CES Portfolio Artifact Submission

Submitter: Grade 3 Team Title of Artifact: Guided Math Format: Lesson Plan Which CES Benchmark(s) does this activity primarily reflect? (highlight all that apply)
Student Achievement Classroom Practice Organizational Practice Community Connections Leadership

Which CES Common Principle(s) does this activity primarily reflect? (highlight all that apply)
# 1 Students Using Their Minds Well # 2 Less is More # 3 Goals Apply to All Students # 4 Personalization # 5 Student as Worker, Teacher as Coach # 6 Exhibitions of Learning # 7 Tone of Decency # 8 Teachers as Generalists # 9 Use of Resources #10 Democracy and Equity

WHAT? Description of the Artifact (What did I do? What am I working on?)
This year the third grade team implemented The Daily 5 to structure our reading instructional block. With the success we had with it, we decided to take the plunge and try to format our math block much the same way. Thus guided math was born. One thing we all agreed on was that the best way to meet the needs of all students and the expectations of the common core was to be working with small groups of fluid, homogeneously grouped students for math instruction. This guided math structure also helped to address student needs according to their math MAP scores using the curriculum ladders as a guide for instruction as well. Students were grouped based on their math MAP scores for each specific subskills (ie; statistics and probability, algebra, measurement and geometry, computation, number sense and problem solving). Students are instructed using the 3rd grade content as a goal. However, realizing that not all students will be successful at that level, they are taught at the most rigorous level in which they can show growth and be successful. We are submitting an example of a guided math lesson plan which shows how we adapt the same content for the varying levels of students in our classrooms.

SO WHAT?

(Why is this important to me?) This structure and philosophy for teaching mathematics in our classroom benefits our students in many ways. First, students are taught math concepts at their level and at their own pace. Second, the teacher to student ratio is much smaller which makes targeting student misconceptions and assessing students on-the-spot so much easier and more frequent. This structure also allows students time within the math instructional block to work on and practice other skills such as math fact practice at their level, writing about math and using computers to enhance math instruction. Since we had The Daily 5 structure already in place for our guided reading time, it was not difficult to get our students use to rotating to different activities within the math instructional block with little time wasted.

NOW WHAT? (Think of this as possible next steps.) Reflection on Artifact

This experience with guided math has given each of us a better chance to get to know our students as learners. We are able to determine deficits in students math content that leads to misconceptions and coach our students as they work toward mastery of the skill. Right now each of us utilize the time away from teacher a little differently. We will look at how different activities could be used during this time at different times of the year. We will discuss as a team what was effective, what didnt work and where we need to go from here. I know we will start using guided math instruction earlier on in the year next year.