Wednesday, December 11, 2013

FREE Math Resources

Remember the Staples commercials where the just get to "hit the easy button?" Well, this is pretty much an easy button for great resources!

The Step by Step:
1. Go to http://quantiles.com
2. Click on Use The Quantiles Framework (middle tab, blue)
3. Click on Quantile Teacher Assistant (second gray box)
4. Select Common Core, your grade level, and a standard.
5. If you review each standard you can select "more" (bottom right hand of each column) to view downloadable and digital resources related to each standard!
6. If you know the quantile range of your class (you could get this score from some assessments, for example the Scholastic Math Inventory will give you this information) you can adjust the range of your class at the top of the website. Just move the bar to adjust the range of your class or a small group of students (for example, your intervention group).

This is the VERY simple version of this web resource. These lessons are ready to be taught. If you would like to "kick them up a notch", view the sample below:

Sample 6th Grade Lesson for Rate and Unit Rate:

If you are interested in learning how to create a lesson similar to this one, tweet me! I used resources from quantiles.com to differentiate the instruction. 

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Becoming an Octopus in Your Classroom

Becoming an Octopus in Your Classroom (Growing More Than Two Hands)
Do you have students who need extra help learning specific topics/standards? Do you struggle with only begin able to be in one place at a time? Maybe you could try Learnzillion.

Learnzillion is a website FULL of video lesson resources for students on common core standards. You can search for anything you are looking for and quickly assign it to specific students. 

Follow these quick, easy steps and you will be 
ready to go in no time. 

1. Go to www.learnzillion.com
2. Set up an account. It’s free. (if you have a google account you can use that to sign in)

3. Tell a little bit more information about yourself.

4. Begin your search. Type in something you are looking for. i.e. 2 digit addition 

5. Now your search results will appear. Select the lesson/video you would like to use.     
    (Standards and grade level information is listed below the video)

6. Select the Quick Code option (right hand side of the tabs across the top of the video)


Now, here’s how you get your class there.

1. Group students accordingly based on their individual academic needs.

2. Search for video lessons for each group of students and get the Quick Code.

3. Have your class go to www.learnzillion.com 

4. Provide each group with their quick code. 

5. Students put their quick code into the website and their video will appear. 


Grouping Students 

Here’s one simple way you can provide students with their group information easily, even if the groups change from day to day: 

1. Write each student’s name on a clothes pin.

2. Laminate different sheets of colored paper  If you want, you could put a QR on these colored sheets of paper that links to  www.learnzillion.com (you will need the number of groups you plan to have)

3. Use a dry erase marker each day to write each colored group’s Quick Code onto their paper. 

4. Use the clothes pins to direct each student to the appropriate group. (I use these because they are quick and easy to move as students needs differ daily)

Sample 6th Grade Lesson for Rate and Unit Rate: