Thursday, March 29, 2012

Question about Tiered Math Tubs and Differentiation

Hi  friends!  I've had lots of interest in my tiered math tubs and questions about how I differentiate for math levels in my classroom.  It is exciting to know that other students (besides my 22 sweeties) are benefiting from these leveled activities!  Click..HERE to read a previous post about the difference between a math tub and a math center in my classroom.  Below is a question I received this week on TPT and I wanted to share my response with you all as well...


Hi-
I love all of your stuff. I was wondering though, how do you decide how the kids get separated for each tier. Do you give them a pre test for the unit that you are about to teach? I'd really be interested in doing this for my 4thies as well. They could really use the different levels. 
Is there a book that you read that helped you start? 
I wrote back...
Thank you for your interest in my Tiered Math Tubs.  You were asking how I select the tiers students should be placed on.  My tiers are leveled according to Common Core standards or levels of difficulty.  I decided to create these tiered tubs last school year due to so many different math levels in my classroom.  I was already differentiating reading and writing activities in reading groups, HOTS center activities, etc... so I set a goal to do the same in Math through tiered tubs.   I knew I wanted to start with a pretest to determine prior knowledge and build from there.  Each tiered tub includes a pretest to determine the tier or level each student should work on.  These tests all include 12 items (4 for each tier). I look at the Common Core standards and decide which grade levels I want each tub to stretch across. I have K-2, 1-3, and 2-4 tiered tubs.  The activity cards/game ideas/skill are all the same for each level.  The level of the skill is what increases with each tier.  Here are some pictures from my Flower Power Place Value Tiered Tub to help you see what all is included.  Basically, each child is doing the same activity but the skill level becomes more difficult with each tier. You asked could you make these for your 4th grade students??? Sure you could.  My recommendation would be to keep your leveled activities tiered to 3rd through 5th grade standards.  Just look across the standards and see how each skill increases each year. Good luck with this and let me know if I can help you.  Thanks so much!!!-Yvonne Dixon (Sassy in Second)



Saturday, March 24, 2012

WOW...Hunger Games!

  I woke up this morning with a popcorn and coke hangover and looked again and noticed that the numbering was off on the first sheet of my "Grab a Graph" posting if you downloaded this earlier!  Make sure you get the fixed copy!  I guess I was so excited about going to see the Hunger Games last night with my son that I didn't double check.  Make sure you get the fixed copy!!! 
  WOW...Hunger Games!  We bought our tickets a week ago and I am SO glad we did.  We got to the movie theatre and it was crazy!  I read Tracee's review before we went and I so agree with her when she said that the casting for the actors was excellent!  They couldn't have picked better actors for the characters if they had tried!  LOVED it!  They did an awesome job matching the movie to the book!  My son was telling me how he got chills at the Reaping and again when they were counting down for their release into the Games!  The whole theatre was clapping and cheering at the end of the movie if that tells you anything!!!  WOW is all I can say!!! -Yvonne




Friday, March 23, 2012

Grab a Graph!

One of the things I LOVE about the teaching profession is how we all collaborate and help each other!  I've had many student teachers over the years and I so love the excitement and knowledge they bring to my classroom each time!  This year I am blessed with a precious student teacher who is doing a fabulous job with my students!  She has been teaching graphing and data for a couple of weeks now (in addition to all the many other skills she is trying to get in before Benchmark testing!)  I asked her if I could share some pics from a graphing booklet she made with my kiddos.  Here they are!  I thought they all understood the standards beautifully once she completed this project!  She had them all break up into groups to survey different classrooms and design tally tables and bar graphs to paste in a booklet.  Here are the pics and I've also included copies of the graphs if you'd like to download them.  Hope you can use them!  Thanks!-Yvonne










Sunday, March 18, 2012

And the "Lucky" Winner Is...

Congratulations to Mary Beth from Run Teacher Run!  She is the lucky winner from our Saint Patrick's Day Weekend Giveaway!  Thank you to everyone who participated!  You are all wonderful and we really appreciate you following us and joining in on our "green" giveaway fun!  Please keep posted for more great giveaways coming again soon!  Thanks again!-Yvonne

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

We are having a ..."Lucky" Giveaway!


Top Of the Morning to yA!

We are having a "lucky" St. Patrick's Day Weekend Giveaway!  I am so excited to join 8 other amazing bloggers in this exciting "green" giveaway!
We will choose one lucky winner
on sunday evening to win the 
following amazing 
  teaching resources!    
All you have to do is follow each blog and tpt store! Leave a note on each blog with your name and contact information.

Mrs. Freshwater's Class Blog and TPT Store

 Lory's Page Blog and TPT store



Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun Courage Unit
Pink Tiara Cookies for Three Character Unit
Primary Graffiti's Blog and TPT store



Erica Bohrer's Blog and TPT store

Kilburn's Kiddos Blog and TPT store




Sweet Confections' Blog and TPT store


Donna's Spring Pack!
Kinderglynn's Blog and TPT store


Sunny Day's Blog and TPT store


Yvonne Dixon's Blog and TPT store

Thank you for participating and good luck!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Easter Bunny Goodies!

Hi teacher friends!  I have a freebie center just for you!  As you are getting your Easter centers ready here is my freebie Easter math center you want to download..."Odd and Even Carrots!"  Your students read the numbers on the carrot cards and sort on a work mat!  Fun!  Also...I'd love for you to check out my "Easter Baskets and Bunnies Math and Literacy Centers!"  Your students will be hopping around your classroom with skills practice excitement!  Thanks so much and have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day this next week!-Yvonne :)


Saturday, March 10, 2012

Teachers Taking Care of Teachers!

Crystal over at Kreative in Kinder is hosting a linky party to help the teachers who have lost everything in the recent tornadoes.  I think this is a wonderful idea!  If we all give just a little something, it could really help out those teachers who have lost all of their teaching materials.    I am going to donate products from my TPT store and look through my classroom books, games, etc... this week to see what I can send.  Thanks!-Yvonne :)

Click the heart below to link up if you want to help!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Sharks to Share!

Hi friends!  I had to share with you this precious freebie a dear friend of mine just posted on TPT!  If you teach "Sharks" or ocean life you need to check out this great unit Marsha Zuber created for her gifted first graders!  I  plan to use some of her ideas with my kiddos as well.  She has leveled (differentiated) activities to meet the needs of all.  Check out her differentiated menu below.  Here are some of the adorable sharks her kiddos made!  Thanks!-Yvonne