As another new school year begins, I wanted to share some effective ways to build your community of mathematicians and set the tone for a positive mathematics learning experience for ALL students! I've compiled some of my all time favorite beginning of the year activities, most of these can be adapted for any elementary grade level. Enjoy and please share your pictures and student outcomes if you try any of these! (Send pictures to [email protected] or @SCMATHCOACH on Twitter) #BaCoM (Building a Community of Mathematicians)
What does a mathematician look like?
Provide students with a blank piece of paper and ask them to illustrate a mathematician. Have students share their illustrations in partners, small groups, or gallery walk. Have a discussion about what it means to be a mathematician. (The ultimate goal is for students to understand we are all mathematicians!) Then create an anchor chart for Mathematicians...
What's Your Favorite Number?
This is a great way to encourage math talk, as well as informally assess students' number sense. Provide each student with an index card, or small piece of paper and ask him/her to write their favorite number on it. For younger students, just ask them to share the number and tell why that is their favorite number. (Teacher can record) For older students, or those able, you can ask them to write about why that is their favorite number. Next have the students put themselves in numerical order according to their favorite numbers, this is sometimes called a "Human Number Line". This creates a discussion about what numbers mean to us as people and how we relate to them. Finally, place students' index cards into a container, and draw one out each day until all have been used. Each day, share who's favorite number was pulled, then ask students to tell everything they know about that number. An anchor chart can be created for each number so students can see visually everything they do know about these numbers. This can be the first month's worth of Number Talks to get a sense of what students know and how comfortable they are with various numbers. Then the teacher can be very intentional about which Number Talks to use for strategies.
Math About Me
Another timeless way to get to know students, find out about them through numbers, as well as start the discussion about math is everywhere. There are plenty of variations for this activity depending on the age/grade you are working with. I recommend checking it out on Pinterest. There really are so many ways I can't detail them all here.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=math%20about%20me
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=math%20about%20me
Each of these are merely suggestions. If you don't think of yourself as a mathematician, consider how that impacts your teaching! Everyone can be a mathematician and it's our job as educators to foster an environment for them to develop! Best wishes for a GREAT school year!