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Math Matters

2014-15 Vol 2 October

Math Matters2014-15 Vol 2 October
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Voki for Something Fun

Voki is a site where you can create a speaking avatar. Try creating one for explaining new concept as a fun way to engage students. Even better, have students create their own to explain what they know about a topic and send it to you. See an example here. The website also has great lesson plan ideas for teachers on how to use Voki for instruction.
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Visuwords Vocabulary

Visuwords is an online graphical dictionary. This cool site allows you to type in any word and then see how that word connects to other terms all made into a graphic that helps make sense of learning. Post a comment on on this newsletter or email me how you can use Visuwords to promote vocabulary in your classroom.
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Edmodo for Math

Did you know that there are lots of groups you can join as a teacher on Edmodo? These groups are a place where we can learn from each other, collaborate, ask questions, and engage in math talk together community. Come join...

Classroom Instructional Links

The Math Forum

The Math Forum Is...
... the leading online resource for improving math learning, teaching, and communication since 1992.
_Comprised of teachers, mathematicians, researchers, students, and parents for the purpose of using the power of the Web to learn math and improve math education.
_The side offers a wealth of problems and puzzles; online mentoring; research; team problem solving; collaborations; and professional development. Students have fun and learn a lot. Educators share ideas and acquire new skills.

Some of their popular programs include Ask Dr. Math, Problem of the Week (POW), Math Tools, Financial Literacy in the Classroom, and much more. Click here to check it all out.

Think Through Math Trailblazers

While most 3rd-8th grade teachers have started using Think Through Math with students, some have already begun to innovate for the purpose of improving usability of the program for their learners. One way is to create a custom pathway designed around the learning components you are covering in a current unit so that the online learning work complements and supports directly just the things you are covering in class. Think Through Math also has several built in pathways you can use other than the Texas grade level pathway, including one built for each strand of the TEKS. Talk to your Math/Science Specialist as needed or check out the help features on TTM to set up your own new pathways.


Keep up the great math work!

Feature: Formative Assessment Classroom Technique - Example, Non-Example

Successful math students are able to generate examples and non-examples to support their mathematical thinking. After students have been introduced to the concept, use this FACT strategy. Students are asked to think about what they previously learned about a word or concept, identify their own examples and non-examples, and provide a supporting rule or operational definition for he examples and non-examples they chose. First, identify the concept or term the student will work with. Provide students with a chart to fill in their examples and non-examples. At the bottom of the chart, provide space for students to describe the rule or definition they used. See the example attached for an idea of how to set up your own Example, Non-Example chart for an upcoming topic. Send me your best example and lets compile them!

Cooperative Learning Strategy - Three-Step Interview

This team activity really gets the thinking going.

After a question is read to the team, students pair up within a team of 4 students.

The first step is an interview in which one students interviews the other about the question.

In the second step, students remain with their partner but switch roles: The interviewer becomes the interviewee.

In the third step, the pairs come back together and each student in turn presents to the team what their partner shared.

Three-Step Interview is strong for individual accountability, active listening, and paraphrasing skills.

Tips for the Math Teacher: Get students to "think out loud" when solving problems.

Thinking out loud forces students to pay attention to their thinking and problem solving. When students think out loud as they solve problems, they become more aware of the information they are using to solve problems, and therefore, more aware of how they are solving the problems. Thinking out loud helps students to become more systematic in their thinking.


  1. Have students work in pairs, with one thinking out loud while problem solving problems and the other listening analytically to how the problem is being solved. have the listener summarize the thinking they heard and get confirmation or clarification from the solver. Rotate roles so all students serve as thinker and listener.
  2. Think out loud for students as you solve problems to model for them how they should think about and solve problems. Purposefully make mistakes so that you can show them how to recover from errors.


Note: Let students know that smart people doing a mathematics problems - not just crazy people - talk out loud to themselves!

Questions to Engage Thinking Skills

Why is _____ important?

How could you find out more about ____?

How is ____ like _____?

What patterns can you find ... ?

How could you draw .... ?

What steps are involved in ... ?