CUBES, Mathematicians, & Place Value, Oh My!

     On the first day of math class, we began by making our promise about how we would behave and treat each other. You can read about that in the previous post. Then we read The Boy Who Loved Math and talked about mathematicians. Then as a whole class, we created a tree map about mathematicians. I see two classes for math, so I wrote their answers on stickies with different color marker and stacked overlapping responses on top of each other. As we were discussing and creating our tree map, the students were guided to the fact that we are all mathematicians. Then students came up with a real life example of when they use their mathematician skills to share in their table groups.

     Then I introduced my students to the CUBES problem solving strategy. I modeled using it for them. Then as a class we worked through three review problems together. I gave each student a little card with the strategy steps on it, so they'll remember what steps to go through as they work homework. We made this anchor chart to leave up in our room as well. 

     We began working with place value of whole numbers through the 999,999,999. We also began working on comparing and ordering whole numbers as well. We created this anchor chart for our classroom. The anchor chart matched the notes the students were filling in. 

     Whew! I know that looks like a lot and it is. My 4th mathematics students only see me on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours each day. We take advantage of every second we have together.

Fourth Graders Save Fred!

 For the first day of math class, I introduced myself to the students by telling them about my family and showing them a picture, telling them about how big a Crimson Tide fan I am, and reading them one of my favorite children's books Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. We talked about rules and procedures for our classroom. 
      The first problem the students had to solve was to save Fred. Fred is a gummy worm that can't swim. He went boating in a clear plastic cup and his boat flipped over. His life preserver (gummy peach ring) was under the boat (clear plastic cup) with Fred sitting on top of the boat. The students had to get the boat turned back over and Fred in his life preserver. The catch was the only tool they could use to save Fred was a paper clip. Students worked together in groups of 4 to save Fred. When we finished, I had the students tell me what saving Fred had to do with math. Then we talked about strategies they used to save Fred and created a list. We also talked about their attitude during the activity and how they didn't get mad or give up.
    Then we took a place value preassessment so I would know which areas of place value we need to focus on in class and which areas could be practiced at home. We also read How Much is a Million? and I introduced place value through the hundred millions place. We created a class anchor chart and students took notes. We practiced identifying the value of different digits within a number.

Math 4A:

Math 4B: