I Want to Try Complex Math Instruction for Equity!
Help me give my students materials for open-ended projects, seating for structures that promote group work, and tools to meet the needs of some of my students with different abilities.
My fourth graders are at a special stage in life. Nine and ten-year-old students are often tender and playful, and at the same time, they are developing in complexity, humor, and readiness for world. It is a perfect year for growth. I teach in a racially, ethnically, culturally, gender-wise, socio-economically, and academically diverse school. My students are all different, but they are each capable, intelligent, lovable, and seeking to belong and be valued.
In the right environment, the diversity in my classroom helps my students develop empathy and value difference through everyday interactions and choices.
While I am proud of the ways I help my students grow in empathy, I want to improve the ways that I meet all my students' needs. I see that some teaching structures unintentionally perpetuate the achievement gap by continuing to serve only some well. I am learning that one important aspect of equity means re-designing the structures of my instruction to match the ways in which different students learn. I would like to restructure my math instruction to stop perpetuating the myth of people who are "smart" at math, and to help all myself students view themselves as mathematicians.
My Project
I spent this summer learning about a better way to teach math. My teaching used to be based on the theory that breaking math into bite-sized chunks and presenting it to students in a logical sequence, sprinkled with engagement, would meet the needs of students. Experience has taught me that that theory only helps some students. Children come to school with a wide variety of backstories and degrees of readiness for certain types of instruction. Rather than requiring students to accommodate traditional teaching, I want to meet my many different students where they each are through "complex instruction". This means my deductive teaching habits must yield to inquiry and inductive reasoning. Complex instruction includes: (1) open-ended group work activities organized around a central concept or big idea, requiring a wide array of abilities so each student can make meaningful contributions; (2) training in the use of cooperative norms and specific roles so students can manage their own groups; and (3) equal access to learning by intentional treatment of "status" issues.
My hope in teaching through open-ended group work supported by equity-based norms is to ignite my students' natural curiosity and teach them how to see their intellectual value and how much they have to offer the world.
To facilitate activities and structures I learned about this summer, I will need a plethora of math materials that I do not already have, as well as items to help my students with special needs (mindfulness tools, cushions, stools, and fidget putty). This project provides these materials for projects including paper and the ability to laminate items for reuse, adhesives of various kinds, pipe cleaners, clay, pencils, and math manipulatives for place value, multiplication and division, and measurement. I have also included books containing group projects that support fourth grade standards.
hand2mind Plastic Cuisenaire Rods Bulk Classroom Set with Storage Tote (Set of 1,110)
• Amazon Business
$89.95
3
$269.85
Montessori Material Boxed Arithmatics Teaching Aids Educational Wooden Toys For Children Learning Multiplication and Division Mathematics Tools
• Amazon Business
hand2mind Blue Plastic Base Ten Blocks, 161-Piece Starter Set
• Amazon Business
$26.95
6
$161.70
Jovi Plastilina Reusable and Non-Drying Modeling Clay; 1.75 oz. Bars, Set of 30, 2 Each of 15 Colors, Perfect for Arts and Crafts Projects
• Amazon Business
$26.95
6
$161.70
hand2mind Plastic, Rainbow, Fraction Circles, Bulk Math Manipulative Kit for the Classroom (15 Sets of 51 Tiles)
• Amazon Business
$63.85
2
$127.70
Norwood Commercial Furniture NOR-STOOLBS-SO Plastic Stack Stools, Black & Grey, Pack of 5
• Amazon Business
$47.58
2
$95.16
Squeeze Craft Color Changing Frudge Putty Heat Sensitive - 4 Pack Slime Putty - 2 Oz per Container - for Sensory and Tactile Stimulation, Event Prizes, Slime Parties, Educational Game, Fidget Toy
• Amazon Business
$17.99
5
$89.95
SUESPORT Air Inflated Stability Wobble Cushion, Balance Disc, Twist Massage, Fitness and Exercise, Pump Included, Diameter 14 Inch, Black
• Amazon Business
$14.49
6
$86.94
Jovi Plastilina Reusable Neon Non-Drying Modeling Clay; 1.75 oz. Bars, Set of 30, 5 Each of 6 Neon Colors, Perfect for Arts and Crafts Projects
• Amazon Business
flic-flac 48PCS 12 x 12 inches (30 x 30cm) Assorted Color Felt Fabric Sheets Patchwork Sewing DIY Craft 1mm Thick … (30cm 30cm, 48pcs)
• Amazon Business
$19.48
2
$38.96
Learning Resources Gallon Measurement Set
• Amazon Business
$37.63
1
$37.63
Math Games for Number and Operations and Algebraic Thinking: Games to Support Independent Practice in Math Workshops and More, Grades K-5
• Amazon Business
$27.79
1
$27.79
Learning Resources Dive into Shapes! A "Sea" and Build Geometry Set, 129 Pieces
• Amazon Business
$21.99
1
$21.99
Hoberman Sphere Large Assorted
• Amazon Business
$19.99
1
$19.99
Super Z Outlet Liquid Motion Bubbler for Sensory Play, Fidget Toy, Children Activity, Desk Top, Assorted Colors (4 Pack)
• Amazon Business
$19.99
1
$19.99
Printworks White Cardstock, Standard, 67 lb. Vellum, 92 Bright, 250 sheets, 8.5 x 11, For Office, Home & School Printing, Craft Projects (00564)
• Amazon Business
$9.99
2
$19.98
Magnetic Dots - 105 Adhesive Magnets with Strong 3M Backing - Each 20x20x2mm - Flexible Sticky Magnets for Crafts & DIY Projects, Hanging & Organizing Lightweight Objects (20x2 Round)
• Amazon Business
$9.99
2
$19.98
YUE Motion - Liquid Motion Bubbler for Kids & Adults [3-Pack] | Liquid Timer for Sensory Play, Calming &Relaxing, Autism Toys | Sensory Desk Toys (Style#2)
• Amazon Business
$18.99
1
$18.99
AmazonBasics Clear Thermal Laminating Plastic Paper Laminator Sheets - 8.9 Inch x 11.4 Inch, 200-Pack
• Amazon Business
$18.00
1
$18.00
Really Good Stuff Greater Than Or Less Than Student Manipulatives – Set of 12
• Amazon Business
$17.83
1
$17.83
Sunworks 6526 Construction Paper, 12"X18", Smart-Stack Assortment, 150 Sheets
• Amazon Business
$8.73
2
$17.46
Scotch Brand 3M 2020-1A-CP 2020-24A-CP Masking Tape, 9 Rolls- 0.94 Inch x 60.1 Yards, Browns. 94 inch
• Amazon Business
$16.76
1
$16.76
Caydo 324 Pieces Pipe Cleaners 27 Colors Chenille Stems for DIY Art Creative Crafts Decorations (6 mm x 12 Inch)
• Amazon Business
$7.99
2
$15.98
Astrobrights Color Paper, 8.5” x 11”, 24 lb/89 gsm, “Brights” 5-Color Assortment, 500 Sheets (99608)
• Amazon Business
$15.59
1
$15.59
Mindset Mathematics: Visualizing and Investigating Big Ideas, Grade 4
• Amazon Business
$15.19
1
$15.19
Guided Math Workstations for Grades 3 to 5 – Strategies to Put Guided Math into Action in Elementary School Classrooms - Create Math Workshops and Implement Math Workstations for Ages 7 to 11
• Amazon Business
$13.86
1
$13.86
Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching
• Amazon Business
$12.93
1
$12.93
Scotch Painter's Tape 2090-48E 07230001245 ScotchBlue Painter's Tape, Multi-Use, 1.88-Inch by 60-Yard, 1 Roll, 1.88 inch x 60 yards, Blue
• Amazon Business
TecUnite 25 Pieces Polyhedral Dice Set for DND RPG MTG and Other Table Games with Random Multi Colored Assortment (D20)
• Amazon Business
$8.55
1
$8.55
TecUnite 25 Pieces Polyhedral Dice Set with Black Pouch for DND RPG MTG and Other Table Games with Random Multi Colored Assortment (D10)
• Amazon Business
$7.95
1
$7.95
TecUnite 25 Pieces Polyhedral Dice Set for DND RPG MTG and Other Table Games with Random Multi Colored Assortment (D12)
• Amazon Business
$7.65
1
$7.65
Beacon Adhesives FG4OZBOT12 Felt Glue, 4-Ounce
• Amazon Business
$6.80
1
$6.80
Materials cost
$1,913.19
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$28.70
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$1,971.89
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$347.98
Total project goal
$2,319.87
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$2,319.87
2 Donors
-$2,319.87
Donations toward project cost
-$1,971.89
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. D. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.