Common Core Critical Verbs Vocabulary Instruction FREEBIE

As testing time is nearing for us in Michigan, I am spending a few intentional minutes each day reviewing those CRITICAL Common Core verbs like: analyze, articulate, cite, comprehend, convey, collaborate, etc.  My students cannot do well on "the test" if they do not know what the questions are asking them to accomplish.  Purposeful vocabulary instruction is a MUST for test success!  

I'd love to share with all of YOU a FREE week of the instruction packet I am using for this purpose. I hope you find it as useful as I have.

This FREE packet includes a daily practice sheet for four Common Core critical verbs.  I use these pages Monday through Thursday as a daily warm-up..  It also includes a weekly quiz over the words. We take the weekly quiz every Friday.  An answer key is contained as well for the weekly quiz.  

The intentional, purposeful instruction is helping my students to recognize, use and apply these words on a daily basis.  I even overheard a student last week say to her partner, "You need to articulate your answer more clearly, I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say."   I almost high fived her.  LOL  Enjoy!!!

  

Project-based Learning: FREE Teacher for a Day PBL

Have you heard of project-based learning? It's my favorite way to have students apply the Math standards during the second half of the year. Read up on project-based learning below and then download a free activity!

What is Project-based Learning? Project-based learning is a teaching method where students gain and apply skills by working on a long project where they complete an in-depth inquiry into a specific topic or question. Like all teaching methods, it's not standalone. It can be added to the teaching you are already doing in your classroom. PBL allows for more real world application and in-depth understanding of the concepts your students need to understand.

What are the benefits for students? Project-based learning is exciting for students. The first time I did PBL in my classroom, students were voluntarily doing extra research and activities for their project at home. I am constantly impressed by the level of interest students take in these projects. Student interest equals engagement, which will raise your test scores without all that boring test prep. In the long run, PBL helps students practice life skills like creating a budget or starting a business.

What are the benefits for teachers? In project-based learning, students work to investigate the concepts by making their own choices. Once you've set up the parameters, the students do all the work. You are just there to facilitate. PBL also involves far less paper than worksheets, and far less grading. Students receive a final project grade, and observational grades throughout.

Happy Holidays! Constructed Response Task Cards

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Are you read for December to be here? I'm really not! We're on the countdown to state testing now, so I'm excited to work in some practice on multi-step, constructed response problems.

This freebie includes 8 cards for you to use to practice these difficult problems in your classroom. Each card is holiday-themed, so your students won't even realize they're doing difficult math!

Fact Fluency Freebie

Hi, I'm Mercedes from Surfing to Success.  I'm currently a K-6 Intervention teacher.  Part of my desire to teach intervention came from my year as a 5th Grade Math teacher.

One of the biggest challenges teaching 5th Grade Math was the lack of background skills.  I found myself trying to teach a 5th grade skill to students that on a 3rd grade math level.  It is important to communicate with the students and parents what you expect.

Today's freebie has a poster that shows what students should be able to do fluently in grade K-6. 

Click here to get a copy.  There is a second version included that has the standard numbers.

There is so much to accomplish in 5th grade math.  Knowing that multi-digit multiplication is the Common Core Math Fluency goal, can help provide some focus.  

We start the school year screening for multiplication fluency so we can provide basic multiplication intervention for the 5th graders that need it before they fall too far behind.

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