is up, we spin the wheel to see which pattern they need to be a possible prize winner.  By not telling them the pattern in the beginning the students are solving more questions to ensure the best chance of winning.  Below is a video on how to make a wheel in your assignment, this way you have the wheel for future use too.

  Back in September I shared about this organization working to get a second screen for teachers. I applied at the end of September and heard yesterday that mine is being shipped.  I am very excited as I currently use a chrome book and laptop each day. They are still taking request, if you are interested here’s the form . 

  Thanksgiving is quickly approaching which makes me think about turkey.  I did a paper activity similar to this last year but since we are all virtual currently, I made a digital copy.  These activities can be done as classwork, homework, or a challenge.  My students are currently completing them as a challenge.  They solve the problems which are review material and if they get 100% they get entered in a chance to win a prize.       Two Step Turkey Mixed Equations Turkey Factoring Turkey Pythagorean Theorem Turkey Polygon Turkey - 3 different ones

  Whether you are teaching in person, hybrid, or virtual this packet has all you need to teach Order of Operations. This packet includes both digital and printable copies of notes, practice, homework, exit ticket, a maze, an additional sort, and a quiz. The printable copies come with an answer key provided and the digital copies are Google Forms which are set to self grade. This packet contains every thing I use to teach the real number system from start to quiz. Order of Operations Packet

  Gimkit is currently my favorite class game and the students are asking to play it. Gimkit takes the best of Kahoot and Quizizz and adds a little more.  It’s a 10 minute game, students can play on their own or as a team.  As they answer questions correctly they earn money which can be used to get powers to help them advance in the game. I've found that students who won't do or don't do their classwork will easily answer 20-30 questions about the topic while playing this game.  Similar to the other games, you can get an excel report after the game with all the data you need. I've found the most success this year occurs when I give the students a percentage.  I will say if you get a 85% or higher on this, I will excuse you from the classwork or homework.  In my class of 26 students I had 23 students get that 85% or higher on rules of exponents which told me exactly who I needed to reach out to for extra help.  The average number of questions answered wh...

  Teachers have a lot on their plate in a normal year and this year its more so hopefully this notes packet saves you some time and stress.   The Real System Packet contains notes, practice, an additional sort, maze, homework, exit ticket, and a quiz.  Almost the entire packet has a digital and printable copy of each of the assignments or activities.  The digital copies are set up to self grade so you will be able to get a report of students scores when they complete the assignment.  If you are doing printed copies, answer keys are provided for each of the assignments or activities.   Real Number System Packet

  The walkabouts or walk arounds are one of my favorite classroom activities.  I love having students up and working, it also provides a nice visual of who is struggling.  These digital walkabouts are similar but are done on the computer and a click about is probably a better name for them. A template is below with instructions on how to add your content.  If you want one that's already made you can find those here .  To create one you pick a shape for your answer cards and create the amount of cards that you want.  I typically create 15-20 questions depending on the answers.  For example, order of operations answers are smaller than combine like terms answers so I would have more order of operations cards.  Once you have all of your answer cards you will need to put the answers on them in a random order, I use the equatio extension to do this.  Next create a question slide, on this slide you will want a shape or image that links back to the...

  There are several interactive games online to increase student engagement.  Today, I’m sharing my experience with Quizizz. Quizizz is less competitive than the others but still has the competition piece. I like that this game can be a more self paced game allowing questions to answer at their own pace.  You can also play as a team which brings in the anonymous factor which I love.  The groups are randomized and I don’t want students to know who is in their group to avoid peer pressure or negative comments if they do poorly.  The anonymous feature assigns all the kids a random and weird name.  The final part I really like is watching their progress bars in real time, which allows we especially while virtual to see whose engaged, who’s struggling, and who’s ready to move on. Similar to other online games, you can download a break down by question after the game to see student results. Similar to other games you can make your own or find ones that are alread...

  If you are looking to get supplies for a project or activity but don't want to ask people for donations, donorschoose.org currently has 2 match offers that will get you $100 for completing each.  First you need an account if you don't have one you can start here:  http://share.donorschoose.org/nBBrC.  Time is very important when it comes to match offers as funding is limited.  The first match offer is CS First Unplugged.  The activity has videos to help students through the process of simple coding.  Once atleast 10 of your students completed the activity, you can submit a form about the activity and earn the $100.  I typically do the CS activities because they are easy for students to follow, this one has an activity on coding an emoji.  I know class time is tight so I put the information out there and then incentive with a piece of candy, music break, or something the student enjoys for a few minutes in exchange for doing an activity outs...

    Have your students practice the exponent rules or how to simplify radicals with these mazes. I used the exponent maze after teaching all the rules and it took students about 20 minutes to complete it.  We are doing the radicals maze this coming week.  Here’s a tutorial on how yo make your own. Exponents Maze Simplify Radicals Maze

    What do circles and sweets have in common?  They both met to make an interactive math activity.   Gumballs and Circles meet to practice finding area and circumference of circles given the radius.  The students must know the correct unit of measure along with the right math calculation to get the answer.  To ensure completion and accuracy a google form is at the end for students upload their work for the assignment.  Finding Area and Circumference of Circles Wafer Monster is hungry in this circle activity.  Students answer questions about arc length and are directed based on their answer.   If an incorrect answer is given they go to a review slide.  If a correct answer is given they advance to the next question. Once he's full with Wafer's they are done.  Arc Length Wafer Monster Digital Walk About

  Switching from in person to virtual meant a change in my notebook.  I looked and created several different notebooks until I found one that worked for me. Microsoft OneNote is the notebook I am using. It's easy for the students to navigate, I can front load information or load as we go, and it's free.  Our district has Microsoft products so it is one of the hidden gems within the products they purchased.  I have a Chromebook and the students use Chromebooks and we haven't run into a problem with it not working on either device. You can add pictures to your notebook, links, or text.  I also like the tag feature which allows me to but boxes beside their To Do List which they can check when done and stars beside their test or projects.  Overall, I think this digital notebook has helped my students stay organized during this time.    Here's a tutorial if you want to try it out. 

  The Real Number System often requires repetition for students to understand.  I've created a packet that has several activities to mix up their practice.  It also includes notes, homework, and a quiz as well.  I hope you find this helpful.   Real Number System Packet

  Basic math facts often hinder students in current math curriculum.  Hopefully, these 4 in a row games will help students enjoy practicing their mental math facts while improving their skills. Multiplication Facts 4 in a Row Numbers 0-6 Multiplication Facts 4 in a Row Numbers 6-12