Day 1:
What do you think your strengths are in Math?
What do you think your weaknesses are in Math?
Write down your favorite math problem. Explain why it is your favorite problem.
Day 2:
What was your favorite lesson, project or activity in Math last year?
What did it have you do? (Give me some details)
What did you like about it?
What did you dislike about it?
What could have made it a better learning experience?
Day 3:
Today we worked in groups of four. What jobs did each group member have?
What job would you/did you enjoy the most?
How would using this job’s mindset help you when you are working through a tough math problem?
Day 4:
What did I learn in Math Class this week?
What do I know (can explain and teach others) from class this week?
What do I still need help with from class this week?
What will I do differently in class next week?
Day 5:
What was the Objective of the Day?
What does that mean to you?
What kind of problem does that help you with?
Do you have any questions about the Objective of the Day?
Day 6:
When I walk into math class I feel like a(n) _______________. fill in the blank with a type of animal
Explain why you feel like this animal. What are some of your shared traits?
What animal do you think would be best for math class?
Explain why you think that.
Day 7:
Yesterday you said you felt what animal when you enter math class?
What animal did you think would be the best in math class?
How far have you morphed from your animal to that one?
Draw a picture of how you currently look (either the same, a combination of both animals or the best one).
Day 8:
When it comes to a job which is better: getting it done fast OR getting it done right?
Explain when getting it done fast is better:
Explain when getting it done right is better:
When it comes to Math which is better: getting it done fast OR getting it done right?
Explain when getting it done fast is better:
Explain when getting it done right is better:
Day 9:
What did I learn in Math Class this week?
What do I know (can explain and teach others) from class this week?
What do I still need help with from class this week?
What will I do differently in class next week?
Day 10:
Something I learned today was ________________________ (be specific! An answer of math is too general)
_____________________ was similar to the lesson yesterday because ____________________ (write a couple of sentences explaining how they are)
Day 11:
Something I learned today was ________________________ (be specific! An answer of math is too general)
An example of this is ____________________
If I made a problem for a test using this concept it would be:
Day 12:
What was good (or bad) about the lesson today? Explain.
Day 13:
The lesson or activity we did in class today reminded me of (write what it reminded you of and explain the connection between the two)
Day 14:
Summarize today’s lesson in just one sentence.
Day 15:
Where do you expect to use Math outside of school? Explain.
What type of math will it involve?
Write an example.
Day 16:
Talking Points
Which talking point statement is most important about talking? Explain.
Which statement did you change your mind about? Explain.
What was the most important element of the “talk procedure”? Explain.
Blog post containing Talking Points Format: http://cheesemonkeysf.blogspot.com/2014/07/tmc14-gwwg-talking-points-activity.html
Day 17:
Building on talking point questions from the previous day…
Which talking point statement is most important about talking? Explain.
Which statement did you change your mind about? Explain.
What was the most important element of the “talk procedure”? Explain.
Which talking point statement is most important about listening? Explain.
Compare today’s talking points to yesterdays- what went well? What didn’t? Explain
How do you feel about the talking points activity? Explain.
Day 18:
Hasbro Games wants you to create a math game based on what you learned in class today. What would the name of your game be?
Describe how to play the game and what mathematics is involved.
Day 19:
Congratulations! You have completed the first month of Math class!
Describe the overall theme of mathematics this month.
Describe the activities you did, and the mathematics related to them.
Predict what kinds of mathematics you will do next month.
Day 20:
List one “Math Rule” you learned in a previous class.
How well do you understand how to use this rule?
Give an example of a problem where the solution is found using this rule (and show the steps to solve it)
Day 21:
Choose you favorite “Math Rule”, and write it out here:
What is an activity or game that would teach a peer this rule?
Day 22:
Consider the 3 Acts lesson we just did in class and what you would consider a typical mathematics lesson.
Compare and contrast the two. (Provide specific details)
Day 23:
What new idea in Math did you learn from a peer? Explain.
How does that connect to how you already think about the concept?
How are your two ideas similar?
How are your two ideas different?
Day 24:
What was the warm-up problem for today? (write the question and how you answered it)
How have you shown your thinking about this problem? (did you use pictures, models, numbers or sentences? explain)
Show how you could solve this problem differently by using:
Pictures-
Models-
Numbers-
Sentences-
(eg: if you solved your problem by using numbers, you need to show me how to solve it using pictures, models and sentences)
Day 25:
If you had to present the Objective of the Day to the class, what problem would you present them with? Explain.
How does this address the Objective of the Day?
Day 26:
What was the most challenging part of the work today? And why?
What could make this work easier to understand?
Day 27:
Describe your Math experience today in class.
How have you used Math vocabulary in your description?
(Display or ask part 2 after students complete part one)
Day 28:
What was the Objective of the Day today, in your own words?
What other mathematical concepts can you connect to it? Explain how they connect.
Day 29:
What mathematics were you investigating today?
What did you notice?
What did you wonder?
What would you like to know more about tomorrow?
Day 30:
Restate one problem you worked on for class today.
Describe what you thought when you read the question.
What were you thinking when you decided what math operations to use to solve it?
Did you get the right answer? Why or why not?
Day 31:
Restate one problem you worked on for class today.
What was the most challenging part of the problem? Explain why.
Describe who or what helped you through this challenge, and how it effected your thinking
Day 32:
What was the objective of the day?
Give an example of a problem using today’s objective.
How else might the problem be solved?
Day 33:
Provide an example of a problem you worked on today.
Would using different numbers change the problem? Would it change your solution path? Explain.
Day 34:
What was one of your practice problems for today?
What was your answer?
How do you know your answer is reasonable? Explain.
Day 35:
Explain how to solve a problem from today (do not use numbers, just talk about the process).
How could you arrive at the same answer using a different process?
Which process is better? Why?
Day 36:
What is reflection?
Why do we reflect after lessons?
Has reflection helped you with concepts and class? Explain.
Day 37:
Write down an example of the problems that can be solved using today’s objective.
How many different diagrams/representations can you create from this problem? Provide examples of each.
Day 38:
What example problem did you reflect on yesterday?
Write down an example problem from today.
What do these two problems have in common?
What is unique about each problem?
Day 39:
Write down your reflection example problem from Monday (working on memory!)
Record everything you know about the problem.
Record what you still need in order to find a solution.
What known information is needed to find the solution?
Day 40:
Write down your reflection example problem from Monday (working on memory!)
Explain how diagrams/representations can help you find a solution to a problem.
Day 41:
Write down your reflection example problem from Monday (working on memory!)
Explain how you know what key pieces of information is needed to find a solution to a problem
Day 42:
How did you do in class today? (Give me a rating on your attention in class and interest in the lesson)
If there was one thing you could change about today’s lesson, what would it be?
Write an example of how you would change it into something more meaningful to you.
Day 43:
Restate today’s objective of the day.
Was today’s lesson at an appropriate level of difficulty/challenge? Explain.
Day 44:
Restate today’s objective of the day.
Restate yesterday’s objective of the day.
Restate Monday’s objective of the day.
How are these related?
Day 45:
Think about the objectives we have focused on this week.
Write a problem that would require you to address each of these objectives.
Day 46:
What animal did you say you were when you started this class?
What animal did you want to become?
Do you still want to become that animal? Explain why you do or what animal you want to now become and why.
Day 47:
What was the objective of the day today?
We do this at home/outside of school when we…..
Day 48:
What was today’s objective?
How does it relate to yesterday’s?
What else would you like to find out/learn about these objectives?
Day 49:
What did you learn today? (use Math vocabulary)
How was it connected to what you learned this week?
What does it mean to you? (describe it in your own words)
How will learning this impact your everyday life?
Day 50:
3-2-1 Reflection
List and describe 3 things you learned this week:
What are 2 connections to these outside of school:
What 1 question would you like me to review with the class on Monday?
Day 51:
What was the main idea for math class today?
What other mathematical concepts were connected?
When did you learn these concepts?
Day 52:
Restate the objective of the day.
How does it relate to yesterdays objective?
Predict tomorrow’s objective of the day.
Day 53:
Summarize today’s lesson in just one sentence.
Write down your prediction (from yesterday) for the lesson today.
Compare/Contrast the two statements.
Day 54:
You need to write a big idea which describes the mathematics we did this week. What is the big idea for the week?
Day 55:
What was your big idea for this week?
Did today’s lesson follow that idea? Explain.
What is one thing you will do this weekend that connects to the big idea for this week?
Day 56:
Think about your weekend, what type of Math did you use or experience? Explain.
How could you explain how to use this type of Math to a younger sibling or cousin?
Day 57:
The lesson or activity we did in class today reminded me of (write what it reminded you of and explain the connection between the two)
Day 58:
You felt what animal when you enter math class?
What animal did you think would be the best in math class?
How far have you morphed from your animal to that one?
Draw a picture of how you currently look (either the same, a combination of both animals or the best one).
What tools do you still need to transform into the best math animal?
Day 59:
Summarize the mathematics we have done in class this week in one sentence.
What would the learning objective of the week be?
Day 60:
If there was only one topic in mathematics I could learn, what would it be?
Explain why you chose that topic and how you would use it in your everyday life.
Day 61:
Remember this reflection?
Day 1:
What do you think your strengths are in Math?
What do you think your weaknesses are in Math?
Write down your favorite math problem. Explain why it is your favorite problem.
Answer these questions for today’s reflection.
Day 62:
<Return reflections 1 and 61 to students>
Compare your reflections from these two days.
How has your thinking about math changed?
How has your thinking about math stayed the same?
What have we done in class that has impacted your mathematical thinking the most? (activity, lesson, discussion, etc)
Day 63:
Yesterday you told me something that has been done in class that has had the greatest effect on your mathematical thinking. (activity, lesson, discussion, etc)
Write an example of how you would present today’s material in that way.
Day 64:
Tomorrow’s lesson will be on <insert learning objective here>, what type of learning activity would you like to experience tomorrow?
How/Why do you think that would be beneficial for the whole class?
Day 65:
Using one sentence, summarize the learning objectives of the week.
What things do you know well from this week? Give examples.
What things do you feel you still need help with from this week? Give examples.
What one objective do you feel you could teach another student? How would you do it?
Day 66:
What mathematics did you work on today?
Draw an illustration displaying it.
Write a formal description/definition for it.
Day 67:
What the topic of math class today?
What questions arose as you worked today?
What changes to your approach did you have to make to solve the problems?
Day 68:
Today’s objective in math was:
What strategies did you attempt to use on these types of problems?
Did it work? Why or why not?
Day 69:
What strategies did you think you needed to solve today’s problems?
What strategies did you actually need?
Compare/contrast your thoughts on both sets of strategies.
Day 70:
Are you more or less confident in your initial thinking of mathematical problems and the strategies needed to solve them? Explain.
How can you be confident you are working successfully on a problem?
What steps can you take if you have problems?
Day 71:
What was the objective of the day today?
How would you teach a 2nd grade student this concept? What types of materials would you need? What activities would you do?
Explain why you think that your lesson for 2nd graders is appropriate for their age.
Day 72:
What was the objective of the day yesterday?
How would you teach a 7th grade student this concept? What types of materials would you need? What activities would you do?
Explain why you think that your lesson for 7th graders is appropriate for their age.
Day 73:
What was the objective of the day on Monday?
How would you teach a 11th grade student this concept? What types of materials would you need? What activities would you do?
Explain why you think that your lesson for 11th graders is appropriate for their age.
Day 74:
(Hand back student’s reflections from this week)
These are the reflections you did this week, read through your ideas for lessons for 2nd, 7th and 11th grade students.
Compare/contrast your plans, how does learning math change as you progress through school?
Day 75:
When learning a new mathematical concept, what is one thing that helps you make connections to the material presented in class?
How does that relate to the plans you made this week?
Day 76:
In your own words, describe the objective of the day.
Write down your partner’s description.
Compare/Contrast your descriptions, why do you think yours is different than your partners?
Day 77:
Create an example problem for today’s lesson.
Have your partner solve your problem.
Describe how your partner solved the problem.
Was this the way you thought about the problem? Explain.
(this reflection activity takes a bit longer to complete in class)
Day 78:
What things did you notice during today’s lesson?
What things did your partner notice?
Was there anything in common? Why do you think that happened?
What things were different? Why did your partner notice different things than you?
Day 79:
<give students a slightly different problem variation of the objective of the day>
Talk with a partner
How would you attempt to solve this problem? Why?
Day 80:
Partner work
What things work well with partner work?
What things do not work well?
When solving mathematics problems, what is the best use of a partner?
Day 81:
Provide an example of the problem/problems you worked on today.
What is a common error (or one that you made) when working on these problems?
Why is that error commonly made?
Day 82:
Provide an example of a mistake you (or your partner) made on a math problem today.
What does that error tell you about your understanding of the mathematics needed to solve the problem?
Day 83:
How do you feel about making mistakes in Math class? Explain.
Day 84:
Is making mistakes important to learning (not just mathematics)? Explain and justify your answer.
Day 85:
How has this week changed your view about making mistakes in Math class?
Day 86:
You have been in math class for half a year. What has been the ONE activity, lesson or project that you enjoyed the most?
Why did you enjoy it?
What was the mathematical objective of the activity, lesson or project?
Day 87:
Yesterday you talked about an activity, lesson or project you enjoyed the most in math class this year. What was the mathematical objective you learned from it?
How has that concept connected to other mathematical concepts this year?
Do you anticipate to use this concept later this year? How?
Day 88:
Yesterday you talked about an activity, lesson or project you enjoyed the most in math class this year. What was the mathematical objective you learned from it?
How has that concept been isolated from other mathematical concepts this year?
Do you think that this concept can connect to those concepts? How?
Day 89:
When you think of Math class, what do you think should happen in class?
What type of activities would you do in that Math class?
What type of problems would you work on in that Math class?
Day 90:
What would you like your Math class to look like this last half of the year?
What types of activities should you do in Math class?
What types of problems should you work on in Math class?
How would that help you (or other students) learn math?
Day 96:
What did you observe in math class today?
Was is related to math? Explain.
How did it effect you or your thinking?
Day 97:
What did you observe in class today?
How is it related to what you observed yesterday?
How did it effect you or your thinking?
Day 98:
When observing, what do you think you should focus on?
What thing(s) make that hard to do?
What can help you to observe better?
Day 99:
How can observing help you in math class?
What will you focus on tomorrow?
Day 100:
What did you intend to focus on today?
How well did you meet that goal? Explain.
Did it effect your learning? Explain why or why not.
MathLab 