Formative Assessments: How to...

If you missed last Tuesday's Globalmath you need to go watch it here... Formative Assessments for Math Learning

Pam J. Wilson and myself spoke on a lot of good topics..

Here is the link to my part of the presentation so you can see what I used, but listening to the presentation is key as well.  Formative Assessments


I am working on a post that may take me a week because I write slow and have a ton going on about a comment that I made in the presentation that I believe to be true..

"You can't wait for the quiz to learn what your kids know. You need to know today."

This cause quite a discussion on twitter some people agreed with me, one didn't and asked what is the purpose of the quiz then and that my statement means that there is no distinction between kids of different abilities. Which is not true.

Which is not the purpose of a formative assessment, in my opinion  I will speak on that more in my next post on how formative assessments lead to summative grading. Bloom's Taxonomy and Marzano based grading, the use of Level questioning.

So I ask you guys, what is the purpose of a formative assessment to you?

MyFavFriday: Properties of Logarithms Foldable

MyFavFriday: Properties Of Logarithms Foldable

I haven't done a favorite friday in a while so I am back with one.

I use foldables a lot in my Math Support class, I thought I would share one that I created for Preoperties Of Logarithms with you.

We used this in class to help with the product, quotient, and power property while working on condense, expand and change of base with logs.

Here are some pictures of the foldable:

Here is a link to the foldable:
Properties of Log Foldable

Also don't forget to join me and the the wonderful Pam J. Wilson for GlobalMath on Feb 19th, we will be talking about Formative Assessments.

#MSSunFun Favorite Math Practice Website

Middle School Sunday Funday!!

I know I don't teach Middle School, but Julie's topic was to good to pass up today.. (and I like some future topics as well)

Favorite Math Practice Websites!!!

I want to share with teachers a fun website that allows students to play games, you to use differentiated instruction and to check progress..

www.mangahigh.com and Yes, IT'S FREE! All you have to do is register your school, there are some pay parts but they have an amazing amount of free material available.

Here is a link to some resources MangaHigh Resources, to get you started.

When a student logins all they see is the games and they have them from order of operations all the way up to factoring..

But the best part is the Quizzes only teachers can upload for their students, called challenges.

Here is a view of one of the challenges

Also as a teacher you can view what level each student scored on the current challenge. (who is doing great and who needs extra help)

For more information on how to set-up mangahigh and use it visit here: Manga High How 2

I go to the lab every Friday with my math support class and they love it! Check out Manga High, I am sure you will love it 2!

Formative Assessment Probes

Formative Assessments don't have to always involve quizzes. Sometimes a nice simple probe with do and can take 10 minutes or less and they can be done anytime in the lesson. Warm-Up, Middle, or Ticket of the door.


Here is one I create for my Algebra 2 Class on word problems involving exponentials.

Discrete or Continuous

A simple 2 problem probe multiple choice and more importantly getting the kids to explain why they selected an answer and if they understand how to use a calculator properly.

Examview making my own questions...

I love examview.. LOVE IT... Until now I had never created my own examview questions.

Then I ran into an old Megan Golding post on writing dynamic examview questions.

And so I created my own!

Go Here to Find out how.. Converting Word Docs to Examview

Here is the one I created for My Stats Class, we used the CPS response clickers and played Jeopardy..

Word File Examview

Next I am off to mix Moodle with Examview Questions!

Top Blog Posts of the Year (You need to read these!)

This will probably be my last post for 2012, so Happy New Year... I am teaching Stats and Discrete Math next semester so my posts will be a little different, I still have my Algebra II Support class so, I plan on posting things I do for them as well. Anyways, here are the best articles I read on the blogs this year in 2012


1. Best PD Ever, If you missed Twitter Math camp like me, Lisa Henry has a recap of everything they did  and news from it, start here you are sure to find an idea or two or three.


2. It's going so right, something MUST be wrong. She isn't posting as much as she use to but when she does, they are great. Are you teaching quadratics or want to spice it up for next year start here with Hedge.


3. Regression Instructions on Nspire and 84 I used Kate Nowak's Regression instructions for my kids in Stats Class, ended up being the easiest thing I taught them all year!


4. Calculator Shortcuts! - I didn't know this and I bet you don't either! Do you use a TI-84 in class? You want to know this!

5. Post It Note Answer Key This is how you stop your kids from asking is this the right answer but, where did I go wrong, a much more important question.

6. #Made4math: Exit slip update - Anyone who knows me knows I am huge on Formative assessments and Fouss came up with a way that helps the students feel at ease when doing them.

7. Bulletin Boards - Part 2 - How useful is your bulletin board? Learn from Shelli on how to make it more useful.

8. #made4math Monday! More Kagan, Triangle Center Foldable, Einthoven’s Triangle - Did I mention that Pam is just as big on formative assessments as I am?

9. Stolen Pedagogy -  As Megan says if you aren't using what you learn on these blogs to make yourself a better teacher then what is the purpose?

10. The Best Formative Assessment Tool Ever! - Or so some dumb teacher thinks :)

See you guys next year..

Math Teachers At Play #57

Welcome to the 57th Edition of Math Teachers at Play the Blog Carnival!

 The number 57 has often been used in entertainment. As in Agent 57 from the Hit TV Show Danger Mouse.. Bruce Springsteen once sung about 57 channels (and nothing ' on), and I can't forget one of my favorite movies Passenger 57 staring Wesley Snipes.





Below are this month's entries:

Mathematics Teaching

Jason Dyer tells us why this TED-Ed video on Log Functions isn't what it should be TED-Ed gone awry!

 If Long Division is a problem for your kids or students, Julie has the answer to making it easy in this post. Long Division Made Easy

Sue VanHattem is back to help fix some basic misconceptions about Anti-Dervatives and the Area under the Curve in Calculus. Calculus Anti-Derivatives and Area
 
 Pat Ballew is here to tell us about how to use prior knowledge to enhance and build new knowledge, using what we know about midpoints to help us with Centroids.  Average Points

 Christa Fairbrother picks up on the best way to engage students..CANDY M&M's and Math, but she even gives us a bonus on how a function box can help with addition, subtraction, multiplication..  Engagement using a function box

 Guillermo Bautista talks about the importance of getting your kids to understand the meaning correspondence in math.

Kimberly Moore uses her daughter's love for Paper Dolls to help explain the Concept of Division. 

Content Mathematics

 Colleen Young is back with Christmas Activities for you to use in the Classroom. Christmas Time

 Sue VanHattem brings to us Holiday Logic Puzzles that we all love! Holiday Logic Puzzles

Denise gives us a way to keep up with homeschooling during the holiday season using a Mathematical Advent Calendar. 





Great Advice and Insight

Can you create Mathematical Stars? Malke shows us how she got her daughter further into mathematical stars including the use of ornaments. Mathematical Star Ornaments

Terrance Banks gives all school teachers the best way to give a formative assessment that your students are sure to love and easy for you to use. Sticky Notes.




Technology
Colleen Young gives us Desmos an online graphing calculator is superb. FREE and very easy to use. Desmos Calculator

Cindy uses Number Rack to ask Kindergartners what makes five, learn how this app with help your students grow. Make Five with Number Rack

This concludes the 57th edition of the Math Teachers at Play. You may submit your entries for the 58th edition here.