Ready (or not!)

School starts tomorrow. My classroom is ready. My house and family are ready. I’m ready. Mostly.

One of the big jobs that needed to be done was writing up some lesson plans. Some teachers are very relaxed about this in the first two weeks, but I like to hit the ground running! I like to establish the work routines early, and I don’t want to waste any of our time. I won’t dive into any serious units right away, but there are some other important things that can’t wait.

I don’t usually plan two weeks in advance. I have units planned out, or picked out, but I like to let the kids establish the pace. During the first two weeks, however, I do have a pretty good idea of how long things are going to take.

The structure of my math instructional block will go like this: read aloud, lesson, activity, congress, counting routine. I have 60 minutes, so my plan is for everything to last about 10 minutes, with the activity lasting 20.

I have two goals during the first 2 weeks.  First, I want to set up the routines for doing our math.  I want everyone to know that we don’t shout out answers, we disagree politely, we try and try again, we don’t throw math manipulatives (at each other, or otherwise).  My second goal is to make sure I can start my math interviews.  I need to spend a few minutes with each child and ask them some questions one-on-one.  This is going to take longer than 2 weeks.  My grade 3s, the ones who are with me for a second year, have already completed this in June (hmmmm….didn’t come across those in my unpacking!) so I can start with the grade 3 interview, a bit later. I know them as mathematicians already, so I know where to start their instruction.  My priority will be to get to know the grade 2s and anyone new to me.

I am switching to an electronic day book this year.  I have made my own using OneNote.  I have been committed to paper, but my binder is such a mess early on, and I get tired of dragging it home every weekend. I also find I have more times when I am using  electronic resources, so I want to simply link those in my plans instead of having them several places. I have decided I will do the e-daybook for at least September and October and I can always print a paper book if I need one. The only thing I haven’t quite figured out is my Number Talk/Number Stings.  I like to write them on Post-it notes (one per day) and stick those in the day book.  I think right now that I am going to still do this, but then stick the Post-it note somewhere else…not sure where.  If I can keep my desk clean I can put them there.  We’ll see!  LOL

Here is my plan: (Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to make it look nicer!)

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Week 1:   Sept 3-6	Labour Day	Story:  Which One Doesn’t Belong   Lesson:  Routines for using math manipulatives – go over where to find the math tools, and how to use them in a respectful way. (Share, Don’t take – ask!, Take only what you need,  pass them politely, clean up)    Activity:    Put a bucket of manipulatives on each table and give kids time to play with them.     Counting Routine:   1-10 with necklaces	Story: Niel’s Numberless World  Lesson:  Review “How to use the math tools” And allow 15-20 minutes of play time with the tools.    Activity:     Counting Routine:     1-10 with necklaces	Story: Spaghetti and Meatballs for All   Lesson:    Working with a partner – Anchor Chart -> “A Good Math Partner…  Listens, waits, lets others have a turn, etc…kids make the poster.     Activity:   Super Source – Closest to the Finish Line.  Students need adding machine tape in random lengths.  They try to lay pattern blocks or other tools end to end to see who can get closest to the end. They will work with a partner to do this.      Counting Routine:  1-20	Story: Everyone Can Learn Math   Lesson:    Clear Communication with your partner – say “I think…” “I don’t understand…” “I want to…” “Please don’t help me…”    Grade 1 – just scoop and sort…maybe with a different tool?  Activity:   Super Source:  Scoop and Sort – scoop out a handful of pattern blocks and sort them.  Grade 2, 3 – how will you record your data?  Work with a partner for this.      Counting Routine:    1-20
Week 2:  Sept 9-13	Story: City by the Numbers    Lesson:    Number Talks Routines – 10 Frame Dot talks all week!  (On Smart Notebook…if I have grade 1s I need to make some 5 frame slides)   Start “I have an answer”…thumbs up routine   Activity:   Classroom Calendar Bulletin Board.  Put the numbers 1-30 in order on a human number line/clothesline math.    https://catchingreaders.com/2018/09/09/the-linear-calendar-wall/   Counting Routine:	Story: The Math Curse   Lesson:    Number Talks –  Thumbs up routine   Activity:   Students will measure the calendar pages to create month labels.  They will write the name of the month on the label.  We will add these to our bulletin board.    Counting Routine:	Story: Estimation book   Lesson:    Number Talks –   Adding on to what someone said, or agreeing with another person    Activity:   Students will measure the other bulletin boards and create borders for them using adding machine tape.     Counting Routine:	Story: Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream   Lesson:   Number Talks –   Disagreeing with someone    Activity:   Students will decorate the borders they made on Wednesday    Counting Routine:	Story: I see a pattern   Lesson:    Number Talks –   Consolidate the routines      Activity:   If borders are done, then: Measure how far your frog can jump.    Counting Routine: