Expert Groups...from Science/Social Studies to Math

Originally this post started out a State Testing Bashing Rant...however, I "Pollyanna'd" it and am, instead going to share the good that came out of preparing for the test.

To trying and at least get some practice with the stuff we haven't learned yet, we have been using expert groups.  They are not my own creation, it is a modified version of something from GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design).  I have never used expert groups with math before.  Usually a small group studies something then shares out.  For example, during science we are studying birds.  Groups worked together to learn about different bird habitats, then shared with rest of class.

I thought why couldn't something like this happen with math.

Here is what we have been doing-
Friday-Students are chosen to be expert group leaders.  (Before Monday I figure out what I want them to do.)
Monday-we have a "working lunch meeting."  I go over the three or four concepts I want the class to work on.  They choose the one they feel most comfortable teaching. 
Monday-Share their lesson with two groups of studnets
Tuesday-Share their lesson with two groups of students.

Then we repeat the process with new groups on Wednesday and Thursday. 
So far we have gone through the process twice. 
Round 1-Three Expert Groups
Shapes with lines/no lines of symmetry

Names of different polygons

 Balanced equations-apparently the class photographer missed this group:-)

Round 2-Four Expert Groups
Exploring 3-D shapes

3 dimensional shape organizer

Different kinds of lines

Different kinds of angles

I am amazed at how well it has been going.  I don't think it is something I could keep up with all year long, but it has been far more smooth than I thought it would be and everyone is learning something better than if I tried to do giant whole class lessons about all these different topics.

Happy Monday,

Rollin Some More

One of my favorite things about teaching 1st grade was all the really fun units that drove the year.  Then I moved to second and while we still had units it just didn't have the same feel as first grade.  This year is my first year teaching a straight 3rd grade (the past couple have been blends).  I was determined to find units that would be new, fun, and include the academic stuff too.  We started with Bears....I have a bunch of pics that I need to get into a post.  We have now moved onto Forces and Motion.  Last year we did this unit in mini-form.  It is one of my favorites!  Thought I would share some of the work we have done so far.  

Some anchor charts-

  

A place to keep our work.

Inside our file, we keep two books.  The journal is for any writing, thinking, and ahas we have during our experiments.  The data log is for recording our experiment information.

Before we could begin our experiments, we had to set some standards so that everyone tested their ramp with the same experiments.  That way each outcome had a "fair" chance to win.

Then we did some pre-planning

And finally began our tests

For further reading on forces and motion click here or here or here.

Happy Sunday,

Liquids, Solids, and Gasses

We have started a States of Matter Unit.  This week we did a "poster walk".  I put the words, solid, liquid, gas, and matter on different papers and students wrote what they knew about those words on the poster.

Then we did some overviewing of liquids, solids, and gasses.  After we finished, we went through magazines looking for liquids, solids, and gasses and sorted them onto our page.

Happy Tuesday,

Some State Testing and Some Science

The sad part of the day.....
door closed-students all apart-state testing

I duct taped the door jam so we wouldn't be distracted if people came and went...I encourage movement breaks...just not in the room:-)

Just a note to let everyone know to stay out...I taped this on top of the doorknob.

Sustenance for all involved!

The better part of the day....
My Chickadeees are SO into their non-fiction books.  I am loving how hard they are working!  Even the off-task ones haven't needed reminders.

 We ended the day with some science.  We defined germination and the parts of a plant.

a diagram to add to our lap book

Then we used our bodies to show what each stage of a plant might be expressed.

germination...note the tiny leaves

seed

Then I sent four students in the hall and told them to each pick one stage of a flower.   Then told them to come back in, out of order.

 Another student had to direct them back into the correct plant growing order.

Happy Tuesday,

Pansy Dissection

More dissecting today.  This time a flower.  We had lots of fun finding all the parts. 

Cleaning table before cleaning up plant parts....

Then each group had to choose one part that we are going to replant for our science inquiry project.

That's all for today.  Now off to the annual staff vs. student basketball game.
Happy Thursday,