Learning to Love Hacks: Groundhog Day

I'm celebrating "Learning is Love" this week with my fellow Texas teachers Lauren of Leaf and STEM Learning and Randi of Teaching in an Organized Mess. We want to share why we love learning, and we hope our love will bring inspiration to educators as we close out January 2016.

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If you have followed my blog long enough, you know that I'm addicted to shopping at dollar stores and finding materials that can spark a love of learning in students. My recent trip was no different; I found some plates and tape. I just had to find a groundhog. And I knew I couldn't dig for it. Instead, I found a wonderful set of groundhog images from Educlips on TPT.

My mission (and the mission of my students) is to create a sundial and take it outside to see if the groundhog can see its shadow. It's a great activity for elementary grades, but middle school students can benefit from it as well.

What shape is it?

First, students should cut the groundhog to size. I ask students to identify the shape of the cutout. Most students will immediately answer triangle. Prepare to ask them again, but tell them you want to know the shape of the entire cutout.

Hint: It's a trapezoid. :-)

Find the area

Yep, break out those rulers. Once students identify the shape of the cutout, they'll need to find its area. What looks like a print out, a plate, and some tape is turning into a nice, engaging lesson. To facilitate this part of the lesson, students round measurements to the nearest half-inch (or half-centimeter).

Fold it up

After students find the area, I ask them to fold the shape along the dotted line. Now, there are two shapes. Students must identify them and find the area of those two shapes. Next, they'll reflect on the area of the first shape and the area of the two shapes.

Finally, the sundial

Never one to lose out on a chance to review, I'll ask students to identify the shape of the plate before marking the center. Students should place the plate face down. If you are working on circumference and area of circles in your classes, its a great time for students to review those concepts.

• After marking the center of the plate, students should write the numbers for their "clock" around the perimeter of the plate.
• Students can attach the groundhog to the center of the plate using tape. The groundhog should line up with the 12 and the 6.
• Take the plates outside (or to a well-lit room). Will the groundhog see its shadow?
• If you have an outside area or room that receives sunlight for an extended period of time, set of the groundhog sundial and observe how the shadow changes over time.

The plate before attaching groundhog

Hopefully, you can use this quick and fun activity in your classroom this Tuesday. If you're looking for other blogs in our Learning to Love series, please check out Lauren's blog or Randi's blog.

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A Tale of Two Homeworks

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." That classic line from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities pretty much sums up my feelings about homework. I believe that students need to complete work outside of the classroom to prepare for the rigors of college and professional work life, but there are times when the homework return rate is abysmal. I've often asked myself: "What's the point of assigning homework when only a small percentage of students turn it in?" I've personally witnessed kids copying a classmate's work right before class or scribbling as hard as they can to get a little credit. I've been given every excuse (from kids and parents) and have tried almost trick in my toolbox. Some teachers at my school have given up on homework for this very reason. It's definitely the "worst of times."

I've taken some time to review my homework success rates. There are several approaches I take that has led to more success.

Get 'Em Moving at Home

We have all used them...that worksheet with column after column of problems. I can totally understand how this type of homework can lead to extreme boredom at home. I think kids benefit when they can use concepts we learn during class to explore the real world of math. For example, for part of our geometry unit, students learn about the volume of rectangular prisms. I do have a traditional homework sheet available, but I also give students the opportunity to explore volume at home by measuring a household object and finding the volume. Guess which one the students prefer?

Traditional Homework

Get 'Em Moving Homework

I've found that students are more engaged when they can interact with their homework and make it personal. They are still learning about the volume of rectangular prisms, but in a way that can help them better retain the fundamentals of this important math concept.

Flip the Script

Flipping the classroom has definitely helped students complete work outside of the classroom. I started posting videos on my online classroom (I use Quia, but your district may have Schoology, Edmodo, or Moodle). Instead of doing math problems at home, students work on note-taking skills. I have two particular formats we use for notes. We then focus on math problems during class. Some days, I give students who don't watch the videos at home the opportunity to complete them during class while other students are working in groups.

Nothing New, Home for Review

In the past, the homework I assigned focused on the topic we covered in class that day. I realized that one of the reasons students didn't complete the work is because they were stuck on a problem and gave up or decided to wait and ask me how to approach the problem during the next class period. To address this issue, I started assigning spiral review homework. It focuses on topics we've already covered with varying degrees of difficulty. I saw homework completion rates increase with this approach.

Ten or Less is Best

I've taken some heat for this approach. Generally, I assign ten or fewer problems for homework. There are times it increases to 15 or so, but not very often. I've found that if students "get it," ten problems helps them get the review or reinforcement they need to be successful in my math classes. If they get ten problems wrong, they're going to get 20 problems wrong. There is no need to have them complete problem after problem if I need to work with them to make sure they understand a particular math concept.

Paperless Homework

Google forms and Quia have definitely helped me save a ton of paper! I post the problems online and students submit it. Simple, yet effective. It has the added benefit of allowing me to see when students are completing their homework. What I love most about paperless homework is that it allows me to give students the opportunity to fix problems before they submit it for a final grade. I often ask them, "Why not go for 100% mastery?"

Variety is the Spice of Life

Instead of assigning one type of homework all the time, I use all of these approaches to "keep it fresh." I'm also researching more ways to get students to enhance their learning outside of the classroom. Do you have an innovative way to get kids to complete homework? I'd love to read about your tips and tricks.

My challenge to you this week: try a different approach to homework and see if it makes a difference.

What's the Connection between Fashion and Math?

I love asking my students questions such as the one in the title. The answer can be found on a wonderful website called Get the Math. Don't just get the math - grab it! Once you start using the materials from this wonderful website, you will understand why it is one of my favorites. Oh, maybe you're wondering where the link is to the awesome goodness that is Get the Math...

Get the Math

Get the Math offers excellent representations of using math in the real world. As a true fan of Project Runway, the lesson with Chloe Dao - who won season two - is one of my go to lessons from this website. Her lesson focuses on how fashion designers use math to design clothing for different sizes. It starts with an introductory video about Dao and ends with a challenge. Students have to calculate the costs of manufacturing a design that will have a 220% markup. To plan for this lesson, I picked up a few inexpensive t-shirts from a discount retailer. I rearranged the desks so students could work in groups to complete the challenge. The kids had a lot of fun and learned at the same time.

To extend the lesson, students could design their own simple t-shirts and set a price for them. They would have to research the cost of the t-shirt as well the cost for printing images or adding embellishments. Their mark-up would have to be a certain percentage. In my classes, they would meet in small groups with their finished products. Each group would present one t-shirt to display and explain why they chose it.

I love Get the Math because it offers real-world math connections along with inspiration for project-based learning. This is a win-win in my view. The diversity of the lessons gives teachers the opportunity to reach the interest levels of all students. Hopefully, you'll find it useful as well.

Classroom Hack: Student-made Rational Number Cubes

If you're like me, you love using number cubes and dice in the classroom. They are versatile tools perfect for a variety of math games and enrichment. There are times when I find the number cubes limiting because the cubes that include fractions and decimals are basic. They include unit fractions and decimals to the tenths place. I've been searching everywhere for cubes with different types of rational numbers. My search ended with a trip to my favorite dollar store!

There, I found packages of blank foam counting blocks. Each package contains 50 blocks. The price - $1.00. I grabbed a couple of packages for my classes and rejoiced in the knowledge that I would soon have the best number cubes ever!





First, I separated the number cubes and placed sets of them in small cups. The cubes come in colors of red, blue, green, and orange.



Although students normally carry Sharpies, I also placed them on the desks for each group. I gave the students simple instructions:

(1) Make a list of 6 rational numbers in your spirals. The rational numbers must include at least two negative numbers, 1 integer, 1 decimal, 1 fraction, and 1 percent.

(2) Review your numbers with your group members to make sure none of you have the same rational numbers. Make modifications if necessary.

(3) Select one number cube and one Sharpie (fine point). Write your numbers on the six sides of the number cube.



Within two days, I had 150 number cubes with a wide variety of rational numbers. Not only did my students practice the important skill of generating rational numbers, but there was also 100% engagement! So, how do we use the number cubes?

• Comparing rational numbers: roll two cubes and compare
• Ordering rational numbers: roll four cubes and order the numbers from least to greatest or greatest to least
• Rational number operations
• Graphing rational numbers on number lines

You can't go wrong with this classroom hack. And, you can't beat 50 number cubes for $1.00 (*okay, full disclosure. I purchased 4 packages and spent $4.00...plus tax ;-).