Pencils and glue sticks

Math Warm-Up: Reverse! Reverse!

1/30/2016

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Reverse! Reverse!

My kids have gone crazy over this. I realized they needed to practice using the "Commutative Property," which states that you can "move around" numbers in addition and in multiplication. (Ie: "a + b = b + a" or "a x b = b x a")

For this math warm-up, I say a multiplication problem, such as 6 x something = 30 (I usually mix up how I say the problem, whether I give factors or a factor and product.) Then, students put out their hands to indicate that they're ready to answer the problem. I toss them the ball, and they say the whole problem, such as 6 x 5 = 30. Then, the whole class says, "Reverse! Reverse!" The student responds with, 5 x 6 = 30.

I've also used this when students are using their whiteboards. With the whiteboards, I can see an answer from all students, and then I can also ask them to label their factors and the product. I sometimes also ask them to give me a division question that corresponds to the given multiplication equation.
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Printmaking in 5th Grade:

1/30/2016

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The kids in my class absolutely loved this project. We had some issues the first go-around, but by the second attempt, the prints turned out great.

I found this project here: themetapicture.com/fun-with-foam

Materials:
- styrofoam boxes (cut out by the kids) or styrofoam sheets
- dull pencils to create design
- block-printing ink (unfortunately regular paint won't do--I suggest buying 1-2 colors at most to keep it simple)
- cardstock paper or newsprint
- trays for ink (I use these for everything!)
- brayers

​If you have 25-30 kids like I do, I would suggest setting up a station in your classroom. I allowed 3-4 students to print at a time while other students had a different project to work on at their desks.

I hung onto the ink while students printed. Every 3-4 prints, I squirted a bit more onto the tray so as not to waste. My kids had to experiment with the right amount of ink to make the best print. Just let them know to be careful and not get on their clothes because it doesn't wash out easily.
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Multiplying and Dividing Fractions Activities:

1/30/2016

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Multiplying Fractions Card Game:

Students are each provided a worksheet. In pairs, they also receive a "game board" (simply a white sheet of paper that I've copied with a multiplication symbol and two lines as part of the fraction) and a deck of cards.

Students are instructed to take turns drawing two cards to represent a fraction. (K=13, Q=12, J=11, A=2) Then, students copy down their problems on the worksheet and multiply the fractions. For the time I've allotted, I required them to work through the entire time to aim for about 5 total problems.

For an added challenge, you can require that they label their fractions; unit fraction, non-unit fraction, or improper fraction.

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Dividing Fractions with Pattern Blocks:

Many of my students have had difficulty visualizing operations with fractions. This activity helped some, and for others, they just enjoyed playing with the shapes. In either case, they practiced solving division problems, so I was happy.

I prepped this activity by cutting out pattern block shapes ahead of time from construction paper, minus the squares and the skinny diamonds, which I found didn't fit well in this activity. I kept the shapes all unified colors to make explaining the activity easier. Here's a great template that I used.
  • Yellow Hexagon = 1
  • Blue Trapezoid = 1/2
  • Orange Diamond = 1/3
  • Green Triangle = 1/6

I first had them outline the hexagon shape 6 times to represent 3 different division problems. Then, I allowed them to paste whichever shapes they wanted into their hexagon outlines. They could use more than one shape as well in a hexagon, so long as it was the same shape, (ie: 2 triangles = 2/6).

Then, they were required to solve their division problem. (Ie: 1/2 / 1/3 = 1 1/2) Students were then able to visualize "how many times does that shape fit in your original number?"

It took some playing with the shapes to help them understand. This project took some time, but it was well worth it for many students and will be great for Open House!

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Multiply Fractions in a Recipe:

Students find a recipe they like and then are required to change the ingredient amounts to accommodate 2 more servings. Here are my recipes that I found online and put in one document.

Their finished product included their original recipe, a drawing, and their new ingredient list, as well as their work stapled to the back.
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    About:

    ​Hi, my name is Alexis Markavage. I'm a student teacher and a Multiple Subject Credential candidate at Dominican University of California. I graduated from the University of Southern California in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design, but now I'm continuing my education to work in education. I hope to work as an upper elementary school teacher.

    Please visit my professional website here.

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