No work = No credit!

I have never met a math teacher that didn't require students to show some sort of work to justify their reasoning on every problem. If your students are anything like mine, they constantly whine about showing their work, especially if it is something they think they can do in their heads. If I had a nickel for every time a student asked me if they had to show work, I could have retired 3-4 years ago!

I am constantly telling them that No work = No credit. Most of them comply, but there are always a handful that will test the waters to see if I am serious. No matter how many times I say it, they are always shocked to see me follow through.

This year...this poster will be up at the very front of my room--so there won't be ANY question as to what will happen if a student refuses to show their work:

Clip art and Graphics used with permission from Lovin' Lit, Sonya Dehart, and Glitter Meets Glue

This poster is available for purchase in my TPT store and can be purchased here. Don't worry...the word "preview" isn't on the actual poster...just here on the preview. If you have any questions, be sure to let me know! Have a great Sunday!

Giveaway at Wonder Bugs Blog!

Katina at Wonder Bugs Blog is having a Back to School Giveaway! Head on over to her blog to see how to enter! Just click the image below :)

If you win, you would be the proud new owner of a set of my Using a Protractor Task Cards!

Good Luck!

Free (or ALMOST Free) Posters!

   

I am so over posters from the teacher supply store. Maybe that was a little harsh. I like some of the ones geared toward middle/high school because there is just a *hint* of sarcasm in there and frankly, if I am going to have to look at a poster for 9+ months...it better represent my personality!

I have received plenty of e-mails and FB messages lately from people who want to know about the posters I have and if I am making more...I wanted to share with you some of the great ones that I have found through different blogs and just plain old google/pinterest searching. Some of these have been in my classroom this year, and some will be this coming year. Some are specifically for math, and some are really appropriate for all classrooms...a little something for everyone, like a poster buffet!

First up, I LOVE this poster from 4MulaFun! I made mine into a hanging decoration, but it prints beautifully on it's own as well. You can download it from her TPT store here and you can see my blog post that lists out the details of creating this beauty here!

Next, I just adore these...I printed these last year and framed them, but this year, I mounted them on wooden plaques as well to hang in my classroom. This is exactly something that would come out of my mouth and has the perfect hint of sarcasm--just like I like it. You can find out how to purchase these from Farley at Oh Boy, 4th Grade!

This is one that I made and blogged about recently. You can download it for free from my TPT store here.

Mr. Magician has some posters for free in his TPT shop as well. Here is one of my favorites:

I'm sure I will have more to add to this :) Do you have some fun posters you would like to share? Leave links to them in the comments!

Three Acts - Dan Meyer

Today I am linking up with 4MulaFun and friends for their Math is Real Life Linkup!

So often, we hear, "when is this EVER going to be useful??" and without missing a beat, a math teacher can respond with 10 different ways. Some things, I will admit, are not necessarily are going to be seen again outside of a middle school math class, but that's a rant for another day. What I like to present in my classroom are real-world math problems, every day. I really feel like if students are able to relate to the information being presented to them, they are much more likely to apply it as if it was them in the problem. 

My very favorite thing to teach is percents (calculating tax, tip, discount, mark-up, etc.) for the sheer value of the unit in everyday life. You have to know how to calculate your total before you pay for something to know if you are being charged appropriately, even if you just estimate. And yes, technology is GREAT and I don't want my students to take out a pencil and paper the next time they are at Macy's, BUT technology is only as good as the person who inputs the information. The person operating the calculator must have an understanding of percents in order to best estimate the price.

Ok, so this was my roundabout way of introducing Dan Meyer to you all. I am sure many of you have heard of him, many may have even heard him speak! I had the privilege of listening to him give the keynote address at CAMT in San Antonio this summer. He is awesome. He discussed perplexing problems in the math classroom. Not giving all of the information. Making the kids work for it. I loved his way of thinking and knew we needed to do more of this. 

At another training this summer, I was introduced to a section of his website called Three Acts. I know, I am probably super late to the party. BUT, if there is anyone who hasn't heard of this, you need to go check it out. right. now.

The one that we had to do in my PD was the "leaky faucet" and can be accessed here. It's ok, go watch it...I'll wait :)

Perplexing, isn't it? Anyhow, it is like a choose your own adventure for math since you can solve this several different ways. Also interesting to point out is the conversion between systems that students aren't going to know the rate for right off the bat. This is where having technology would be helpful, because, isn't that exactly what we as teachers would do?! Yes. Yes, it is. 

I can't wait to look through some of the rest of these. A full list can be accessed here, and he even has which standards it covers! Enjoy :)

Worst Part of August...

The worst part of having to go back to work in August is having to lug all of the things I "had to create" or "had to buy" over the summer when it is super hot outside. This weekend, I had a light bulb moment...normally I am bringing up shopping bag after shopping bag upstairs (I've always had a classroom upstairs) and I'm usually sweaty and gross by the time I get there. And, if you are like me, you won't want to work at all in your room once you are sweaty.

So, I decided to pack all of my stuff (posters and all!) in this:

That's right...I packed a suitcase. It is a genius idea! I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of it, and if I have seen it  before I have no idea where that was. However, I brought it home and am packing it again to bring back to school today. 

I seriously cannot believe that I didn't think I this in any of the past seven years! What is your trick to getting all of your stuff up to school?

Monday Made It!

I have a few things I whipped up on Sunday afternoon to share with you today! I am linking up with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It linkup.

Before I could start making anything, I had to run a *few* errands! Knowing Monday would be my first day to get into my classroom to start setting up, I needed to get some of these...15 to be exact!

I know I could have found them cheaper somewhere else, but in the grand scheme of things, how much would I have really saved? Probably not enough to warrant me going shopping in this disgusting heat wave we seem to be having! Anyhow, I bought 15 so that each pair of students would have one. I plan to use these as my INB supply boxes. I am going to work on labeling this this week and be back with a post of what goes in them later!

Next up was Target. A friend of mine told me how inexpensive Five-Star Notebooks were at Target and I had to scoop some up. I bought 6, one for each class period so that each class has their own "model notebook." I had trouble keeping up with 3 last year, so I certainly hope I do a better job of keeping up with 6! If you are using these instead of composition books, run--do not walk--to Target. These babies are $1.89!

Also, at Walmart I picked up these deals. The index cards are neon (my fave!) for under $1 per pack. I know the white ones are on sale everywhere...but I love the colored ones! I also found post-it notes cheaper than the dollar store (not much...$0.97) but hey! Every cent counts! Plus, the colors were way brighter...and that makes me want to use more of them.

 I was going to get some plain magnet tape, because I am always putting it on the back of posters that I want to stay on the board, but I hate how it always curls. I found these packs of magnet strips that are pre-cut, and they come 18 in a pack for less than $1! $0.97 seemed to be the magic price at Walmart! I got 3 packs. I have no idea what I will use it for, but I like to be ready :)

Last but not least...my clothespins. I went looking in my craft room for my bag of clothespins the other night and couldn't find them ANYWHERE. Seriously, I know it is a mess in there...but it's like they had runaway from home. Had to buy a new bag. Why? Keep reading :)

HOME MADE IT:

I made this lotion in March and it went over so well with my mom and some friends that I had to make more! I love to use lotion, but hate when it is greasy...and this is perfect! It is light, but thick at the same time and feels so luxurious when you use it. And, it makes 24 ounces of lotion! I did not come up with this recipe on my own...I adapted it from this pin. I swapped the Vaseline for Coconut Oil because I thought it might be greasy...I never tried it, so it may work for you!

Here's what you need:

15 oz of baby lotion (any scent...any brand--mine is from the Dollar Tree)

Twin pack of Vitamin E skin care cream (only found at Walmart on the bottom shelf of the lotion aisle)

2/3 cup of coconut oil (any brand will do...mine is from Sprouts, but I have used from Whole Foods, too)

Pour all ingredients into a bowl and whip with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes making sure that all is incorporated and evenly blended. I periodically stop and scrape down the sides to be sure that there aren't any chunks of coconut oil floating around.

Then, I store it in airtight containers and pass it out to family and friends! I filled 3 of these today, and my mom was most appreciative of her lotion! In case you are wondering, I get these precious glass jars from Hobby Lobby in the glass section. They are normally $4, so just make sure you go when glass is 50% off, which is every other week!

 SCHOOL MADE IT:

I did make these supply labels to put on my storage containers at school. Well, I actually made them two weeks ago...but, I finally got around to printing and laminating! Like them? You can actually find them in my TPT store here

Also, I decorated my clothespins with some washi tape to go along with another project that will have to wait for next week's Monday Made It!

Aaaaaaand, I just realized how very long this post was! Sorry about that--if you made it to the end, you rock!

Exit Tickets

I love using exit tickets in my classroom. It is a great way to formatively assess what a student knows or may not know after a lesson or two. They can either put their name on it, or it can be anonymous.

After attending CAMT this summer and sitting in 4mulafun's session about Interactive Notebooks, I wanted to change they way I did exit tickets a bit. She uses the method, "Post It, Prove It" where students answer a question on a post it note and post it on the piece of chart paper where she has posted the question. Students write their names on the back of the post-it so that others cannot see whose it belongs to. Here is her original blog post that goes much more in depth.

I made this poster to post on the wall where I am going to do this:

Clip art from Sonya Dehart and Ashley Hughes

Anyhow, I think I may assign numbers to students instead...I am not sure why, yet. I think I need to think this through a little more before I implement :) It's a good thing that I have a few weeks!

How do you handle exit tickets? Since I have 6 classes, the big challenge for me will be clearing them off between classes!