Weird Square Barcodes

Weather you are shopping around town, opening up your mail, or eating dinner at a restaurant, you have probably came across those weird square barcodes called QR (Quick Response) codes.  You can scan these codes on smartphones, tablets, or webcam.  Once you scan them, it takes you right to a Web link. 

Anyone can create his or her own QR codes.  Simply go to a free website and type in a websites URL.  Here is my own QR code for my blog! 

Using QR codes is a fun way to incorporate technology into your classroom.  They lead your students directly to where you want them to go online. 

Here are a few ways you can use QR codes in your classroom:

• A QR code can be printed on your newsletter and can lead your students’ parents to your classroom website/blog to see the latest pictures of a class activity.

• You can print these codes on paper and post them around the room to allow you students’ easy access to educational websites or videos. 

• You could also post a QR code on the top of an assignment; this code could lead your students to a video that goes along with the assignment.

• Video students reviewing books they have read and put it on your class website or blog. Make a QR code for each video. Have these QR codes near the bookshelves and if a student is interested in the book, they can go to the video to find out how their classmates liked the book.

Incorporating QR Code in your classroom provides students with a fun and interactive way to access and practice utilizing important features while using technology.    

Using the WHOLE BRAIN!

I fist saw whole brain teaching through my practicum hours at King Elementary School in Deer River, Minnesota.  I would love to incorporate this teaching style into my classroom in the future.  This teaching style is a fun way for teachers to be involved with their students and keep their attention at all age levels.  The classroom is always fun and energetic.  The students are ready to learn and stay focused. 

  

Traditionally, education has been focused on right brain activity; the reasoning and rational part of the brain.  The left side of the brain is involved in creative activity.  It is being proven more and more that using both the right and left side of the brain leads to far more effective teaching.  Whole brain teaching! Using the WHOLE BRAIN!

I will discuss the Five Classroom Rules that are involved with the big seven elements.  These classroom rules involve using every part of the brain because they involve reasoning and rationalizing and also creative activity through gestures.

Rule #1:

Make your hand shoot forward

Rule #2:

Raise your hand and pull it down next to your head.  Then Make a talking motion with you hand. 

Rule #3:

 Raise your hand and pull it back down next to your head.  Then make a little walking figure with you index and middle fingers.  

Rule #4:

Tap one finger to your temple as you say each word.

Rule #5:

 Hold up your thumb and index finger on both the right and left hands to make two "Ls" framing your face.  Then bob your head back and forth with each word.  Remember to smile really big!  

Math Interactive Scrapbook!

Math works like a stack of building blocks.  You have to understand one area before you can successfully move onto the next area.  Math can be overwhelming.  There are so many rules, properties, operations, and skills to remember.

Be creative!  Math interactive scrapbooks can help your students be successfully in math and help them remember all the rules, properties, operations, and skills.  These scrapbooks can be used as a reference to your students when they get stuck.  These scrapbooks could be carried year to year.    

Students will receive their own composition notebook at the beginning of the year.  On the first day have them design their custom cover.  Remember to laminate the covers to prevent wear and tear.  Throughout the year add notes and examples inside that are colorful and creative. 

Remember that all students learn in different ways.  The creating of a scrapbook can be helpful to a variety of learners.  Allow freedom with these scrapbooks because they are for the students and what works for them individually.       

Math Is Everywhere!

Why do I need to know this?  When am I going to use this? 

As a future educator I am always on the search for making math fun for students by finding ways to relate it to their everyday lives.  The more teachers talk about math and relate new concepts to everyday life, the better chance we have at changing their attitudes towards math.  Math is truly everywhere.  It surrounds us! 

After introducing a new topic find an activity to engage your students.  There are so many possibilities especially when introducing fractions, decimals, and percents.    

Lets have some fun with decimals and percents!  Have your students bring in some adds for a fun activity.  Students can partner up and work through task cards.  These task cards may include selecting a number of items and calculating the final cost including tax and discounts as well as calculating change.  Another activity is to compare price per unit.  

Fractions can be a challenging topic but with the right instruction and motivation they can be fun!  Here is a fun rap to remind your students of fraction rules: 

“Multiplying fraction no big problem,

Top times top over bottom times bottom.

Dividing fraction, as easy as pie,

Flip the second fraction, then multiply. 

If adding or subtracting is your aim,

The bottom number must be the same!

Change the bottom using multiply or divide,

But the same to the top must be applied.

And don’t forget to simplify,

Before its time to say goodbye.” 

Once your students are comfortable with their fraction skills move onto a fun activity.  Have your students bring in some recipe cards.  Students can partner up and work through task cards.  These task cards may include doubling, tripling, or quadrupling recipes.  It could be fun to make a big gourp mix as a class after this recipe activity.

Remember math is fun and exciting!  Take a step back and look at your everyday life and see what you can relate to your teaching.  Encourage & Inspire!

What Place Am I?

Would your students struggle reading the number 1,563,472?  They probably do because the biggest number you usually have to read is the 4-digit or sometimes the 3-digit.  

To really succeed in math, you have to understand place value.  Students have to understand that each number represents a certain amount depending on its place.  

Below are two videos where students are using base ten blocks for addition and subtraction.  This hands-on strategy gives the students a sense of number and place value.  It teaches the students the why and what; why are we borrowing and what are we borrowing? 

I believe if students had this visual hands-on strategy incorporated into their learning early on, they would have a better understanding of math.  While growing up, I was not taught the why and what to addition and subtraction, it was just “the rule.”  It is important for teachers to provide their students with experiences that allow them to look at numbers in different ways, improve their sense of number, and build a foundation that will allow them to be successful in math.

Addition

Subtraction

Anchor charts are always a great accessory to have in your classroom for both you and your students.  They displace current information that is accessible to your students to remind them of prior learnings and allows them to make connection with new learnings.  I found a great anchor chart for place value that includes standard form, word form, and expanded form.