My students need graph paper including teacher modeling set, construction paper, and scissors to allow them to explore math by creating projects alone or in groups.
My goal is for students to leave fourth grade as confident math students. By applying what the students have learned in class to solve problems alone or in groups creating projects will give the students a heightened sense of understanding of all the topics addressed in fourth grade.
Have you ever seen a child struggle in math and need extra help?
Have you ever seen the smile come across a child's face when they finally get it? Helping students discover and learn that math doesn't have to be hard. It is my passion.
My students are all the 4th grade math students in our school in East Tennessee. Our school is a Title 1 with 54% of our student population receiving assistance. School funding for our school is well below the state average.
Typically the only help or support my students receive is in my classroom. Often students stay in at recess because no one at home can help with their fourth grade math homework. As a result, my students need both extra help and attention.
My students know my goal for them each and every day is for them to tell me class was "fun & easy". Learning should be fun and by the end of class it should be easy because they understand the topic being taught
My Project
From Geometry to Number and Operations students have lots of opportunities to explore math by solving problems and demonstrating their content knowledge using basic art materials that will be organized in easy assessable area for the students to get to.
As we transition into Common Core our class has designated one a day a week to work on task (multi step math problem). As we get deeper into common core these projects will become more frequent.
Our tasks require the students to evaluate the information, generate questions, synthesize, create a product to solve the problem that they are able to use to justify their answer. The creating part is essential for the students to be successful. The create part requires basic materials like graph paper, construction paper and scissors that the students can use to solve the problems presented in class. From perimeter and area, equivalent fractions, number lines, multiplying fractions the students imaginations need to be explored by supplying them with the materials they need to be creative.
As we move toward Common Core students need to gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in class.
By taking a problem solving approach to learning, students get to learn about math through the experience of problem solving and gain thinking strategies and domain knowledge.
When the students get to work on creative projects in math the students develop flexible knowledge, effective problem solving skills, self-directed learning, effective collaboration skills and intrinsic motivation.
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