Working together to derive the formula for circumference #kispd #zaichcrewz #math

Using Skitch to find Geometric Shapes

Skitch is a wonderful FREE app that allows you to annotate a photo. 

Steps: Beginning our geometry unit in my 5th grade class, I wanted a fun way for students to discover geometric figures in the world around them. Rather than simply locate a square or a triangle around the room, I thought that it would be awesome if kids used Skitch on the iPad to take fun pictures of shapes and then call out those shapes using the apps graphic features. Additionally, students wrote the definitions of the words on the photos as a way to document their knowledge. 

1. Download Skitch on the iPad from the App store. 


2. Open Skitch


3. Make an account or don’t, either way works. 


4. Take a photo


5. Use the features to write on the photo, to call out items, etc. 


6. Take a screenshot on the iPad of the photo if you didn’t make an account. 


7. Log into Google Drive on the iPad


8. Click upload, upload the images from the iPad to your Google Drive (wonderful feature of Google Drive on the iPad). 


9. On the computer, have students share images with you. 

Pluses for activity: I liked this activity for a few reasons: it got kids up and moving, had them working together, realizing that geometry is all around them and we could finish a pictures in about 15 minutes. 

Application: Additionally, Skitch has quite a few applications: finding a picture from Google and annotating it, taking pictures for a photography class and annotating, documenting a science experiment etc. 

Collecting the Photos: I did not have students make accounts. Instead I had them take a screenshot on the iPad of the image. Then they uploaded it to their Google Drive and shared it with me. This was a much easier way to get the photos to me as I didn’t want to take the time to make accounts.

Feel free to reply with your ideas on how to use Skitch in your classroom. 

Working hard at #math #kispd #zaichcrewz

Humanizing the classroom—see the individual in the classroom by using technology to differentiate, to innovate and to provide interaction amongst students. Check out the full TED talk by Sal Khan here!

Today's Meet...

Wow, wait, what? Many times I have found my students coming to class after watching a conceptual video done on Educreations or Khan academy and are still striving to grasp the concept of mathematics that was taught.

Flipped teaching has worked wonders in my fifth grade class, allowing me to better differentiate and keep up with kids using the coaching features on Khan academy. But there is more to flipped teaching than just watching videos at home and working on problems in class. 

Understanding the hows behind mathematics is key. This past month I have begun to use Today’s Meet at the start of my math class as a place to post conceptual questions. Right now I am creating the questions for the students about the math, but in the future I hope to have them create their own. As a table group, the students then discuss the questions with each other thus increasing their abilities to also discuss mathematics verbally. Next, student are called on to explain a question to the group. 

Throughout this time, each group has one computer set up that allows them to put in answers on Today’s meet or ask questions. An alternate to using todays meet is to make a simple google presentation with the concept questions on a slide and then share this with one student in each group. 

The next step is to give practice problems. I allow students to work collaboratively on these and will pull small groups during this time if needed. Additionally, sometimes this time is used for a project or a more open ended math activity like ones found on illuminations or the Silicon Valley Math Institute website. 

Overall, I am incredibly happy with the structure of my math class now. Each day needs tweaking and shifting and there are times where I simply wish I had another hour with them, but as a teacher it is good to reflect and be open to change because as we know change keeps us growing and learning just like our students. 

Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajc1/8144344750/

Magic of Educreations

Last night at about 10 pm, I received an email from a student kindly and maturely explaining that she was utterly confused by dividing decimals into other decimals. Only an hour or so prior to this, I had g-chatted a student who also was in  a pickle about dividing decimals.

I scratched my head and decided to watch the Khan Academy math video I had assigned one more time to asses it for confusing pieces. After watching it through, I discussed it with my husband and we came to the conclusion that while I understood the video, a 10 year old at home with only Mr. Sal Khan and his or her math notebook for guidance might find the video confusing.

Post video assessment, I logged onto Khan Academy to view the work of my students (one of the many benefits of using Khan academy both in and out of the classroom is that one can actually see the modules that students are struggling on, haven’t started, are proficient at or need to review). Once I found the two selected modules I had assigned, I noticed that quite a few students had been struggling. What I also noticed is that quite a few students seemed to give up after a few problems.

At this point two thoughts crossed my mind 1) Did they give up because they truly didn’t understand? or 2) Did they give up because they wanted the answer spoon fed to them?

My biggest cultural shift since coming to Korea as a teacher, has been realizing that my students truly need to learn how to critically think about their work, understand why something is the way it is, and then apply their knowledge.

That point aside, I brushed my teeth, put on my PJs, and hopped in bed with my ipad and stylus. Then I opened up Educreations and started making a video for my students regarding dividing decimals. What I realized was the kids needed a real life situation to think about dividing decimals in and they also needed a simpler problem in which to first learn the concept.

Upon arriving at school, we watched the video as a class. As the kids watched the video, I watched their faces. It seems some concepts were sinking in, it seemed that some questions were cleared.

I am a firm believer in the power of explanation and Educreations makes it incredibly easy to explain a concept exactly as you would like your students to understand it. Additionally, there is great worth in exploring Educreations in general as there are many videos already created by other teachers that you can use.
Using Educreations in congruence with Khan academy also makes even more magic happen.