Weather Patterns Web Quest

I love webquests.  {Have you heard?}

Here is my newest webquest hot off the press...

Weather Patterns Webquest

Haven't used a Web-Quest before? 

 The students follow the directions of the packet to navigate websites 

and interactive activities, as well as complete the packet.

All YOU need to do is print the packet for each student...

 head on over to a computer lab (or use it as a station within your classroom...)

and the students will do the rest!

Like the Web-Quest above? 

Check out my other web quests on TpT too!

In my experience, the students really enjoy the web-quests.

(For younger students, I might recommend bookmarking the sites in advance to avoid typos in the URL...)

I'm looking for feedback.....

Do you use Web-quests?

Please comment and share any great websites, online activities, or Web Quests you have used!

A taste of middle grades thanksgiving plans...

It has been wonderful to see all the freebies out there....

{Now it's time to see some more plans, ideas, and freebies from middle grades teachers!}

What are YOU doing this Thanksgiving Week in your middle grades classrooms?

Link away!

Feel free to add the linky party to your own blog so we can start a big collection!

get the InLinkz code

Numbers on Thanksgiving Day

Here's a taste of my Thanksgiving Day Plans:

1. Math Notebook Prompt - 

Use permutations to find how many different ways your family can sit at the Thanksgiving table.

Students volunteers are given one minute to present  their diagram 

and their problem solving technique (using a borrowed document camera :) ).

2. Thanksgiving Calorie Calculator- Students complete online survey found at http://arrow.critter.net/thanksgiving.php .  The survey automatically calculates the calories students will eat.  The students then will use a list similar to this (gotta find a new one, this one is not my favorite...)to create an exercise plan to stay active and healthy over the weekend after such a big meal! 

(This was an activity I used in Science last year, but plan to use in Math this year too!)

Thanksgiving Feast My Thanksgiving dinner this year totalled: 3828 calories 143 grams of fat How much did you have? Find out here!

3. Shopping for Turkey Day - I also found a great freebie that I would love to incorporate...but I lost the link and the freebie for it! :-/

Anyone know who posted it? It was for students to use the Thanksgiving circulars from grocery stores to create a menu and add up how much the meal would cost.....

Ed helper also has some awesome thanksgiving themed coordinate graphing worksheets....

Great Gravity Video

As I transitioned from Motions, Forces, and Energy to Astronomy...

I decided to stick with the "Amusement Park" theme.

Since the students just researched their favorite amusement park ride,

they were extremely interested in finding out more about rides and 

the connection between gravity/inertia and rides.

The high interest and prior knowledge provided a perfect opportunity to tie in astronomy concepts....

I planned to only show a few clips of the video,

but ended up showing the whole 30-minute video (stopping every now and then to discuss).

Absolutely worth the $24.99! :)

{Not to mention, it makes me want to go to Disney to ride Tower of Terror ASAP!}

Mr & Mrs Potato Head Freebies!

As I explained in a previous post, Mr. Potato Head sets are great to use to introduce COMBINATIONS!

After using Spud Bud sets to introduce....

it's time to use Mr. & Mrs. Potato Heads to practice solving combinations!

Potato Head Activity Stations FREEBIE 

Students cycle through the stations below creating tree diagrams

and checking their work using the counting principle....

Station 1: 9 combinations   Station 2: 27 combinations    Station 3: 60 combinations   Station 4: 72 combinations

To Create the Stations I purchased:

 2 sets of Spud Buds

1 set of Mr. Potato Head

1 set of Mrs. Potato Head

1 set of Mr. Potato Head extra pieces

1 set of Mrs. Potato Head extra pieces 

**Note: You can make the stations as easy or as difficult as you want depending on the number of options you allow. **

See, look at all the extra pieces I had (eyes, mouthes, earrings, glasses, noses, accessories...)!

Mr. Potato Head Stations Grading Rubric FREEBIE

Disclaimer: I do not grade behavior...this rubric was used more as a self-reflective assessment tool to communicate expectations to the students....I even had them fill out their own copy at the end of the activity.

Mr. Potato Head in MATH?

Using Mr. Potato Head to.....

Introduce Combinations & Permutations Unit:

1. Give each student group a set of Mr. Potato Head Spud Buds.  

(I remove 1 of the round bodies in the set since it is a duplicate....but this activity is easily differentiated by taking away more spud bud pieces....)

2. Challenge the students to create as many combinations as they can  in a given time. 

(Answer = 54!)

3. Have the students list their combinations in a chart.

For example: 

Body     |       Feet      |     Face      |     Ears/Hat      

1. Round     Yellow     Red Nose      Blue Hat   

    2. Tall      Yellow     Brown Nose     Blue Hat   

4. Hold a discussion about what was frustrating or difficult about using a list... and/or what strategies they used to solve.
(In my experience, groups either lose track of the combinations they haven't made yet..
.or approach the activity very systematically. Both experiences are great to discuss.)

5. Move on to a mini-lesson on "tree diagrams" and "the counting principle" to show them quick and effective strategies to find their answer.

This really sells them on using "tree diagrams" and the "counting principle" because the students see how much faster they are to use when solving real-world problems like this....

Pictures of the Tree Diagrams and Counting Principle Stations (seen in storage bags above!)

and FREEBIE WORKSHEETS will be up later this week!

What other manipulatives or activities do you use to teach Combinations and Permutations?

Resources for Using Menus in the Classroom

"Tic-Tac-Toe"...      "List Menu"...     "Baseball Menu"...

We had an in-service this week that re-energized us to incorporate more menu projects.

Here is my "classroom library" of resources for menus that I would highly recommend:

The pre-made menus are wonderful.  And include rubrics for grading.

I do find myself modifying and adapting the menus when I use them...but none-the-less they are both a wonderful time saver and inspiration for activities!

Here are two more that were presented at the in-service.... which I immediately purchased:

I'm excited to get the "Styles and Strategies" book because it gives strategies for teaching and sample worksheets which are broken into a "menu" style of activities for:
 Mastery, Interpersonal, Understanding, and Self Expressive math learners.

Note: I tend to use Menus as more of a summative-project activity.  One of my colleagues uses menus throughout the majority of her unit and gives a little bit of time during each block as more of a gradual process (as more of an anchor activity).

I have also used the student-choice in homework assignments.

I would recommend the Tic-Tac-Math series:

 

How do YOU use menus and student-choice in your classroom?

Link up below if you have created, used, or found any great resources for menus and providing choice in the classroom!

oh, what to do with all the leftover halloween candy?

Oh, what to do with all the leftover Halloween Candy? 

Tons of Halloween Candy left?

Consider it a great excuse to practice measurement with the
triple beam balance through massing candy...

using my Triple Beam Balance Practice and Candy Activity.

Here are some of my favorite things to do with this lesson: 

First: 

Some practice on the mimeo board with interactive websites. #1 and #2

Second: 

Independent practice reading triple beam balances.

Third: 
All you need for this lab is a balance and candy!

Using the balance, find the masses of each individual candy piece.

Add up the totals of all the candies.  (Calculators optional, depending on ability level).

Record the total.

Fourth: 

Find the masses of all the candies at once.

Record the total.

Fifth: 

Compare totals. And reflect.
 Are they the same? Did you measure correctly?

masks of symmetry.

A while back, in my symmetry webquest post, i talked about symmetry in masks....

Well, the idea has resurfaced for Halloween here at MathWire.

Ta' Da! Student-made Symmetry Masks:

Here is a picture of students "wearing" their symmetry masks.

The great part is that this activity can be used any time or for any event! 

{Halloween, Valentines day, Mardi Gras....}