Jenga to Review Math

In a normal year I use Jenga blocks to review for tests all year long. I have 8 sets of blocks, enough for each group to have one as we review. 

It’s a pretty basic set up. I print off task cards, or some activity. The kids work independently to solve the problem, then have a discussion about their answers. 

Did they get the same answer? Then they discuss the different strategies they used. 

Did they get different answers? Then they work together to figure out where the error was and discuss strategies. 

By their discussions they are showing their understanding.

After they have a discussion they all take a turn to play a block in Jenga. 

Then they move onto the next problem. 

Solve

Discuss

Learn

Play 

It’s the same kind of thing with a lot of games. 

With distance learning the kids have missed out on that kind of fun, so now that kids are back in the classroom I figured that we could do the same kind of thing in breakout sessions. We tackled this today for our math review and tomorrow we will do it again with the other set of kids.... a different review with the other half of the blocks.  I split each set of blocks so that the stacks were shorter and stacking didn't take as long.

The kids in the classroom are once again the leaders. They have the jenga sets. I stuck the problems in their team channel. The teammates at home cheer on their in class group member, but they also have to help solve the problems.  

I wanted to make sure that only one in class kid is in a group, so I hand picked groups and started the meetings myself, instead of the random assortment we usually do. Each group has one person from group A, one from B, and one from our DL kids. Thankfully my class is split pretty equally.

Hope you had a great day! 

Smarter than a 5th Grader - Math Review

For a while when my own boys were younger we would watch the Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader show as a family. We like those kinds of knowledge shows. Then when I moved to 5th grade, it was a perfect fit to review everything for math. I even found the actual board game in a thrift store and was able to grab the logo to give some official decoration to my classroom. Sometimes that’s all it takes to make it feel magical. Grabbing a logo from a Google search, and projecting it on the white board, and the kids feel extra excitement. 

In a normal year the kids work in teams to create the project. It’s a whole thing, they have to brainstorm a game board - using large poster board. The game boards, game pieces, and corresponding question cards/answer key then are displayed during Open House. Kids quiz their parents, they drag their friends in to play their games, it’s a big deal. They love it!! 

This year I still want kids to have that experience, but I’m giving them the option to go digital, or keep it as a hard copy. All independent. Either way, I get to see their finished product. Of course I want to see their game board, but I’m really looking at their questions and answer key. :)

Here’s how they start. Before any game board is created they have to create questions in specific categories. (Just like the real game show.) Since it’s all math related, they have to come up with 5 problems in each category. 

#1-5 Place Value

#6-10 Order of Operations

#11-15 Multiplication

#16-20 Division

#21-25 Decimals

#26-30 Fractions

#31-35 Graphing

#36-40 Volume

Now they are welcome to use their math book as inspiration, but we always have the deal that they have to come up with their own problems. Word problems being at least 1 of the questions in each category since they are tricky. Usually I give them 40 index cards, and they label the cards with the specific question number and category. This year I’m thinking of just having them stick it all in a PowerPoint.

But what good are questions if they don’t have an answer key for our guests to check their answers? So an answer key must be tucked into a file folder near the board game when the games are played. The file folder also helps to contain all the little pieces once everything is complete.

So creating 40 questions, creating an answer key (and checking their answers to make sure they are correct), and then finally the teams can work together to make a game board. 

I give them a lot of choices. They can do something like Chutes and Ladders, they can do something like Monopoly, they can create something totally new. They need game pieces, they can borrow dice, a sand timer, play money, or even a bell, etc. It’s a way to have fun and review. They must test out the game to make sure it makes sense. They must have directions clearly on the game. 

When everyone is done, we then move into the playing phase. One member of the team stays at their game to explain the rules, while the other members switch around to play the other games. We play the games the following weeks until the last week of school. 

This year, the kids will be creating their games over the 2 weeks before the state math test. They have to turn the different parts in for their daily math independent work. We will also be doing more review in those final few days together, but this game is the bulk of their review.  

Hope this helps,

ELA Review - Shout Outs for Great Resources

In one week the kids will be taking the ELA state tests. You know, the tests that I didn't think would actually happen, but it's now back on... hmmm... I think I have figured out a game plan for testing... But first it’s last minute review time. We have been spiral reviewing all year, and with ELA they either know it or they don't.  But usually they do... I finally settled on a last minute cram plan over spring break - in class vs homework, whole group vs breakout groups. All with the knowledge that in just 5 days my class will not be altogether much anymore. It will be 3 separate groups, moving at their own paces, as I am with the kids testing for hours upon hours...

Back to ELA...

When I moved from 4th to 5th grade I didn’t really know what to expect for state testing, I mean I knew it would be similar, but there's the additional pressure of learning something new.  Jennifer Findley made it easy with her blog posts and her resources.  I met her in real life years ago at a conference, she was so friendly and personable.  I felt like I could trust her advice, so with the move to 5th grade, it was easy to trust her blog.  Today I wanted to share some links that I have found helpful.

Her blog posts about testing... she even has a some free resources. I'm all about not recreating the wheel... I use her post about Test Taking Strategies throughout the year.  I use her free Reading Test Prep Helpers as reference in their notebooks.  I also use her 10 Days of Test Prep Freebies and then have modified to fit my own classroom.  I also use her Test Prep Coloring Pages to help relieve some stress...

This week I am using her Reading Test Prep Task Cards whole class, a handful of questions per day. The last couple of years they have helped to hit all of those standards one more time. I have them printed and will snap a picture to add to our morning conversation. That way the kids at home can click the picture and enlarge it on their own screens. I will then put my copy under the ladybug so kids in class can also follow along.

I also purchased her ELA task cards Rock the Test task cards. I have those prepped for one day to slide into our color channels. It’s a couple pages of task cards per skill. One center per color channel. The kids will get into breakout groups to have a race, and will slide through the rainbow together, answering questions. My in class kids will use their pouch of Brain Flakes to show off what color (aka center) their team is currently working on. 

Rock and Roll theme - I bumped it up a notch and brought in my son’s musical decorations from his bday celebration, and even bought a banner to keep at school. The kids went nuts yesterday when they walked in and saw it. 

Another day we will be working through Jennifer's Survival themed Reading Review.  It's all about survival this year... This is both informational and fiction.  There's also a cute bulletin board prompt to put up.  

For Homework, the kids will be doing another set of review task cards by forkin4th. I'm uploading the task cards to their TEAMs assignment, and the kids will fill in their answers on a separate page before uploading.  

I also like to put these little testing notes by Math Mojo on their desks for testing days.  Just a little something to let them know that I know it's not fun, but that I'm proud of them for their perseverance.

All these resources have helped me keep my sanity in the jump to 5th grade.  I use other things for all year long, most that I've found and bought, some that I've created. I'm the type of person that needs to know that something works before I will buy it, so that was my hope today. Just in case you didn't already know these existed.  These are great review and they are awesome.  I hope this helps you!

Testing Time - Little Brainiacs

We have started getting into Test Mode.  Reviewing everything, including strategies to help us do our best on the upcoming tests.  I found these adorable FREE heads over on TPT from Twinkl Printable Resources, and decided to have my kids create their own little brainiacs to help them remember the key things.  

My kids helped me brainstorm some important things to remember during a test - Reread directions, Pay attention, Take our time, get a good night's sleep, etc..  Then I passed out a piece of construction paper (I chose yellow because that's what I had a lot of to make it pop on the wall - able to see their writing and drawing), and then a half size girl or boy head.  The download has a lot of options, I just chose one girl and one boy that I made copies of.  

After they decorated their head to resemble themselves, I had them cut it out, and then glue it on the middle of the paper.  They then added a t-shirt below and wrote a positive message (I can do it, Believe in yourself, Don't give up, etc).  

Here's what my board looked like... 

Here are some of their creations.  All these little brainiacs are staring at us from the wall.

I hope this helps you!  The kids loved it, and it was a good review of what is important.

TESTING IS DONE!!!

Yes, I meant to shout!

Last week the kids took their first dose of the new SBAC tests.  It was different being in the library, away from the comforts of the classroom.  This year was all practice - the whole point was to provide exposure so they know - and we can spot issues - of what to expect next year when it counts.  My 4th graders only worked on the math portion.  No writing, no reading - just math.  Don't know why they only had to do the math portion, but it was still a learning curve.

I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to get going each day.  Being the first time we all did this, we had an "expert" in the room to help teach us the routine, but by the end of the first day I had a good grasp of what I needed to do.  The kids marched on into the library, they had little cards that had their student information on it (that they had to plug into the computers), and then I did my portion on the administrator computer.  When they were waiting for me to get everyone on the right spot, they grabbed a clipboard, pencil, and piece of of scratch paper from the tub and got settled in.  

Then it was just a matter of wandering around, smiling, and remaining calm.  Some kids were able to finish the portion of the day, so they had a book to read while they waited.  Other kids needed more time and that was fine too.  The format threw some of the kids for a loop - the split screen, using the tools, and scrolling.  We had sent home directions to the families on how to check out the released test questions (mainly to understand how the test was different than past years).  We also stressed the importance of typing the past 4 months as well - typing homework, etc - just to be familiar with the keyboard.  I believe it was easier for the kids that did practice at home.  Other random moments when the computer froze or just logged off altogether made it interesting, but we made it.   

Highly recommend clip boards if your tables don't have a lot of room to work.  Since my grade level was rotating throughout the day - one hour each class, 4 days total - we found it was easier to just leave my class set of clipboards in the library so we didn't have to haul them back and forth - especially during those moments we went straight to recess or P.E.  

Last year I picked up these posters from Dots n Spots.  Even though it was just a practice test (scores don't count - we don't even see scores), my class still went through the different steps of what is important to remember in a testing environment.  

Then we used this poster from Elementary Lesson Plans to brainstorm what helps us individually on assessments - all assessments.  We tackled this on Monday, and then tested Tuesday-Friday.  Good review.  

I also used these little notes from 4th Grade Frolics to tell my kids how proud I was of them.  

Hope you had a relaxing Sunday!  

Tried it Tuesday - ELA Review Book

I'm linking up again with Holly for another thing that works in my classroom.  
In preparation for the BIG TEST, we spend a lot of time reviewing math, but we also review ELA skills that we have worked on throughout the year.  I wanted to share what exactly my students and I will do with this student created book.  

Each student gets the following pages.  I don't do a lot of copying, especially when I don't absolutely need it, but this is worth the copy amount to give them something that will keep them organized.  2 years ago I had my students draw out the different sections on binder paper, it worked until they forgot a specific area...and got lost as to where to stick something.  The main idea of the week before the test is reviewing the different aspects each day. 

Now in addition to this book, my students are also doing center stations, reviewing using Curriculum Associates, and creating their own review games with the different vocabulary words.  I figure that remembering the different vocabulary they will encounter on the test is half the battle... so we spend a lot of time making sure they know it forward and back.   

On Monday we review the types of sentences and examples of nouns and pronouns.  We write down the definitions and specific examples.  We draw pictures.  We look through our reading, science, and social studies texts one more time to find examples.  

On Tuesday we review verb tenses, specific types of helping and linking verbs, and throw in contractions and interjections as well.  I still love the School House Rock video with Conjunction Junction...

 On Wednesday we review simple and compound subjects and predicates.  We do our review activities, and add our examples to the book.  We are back in our texts looking for more examples.  

 On Thursday we review comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs.  It's all about remembering those tricky ones!  

On Friday, we review synonyms, antonyms, prepositions, and conjunctions.  Same idea - add more examples to the book.  
So, at the end of the week the kids have a review book that we have worked hard on.  In the product, the pages are in quarters (like above), and also spread out onto half sheets for those teachers with more copy budgets.  :)  
Maybe this idea will help someone.  How do you review ELA?   

Spring Task Card Templates - Time to Review!

As we are preparing for the BIG TEST, I have my students review the different material by creating their own games. It helps them to internalize the concepts and keeps them having fun during a stressful time. Included in this product are 7 different task card templates with spring clip art, 1 blank task card template, and 1 answer sheet grid. 

Spring clip art includes the clip art on the picture/cover of this product.

How I use task cards in my classroom:
*We play Scoot - each desk has one card, each child has their own answer document, and they rotate around the room. After we are all done scooting, we go over the answers full class.
*We play with the cards during centers/stations.
*I use them with students during small group intervention.
*My parent helpers use task cards to work one on one with students.
Happy Reviewing!

If needed, I have free student task card answer sheets available in my store.

As you can see, the task cards are ready to print off, give to a student, and the students do the rest - they take ownership of their problem to add to the class game.  Teams can work together to create an entire game that the others in the class can then play.  Having the different clip art on the pages keeps each game separate from each other.    
I'm so excited to start using this!  7 weeks and counting until test time.