Idea "Smashing" for My Collaborative Team Expectations

I was inspired today by @mathequalslove's blog post today about her Red/Yellow/Green Team Cups Posters. So I decided to smash together two ideas from my Collaborative Teams structure.    

Idea #1
A few summers ago, the R/Y/G Cups were a big topic on Twitter and I was introduced to the idea thanks to @druinok in her July Blogging Challenge #5things blog post.  I even searched all over and found the perfect cups to go with my classroom theme.

I even created a "Team Task" Cups Strategy Sheet, but I never really followed through with the idea that year. I had a really good group of students and I never found it necessary or the opportunity to implement it.  I could have used the idea with last year's students, but never found the time to follow through.... And the cups still sit in my cupboard.... Unopened...

Idea #2
If you have seen my "Team Tasks" or my Socrative "Team Tasks" you know that I like to emphasize the Collaborative Team Structure with "Team Task" Expectations that are read by the Task Manager at the very beginning of the "Team Task".

For Example:

So after reading mathequalslove's blog today I got the idea to smash these ideas together, revitalizing the Team Cup Strategy that never came to fruition with my always used Team Task Expectations Strategy.

I created a "Team Task" Expectations sheet that will be read by the Task Manager at the beginning of every task.

On the back of the "Team Task" Expectations sheet will be my "Team Task" Cups sheet, which I modified a little. I am going to print them on card stock and put them in sheet protectors.

Here are the files for my "Team Task" Expectations and "Team Task" Cup Strategy. Feel Free to Download and Use. I included the Word files for you to modify to fit your needs.

Download Links:
My Team Task Expectations PDF
My Team Cup Strategy PDF
My Team Task Expectations Editable Word File
My Team Cup Strategy Editable Word File


Thanks for stopping by my blog.... I hope I have inspired ideas for your classroom....

Collaborative Teams and Productive "Math Talk"

I have blogged a lot about my collaborative teams and how effective they are in my classroom structure.  Last year my students worked productively in their teams and had really good discussions, but there was still room for improvement.  I have done a lot of reflecting over the summer and my goal for this year is to take my students' team discussions to the next level.

After a lot of Pinteresting and blog reading over the summer, I came across Talking Points on cheesemonkey wonders blog.  I am so excited.... I love this idea but I know that my students need more structure. So I have taken this idea and tweaked it so that it would be more structured and therefore more effective with my students.

The first thing I did was make a Let's Talk Math Guidelines page for their Interactive Math Notebook.  I will use this to introduce my students to "Math Talk" in their collaborative teams.

The idea of my new "Math Talk" idea is a spin on Talking Points.  Each team member will have a set of "Math Talk" cards.  Each set of "Math Talk" cards will have three cards. The three cards will consist of AGREE, DISAGREE, and UNSURE.  I am going to laminate these on bright cardstock paper.  Each set will be hole punched with a binder ring.

When prompted by the Team Mathematician, each team member will determine if they AGREE, DISAGREE, or are UNSURE.  Each team member will choose a card from their "Math Talk" cards.  When it is their turn to say whether they AGREE, DISAGREE, or are UNSURE, they will hold up their card to the team and explain their thinking.
Saying: "I _______ because __________________________".

I love this idea because I know the students will like using the "Math Talk" cards.  It will also help me see if they are having a productive "Math Talk" because I will be able to see the teams using their "Math Talk" cards. :o)

This is how I am going to start this year with my students and help them take their math discussions to the next level. 

I am including the downloads for the files that I created.  

Feel free to use, tweak, or modify my ideas. Or simply be inspired....

Download Links: 

• Let's Talk Math IMN Page:   PDF  ~  Word   
• Student "Math Talk" Cards:  PDF ~ Word  (Cut each card at 2.75")   
• Fonts I Used Zip File

Thanks for stopping by an checking out my blog...

My New Idea: Collaborative Team Daily Reflections

For the last two years I have taught 8th Grade Math and 8th Grade Math Support.  Both of these classes have been two totally separate periods and had their own beginning of class and end of class routines.

8th Grade Math
8th Grade Math students worked collaboratively in teams.  In their teams they completed a daily warm-up "Solve It, PROVE It".  The periods were only 50 minutes and there was never time to spare.  I had the students working until 2 minutes before the bell.  The Resource Monitor had just enough time to get the team's homework and return all of the team's supplies before the bell rang.

Math Support
Math Support students worked independently and used 1:1 iPads.  When they came into class they got their assigned iPad, signed into Showbie and completed a daily warm-up "A Blast From the Past". Because all of the students had to return their iPads at the end of class, I had the students complete a "Ticket Out the Door" Writing Reflection every day.  This would ensure that the students would all be returning their iPads at different times, depending on how long it took them to type their written response.

Blocked Math Periods
This year we are going to blocked math periods, which is essentially two periods altogether. This is awesome because time has always been my enemy.   I know that my classroom structure in Math 8 worked, so other than some new ideas and a few tweaks I want to continue doing the same thing I did last year.  I also know that what I did in Math Support was super effective.  So I am basically going to merge the two periods together into one blocked math period.

It is super important to me that this blocked math period to runs seamlessly. Think of it like Part One of my blocked period which will be my Math 8 structure (teams), and Part Two of my blocked math period which will be my Math Support structure (independent). Both parts of my blocked period this year will have a name.  I will refer to these names in class and when I blog.  Part One of my blocked math will simply be Math 8, and Part Two of my blocked math will now be called iMath (independent Math). I love it because it is a play on the fact that students use iPads, and this is the more independent part of their mathematics learning.

I have a lot of new ideas that I will be trying out and incorporating this year in my Math 8 and in my iMath sections of my blocked math period.  I needed to think of a way to seamlessly transition from Math 8 to iMath.  So I came up with this new idea; My Team Daily Reflection.

At the end of Math 8 (Part One of the block), each team will complete a "Team Reflection".  The Resource Monitor-Recorder/Reporter for the day will be responsible for facilitating this "Team Reflection".  After the team has completed their "Team Reflection", they will get their assigned iPads and start with iMath (Part Two of the block).

This is a new idea, and I know I will tweak it throughout the year, and come up with new ideas for prompts. This is just the start of my new idea. I am hoping my idea will be of use to you in your classroom or inspire an idea for your classroom.

My New Team Daily Reflections
After each example of my Team Daily Reflections I am including a link to the PDF and Word Files.   Feel free to download and use or modify to fit your classroom needs.  :o)

Here are examples of my new idea my Team Daily Reflections (Version One):

Download Links: One Word Team Reflection - PDF File ~ Word File

Download Links: Math Practices Team Reflection -  PDF File ~ Word File

Download Links:  Show What You Know Team Reflection - PDF File ~ Word File

Download Links:  Tweet This Team Reflection - PDF File ~ Word File

Download Links: Team Work Team Reflection - PDF File ~ Word File

Here is a zip file with all of the fonts I used.  You should download this if you are using any of the word files... :o)

Download Link:  Fonts I Used Zip File

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.  Hopefully my ideas gave you inspiration for your classroom.  :o)

Using Socrative with Collaborative Teams to Elicit Team Discussion and Math Discourse

It's been a while since I have had time to blog about my iPads and Math lessons, so I thought I would take some time to share some of my new ideas.

In my Math Support classes I have created a self-paced learning environment with 1:1 iPads.  I have previously blogged about this and my iPads and Math lessons.  I am experimenting with effective ways to use iPads with my regular Math 8 classes. I know the key to this is structure and clear expectations and my goal is to keep the Collaborative Team Structure.

Using one of my favorite apps Socrative, I have created "Team Tasks" using iPads that require the students to work collaboratively.  The Socrative "Team Tasks" that I have created are self-paced lessons that the students complete as a "Team".  These "Team Tasks" include the Team Roles that are already a part of my classroom structure.   

For my Socrative "Team Tasks" there is a Task Manager that facilitates the "Team Task" and a Team Mathematician.  Here is a copy of what the Task Manager reads to the Team when they start one of my Socrative "Team Tasks". 

As you can see I give clear expectations and create a collaborative environment using the iPads.  My students understand that the focus should not be on the iPads but on the collaborative discussion and learning.   

Here is an example of my students working collaboratively on a Socrative "Team Task". 

I have used iPads in various ways with my Math 8 classes.  I have used one iPad per team and one iPad for each Team Member.  I choose the method depending on the concept they are reviewing in that lesson.  

Using One iPad for Each Team
I have done my Socrative "Team Tasks" with one iPad per Team in which the Team Mathematician is the one with the iPad.  The iPad then rotates around the Team and each Team Member is Team Mathematician.  This repeats throughout the period.

One strategy I have used with one iPad per team is one Team whiteboard and the Team Mathematician is also the Recorder/Reporter.   This requires the Team to discuss and problem solve together.

And another strategy is all Team members have a whiteboard and the Team Mathematician guides the discussion and problem solving while all Team Members solve the problem on their whiteboard.

1:1 iPads for Each Team Member
I have also done my Socrative "Team Tasks" where each Team member has an iPad.  The focus is still on the collaboration and solving the problem as a Team.  

The Teacher as a "Facilitator"
While my students are working I am walking around "facilitating" and checking for understanding and misconceptions.  When I do my Socrative "Team Tasks", I use the Space Race option.  My students love the competition aspect.  I disable the feedback so they have to look to see if their Spaceship moves when they put in their answer to see if they got it correct.  If their Spaceship doesn't move, they have to go back and figure out their mistake before they move on.  

I hope you have enjoyed my blog about how I creatively use Socrative in my classroom. I have put all of my Socrative Codes on my Free Resources Page.  :o)

Thanks for stopping by my blog... :o)

Implementing My Cup Strategy with Collaborative Teams

I am so excited to finally find time to implement an idea I have had since last summer.  I came across this great idea one night in a Twitter Chat.  That is why I love my Twitter PLN.  I love sharing ideas and learning ideas from other great teachers. :o)  

Most teachers use Green, Yellow and Red cups for this strategy, but I am always doing things "Outside the Box". So..... I had to find cups that went with my classroom colors.  I was so excited to find hot pink, teal and lime green cups.  {:o)}^2

I am using this strategy with my Collaborative Teams.  The Task Manager will be responsible for determining which cup should be on the top of the stack.  Each Team will get a set of 3 cups, (pink, blue, green) and a copy of the Team Task Cups Guide.  

Here is the Team Task Cups Guide I created:

Here are links to the Team Tasks Cups Guide if you would like a copy to use or to edit.
  Word doc  or  pdf


That's all for now.  I will blog again with an update after I implement the new strategy. I hope it works. :o)  Thanks for stopping by and checking out my blog... :o)

The Evolution of My "Post It! PROVE It!" Idea

First of all it is so nice to have time to sit down and write a blog post.... :o)   Time has been my enemy lately...

Wow.... I can't believe the 1st Semester is already over. It has been a busy year so far.  Not only have I been super busy updating and tweaking our 8th Grade Common Core Math Curriculum, creating unique and engaging 1:1 lessons, I have also taken on a few other responsibilities. I have become a member of the Instructional Leadership Corps which is a team of California teachers giving professional development workshops to help other teachers in California with the Common Core Shifts.  I have also become the Technology Lead Teacher at my school and as part of this committee we are designing a technology integration model for our district.

I have been reflecting on the first half of this year and thinking about all the new ideas I have implemented.   Over the summer I put a lot of thought into ideas that would help take my students to the next level and teach them to think critically. One of my new ideas was to implement a daily "Post It, PROVE It".  I have previously blogged about my "Post It, PROVE It"  problem.  This idea was based on doing the daily problem as a team and having one student be the "Recorder/Reporter" and the team would discuss and solve the problem as a team, and then write a written justification as a team.
This is an example of one of my "Post It! PROVE It" problems.

Here are some examples of my students doing the daily "Post It! PROVE It" problems.

The Evolution of My "Post It! PROVE It"
I originally came across this idea and tweaked it because I wanted the team discussion and written explanation to be the center of the strategy.  I started implementing this strategy by having the students discuss and solve the problem as a team, then "Post" their team's answer on the board, and then write the team's "PROVE It" written explanation.....  That evolved into using Promethean Clickers to "Post" the team's answer and then write the team's "PROVE It, written explanation....  I soon realized that students were discussing, solving, "PROVING" and then "Posting" their team's answer....  And this evolved into having the students "Post" their team's answer on their whiteboard with their team's "PROVE It" written explanation.

I soon realized that I don't really need the "Post It" part of the strategy.  I realized that what I really liked about the idea that I found was the "PROVE It" part, because I wanted to develop my students written justifications.  The two most important parts are: solving the problem and the written explanation.  So now my "Post It! PROVE It" has evolved again..... Starting after break, it will be called "Solve It! PROVE It".....  I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place. LOL

This is an example of one of my new "Solve It! PROVE It" problems.

Throughout the first semester I have recorded a lot of video of my students developing their mathematical discourse.  It has been super awesome to see them grow throughout the year.  The day before break I asked my students to list 5 classroom strategies that helped them the most this year. It was unanimous, every team commented on how the "Post It, PROVE It" strategy helped them to explain and prove what they did to solve the problems.  It was nice to have validation that my idea was as effective as I thought it was..  I am so excited to start this new version of my favorite strategy.  :o)

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.... :o)