Ps & Qs (Partners and Questions): Divide the class into partner groups or small groups. Distribute photographs, art images, or items. Students take turns asking and answering questions about the objects and reporting out to the class.
Construction Challenges: Distribute a limited amount of materials (Lego bricks, popsicle sticks, index cards, etc.) to student groups along with a challenge (design a bridge, build a tower that can hold weight, etc.). Students brainstorm, design, revise & problem solve.
Problem of the Day: Decorate a box, bag, or bucket and fill it with brainteasers, questions, and mind stretchers. Select one each day to work on together and ask student to explain their thinking and reason out their solutions. Students can solve individually , with a partner, team, or as a whole class. Some ideas include: Math Word Problems, Codes, Maps, Mystery stories - Who did it or What's the evidence, Number patterns, Tricky spelling, and Proofreading, Lego Math - Adding circles on bricks, etc.
Tower of Sums: Assign a value to a color of building material (Legos, K'nex, blocks, etc.). Write the values on a card (for example, red=5, yellow=10, blue=2) based on the math level (or skill to be practiced) and seal it in an envelope. Give the differentiated envelope to each group along with the building materials. Each student will build a tower, and when everyone has completed the building task, the students will open the envelope and using the value card, add up the sum of all the pieces in the tower. Compare/check answers with the group.
Problem Solving Journals: Have a number of problem solving/logic problems/puzzles copied and ready to share with students. When students are finished with their work, or require further enrichment, staple a problem solving task card into their journals so they can try to figure it out and explain their reasoning. Puzzles/tasks should be differentiated for student needs and abilities.
Construction Challenges: Distribute a limited amount of materials (Lego bricks, popsicle sticks, index cards, etc.) to student groups along with a challenge (design a bridge, build a tower that can hold weight, etc.). Students brainstorm, design, revise & problem solve.
Problem of the Day: Decorate a box, bag, or bucket and fill it with brainteasers, questions, and mind stretchers. Select one each day to work on together and ask student to explain their thinking and reason out their solutions. Students can solve individually , with a partner, team, or as a whole class. Some ideas include: Math Word Problems, Codes, Maps, Mystery stories - Who did it or What's the evidence, Number patterns, Tricky spelling, and Proofreading, Lego Math - Adding circles on bricks, etc.
Tower of Sums: Assign a value to a color of building material (Legos, K'nex, blocks, etc.). Write the values on a card (for example, red=5, yellow=10, blue=2) based on the math level (or skill to be practiced) and seal it in an envelope. Give the differentiated envelope to each group along with the building materials. Each student will build a tower, and when everyone has completed the building task, the students will open the envelope and using the value card, add up the sum of all the pieces in the tower. Compare/check answers with the group.
Problem Solving Journals: Have a number of problem solving/logic problems/puzzles copied and ready to share with students. When students are finished with their work, or require further enrichment, staple a problem solving task card into their journals so they can try to figure it out and explain their reasoning. Puzzles/tasks should be differentiated for student needs and abilities.