Although I am not implementing all of the ideas I am getting at this point I can see how the more I incorporate authentic learning activities the higher level learning that will occur. Based on the lessons/activities I have implemented I am seeing how my students are beginning to make connections from what they are learning in math to how it connects to the real world. I am struggling to find the balance between continuing to fully implement our curriculum as required by the district while still providing these experiences with my students.
My students are definitely more engaged in the learning when they are involved in simulations as opposed to pencil/paper work. Just recently I was teaching my students how to find perimeter and area of a basic rectangle and more complex shapes. We spent some time doing worksheet type activities and I realized students were quickly becoming bored with this and had memorized the process but weren’t understanding what exactly determining the perimeter and area was telling them. After meeting with my grade level partner we found several websites that helped students connect the process with why they would need to know perimeter and area. A few of the websites we used were: http://tinyurl.com/e4jrh; http://www.funbrain.com/poly/index.html; http://www.mathplayground.com/area_perimeter.html
I am not sure if it is the same in your district or not, but in mine, we use the EveryDay Math curriculum. While this curriculum meets most of the district benchmarks and standards, it does not meet all, meaning teachers need to supplement activities to certain parts of the curriculum to ensure student mastery. I have to remind myself that I should not be assessing how students do with EveryDay Math, but with the standards. Because of this, I find myself creating my own lessons for certain topics, rather using the math curriculum, which sometimes works much better! I would recommend visiting the blog, http://karenogen.blogspot.com/2011/11/area-and-perimeter.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FdrDoI+%28InTec+InSights%3A+Technology+Integration+Ideas+for+the+Classroom%29&utm_content=Google+Reader , as it has a lot of technology tips that are math related, including ones on area and perimeter!
ReplyDeleteThat is so awesome that your district connected you with another to help you out! What math curriculum do you use? What grade are you teaching? Connecting math to the real world has helped my students, too. My students also become quickly bored with worksheets. I have made a list of objects for my students in groups, to measure around the classroom. I have also saved boxes of different sizes, (cereal, shoe), and students have looked for vertices, faces, perimeter, etc.., using them. With our small school, we are able to roam down the halls and measure benches or the hallway itself. Have you tried brainpop? My students do love this site.
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