My students are playing the same game this week. Why?
So I can make sure everyone - and I mean everyone - understands how to rotate through the Cycles of our math workshop.
I cannot take credit for this set-up. I modeled it after Beth Newingham's workshop that she described here: http://blogs.scholastic.com/top_teaching/2010/05/math-workshop.html.
My workshop begins with a whole class mini-lesson. We use the Envisions program, so my mini-lesson usually centers around the Visual Learning Animation that is included with the program. We follow that up with a quick journal activity.
In the journals, my students sometimes tell about what they just learned. Sometimes they solve a tough word problem. Sometimes they describe their feelings about math. Sometimes they write about their favorite parts of math workshop. And, sometimes they describe strategies that they invented - all by themselves - to play the math game of the week.
Those strategy entries are the ones that I see them sharing. And reading without prompting. However, I believe those are the toughest to write.
After journaling, I begin the 3 cycles of my workshop.
First, I have to pretest each student before beginning a new chapter (topic in Envisions). I group the kids into 3 categories based on the pretest. Group A kids need a lot of help on that topic. They need to work with me in a small group and get lots of support. Group B kids showed me they are ready to learn the material. And Group C kids? Those Group C kids are the real reason I started math workshop. They already know the material for that chapter. The groups are fluid. Most children are assigned to different groups from chapter to chapter. I always have a couple of kids who stay in Group C the whole year.
Before I organized my math instruction into a workshop, I taught a whole-class math lesson. Then I worked with small groups - except I didn't really. I actually worked with the same small group every day. The other kids mostly worked alone. When they finished, they would grab a challenge sheet - that I didn't have much time to help them with, because I was firmly entrenched with my small group.
And, my poor small group. They never had time for the challenge sheets. We played games, maybe once a week, but those poor babes usually had work left over that they needed to finish.
So, here's how my cycles work.
CYCLE 1
During Cycle 1, I work with my small group. We sit on the carpet in front of the smartboard with manipulatives spilling out around us. Our work is on clipboards, or the smartboard, and they have to demonstrate that they know the math. They show me with cubes, or counters, or acting, or number manipulation. But, we work until they prove to me that they can do it.
And, most importantly, they prove it to themselves too.
Group B, the group that is ready to learn the material, but are not independent yet (my average grade level learner) is usually my largest group. They begin Cycle 1 playing the Game of the Week. I teach the game on Friday afternoon - or sometimes Monday if I run out of time. This group is very vocal about how much they love Math Workshop. There must be some positive mojo about starting math with a game.
Group C, my advanced group, begins Cycle 1 completing the math worksheet independently. When I first started the workshop, I did not ask them to complete the worksheet if I had proof they knew the material. However, I've discovered that the practice increases their accuracy. It usually takes them 5 minutes. Then they join Group B at the game.
CYCLE 2
Cycle 1 ends when Group A has proved to me that they understand. They head off to complete the worksheet together at one of the side tables. I've taught them how to work as a team. Occasionally, they head off and work independently. But most days they are happy to work together. I love to hear their voices as they repeat parts of my lesson word for word.
Group B joins me at the carpet. I provide guided practice of the skill introduced in the mini-lesson. We work together for a short time.
Group C stays at the game, or goes there if they were still completing the worksheet.
CYCLE 3
Finally, Group A gets to play the game.
Group B finds seats so they can complete their practice sheet.
Group C joins me at the carpet for a challenging lesson. I generally try to work with an advanced topic related to the day's lesson. If we are working on place value, I might have Group C work on numbers to 1 million. However, my lessons often branch out into math topics that they have requested. Those advanced second graders often want to multiply large numbers, or learn long division. We use manipulatives and learn what the algorithms mean. Sometimes they get a tough math puzzle - logic puzzles and kenkens are some of my favorites.
WRAP UP
And finally it's time for the wrap up. Although to be honest, I usually look up at the clock and have to rush to clean everything up. Wrap Ups might include students sharing a "brilliant" journal entry, explaining a strategy, describing a light bulb moment, or just turn and talk.
It sounds complicated, but once the kids understand the cycle rotation, it's smooth. I'm lucky to have a full time Teaching Assistant, and even luckier because she's wonderful. She's out there in the wilds of my classroom helping kids with their practice sheet or helping someone with the game.
When it gets good and loud out there, I'll glance up from my lesson and see her playing the game of the week with a child and an audience watching in wonder.
Math workshop could work without her, but I wouldn't want to try it. She's a blessing.
So...about repeating the same game this week? Sum Wars?
Today in one of my group lessons I asked Max, "How did you know 9 + 5 so quickly?" (I thought I was going to get a 2nd grade explanation of the 9's Trick.)
"I learned it playing that game. I kept practicing until I was faster."
Oh yeah. You heard it here.
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