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Project Goal

In order to lift math ideas off the textbook pages students need to become comfortable and proficient with the language of math. The goal of my project is to give students the tools and work space to make connections from math ideas to mathematical vocabulary and symbols. Students need varied concrete models to solve problems and they need to be given opportunities to think and show why their strategies and thinking "makes sense". My project will supply students with their own unique work space in which students will actually become the teachers of strategies in demonstrating their mastery of concepts. These manipulative tools will encourage 'real world' problem solving in an interactive and hands on way.  

 

How Project Benefits Students

My project will benefit students this year and for years to come. Current math best practices allows students to learn and accept multiple methods of solving problems. This motivates students to become mathematical thinkers, able to demonstrate and support their use of strategies. This unique work space will allow students to not only use their preferred strategy and manipulative but to TEACH others how they went about solving specific problems. I have found that allowing students the chances to teach each other to be a scary yet very powerful teaching strategy! Students take on more ownership than ever before because the buy in is huge, they are the teacher, responsible for the teaching and the learning. For me, this is one of the best methods of assessment, I can really see who understands the skill when they are teaching it to others. In order to become teachers, students need their own area to demonstrate, one that is easy to move and one where they have all of the necessary tools at their fingertips. With this grant, students will have everything they need to learn and teach crucial math concepts.  

 

Expected Outcome(s)

With my new magnetic easels and manipulatives I expect that students will again be excited about math. I expect that they will be eager to participate and become even more flexible in their thinking. Their is absolutely no substitute for firsthand experiences in class and I know that students will want to share and teach others when they have the tools and practice to do so. I expect students basic understanding of concepts will grow leaps and bounds which will be crucial as they move to 3rd grade. I believe students number sense will be more sold than ever as students have opportunities to manipulate numbers and see them in different ways. The collaboration between students and teachers and students with students will increase substantially as their will be more space and tools to show and discuss strategies.  

 

Detailed Cost Summary

In order for students to each have all of the supplies they need for their new easels, I have found the least expensive magnetic manipulative sets to go with the easels.  

 

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