Math Observations

Kindergarten Math Observations Mrs. miller, Antelope Elementary, Kindergarten Observed Wednesday (900am-1030am) 3/27/13 Class elbow room of life rotation- children went from wizard room to the next for separate subjects, e rattlingplacely from apiece unmatched separate of kids had been evaluated and prescribe into modernistic, moderate, and standard takes. This was besides k todayn as threesome train, second take, and 1st level kids. Advanced Group- 3rd level kids Classroom was set up into three separate group set affirms. Kids would head for the hills from represent table to go table to complete different mathematicss activities.Before proscribedset their groups the t for apiece oneer origin went thru math skills they had conditioned the fore de bumpure week (adding the dots on a both fontd domino). at that placefore the t for apiece oneer went on to this weeks concept (adding objects). She therefore read a narration roughly a lady fri obliterate a nd a male child that wanted to contain how umteen magnets they had to absorbher. The girl had 3 black magnets and the boy had 2 hand magnets. She accordingly had the children add up (count) the total amount of magnets on the board. She hence waited what they thought the math hassle would be. They repeated 3+2= 5.She so asked if unanimous pupils had unders alsod wherefore it was that and solely resolvinged with in each(prenominal) the sign language symbol for I passinge or yes. Group 1- compete a version of math bingo. employ math businesss to find what sec to be sick there chip on. The wait on to that firmness of purpose was where there chip was and so pose. This bet keepd until entirely substantives were filled. This group was aided by Mrs. Joyce (a. k. a instructors assistant). When kids began to campaign with lines for example akin 3+4, the assistant slowed d avouch the game and take aim received each student recognize that 3+4 was 7 and consequently to place their chip on s flat.Group 2- This group was with the teacher. This group maneuvered ideal a worksheet piece of music with their teacher. The first side of the worksheet was well-nigh image propertys. Mrs. moth miller first asked them the consult of the coin (ex. plate). The children answered nickel. She accordingly asked what the value of the coin was (ex. Nickel= 5cents). The children answered 5. She past asked the children to count by fives for each coin. She so asked the children if the answer was 15 cents or $15. They answered 15 cents.Example riddle (three nickels) 51015 = 15 cents The second side of the work sheet was order of payment what the story was saying as first a portrayal, or a visual, and and so as an equation. Mrs. Miller first read the story. Then the students went thru causeing the picture with the teacher. Example worry Tanya has 2 red balloons and 1 dis comment balloon draw the picture. Mrs. Miller whence asked the s tudents what the problem would escort interchangeable. The students answered 2+1= 3. She past do certainly that each student understand and had the correct answer before proceeding to the next problem.Example problem Jamal has 3 docile straightforwardlys and 2 dis change fledges, draw the picture. Mrs. Miller indeed asked the students what the problem would seek like. The students answered 3+2= 5. She hence made sure once over again that each student comprehended the problem and why it was 3+2= 5. aft(prenominal) rough 15-20 minutes the groups switched and rotated to the former(a) table. At 1030 the children lie up at the door and went second to their homerooms for snack. (end of observations) Summary/ Reactions Mrs. Miller, Antelope Elementary, Kindergarten I enjoyed notice this schoolroom over all.I in reality care the way her schoolroom had been set up with not and desks in a words exactly the students were assigned tables and then they alike had an assigned seat on the carpet. I was pleasantly surprised at the level of math the students were able to complete and comprehend. I counted in the sustain of my head what I had originally thought kindergarten was and remembered just now larn my alphabet and thumb painting. I genuinely wish that the students had been assessed into different levels of comprehension and was jocund to key that virtually of them succeeded to a greater extent in the segregated math environments.I also want that their math prison term had been split into devil subgroups. I observe that this attended the students fascinate a break from the monotony of doing the same math problems over and over by also allowing them to improve on some of their some an opposite(prenominal) math skills simultaneously. there were a a couple of(prenominal)er differences within each group level that I would like to overturn also. mo one I would like to flip tongue to some my receptions to the level thre e students. My sign response to the students was that they were all very cogitate lightly be call ford kids for kindergarteners.The students had no problem and truly looked like they enjoyed playing the Math Bingo. I detect Mrs. Joyce did not encounter to help them as a bully deal with adding the get alongs together and seemed to exercise the answers quite quickly. When the students were in the second group with Mrs. Miller they were asked more difficult questions such(prenominal)(prenominal) as the three factor problem (mentioned in observations). I was surprised to see that most of the students had no problem drawing and writing forth the problem even though an additional factor had been added.Then when they move on to numerate the coins I desire that volume of the students could recognize the coin, the value of the coin, and then by using its amount counting up to find how much gold they had. Over all, this group definitely founded they were advanced. cotermino us I would like to talk well-nigh my reactions to the level twain students. My initial reaction to the students was that they were a particular less foc utilize but comprehension wise were nonoperational fairly up there. I wish that the group activity had changed for group number one from math bingo to a more practice oriented group. I did notice that Mrs.Joyce had to help a few students in setting up their number in rows and would have liked to see her mayhap show the students first how to put the numbers in rows. In Mrs. Millers group, or group number two, I observe she didnt rightfully reduce on the writing of the problems to equalize the stories. I notice that the kids didnt understand as much as the previous level why they got there answer as much as what their picture looked like. And then when the students went thru the coin side of the work sheet I thought that a few students answered more frequently first and then the other students would copy there answer.Over all, this group was slightly less advanced but also above the ordinary kindergartener. Finally I would like to talk ab go forth my reactions to the level one students. My initial reaction to the students was that they were definitely a voltaic pile more easily distracted by the set up of the room and each other. I did like that Mrs. Miller went by the numbers 1-30 on flash cartes with this group and that when they began to struggle she slowed shoot down and went thru them again before first the groups. I will definitely control this strategy in my houseroom. I comprehended when Mrs.Joyce took the time to show the students what their numbers should look like when in order by writing them on the board. This was a bulky reference and I discover absolute majority of the students used it as such. I discover though with this group, more than the last group, Mrs. Joyce helped he students find each number instead of letting them find them on their own. I assumed that maybe she was just try to save time. In group number one with Mrs. Miller I noticed the students would lose focus much easier and name coming up the answer much more difficult.I especially noticed that at one point on the anterior of the work sheet students were mostly blurting out guesses not actual thoughts. I would have liked to have scene maybe a break at this time to go back and explain why the answers were what they were, but I understand at the same time that the groups were on a time schedule. On the back of the work sheet I noticed majority of the students struggled when asked what the coins were even though examples of the same coins had been placed on the board. I would have likely reminded them of the pictures on the board.Over all, this group was definitely unstrained to learn, but lost focus the most often. In conclusion, observing this kindergarten class has truly changed my outlook on what I used to think kindergarten was. I am now more willing to consider this pit level as a practicable career. I saw a few things I would have maybe through with(predicate) differently, but over all my observations of Mrs. Millers kindergarten class were mostly authoritative and rewarding experience wise as well. triplet Grade Math Observations Mrs. Shaffer, Metteer Elementary, Third Grade Observed Thursday ( 1000am- 1100am) 3/28/13 Classroom setupThe desks were set up in groups of two. Each group had been strategically placed there because of their willingness to volunteer or the lack there of. For instance a student that answered questions a lot would be placed with another student that didnt volunteer so much so as to repair that student more willing to raise their hand and get in in give-and-take. The classroom was covered in inspiring bills and excellent art work made from each student. There was also a smother dedicated to the highest scored slope tests. There were a set of classroom Dos and Donts on the wall.Examples Make good choices, Make the teacher happy, and Fallow charge quickly. Each conventionalism had a hand signal. For example make good choices is taking your pointer finger and pointing to the side of your head. After the teacher went through each rule she then had each student teach it to their neighbor. There was a wall with small pouches on it with each students desk number on each and in each pouch was a green, lily-livered, and red card. When a student talked out of influence or was not fallowing directions the student was then instructed by the teacher to go crop their card or switch their card from green to yellow or from yellow to red.On the board there was a supply system set for when the class as a group were not on task or not fallowing directions. If the students were too loud they got a computation record on the frowny face side, and if they quieted down and got think again they received a tally mark on the smiley side. At the end of the day the tally marks were added up and if they had more smiley s then frownys they got extra crack that week. Math The teacher began by difference back over 8ths. She drew a square on the board and asked the class how some(prenominal) individual squares made a whole square.The students replied by saying 16 squares. She then cut the whole square in one-half(a) and asked the students how many squares made up one half of the whole square. The students answered by saying 8 squares. The teacher then cut one half the whole square in half and asked the students how many squares equaled one fourth of a whole square. The students answered by saying 4 squares. The teacher then cut one fourth of the whole square in half and asked the students how many squares make up one eighth of the whole square. The students answered by saying 2 squares.Then the teacher asked how many eighths would fit in the whole square. The students replied by saying 8. The students were then told to get out there small square eighth work sheets. The work sheets were about eight square control control grids on a piece of paper. On each grid the students were instructed to creatively shop up the grid into sections so that it had eight equal parts, or eight eighths. Then afterwards they had arouseed their mini squares they were instructed to trade them with their neighbor and enjoin each other on if they accurate the assignment correct as it had been assigned.Then when their squares had been approved, they were then supposed to choose one square they thought looked the beat out and make draw that mini square pattern onto a bigger square grid. The teacher then made sure that each student understood that the squares undeniable to all be colored a different color so they would over lap and that they wrote one eighth on their pages as well. Summaries/Reactions Mrs. Shaffer, Metteer Elementary, third dictate. When I first arrived at the classroom, the students were already starting the day out to a rough start. Mrs.Shaffer was apparently not marrow in the way they had walked to the classroom after recess and had the students walk all the way back to the line up on the play ground and walk back to the classroom again. Although the students slipped up a bit the first time when they had to actually go back and walk it again, I noticed a significant change in their attitudes and their level of focus. Once in the classroom, the students level of compliments went down again but it was mostly because they had a new confusion in the room, me. The teacher started going through the class rules and the hand signals with the students.I noticed that they rightfully enjoyed sharing with their neighbors what they knew and I feel like this simple activity helped them to better enjoy their class mates and grow as group partners. Then the teacher began enquire the students their fractions for eighths and writing the answers on the board. I noticed that not every student was in all paying attention or say the questions as much as other stude nts. I would have liked to have seen the teacher maybe redirect the focus of the whole class as she had through previously in the day, just to continue with consistency.Then the teacher had the students break off into their groups and finish their mini grid papers. I noticed with some of the groups the students were real excited to show their neighbors their squares and had excellent creativity in their designs. The only thing that I noticed did pass with a few of the groups was that they started to act as though the appraisal of whose square was the best was more important than actually complementary the assignment. But when the students reached too loud of a level of noise, the teacher put a tally on the board on the frowny side and the students refocused.Then the students that were finished with the mini squares were then instructed to redraw their favorite design on the large grid square that would be shown at their open house. I really liked that the students made it a point to make their fractions very personal and neat. I then made it a point for myself to ask each student why they chose the colorize they did. Most students replied that the alter they chose were their favorite colors. iodin boy said that he chose the colors brown, green, grey, and black because it made his fraction look like camo print. All in all I had a really great experience while observing in Mrs.Shaffers classroom. Her techniques and her instruction were very unique and different. I take to to meet and or observe her class again someday. one-sixth Grade Math Observations Mr. Smith, Metteer Elementary, Sixth Grade. Observed Tuesday (930am-1030am) 3/26/13 Classroom setup The classroom had its own computers, two wipe boards, and a commercial enterprise board. The Job Board included little pouches with each childs name on them and included job such as Lunch Helpers, Paper Gatherer, Desk Straitener, aroused Minute Man, Computer Monitor, Clean up Foreman, and Phone Person. On the walls there were some(prenominal) flyers.The first one was a poster titled How to print a good paper. It had four colored circles on it. There was one green forgo spell out your topic, one yellow for slow down and give reason, one red for tolerate and explain, and finally another green for go back and restate your topic. The next poster was a transition poster that had a great deal of helpful transitions sentences for the students to use as a reference. The next poster was an Editors Marks Poster. It had signs such as the paragraph sign, . The students desks were all together in a hollow box shape with two desk partners in the center.Math That day Mr. Gappa was having the students build a mammary gland tomb out of banana tree and Apple boxes. He first asked the students how they should start. They started by finding the athletic field of the Banana Boxes (Banana 10 ? 20 = 200 inches squared). Then he asked them what they should do next. They replied that they should fin d out how many boxes and fit in their tomb space. Mr. Gappa then measured each dimension of the turning point of the room where the tomb would be placed. mole one was 100in long and 110in tall. Wall two was 160in long and 110in tall.He then asked the students what they noticed about the dimensions of the banana and apple boxes compared to the dimensions of the walls. They replied that the banana boxes and the apple boxes dimensions were factors of the wall dimensions. Then he asked what they should consider next. They replied that they didnt know how many columns they still needed. Mr. Gappa told them that they would need two columns, but then asked how many boxes it would take to make the columns using the apple boxes (Apple 20 tall). The students then started to write down all the data on the board. Then Mr.Gappa went around the room making sure each student understood their data for the tomb building. For their final blue prints they were to use graph paper, making sure that there boxes were equal to at least(prenominal) two squares on the graph paper. Mr. Gappa then made it clear that he wants all the blue prints to be neat and shot because they were going to be submitted to the Pharaoh contractor. For each wall the students then went about figuring out how many boxes they would need using the formula, area= length? width. When they had finished with their walls, they all gather at the front of the classroom and went back over the data with Mr.Gappa. Mr. Gappa then went around the room making sure that each student was using lots of color on their blue prints and were making sure they were very neat. He then mentioned a real life situational fact to the kids that they were going to be like little twisting workers when they begin building the tomb. Summaries/Reactions First of all I would like to begin by saying how much I really liked the set up of the room. The kids were nearly enough together for quiet handleion during tasks but also when out o f their seats had plenty of room to move passim the classroom.This class was also the quietest sixth grade class Ive ever seen. eve Mr. Gappa spoke quietly when giving direction to make sure that each student had to listen very closely just to hear what he said, I nigh didnt even hear what he said. Next I would like to discuss the math. I really liked that Mr. Gappa had taken the time to create a math project for all the kids that used all the math skills they had learned during the year to help in the making of a mummy tomb which was also a part of their history lesson that week.I liked that when going over the data Mr. Gappa didnt just give the students the answers but made them figure them out on their own. This to me showed the true attentiveness and committal to memory skills that the students had obtained that year. The last thing I liked was the student teacher relationship that Mr. Gappa had with all his students. He was serious when he needed to and the students switche d modes as well and truly view him as an authority. Yet at other times he could laugh and jocularity with the students about how the music that he compete was really old.He also reminded me of the High rail teacher Mr. Null in the whiz that he called all the pretty girls plump out and ugly, as to not let them get an ego in his class. All in all, I truly enjoyed observing this class. Their attentiveness to direction and the bond that they had with their teacher was to me very insightful. I will definitely consider using some of his teacher technics in my own classroom someday and hope to go back and observe his classroom someday as well.