I LOVE journals. I use them across content and find them so handy at conferences. Assessing them is easy too - I just take a table group's bin home and assess one group at a time. I especially love our math journals. Our math journals are such an important time of our math block. My students really enjoy brainstorming and collaborating about ways to explain their math thinking. At first, the journals were heavily scaffolded for my students - but keeping the routine and the set up similar throughout the year helped to foster their independence. Now they are masters at explaining their math thinking!
This week we took off on an activity I saw in one of my Amy Lemon's packets - but I had the kids construct everything- all.of.it! They did an AMAZING job! Especially AMAZINGGGGGG when you consider most had never cut the center out of anything. Ever. In all time.
They started by drawing a big D on cardstock using a Sharpie. Then they had to cut it out, including the center (whaaaaa?!) Yeah. They rocked it.
After, they had to write as many doubles facts as they knew with a Sharpie. Wait. WHAAAAT? Yep. Permanent marker. You gotta be committed and certain if you're using a Sharpie!
Finally, they brought them to life when they added a little personality with limbs and eyes!
Adorable!
They are dancing above them all day - blowing with the AC!
