One inspirational idea I have for my class next year is math blogging. I have required students to write in composition math journals in the past. I think kid blogging is an awesome method to go forward using 21st century tech tools and skills. Blogging is a fantastic way to get students to explain math thinking, ask questions, and make fabulous authentic connections. While reading Math blogs on http://kidblog.org, I learned about the Oreo Project from Alyssa T.’s blog. If you read the comment I left on Alyssa T.’s blog, you will learn about an estimation project my 4th grade class already does. Next year my students can blog about that project and other math experiences.
A huge benefit of writing about math is that students get to think about how they know what they know then write about it in a way that others understand the strategies and processes they used. Comments help create discussions that assure that students are investigating math ideas and looking at multiple problem solving techniques not seeking only right answers.Remember, effective communication is on the list of survival skills for 21st century learners.
I love the way descriptive writing becomes a natural part of Alyssa’s blog post as she recounts eating the oreo cookie. As I conjured up sensory images of the cookie melting in my mouth, I made a connection to the Mindfulness Eating Unit we do. I am sure you will have your own ideas for integrated units. Take time to check out some of the other math blog posts of Alyssa T. and her classmates to start the juices flowing on how to spice up lessons you currently teach or how to expand on these ideas to create spin offs for new lessons. It’s okay. I understand it might not happen until after you go in search of some cookies to munch as you read!
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