Tracking Data to Drive Instruction

Welcome to a series of blog posts all about GUIDED MATH! It seems like a scary thing to jump into and I want to let you know it's not. The nine bloggers you see below and myself have joined together to bring you a series of posts to inform you of ALL THINGS guided math! Let's get started!

I'll be tackling How to use DATA to drive INSTRUCTION!

 We love it, we hate it, we hate it some more, BUT we NEED it!

I have a system my school uses called DMA to help us out, but I like to use a little more than just that. 

I'll explain more below! 

The first thing you need to know before being able to USE your data effectively to drive instruction is a way to do it.

You'll want to ask yourself these 3 key questions:

1. How is my math block structured so I can attend to the needs of my kids?
2. How will I record the data?
3. How I will I update my data?

Here are my answers to those questions:

1. The way I structure my math block is in a four station rotation (teacher table, on my own station, games station and technology station). My students rotate every 15 minutes. This structure allows me to meet with every group EVERY DAY!

2. I record my pre-assessment and post assessment data in my math binder. In between the assessments, I record math data using a math binder on  a daily basis. I jot down things I notice them doing or not yet doing. Doing this allows me to remember what they need when they return to me the next day AND to see if I'm noticing a pattern in the class.

3. I update my data as I teach. If I notice a student or the group of students have mastered a concept, I make note of it and make any instructional changes that I feel are needed. If the data is showing a student is struggling with understanding a concept, I update that students data and decide what to do next.

I use my planning sheet a lot to record observations that I see during math group time. I always start the week with a focus for each group. As I teach, the focus changes based on their needs. You can see that by looking at the top box of each groups plans below.

As I teach, I also fill in activities for small group for the week. I always start with ONE for sure activity that we'll begin with. Then, I will decide what to do next based on what the kids do. Honestly, I don't always do worksheets with them, I am not always printing stuff off. I've got math tools, my whiteboard, note cards and white computer paper. One time a week, we WILL play a prepped game for review of the skill overall.

 When I am talking about analyzing data purposefully here, I am really talking about more of the summative assessment type of data. Always, always use your formative assessments to guide your instruction every. single. day. During my math workshop I have a station called 'On My Own.' This is where students display their understanding of a certain math concept on their own, without help (unless I state otherwise).

Normally, 'On My Own' is review work of previous concepts. Sometimes, I will throw in an activity to really assess their understanding of what we are doing at that current moment. I take more time to analyze that data. I do this using a four box system and STICKERS!

This is what my little table looks like when I go to analyze my data. Again, everything is kept in my math binder so I don't have to waste time gathering my materials. I keep their papers in a folder, I have my data forms and stickers to mark levels of understanding.

Here are the papers sorted into piles and what the stickers mean.

Blue - Concept mastered and a little beyond.
Green - Concept mastered
Yellow - Gaining an understanding of concept
Red - Concept not understood yet

As I am analyzing data, I determine and organize student names based on four factors:

1. These students have mastered the concept and beyond.
2. These students have shown mastery.
3. These students are beginning to understand the concept.

4. These students do not yet understand the concept.

I sort my papers into four piles, write names in four boxes and put stickers on the top of each pile to make the piles easier for me to find if I need to look at them again to gain more information. You can grab the printable I use here.

 I also look for patterns when I am analyzing data. Sometimes, the majority of the class is having a misconception and I record that information on the 'Data Breakdown' form. This is where I get my ideas for my mini-whole group math lessons before we start our math rotations.

Once you've analyzed all that data, it's time to GET TO WORK! Open up that math binder, meet with those groups and instruct them based on where they are! Take notes as you teach them of things your noticing! You will be absolutely STUNNED to find that you actually become a much better teacher by doing the front load work.

When your planning to meet with those groups, you also need a plan in place. No you don't need different activities for each group, or laminated cards or worksheets all the tie. Honestly, get those math tools you need and write down a 2-3 step plan. Use note cards to write math problems, grab a worksheet and provide a different level of support for each group, use a game and change the numbers. It's very easy to differentiate when you KNOW THE NEEDS of your kids!

This is what I use to write out a plan for my kids and what they need:

To read more about guided math, click the links below!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Books Teachers Love: April Read Alouds

Welcome to a monthly post called, "Books Teachers Love." If you're new to this series, welcome!! Each month, eleven other bloggers and I share ideas for our favorite read alouds for the upcoming month! There are almost ALWAYS free activities included in some of the posts!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B363v8CATobya1p2QXpRRTJOa1U/view?usp=sharing

My book that I'll be talking about today is an adorable one called, "The Little Raindrop."

It's about the Little Raindrop and all the places it visits when it falls out of the sky. It such a sweet story. It also really lends itself into discussing the water cycle!

This book not only lends itself perfectly to the water cycle, but also sequencing. It's one where you could teach the Circular Story Sequencing. Circular stories follow a round pattern. It begins and ends in the same way like the Mouse books, seasons of the year or life cycles. It has a predictable series of events that returns to the starting point.

To model the circular story structure, I would first help students identify the KEY details in the story: the ones which we feel are most important. I found 6 to be my magical number for this book. Something students could do first is illustrate the 6 key details on 6 different raindrops like you see above.

After students illustrate the important key details, then they can write about each one on the raindrops with lines. 

These raindrops would be fun to place on a large piece of paper and make them into mini-flip books in a circular motion.

If your students are ones that need a little help with just comprehension of the key details, then you could also use the pre-typed key detail raindrops that you see in the picture above. Students order the details, then illustrate to show they can comprehend those parts.

To find the raindrop templates, click here. They're FREEBIES!

If you would like to WIN THIS BOOK and three others, enter the giveaway below.

Also, check out the other great books from the other bloggers by clicking their links!

An InLinkz Link-up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Leprechaun Notes

If you're one of the those crazy teachers like me that allow your students to build leprechaun traps inside the classroom, then you definitely want a fun follow up for the kids!

I want my students to find something fun waiting for them at their traps from the leprechaun in the morning! I came up with notes with a picture of our crazy leprechaun that has been causing havoc in our classroom all week long!

I wrote the notes to my kids with my left hand so they didn't think that I WROTE THE NOTES! They would totally make the connection.

I also tried to make a lot of the notes connected to the trap that the kids made!

Like the one you see below, his little note said, "I saw that hole."

The little girl made a hole at the top of the box so the leprechaun would fall inside! It's behind the grass.

If you're interested in using the notes with your kids, you can find them here!

I can't wait to see my student's reactions tomorrow!

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HANDS ON - Jamie O'Rourke Character Analysis Project

It's officially the week of St. Patrick's Day! That means it's time to really ENGAGE the kids so we aren't peeling them off the ceiling! I started some St. Patrick's Day themed stuff a little early. Last week we read the book, "Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato." This is such a great book! I highly recommend you add it to your classroom library collection!

When we first began reading this book on Monday, we did a simple prediction and confirmations of predictions lesson. Tuesday, we did a nice little retell. I love starting the week off that way to get the kids to really understand the story. Wednesday-Friday we were all about analyzing the two main characters: Jamie and Eileen!

We started analyzing the characters by discussing their outside traits, what we see with our eyeballs.

We wrote down their outside traits.

After writing their outside traits I gave the kids body outlines for a boy and a girl. Students were instructed to use the outside traits to draw Jamie and Eileen as best as they could. Students had to really attend to the outside traits of the character in order to draw Jamie and Eileen. It was an awesome way to see who notices key details. We don't just need to practice it when reading, but in all areas of our lives. This was a great way for the kids to see that.

On Thursday, I read the book again to students. This time our purpose was to identify inside traits for the two characters based on their actions and words. We stopped and had a LOT of discussion. The students came up with amazing words to describe both characters. Naturally, I forgot to take a picture of it! Anyway, after we came up with words to describe the characters inside traits, the students wrote the outside trait on a note card folded in half. Then, on the inside students provided evidence from the story to explain why they chose that trait for the character. They had so much fun. They were aloud to work by themselves or a with friends during this activity. I let them choose. There was all sorts of great conversations going on during this activity. Students were referring back to the book to look for evidence. I mean, what more can a FIRST GRADE teacher ask for! 

As you can see above, the note cards for inside character traits went inside the bag. Then, students also labeled the outside traits on the outside of their bag.

On Friday, students compared and contrasted the two characters. I didn't snap a picture of their writing but I gave them the following sentence starters:

"Jamie and Eileen are the same because..."

"Jamie and Eileen are different because..."

The students used their knowledge of the characters to compare and contrast. They wrote these in a pot of gold writing template. This activity was done at the very end of the day on Friday and they wanted to take their projects home to show parents so no picture! Oh well, you get the idea!

Have a great week! Thanks for stopping by! 

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Scavenger Hunts with WORDS!

Good afternoon! This is my favorite part of the year in first grade. The kids are reading, they're demonstrating everything they've learned and the classroom is basically running itself. This is the time of year when I am also very TIRED! I don't really have time to be laminating station cards each week or cutting them. So, I like to pull out my Scavenger Hunt with Words to keep the kids engaged.

When I first introduce this activity, I have the kids do it with me whole group. I display the spinner, I spin it and together, we search for words that fit the rule.

The best part is that I don't have to prep any station cards ahead of time. The kids simply use the words in the room. They may also look inside of books if they can't find words in the room. This activity keeps them busy!... Which I love! They're active, engaged and on task!

Another great thing about this activity is that YOU can edit the spinner to make it fit what you are focusing on in your own classroom. If you want to focus on words that start with a letter, digraph or blend, you can type it into your own spinner.

If you are interested in doing this activity with you class you can click here!

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My Lesson Plans This Week!

Happy Sunday teacher friends! Guess what day it is for us procrastinators?! It's Planniing DAY! Now, I did mine a little ahead of time to share with you, but I am still going in on this chilly Sunday to go prep it all! Luckily, this week is a low prep kind of week, so it won't take long! I'll also bring my handy helper, my one year old little dude! He's sure to help by taking everything off the shelves and force me to organize it! See, helping!!

Anyway, what you're really here for. The lesson plans. I seriously look at someones visual plans every. single. time. I. plan. I used to do them all the time on my little blog and share them with you. Then, well, I had a baby and life got a tad bit busier. Well, I'm finally learning that if I want anything done, I better get myself out of bed before he does... and as we speak, he's in his room babbling!

A few things we are focusing on this week are: Comparing numbers with place value, retelling stories with Three Billy Goats Gruff & adding Dialogue to our Narrative Stories!

We've been working on our Narrative Stories for about two weeks now. First, we focused on telling the three parts of a story. I used this anchor chart to help show the kids how to organize our thoughts into 3 parts. 

I wrote a small moment story about a time Ezra spilled crayons in the kitchen. I modeled how to write the story in 3 parts! It's super helpful for the kids. You can find the BME printables here for free.

This week, the kids will also be working on retelling 3 parts of a story.

I am SO excited for our activities this week. First, we will just orally retell. Then, I am going to take pictures of each page of one of the books. With a partner, students will sequence the page. As they are doing this, I will ask them to tell me which part they think is the beginning, middle & end.

Once, we get good at that, the students will complete a BME flip-book. I'll introduce the plot chart to help make this easier for them to accomplish. Then, for a final project, the students will create 3 posters to show the BME of one of the stories. Lastly, they write summaries of each part. I am so excited to see how they turn out!

In word work, I am keeping it simple. Some weeks I have time to prep cards and some weeks I don't. This week, I don't have time. I am turning to my Editable, No PREP Word Work activities!

This week, the kids will also continue to focus on comparing numbers with their place value. We'll be playing a few games, doing a few printables and doing some fun spinning stuff at the teacher table for guided math!

The kids have already learned one of the comparison games. This week, they'll learn how to play Order Up! In this game, they take chef hats that indicate the number of tens and ones. The students order 5 numbers from least to greatest based on the number from the card. It's a great way to encourage a little more *thinking* into number ordering!

If you want a closer look at my visual plans to see how I am breaking all this up into a 5 day week. Just click the plans below!

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