It’s the first Wednesday of May which means it’s time for our monthly linky – Math IS Real Life!! If you want to see how the linky works, or just want other real world math ideas, check out our Pinterest Board of all the posts so that you can look back and find some great ideas and REAL pictures to use in your classroom!
If you are linking up, please include the below picture AND a link back to all four of our blogs – feel free to use the 2nd image and the links listed below!
#MiRL
A monthly REAL WORLD math blog link-up hosted by
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This week I am getting ready to start new units in pretty much every subject. It’s hard to believe the year is in the home stretch–and it is so fun to see my students becoming so much more “savvy” about the real world. As we move into our last set of book clubs, I wanted the groups to get some experience collaborating and working with schedules. As they get older, they are going to have to learn to budget their time and manage big projects. For the last few years, I have asked them to work with their team to devise a reading schedule that they can all follow–and that they have full ownership of!
Check out some of what we did!
I gave them a “deadline”–but encouraged them to leave a little extra time for unforeseen circumstances! |
I just loved walking around and listening to their discussions! Some groups had failed to consider external factors (like some students don’t have as much time on weekends) …that some chapters are much longer than others…that sometimes there was confusion about what “Chapters 12-14” meant–did that mean they were DUE that day? That they were reading them that day? After about a half hour, all groups had a schedule that they think will work–and we had the talk about what people in the “real world” due when schedules break down or don’t look feasible. They brainstormed together some options…extending their deadline (now they see why it’s a good idea to plan to finish big projects a little early), agreeing that they may need to “compact” some chapters if they get behind, and so on.
They are SO excited to start their plans today–and I love the ownership they have! Stay tuned for updates about how their “Real Life Math” works out!
Don’t forget about the big “Teacher Appreciation” sale! Click the image below to go to my store if you are interested…and DON’T forget to enter the code “THANKYOU”! Have a great Wednesday!
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Don’t forget to check out the other MIRL posts below! Check back over the next few days – more will be added!!