So much good in one place!

Many of you are familiar with the beauty of Splat! and all that it can offer our students.  It also has the great quality of being a routine that can be used throughout school.  It is certainly a routine that students, teachers, and this math specialist love due to its visual qualities, critical thinking elements, and engaging ways!

But the master behind Splat! has many other great resources available to teachers.  They are opportunities to expose our students to many concepts and to encourage some rich discourse in our classrooms.  And, best of all, Steve Wyborney shares his wonderful creations with us in the form of free downloads.

These resources are good in a normal year, but this year, they are especially nice to use in a virtual learning format.

Here is a run-down of some of the things you can find from Mr. Wyborney:

Splat!:  Beginning with concept of missing addends, the Splat slides move from primary concepts to fractions and algebra as the slides become more complex.  Students benefit from the visual nature of the slides, and they love the game feel of it all.

Esti-Mysteries:  Another popular routine with students, esti-mysteries merge the skill of estimation with critical thinking.  One clue is revealed at a time so that students can narrow down their choices.  In the end, they still depend upon their estimating skills for a final decision.  One thing I like about this routine is that once it has been taught, I think it can be used in many ways including revealing a clue a day with the final discussion occurring at the end of the week.

Estimation Clipboard: This is one of my favorites!  This routine again builds off of the concept of estimating and makes it fun for students to take the risks when making an estimate.  An image is shown, students make an estimate, and then the answer is revealed. Another slide is shown with a change in the image, and the students adjust their estimate.  This simple routine has hidden sophistication in that it often has hidden benchmarks for students to use to be able to make a better estimate.  Many of the images are about number, but I especially recommend the slides that deal with length.

Cube Conversations:  These 3D images are a great way for students to get an introduction to volume and to build their visual and grouping skills.

Tiled Area Questions:  Beginning as general area problems, these develop into more complex relationships between whole and fractional numbers.  Again--an opportunity to stretch our students' thinking and their abilities to justify their thinking.

His animated multiplication chart is a nice tool for students to explore patterns and be exposed to their facts.

I know that for many of you Splat! is a common routine used in your classroom, but I wanted you to be aware of some of the many other treasures that you can find on this website.  If the past proves anything, I would bet we can look forward to other great ideas to be created by him in the future!  Have fun exploring this awesome sight, but more importantly, have fun watching your students think, engage, and discuss mathematics in such fun ways!

3 Act Tasks: Have you tried them yet?

3 Act Tasks offer our students such an engaging opportunity to make sense of math! However, as teachers, sometimes we are afraid to try something new not knowing where it might take us and scared that something bad might happen.  I just heard an analogy recently about this being like being at the top of a rollercoaster:









via ytCropper
And, while it might have twists and turns and dropoffs, not to mention bugs in the face, it also brings an excitement and thrill that we rarely find doing a traditional math lesson. We need to think about putting ourselves in that precarious position at the top of the rollercoaster; it's what we ask our students to do on a regular basis so that they can grow.  We should try it, too!

3 Act Tasks are real-world problem-solving scenarios which require students to make sense of what to do.  During Act 1, they use the reading skills of visualizing, predicting, and inferring in a math context.  They figure out what they need to know to solve the problem. In Act 2, students work to solve the math question in a way that makes sense to them. They discuss their thinking with a friend and compare their answer to their estimate.  Act 3 is exciting because that is when they find out if they were on the right track!  

While they are working during Act 2, you are monitoring (and asking questions that help them understand--not helping too much).  You are monitoring to see the methods that students used in order to solve the problem.  During Act 3, it is your job to have students share ways that they solved the problem.  These should be sequenced so that you can show connections between different methods. Be clear on what your math target for the lesson was and be sure that your models and discussion help that math target to be evident to everyone.  You synthesize the learning at the end of the lesson.

3 Acts are very visual and often use videos to help students better understand the situation. They follow more of the format of "you do, we do, I do" rather than the traditional layout of "I do, we do, you do."

Typically, a 3 Act Task in K-2  about 20-30 minutes.  In 3-5, a task usually takes about 4o minutes.  As students get stronger and more comfortable, the time needed for a 3 Act might decrease.

I am happy to come and model a 3 Act Task for you and your class, but I know that many of you can do them without my support.  You just need to put yourself on the rollercoaster!

At the top of this blog, you will find a tab labeled 3 Act Tasks.  This will take you to a large number of standards-aligned tasks that I have organized using SMART Notebook (and sometimes Google slides).  They are by a variety of mathematicians; I just put all of the pieces together into one format.  You can also find more great tasks by clicking here or here or even by Googling 3 Act Tasks.

As always, share with me your questions, struggles, or successes and let me know how I can help!

Need something extra for Unit 7?

Looking for some resources to make your EM4 Unit 7 come alive for all of your students?  Here are some resources I found!  Remember, if you are looking for resources for a particular standard, check out the tab above labeled Resources to support CCSS.

1st Grade:
Geometric Subitizing Cards
Humpty Dumpty:  An addition and subtraction 3 Act task by Graham Fletcher embedded in Notebook.  Everything you need in one place!
Which One Doesn't Belong--Shapes:  These puzzles have students thinking and talking about shapes and their attributes
Secret Number:  A fun, easy game for partners to build their understanding of fact families
Mathematics Match Game:  Another game to help build understanding of fact families
Numbers Many Ways:  A lesson/exploration for students to explore number families
Geoboards:  This lesson helps students look at and build vocabulary around shapes and their attributes
Same/Different: A great visual exploration about what is the same and different about different shapes
How Many Under the Shell?  This online game helps students to visually solve basic addition/subtraction problems
Sum Links:  Great thinking needed as these basic addition problems become more and more difficult

2nd Grade:
Toll Bridge Puzzle:  This puzzle from Illustrative Mathematics has students solve the problem using multiple addends
Would you Rather:  This prove it problem mixes a review of money as well as adding multiple addends
High Jump Competition:  This task asks students to use a high jumpers data to answer questions
Same/Different:  This visual has students look at ways to bridge ten
3 Act Task--The Race: This task explores adding multiple distances
Would you rather:  Students justify their decision about measurement with math
4 Dominoes:  This visual puzzle has students add multiple numbers to find equality

3rd Grade:
Find 1:  Illustrative Mathematics task involving number lines
Would you rather:  Students justify their decision about fractional brownies with math
Rectangle Tangle:  Can your students determine the fractional value of each piece of the rectangle?
Representing Fractions on a number line:  This task asks students to show what they know about placing numbers on a number line
Fraction Game:  Game involving fractions on a number line
Half-Fraction Snake:  This puzzle only uses the fraction 1/2, but it will really get students thinking!
Fractions less than a half:  How many fractions can your students make using the benchmark of 1/2?
Comparing fractions on a number line:  Challenging problem from Open Middle!
Same or different:  Looking at a bar model of fractions--Can your students determine what is the same and different?
Dig it!:  This Calculation Nation game is great numberline practice.  Account needed, but free, and worth the time!  Games can be played on the SMARTBoard!

4th Grade:
Visual patterns:  This site is full of visual models.  Can your students figure out what would come in the 43rd step of the pattern?
Fraction Fascination:  This nrich puzzle challenges your students to find fractions of the whole
Decomposing Tenths and Hundredths:  Students must figure out the way to break apart 1 and 1/10 given the parameters listed
Multiplying Mixed Numbers by Whole Numbers:  This puzzle from Open Middle will get students thinking!
Game Winner: This 3 Act Task has students multiply a fraction by a whole number
Sugar in 6 Cans of Soda:  An Illustrative Mathematics task
Fraction Four:  An online game, similar to Connect Four, where students can practice many different aspects of fractions

5th Grade:
Visual patterns:  This site is full of visual models.  Can your students figure out what would come in the 43rd step of the pattern?
Multiplying Mixed Numbers by Whole Numbers:  This puzzle from Open Middle will get students thinking!
Which Quadrilateral has the greater area?:  This problem from open middle mixes students' understanding of shapes' attributes with computation
Super Bowl Cheesy Pretzel Poppers:  Students use their knowledge of fractions to change the quantity of a recipe
Father's Day Breakfast Surprise:  Another recipe adjustment problem
How Much Dew? A 3 Act task involving multiplication of fractions
Chavone's Bathroom Tiles: Illustrative Mathematics Task for 5.NF.4
Fraction Four:  An online game, similar to Connect Four, where students can practice many different aspects of fractions

Extension Activities for Unit 6

Below are a variety of games, problems, and tools that you might use to help meet your students' needs in Unit 6 of Everyday Math.

1st Grade:
Two-Digit Targets:  This challenging place-value activity has an interactive version, but would be easy to print out for your classroom, too.
What is the Time:  Some extra practice with time
Coded Hundred Square:  Can your students crack the code for the hundred square?
Making Sticks:  This activity has a hands-on component that allows students to manipulate blocks to answer the questions.
Make those Bracelets:  Students are challenged to find as many solutions to the problem as possible.
GregTang books:  Use any of these books to reinforce problem solving and/or to introduce arrays.  This link takes you to the books in case you don't have the physical copy on hand!
Cookie Monster Puzzle:  Video that explains how puzzle works.  Great puzzle to promote perseverance.

2nd Grade:
Create a Bar Graph Online: This site allows students to input data to create a bar graph.Bar Graph examples:  Sample bar graphs to use in whole class or small group
Learn Zillion:  This site is good for introducing or reteaching the partial sums method of addition.
GregTangMath:  This site offers another way for students to look at partial sums.  Most of these problems are laid out vertically, so they may be for your students who have developed a strong conceptual understanding.
GregTang books:  Use any of these books to reinforce problem solving and/or to introduce arrays.  This link takes you to the books in case you don't have the physical copy on hand!
Sweets in a Box:  Great problem solving problem involving arrays layered in a box.
Thinking Blocks:  This visual model helps students to make sense of the story problem they are trying to solve.
Valentine 3 Act Task:  This 3 Act Task works on basic addition/subtraction.  Good for making sense of a story problem.

3rd Grade:
Make 100:  This problem asks students to use flexible thinking to reach 100 in as many ways as possible.
25th Wedding Anniversary: A 3 Act task using subtraction (and my grandparents!)
Would you Rather:  Students must make a choice and defend it mathematically.  This one deals with fractions.
Nim-7:  Not only do students learn how to play this game, they must think about the strategy needed to win.
Tables without Tens:  This problem asks students to find patterns in the multiplication table.
Carrying Cards:  Nrich problem in which students must look for patterns and do basic computation.
Is My Son Going to Win...Again?: Real world problem solving activity where students have a number of details to determine who will win the game of Monopoly Jr.

4th Grade:
Pebbles:  Students look to continue a pattern using as few pebbles as possible.
Massive Mosaic:  This 3 Act Task looks at area and division.
What's My Angle?: Extra practice measuring angles using a digital protractor
Would you Rather?:  This problem asks students to pick a side and defend their choice.  This problem deals with money.
Area and Perimeter:  These problems ask students to look more closely at area and perimeter.
Star Polygon:  An angle exploration from nrich.  Students investigate their hypothesis.
Alison's Quilt: Story problem with putting square pieces together to form a rectangular quilt.
The Quotient Cafe: App from NCTM that helps students visualize division

5th Grade:
Spiraling Decimals: Students practice knowledge of decimal value in this partner game.
Jumping:  Story problems that involve computations with decimals
Sugar Cubes:  3 Act Task that focuses on 5.NBT.6 and 5.NBT.7
Round the Dice Decimals: This nrich activity lets students think through the value of decimals.
Pick a Path:  This game from NCTM has students use all operations to move the octopus through the maze. Numbers include whole, exponents, and decimals.
Star Wars Phenomena:  This lesson involves a lot of number manipulation on a topic that many students are interested in:  Star Wars!
Carl's Aquarium:  Illustrative Mathematics task that gives real world exposure to volume
Your Number Was:  This machine can guess the number you are thinking of.  Try it with decimals!  
Would you Rather:  Students must make a choice and defend it mathematically.

EM4 Unit 5 Extension possiblities

Here are some links that might help you as you plan Unit 5 in Everyday Math 4.

1st grade:
Equality 2:  Open middle problem which will require some perseverance in problem solving and knowledge of the equal sign.
Coin Bubble:  Good game for all students to gain understanding of coins and their place in base ten.
Adding two-digits numbers: Open middle problem where students are given an addend but must determine the other addend and sum given some parameters.  Challenging.
Two-digit targets:  Students strive to make the numbers that match the clues without reusing any digits.
Pennies:  A 3 Act task that your class can complete.  Helps students to gain practice with pennies.  This task is in SMART Notebook.
Interactive Place Value Mat:  This interactive mat is similar to the one in your ConnectEd etoolkit.  Choose the one you like better as a great way to model problems concretely.

2nd grade:
Two-digit targets:  Students follow parameters to find a sum that matches the description.  Open Middle 
Snail One-hundred:  game in which students use working knowledge of 10s and 1s.
Open Number Line:  This LearnZillion lesson can be used for independent practice or reteaching.  Get a LearnZillion account for full access to their resources.
Interactive Number Line:  This number line can be formatted with or without numbers and gives students a good way to see how adding on a number line can work.
Whopper Jar:  This Notebook 3 Act Task has students add 2-digit numbers.
Would you Rather?:  Students choose a side in this place value problem and defend it.

3rd grade:
Interactive Fraction Pieces:  This app from MathLearningCenter is similar to the one you can find in your ConnectEd etoolkit.  Choose the one you like best.
Distributive Property:  Direct instruction from LearnZillion can be used for reteaching or independent learning.  Get a LearnZillion account for full access to their resources.
Sweettart Hearts:  A 3-Act Task that builds basic fraction understanding. This task is in SMART Notebook.
Fractional Triangles:  This task from nrich asks students to look at ways to break apart a square into triangles.
Matching Fractions:  Online matching game for finding equivalent fractions.
Buzzy Bee:  Students look for and make sense of patterns.
Ordering Cards:  This task helps students gain a better understanding of x2 and x3.
Grapes:  Would you Rather activity where students must justify their choice.

4th grade:
Chocolate:  This task is really at grade-level, but it is a rich version of problem-solving.
Ribbon Lengths:  This LearnZillion lesson can be used for independent learning or reteaching of adding/subtracting mixed numbers.
What's the Secret Code?: This lesson from Youcubed offers students clues to see if they can determine the number.
The Apple:  This 3-Act Task focuses on adding fractions to get a total.  Introduces the idea of multiplying fractions, but gives good practice of addition strategies, too. SMART Notebook.
Fractions:  These Open Middle tasks are varied, but challenging for students.
Blueberry Surprise:  A problem that asks students to convert fractions to solve the problem. 
Brownies:  This problem asks students to make a fraction choice and defend it.

5th grade:
Fractions:  So many Open Middle fraction problems to choose from!  What a great challenge for your students. 
Andy's Marbles:  This work-backwards problem is a good challenge for students to figure out.
Egyptian Fractions:  A rich task to challenge your students' perseverance
Investigation:  This LearnZillion investigation looks at the commutative property and fraction division.
SnowSprint Fractions:  Fun online game to practice multiplying fractions independently.
Who Wants to be a Hundredaire?  This online asks progressively difficult multiplication of fractions problems. Format will be fun for students!
Peaches Today, Peaches Tomorrow:  This is a great problem-solving activity for gaining a better understanding for fractions!
Ben's Game: Great problem solving activity about fractions.  How many ways can your students find?  What if the box held more than 40 counters?

If you have other resources you think would benefit others, please share in the comments below!

Looking for Extension Activities for Unit 4?

If you have some students who pretest out of Unit 4 in Everyday Math, you may find some of these activities will help meet their needs.  Even if you don't have students who test out of the unit, these activities will take some of your grade level's unit skills and look at them at a higher level.

1st grade:
Game of Totals --whole day lesson from Youcubed
Snap It--great small group activity that could be used for combinations of 10
Eggs in Baskets--problem solving problem with conditions that make kids make sense
The Brown Family--problem solving activity
Make Ten blog post--this blog post from last year focuses on resources to help teach making ten
Popping Balloons--A 3-Act task that focuses on combos to 10

2nd grade:
How many Times?--problem solving activity about time
Wonky Watches--another problem solving activity about timeWhich is faster?--problem solving about place value and giving supporting evidence for your thinking
That number square--problem solving about numbers to 100
Fruit Shoot--online place value game where students match base ten blocks to numbers. FUN!
Place Values Shapes game--another fun online game for kiddos to think about place value differently.  Challenging!
Place Value Pirates--online place value game
Would you rather--scenario where students choose what they think is the better choice

3rd grade:
Area Shapes game--good review interactive game for students to practice area
Perimeter Shapes game--online review game that practices perimeter
Quadrilateral Shapes game-- interactive game that has student practice with different types of quadrilaterals
Rectangle Interactive--this interactive activity helps kids connect area to the length of the sides of the rectangle
Paper Cut--3 Act Task that explores area
Numerically Equal--problem solving that asks students to look at area and perimeter
Quadrilaterals--problem solving that looks at different attributes of quadrilaterals

4th grade:
All the Digits--problem solving involving multiplication
Shape Times Shape--multiplication problem solving with an introduction to algebra
Table Patterns Gone Wild!--looking for patterns in multiplication tables
Multiplying two-digit numbers--Open Middle activity for finding a product
Massive Mosaic--3 Act Task which focuses on multiplication of two 2-digit numbers
Would you Rather--scenario where students have to choose and defend the better choice

5th grade:
Scooter Quest--online game to practice decimal place value
Rounding Decimals--Open Middle rounding decimals problem
Meteor Coordinates--This onlinegame gives students a chance to explore coordinate pairs.
Place Value Pirates--online game to practice decimal place value
Hungry Puppies--online game where students choose decimal values to combine to make the target
Matching--this online game has students match decimals, fractions, and percentages
Round the dice--an investigation about rounding decimals
Spiralling Decimals--a game of strategy and knowledge of decimal size

If you have other resources to share, please add them in the comments below!