A Closer Look at Math Synergy

This week one of my friends on Facebook shared a sudoku board that a teacher made for her classroom and I knew I had to have one. It had to match my classroom so I went to the scrapbook store and purchased 12 x 12 paper and cut the red lines to create the board. I'm tickled with the way it turned out. I plan to change the puzzle each week.



We are also a Leader in Me school and I needed something leadership related in my classroom. So my best friend Kelly had these posters in her classroom and I knew I had to get some too. I found them at my local school supply store and had to get them. I used my Cricut to cut the black quote for the center of the wall.



Several people have asked questions about my Mathematics Synergy board so I took a few up close pictures so I could explain it here in detail. The only thing I forgot to take a picture of was my target. It has numbers 0-9 on rings and each day the kids have a different target number. This also corresponds with the number of days in school.



I also create a number to go in the top boxes here. We don't answer all of these questions in one day but is a great review for my students.




We use 2 100s charts to mark prime and composite numbers. Using the target number, we determine if it is prime or composite by creating all the arrays possible with that many squares. So if the target number is 8 our arrays would be 1x8 & 2x4, which would make this a composite number. Prime numbers are circled on one chart with a certain color and the composite are circled on the other with a different color.



After we create our array with the target number we find the area and perimeter of the array. If there is more than one array possible we find the area and perimeter of each.



Measurement Record: We color in a cup each day on our measuring cups (see below) and then write all the different ways to name it. If we had 4 cups we would say we now have 4 cups, 1 quart, 1/4 of a gallon, etc.



The fraction record is similar to the measurement. I use the fraction bars and we add 1/16 each day and then write the equivalent fractions.



This is the large graph paper we use to create our array of the day. I have the kids draw them on their desk but then I let one student come up and add their array to the board.



I have several other posters I add throughout the year and I'll post pictures of them soon. I don't do everything every day. We start with these things and because of this I spend very little time teaching lessons on prime, composite numbers, area, and perimeter. It takes a bit of my math time but I've found it is well worth the time.

I've also had a few questions about my brownie points. I found this a few years back and my students love it. When they get a class compliment from someone they earn a brownie for the cookie sheet. They have magnets on the back and we just stick them up. Once all the brownies are on the sheet I make them real brownies. This is a big deal because I never cook and they love the fact that I make brownies for them. Find the link here: Brownie Points.