Molding an Understanding of the Properties

Eye's went wide.

"What?! Playdoh!"

"No way!"

There was a sense of joy. A swapping of colors. I looked at each of my four groups of students and said, "You got four minutes to build whatever you want." It was a great warm up for what was to come. Anything from pancakes to elephants. Kids spelling out their names or making sculptures of themselves.  Creativity abound. In hindsight, the pancakes were probably failed something elses.

When the four minutes was up, I gave the kids a few examples of the Identity Property of Addition (3 + 0 = 3 and h + 0 = h). "What does identity mean?" Hands shot up to tell me it is who you are. "How does that relate here?" Hands again, the number wants to stay the same. Yes! 

"Great, now I want you to make your own version of the identity property using whatever you can create as your variable. Go!"

There was a moment of blinking as the wheels turned. Every class struggled for a few seconds to grasp exactly what I meant. Then, BOOM, magic. Again, amazing amounts of creativity, only this time it was being filtered through math. It was awesome.

We repeated this process with the Identity Property of Multiplication (8 x 1 = 8 and t x 1 = t). Now there was a bit more confidence. The students made some amazing things (displayed below). Then we compared the two different properties identifying similarities and differences. Students discussed it at their tables, wrote out an answer, and then shared what they came up with. It was a great lesson. A couple weeks removed, I can also say that it had a lasting effect. Students have taken two assessments since then and have done very well with the properties questions. Score one for creativity. Enjoy the pictures.

OOOOOOHHHH!

Bowties are cool.

No buddy suspects a thing. Can't pass up an OctoDad reference.

Slowly, slowly, slowly says the snail.

In eye popping 3D!

And last, do you wanna build a snowman?

Classflow Tuesday's

I will never forget what my father told me when I was 16 years old. I was learning to drive, and though he may not remember it, these words have held true  to me and been applicable in many facets of life that do not involve cars. "Son," he said, "you have to realize that the car is an extension of who you are, but you still control it."  This is how I feel about Classflow.

Classflow is the Promethean people's new-ish product. I always describe it as what would happen if Active Inspire and Google Docs had a kid. In November of 2014, my Elementary principle sent me to a training session and I never looked back. That may be a bit of hyperbole, I am constrained by the limits of technological availability, but you work with what you have. 

Using Classflow adds an air of excitement to the room. Today, I used it to introduce key words about integers to my students. They would copy down a definition, discuss it with their neighbor, then provide examples of what they thought it might mean through the iPads or laptops. Here is the catch, I was then able to populate the screen with their examples. This allowed us, as a class, to discuss each example and correct it if necessary. Because of the way I took the feed back, the students remained anonymous and were therefore less afraid of making mistakes.

Later in the lesson, I had students come up with a situation that could be represented by a positive or negative integer. This time the students names were displayed proudly. I drew Popsicle sticks from my Bag of Fairness (an amazing Legend of Zelda satchel), and had that student read it and provide the answer. If something was off about their example, we discussed it, allowing students to make suggestions about how to improve it.

To close the lesson, I had students complete a small, very basic, four question quiz that I put together in the presentation. The data is saved on the website for me to pull up and see what I need to review tomorrow before we begin talking about comparing and ordering integers. Super nice in this data driven world we call home. 

What does this all have to do with my Dad's story about the car being an extension of who you are? It is simple. Classflow, and all edtech really, is best utilized when we do so as an extension of who we are in the classroom. I would have done most of this in more basic forms of interaction today with or without Classflow's help. However, the program let me reach more kids. It gave more of my students a voice. It allowed us, as a class, to grow together and help one another. It is the vehicle, but I am still driving...with the windows open...rocking out...to Meat Loaf...And I would do anything for love! Oh, I would do anything for love! Oh, I would do anything for love! But I won't do that!

Anywho, if you are interested in Classflow, check them out at Classflow.com. It is pretty amazing. Just remember to get into the pool at your own pace. I recommend starting slowly with a basic chart and getting some student responses. You will be surprised how much excitement something so simple will add to your room.