Math Day - This is a long but informative post!!

This last week was action packed with STAAR writing for two days.  In an effort to recharge and re-engage the students my 4th grade team decided to have a Math Day.  Thursday, the day after testing, we made 4 stations for each homeroom class to transition through.  These stations included specific TEKS/skills the grade level as a whole needed additional help on.

One room was a general problem solving skills STAAR review.  I used this free STAAR test someone made and posted on teachers pay teachers.  STAAR-Math-Practice-Test-4th-Grade

Now, NO ONE wanted to take another test.  So, I made the first 23 questions into a QR code, posted them around the room, and had the students use the ipads to scan and solve the questions.  They did this in partners.  If you are interested here are those first 23 questions as a QR code: STAAR QR code Review

I love using QR codes, but had a new challenge.  The STAAR review quiz would not keep its formate when I tried to add it to a QR code maker.  I decided to take a screen shot of each question to make it easier.  Well, it did not make it much easier.  I quickly learned you cannot add a file to a QR.  So, I found this great website, that would take my picture, turn it into a website link, and create the QR code.  Here is the site if you are ever interested: QR code maker

Example: 

Here is what that same question looks like as a QR code:

One room was a fraction review. The students needed help with Mixed numbers, Improper fractions, benchmark fractions, and equivalent fractions.  This activity hit all of these skills and made it fun!

We did this by playing BINGO.  I loved this one because it was an interactive whiteboard type game.  The great thing is this ran through my laptop and projector.  NO NEED FOR A WHITEBOARD.  Here is the link for the BINGO caller: Fraction Bingo Whiteboard Caller

You will need to purchase the BINGO cards from teacherspayteachers.com for only 2 dollars.  I printed them in black and white on colored paper. Here is the direct link to the cards: Fraction Bingo Cards

Another room was a review of Transformations.  This is the movement of a shape.  In third grade they called this flip, slide, and turn.  Now we call it translation, rotation, and reflection.

 To start this review, We discussed the three types of transformations and what the students remember about it.  Then we grabbed their interest by showing this short video.  I love this video because it was able to take the need to know what translation, rotation, and reflection into a real life application.

After the video, we taught the students this great kenesthetic song to remember how/what each movement is.  The song is to the tune of the Mexican Hat Dance.  We use the music file on this site to sing along to: Mexican Hat Dance

The words are:

Reflection means to flip,

rotation means to turn,

translation means to slide it,

I've got this lesson learned! 

Here is a cute video of another teacher's class doing the hand movements for the song are at this youtube link: Math Rotations, Reflections, and Translations Song

Finally, we practice our skills by creating this free foldable from teacherspayteachers: Transformations-Activity

The last classroom was a long division and two digit by two digit multiplication room.  With dice, dry erase markers and white boards, students practiced their skills.

I hope the students had as much fun as we had reviewing these skills!!!

Enjoy parents and teachers.