Pam+Schill

__**Lesson 1**__ For the math Investigations lesson on pattern extensions, I would use a pocket chart to demonstrate the activity. I would start an AB pattern and place the question mark cards in the pocket chart. The students would come up and replace the question mark cards with the color cards they thought would extend the pattern. Although the children did have the opportunity to manipulate the cards, the pocket chart was not as easy for everyone to see as the smartboard screen. I would let several students come up and participate in this activity while the rest of the children watched.

I created a pattern page for this lesson. Now the children can come up and move the pattern cards up to replace the question mark cards. It is much easier for all the students to see the pattern and they are actively involved in the extension process. The children are more focused when the lights are down and the smartboard is used for the lesson.

Attached is an image of what the screen looks like. __**Lesson 2**__ In the past, I have used my pocket chart or Alconin boxes to teach word families to my students. I would have the ending displayed and a stack of consonant cards out for the children to place on the chart or the board. The students would pick a consonant and place it next to the ending. I would make the sound and put the word together and then the students would repeat the process back to me. The students would take turns coming up and changing the beginning sound to make a new word. Later, they would record the words on a recording sheet at center time.

I used the rolling die with consonants and created an interactive activity whereby students can roll the die and see what letter comes up. I placed the word ending next to the die so the word would be as one. Now the students can roll the die on the screen and watch it move to a consonant. We say the new word and decide if it is a real word or a "nonsense" word. The student can write the real word on the screen. Many students can come up and have a turn and then we can see how many words we come up with. This activity can be used as a center once the children know how to use it independently. This allows the students to see the relationship of new beginning sounds to a common word ending.

Attached is an image of what the screen looks like. __**Lesson 3**__ I have tried this math Investigations lesson several ways and I always lose the childrens attention before it is over. The children have to grab a handful of cubes, build a tower, remember how many cubes they have and repeat the process three more times. Then, they order the towers from shortest to tallest. Finally, they record the cube towers on paper in order. I would grab the cubes to demonstrate and then color them in with crayons on the actual recording sheet. It was difficult to see what I was coloring and a bit boring to watch. Many of the children would go back to their seats unsure of what they were supposed to do first. I would sit with one group each day until I got through all the groups, which meant that some of the students were lost for several days before I got to them.

Now, I created this lesson on the smartboard and we can try it out whole group. I grab and they grab. I put them in a tower and they follow. I color my tower by filling in the cubes with the paint bucket icon and they color theirs. We grab 3 more times and repeat the process. I made my towers moveable so they can be ordered later. The children can do the same by cutting their tower strips when they are finished. This allows them to manipulate the towers until they feel they are ordered correctly. This lesson has eliminated the doubt and worry that my students experienced with the old lesson.

Attached is an image of what the screen looks like __**Lesson 4**__

I used to teach this math Investigations lesson by having the children sit in a big circle on the floor. We would take turns rolling the dot cubes and filling in the numeral on a large sheet of paper that replicated the roll and record worksheet. The students would try this a few times and then they would go back to their seats and play the game. This activity gave them practice translating the dot pattern into a numeral and writing the numeral on the sheet.

I used two rolling dot cubes on the smartboard screen and children can come up and manipulate them while the rest of the class watches and shouts out the number as it comes up. Everyone is engaged, eventhough 1 student is touching the screen. The student can use the pen to record the numeral on the sheet and call the next student to come up and have a turn. The children love the rolling dot cubes and they love anything that is in the form of an interactive game. Now the students can practice together and not feel that they are being left out. This activity can be used during math workshop in place of playing it at the center table.

Attached is an image of what the screen looks like.