Reflections from Kindergarten Model Lesson

With a new adoption and and shifting our teaching practice to inquiry-based learning, there is so much for us to learn as teachers. Luckily for our Kindergarten teacher, we were able to have a consultant come in to model a lesson. This is not something that the publisher deos regularly, however, due to some not-up-tp-par experiences in our Professional Development day, the publisher agreed to do this for our district. And WOW! It was amazing! Sometime seeing really is believing.

Here I am going to share some the major ah-ahs from the day, including videos and pictures. Hopefully this will give you an example of what Math Workshop can look like in your classroom and you can take it and make it your own! Ok, let's get started!

Model Lesson : Morning Session

In this unit, students will be using a variety of manipulatives for learning about 2-D shapes. Organizing the manipulatives and having students own their learning through Math Workshop can be a challenge. Below are pictures and videos that show possible ways to organize the manipulatives and MathWorkshop time with students.

Model Lesson: Pearson Investigations3 Kindergarten Unit 3 Session 1.4
Date: November 17th, 2016
Pearson Trainer: Sandy Fluck

Playdough Shape Mats

As a scaffolding technique, you can use these mats for students to form shapes with the playdough. By providing the outline of the shape, students can match the playdough either as an outline or filled in shape.
Removing the mat provides a different skill. This forces the student to form the shape without the outline.

Math Workshop (Investigations Style)

Math Workshop is designed to:

• Provide students with repeated experience with the concepts being learned and time to practice important skills and refine strategies. 
• Provide time for the teacher to work with individual students and small groups and to assess students' learning and understanding. 
• Help students develop independence and learn to take responsibility for their own learning as they choose activities, keep track of their work, use and take care of classroom materials, and work with others. 

Math Workshop menu using pictures

In Kindergarten, teachers may feel the need to provide structures and support for students to engage in independent learning through Math Workshop. While grade level, class size, physical space, students population and management styles are all factors in designing a Math Workshop for your classroom, do not be afraid to give students full access to choice.
The video above demonstrates a lesson where students engaged in Math Workshop with complete control over the activities they chose for themselves. The introduction to the lesson provides the structure and expectations for Math Workshop. The picture to the right shows the students the 4 options for activities during workshop time:

1. Counting Jar
2. GeoBoards
3. PlayDough
4. Pattern Blocks

Classroom Layout & Manipulatives Management

Every classroom is different in regards to layout and space. However, consider how you can place manipulatives so that students can gather and cleanup manipulatives themselves. For the model classroom, the pictures show a table where all the math manipulatives were located  for that day. Tubs, cups, plastic bags and bins are all used to help students self-manage their materials.

Student taking their bag of playdough

Each student has an individual ziplock with playdough. Names are written on the outside of the bag.

Geoboards and cups of rubberbands

Paper cups are used to store the rubber bands for the GeoBoards. Students take a cup and a GeoBoard to their table to work on creating shapes.

Table used for gathering, seleting,
and return supplies

Remember, there is no right way or wrong way to set-up your classroom and your math materials. Each teacher has a personal style and classroom management routine that will influence how classroom materials are handed out. Consider organization strategies that allow students to take ownership of classroom math manipulatives. Here are a few suggestions:

• Location: Math Bookshelf or Cupboard 
• Storage: bins, buckets, ziplocks, etc. You can even use clear food containers that can be donated by families. 
• Student jobs to organize or gather materials 
• Weekly parent volunteers to prep materials