curriculum… Reflections on the Problem-Based Learning (Symmetry Mini-Unit) 10 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 This is the last post in the series on experimenting with problem-based learning in Claire's fourth grade class. The other posts in the series are: Getting Started with Problem Based…
curriculum… Problem Based Lesson #3: Learning From One Another in Grade 4 9 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 This is a post in a series about problem based instruction in fourth grade -- centering on a series of lessons classroom teacher Claire* and I taught about symmetry. This…
curriculum… Problem Based Lesson #1: Launching Symmetry in Grade 4 7 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 This is a post in a series about problem based instruction in fourth grade -- centering on a series of lessons classroom teacher Claire* and I taught about symmetry. Part…
curriculum… Getting Started with Problem Based Learning in Grade 4 6 Jan 202026 Jun 2020 What are the conditions that inspire teachers to take on problem based instruction? This isn't a story about how you can determine when a teacher -- novice or experienced --…
curriculum… Using Diagrams to Build and Extend Student Understanding 16 Dec 20197 Dec 2019 Co-authored by Kristin Gray (@MathMinds) Originally published on the Illustrative Mathematics Blog (November 25, 2019) Take a moment to think about the value of each expression below. $latex \frac{1}{4}\times \frac{1}{3}$…
curriculum… Using Instructional Routines to Inspire Deep Thinking 21 Oct 201918 Oct 2019 Originally published on the Illustrative Mathematics blog (October 13, 2019). We want students to think about math deeply. Creatively. Analytically. Instead, what often happens is that students race towards quick solutions. So…
curriculum… Mathematical Connections in a Kindergarten Science Unit 18 Mar 201915 Mar 2019 "I'm sorry, we're only loosely doing math today," Jessica apologized as I walked into her kindergarten classroom. "We're deep into our structures unit in science, and I'd like to keep…
curriculum… “Why is the math teacher here for social studies?” 16 Jan 201915 Jan 2019 I slipped quietly into Room 304, trying not to distract the fourth graders, who were finishing up a writing assignment. I set up my laptop to project to the white…
curriculum… #TeamBlankSpace 3 Jan 2019 Every time a child says, 'I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan (1904) When a work page is overly rigid…
curriculum… Cultivating a Listener’s Mindset: A Case for Curriculum 2 Jan 2018 In the last few weeks, I have seen articles about "mental load" circulating around social media again. The "mental load" refers to the invisible but burdensome job of orchestrating of all the…
curriculum Coherence and Telling the Story 6 Sep 201719 Sep 2017 The more I teach, the more I realize the importance of coherence. Beyond serving as a guiding principle of the common core, coherence shines a light on the pathway towards…
