If you are preparing to teach Grade 7 Patterning and Algebra, this is your lucky day! :)
Having decided to teach the bulk of my Grade 8 Patterning and Algebra unit in January through CLIPS partner work and a series of quizzes and conference check-ins, our school's instructional coach and I focused this time on preparing a set of centers for Grade 7.
As with our previous Geometry unit, we began by using the curriculum, as well as various other Board and Ministry-endorsed math resources to develop a list of big ideas and learning goals/success criteria by which we and the students would measure their grasp of the big ideas in Patterning and Algebra at this grade level. We also harvested a host of problems and learning activities directly linked to each big idea.
Having decided to teach the bulk of my Grade 8 Patterning and Algebra unit in January through CLIPS partner work and a series of quizzes and conference check-ins, our school's instructional coach and I focused this time on preparing a set of centers for Grade 7.
As with our previous Geometry unit, we began by using the curriculum, as well as various other Board and Ministry-endorsed math resources to develop a list of big ideas and learning goals/success criteria by which we and the students would measure their grasp of the big ideas in Patterning and Algebra at this grade level. We also harvested a host of problems and learning activities directly linked to each big idea.
The ppt above introduces the learning goal and success criteria, and serves as a framework for the subsequent weeks in math class.
The check-ins below will help to establish which students we meet with each time to conference and/or conduct mini-lessons. We will also use a few short quizzes for this purpose, but haven't developed them yet -- anyone got any? If so, please feel free to share by contacting me!!
Another option is having students hand in one of their problems from Center 6 or their journal write-ups from Center 8, like we did with our last unit.
The check-ins below will help to establish which students we meet with each time to conference and/or conduct mini-lessons. We will also use a few short quizzes for this purpose, but haven't developed them yet -- anyone got any? If so, please feel free to share by contacting me!!
Another option is having students hand in one of their problems from Center 6 or their journal write-ups from Center 8, like we did with our last unit.
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You will notice that the wording on both formative assessments is growth mindset oriented. We are really trying to encourage students to see themselves as learners, regardless of how much or how little they may struggle with a particular skill or concept.
Below are most of our centers. Please note that for center 6, there are actually 5 different pages, one collection of problems for each of the big ideas. My plan is to have students visit one of the center 6s each time (or almost each time) they have math!
Below are most of our centers. Please note that for center 6, there are actually 5 different pages, one collection of problems for each of the big ideas. My plan is to have students visit one of the center 6s each time (or almost each time) they have math!
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At the end of this unit, I will have highlighted sections on the rubric below for each student, and can send it home to families before report cards some home.
I welcome all questions and feedback. This is a work in progress, and while you are welcome to email me directly (like many of you do), leaving a public comment below helps broaden the conversation for other teachers who may also be experimenting with a centers-based approach to mathematical learning in the intermediate grades!
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