Marilyn Burns

Parents,

Marilyn Burns is a resource you might want to explore.

Teachers,

She is essential! I just found out about her teacher lesson plan exchange link! Check this out!

http://www.mathsolutions.com/index.cfm?page=wp9&crid=56


Her activities are DEEP, RICH, and can be time-consuming. But that makes it all the more enjoyable, when you complete any of these, you feel successful!

Blogging in the classroom

Here's another teacher blogging using video.

Check out this website for more resources:
http://www.maths-it.org.uk/VideoZone/Links.php

My Newest website Hero!

I only discovered this website recently, and I think it is great! It has an excellent way to explain the difference between area and perimeter. (Just by using flashing lights!)



http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/perimeter_and_area/index.html

I tried to go directly to www.bgfl.org directly, but it seems overwhelming, so I googled "Interactive Area and Perimeter" and found it.

Bang On Time!

Here's a game to help kids practice identifying time! But this game needs the volume on your speakers to be turned up!


http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/BangOnTime/clockwordres.html

Here's the same game, and a few others. This website portal is a great school website!



Also, notice "The Difference Between Two Times" game. I really like that it uses time in a line to discover elapsed time. Try it out!

I Know That!

Here's another site, but it has many pop-ups and advertisements. The games are good, too, especially the fraction ones. My students' favorite is Fishy Fractions. Try it out!


http://www.iknowthat.com/com/L3?Area=FractionGame

Internet Portals

Here is my favorite portal website. This website hyperlinks you to many games, but organizes them according to The state of Tennessee's Standards, which originate from NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Connecticut made their standards based on NCTM.

This website 'used' to be easier to navigate. Use the old standards if given a choice. It is what I linked to.


http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_3rd_math.htm

To change grade levels, click the purple arrows at the top, easier to the left and higher grades to the right.

Zuitube.com

Dear parents,

Are you nervous about what your child might see on YouTube.com? There is an alternative. Check out

http://video.kidzui.com/



This site is moderated by parents and teachers, and has been approved for child viewing. The site does pull videos from YouTube, but everything should be acceptable.
Check it out.

For the adults!

Here's something I am currently interested in, and I want to learn more about. It is called Vedic Math, and it is from Ancient India. It is a faster computation procedure. It does not replace the way we learned math as children, but it might make a great refresher course for parents!

Watch some samples here:

http://www.glad2teach.co.uk/fast_maths_calculation_tricks.htm

Here's another website!

Check out this website:

http://mathplayground.com/

Watch some of the math videos! Who knew math could be so interesting!

Let's show how we can use our Promethean Board!

Hi! Here's a quick sample of how easy it is to post a Promethean Virtual Math Process Sample onto my blog.

My return to blogging!

Hello, I am back.  The baby and her sixteen month old sister, Molly, are definitely a full-time job, and I give my wife, Tina, a lot of credit. She is super-organized and runs a tight ship!

For Adults:
A book you might what to check out is Changing the Game: How Video Games Are Transforming the Future of Business  by David Edery. This book is a good synopsis of all the popular games, both video and virtual, that are on the market today and that your children might be using. It also comes from the business perspective, looking at how businesses are making money using games. I liked it because it allowed me to catch up with things I've missed while getting that Leadership in Mathematics Degree at Bank Street.  I downloaded it on ITunes, but it is available on Amazon.com ($16.)

A New Baby Joins the Family!

I would like to announce the birth of my second daughter, Julia Claire Kinahan, on Oct. 20th at 2:52 A.M. She was 5 lbs, 8 oz, and healthy!

 Needless to say, the blog has been put on hold for a little while, as my wife Tina and I enjoy parenthood! Here's a picture!
 

Virtual Clock Collection

Check this out!  Chris Smith collected and created a virtual clock collection.

http://www.csmith.info/clocks/

look at the Fun and Unusual clocks category, and the cuckoo clocks. These two are my favorites!

You can add them to your desktop.

Peter

Crickweb.com

If you are looking for a great site for games, try

http://www.crickweb.co.uk/

One great game, called Sweetshop, asks children to buy candy and pay with English coins.  Just click on the STYLE button, and the pictures of coins become written numbers, and the CLICK/SHOW TOTAL button allows students to watch as the candy price adds up. It's a great way to virtually practice shopping skills.

These skills obviously transfer as real-life skills and practice in a safe way.

If you would like to try out Stark School's Everyday Math online resources, use my password.

www.EverydayMathonline.com

Student Login: Password1
Click on: 2-B-Square

This password is a generic one I made for demonstrations.
You can look around like a student, without using your child's password. We would prefer students play games themselves, with their current abilities and skills, rather than help (and answers) from parents.

Study: Games, Video Improve Preschooler Literacy

Here's an article I found very interesting!  The reading material was interesting, but watch the accompanying video of the students in action!  It's inspiring to watch how the children are obviously learning and growing!

Even more interesting is seeing your own students and children in action! It is great! (I know, I'm watching it everyday!) Please come in, visit, and observe.
http://thejournal.com/articles/2009/10/14/study-games-video-improve-preschooler-literacy.aspx

Factor Rainbows!

Here's a sample of a Promethean page we did yesterday, on Factor rainbows! It was simple, quick and a fun way to explore the concept of factors in multiplication.

Dear Parents,
Have you tried out our math program online at home?  Your child has received a password log-in card. Just go to
https://www.everydaymathonline.com/

There are 

• free family resources (no password necessary)
• your child can play the same games they learn in school (which support learning and improve math skills development)
•  Family letters (explaining our goals and purpose during the learning unit)
• And New this year, your child will have access to the online version of the Student Reference Book (SRB), so you and your child can read about and review topics we are working on in math class!

Hope to see you soon on the website!

Mr. Kinahan

Open House 2009!

Our Open House 2009 was a wonderful event!  Many parents attended, and I'll let you know our percentage of attendance when we find out.  There were many smiling faces, and parents chatting with teachers!

I met with many parents of my students, and I shared some of the Promethean flipcharts and video recordings of their children with them!  They loved it!  In particular, I had a video of a boy from last year who could not name the months of the year, and now he is able to recite them himself! His mother loved seeing the change, and we remarked how he has changed and grown into a fine young man! He was so proud of himself!

Thank you to all the parents who came and met with the teachers. Your support of education is appreciated!

Interactive Factor Tree Game

Here's a great website to help you and your child with understanding Factors by using Factor Trees!

http://www.mathgoodies.com/factors/factor_tree.asp

Everyday Mathematics

Our school uses the Everyday Mathematics program, created over the last twenty years by the University of Chicago and classroom teachers who tried it out.

Check out the program's website for parents:
http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/faq


or this page may be a better place to start:

http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/about/


Everyday Mathematics has already shown some early benefits to our school, which I will write about in more detail at a later date.

Soon your child can play the Everyday Mathematics learning games at home!Your child will be given a password, so he/she can log into the website from home. Better still, you can watch the demonstration, learn how to play the game yourself, and play with your child at home. Meanwhile you will be reinforcing your child's learning and having fun!

Title 1 Math at Stark Elementary School

Welcome to our blog! 
Our purpose here is to help you!  We will try to provide you with:

•  Resources you might not be aware of,
• Video examples of math in action,
• A way to communicate with your child's teacher EXCLUSIVELY about your child.
• Knowledge about school technology, and how you can use it at home.

Promethean 

In Stark, we use the Promethean Activboard Interactive Whiteboard system.  We also have access to additional components, such as

• ActivVotes ( a handheld tool that allows students to vote to respond to the teacher.)

• An ActivSlate, which allows us to wirelessly write on the board,

• 
  
  An ActivPen
  
  
  

• 
  
   And these tools lead us out into the World Wide Web, which we will talk about later.
  
  
  

If you would like to know more about our Promethean system, you can log onto the link below.

I would like to encourage you to download the free version and / or the viewer, so you can watch your child's work at home.  Later in the blog I will be giving you a demonstration on how to do this.

Thanks again,

Peter Kinahan

Title I Math Teacher