We'll be offering free samples and discounts all conference long - interested in joining the fun? Sign up with your email, and take a photo of your confirmation. Show us your picture at booth 601 to claim your prize!
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One of the biggest challenges students are faced with in mathematics classrooms is their ability to problem solve. Sure, students are able to follow a list of instructions, or solve questions based on similar questions modeled in class; but when it comes to applying their knowledge to a set of problems they quickly become stuck. My colleagues and I have spent some time brainstorming how we can improve our classrooms and instruction to better foster our students’ needs. The Flipcharts by Wipebook creates a space for students to learn and take risks in their learning.
Students are most comfortable following a set of step-by-step instructions to solve a problem. This hinders their ability to work through a problem independently and collaboratively with their peers. This year, I have integrated Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (VNPS) through Wipebook into our math classroom and it has transformed the way students collaborate with each other. Students are willing to take mathematical risks knowing that their work is not permanent on a surface. They have the ability to wipe the slate clean, literally, and continuously try the task until they find success. In the picture below, the students are working together on a patterning problem. The task required students to find the pattern rule and complete the pattern when given the beginning and ending terms in the pattern. At first, students were hesitant to get started, in fear they would choose the wrong pattern rule. After a few minutes, the ease and flexibility of the Flipcharts allowed the students to make mistakes and make corrections easily.
For the most part, I use visible randomized groupings which allows students to interact with students they don’t usually group themselves with. In the picture below, you will see that this particular group of students were grouped by the red pencil in the top corner of their cards.
This was the first time this group of students had worked together. It was amazing to see this group of students come together and share strategies with each other. The Flipcharts allowed for students to access the work at the same time. They were not cramped together or looking at an upside down paper (which typical chart paper on the floor lends itself to happen). Having an accessible workspace is essential to engagement as each student feels responsible for the work produced in front of them. This type of work environment also lends itself to sharing unique strategies that may not have been shared otherwise. In the next picture below, you can see a student working backwards with her pattern.
When another student asked, “Why are you working backwards?” Her response was “It’s easier to count forwards then backwards; if I start this way then I don’t have to subtract!” This interaction was enlightening for both students; one felt validated in her work, the other, taking away a new strategy they hadn’t thought of before. Together, the students are able to find success in a low-risk environment, while establishing friendships and sharing new strategies with each other.
My favourite part about using the Wipebook Flipcharts in the mathematics classroom, is the ability to give students low floor, high ceiling and open middle problem solving questions. This means that there is an entry point for all students no matter what level they are working at. Students are able to, and strongly encouraged, to ask their peers for starting points. This is made possible by setting up the classroom with multiple VNPSs set up around the room. Sometimes this is the only push they need to get them started. This workspace setup also lends itself to guided small group instruction. Although each group was given the same task, there were a variety of discussions occurring around the classroom. The following picture shows a group of students extending their pattern into negative integers. This was not something previously taught in the classroom and because of this work environment, the conversations naturally provided an extension for this group of students.
Jessica Kohler, Hillcrest Elementary School, Hamilton Wentworth District School Board
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This past summer, math teachers from Clare Public Schools went through training based on Peter Liljedahl’s Thinking Classroom principals. Two of those teachers, Jennifer Pettersch and Tonya Miller, are second grade teachers who began implementing some of what they learned by asking their students to engage in thinking tasks. They recently were able to add Wipebook's flipcharts into the mix. I serve as an instructional coach in the district and have enjoyed supporting Jennifer and Tonya this year.
Thinking Tasks
Thinking tasks have a few basic principles. First, they must have a low floor, meaning students of any ability level can engage in the task. Second, they must have a high ceiling so that students can be pushed to higher ability levels while working on the task. An example of a task like this is what Jennifer and Tonya used recently with their second grade students:
I doubled a number and kept doubling so that the original number was doubled four times. What might the answer be?
This task has a low floor and a high ceiling so that all students can both engage in the task and also push themselves to new ability levels. The Wipebooks flipcharts allow students to try several different kinds of solution strategies without worry because they can be easily erased or re-written. This allows students to engage in the task quickly and confidently.
Thinking tasks also allow students to collaborate together. In groups of 3 or 4, Jennifer’s and Tonya’s students were able to discuss their ideas and ask each other questions. By hanging the flipcharts around the room each group of students have their own space to operate while still easily being supervised from the middle of the room. And by being vertical during the activity the students are empowered to be able move around and enjoy themselves while still learning. The Wipebooks flipcharts are large enough for every student to have a “spot” to take a turn writing without having to erase their groupmate’s work. This makes collaboration fun and limits conflict among students.
Asking students to reflect on their learning helps them retain what they have learned. The Wipebooks flipcharts allow students to not only think about and discuss their reflection questions, but also write out some of their ideas. We tend to retain more information when we’ve seen it, discussed it, and written it down than when doing one of those in isolation. Below are the reflection questions that Jennifer and Tonya gave their students after the doubling task.
Jennifer and Tonya have seen an increase in engagement and achievement from their students since implementing thinking tasks with their second graders. The Wipebooks flipcharts have been a perfect resource to take their students work to the next level.
Dr. Peter Grostic, Educational Consultant, Communications by Design
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]]>How do you respond when colleagues invite you to join a summer book club and jump into a new way of delivering curriculum? WITH BOTH FEET!!! As part of a core group of four educators in a unique school with 20 classrooms consisting of ALL grade 5 or 6 students, we had the perfect opportunity to explore how we could Build Thinking Classrooms together, share and reflect during PLC time built into our days and plan our action steps. Without the use of WipeBooks to utilize our windows as additional VNPS spaces, we would have been cramped or hard pressed to have the ten surfaces required, based on Peter Lilhejdahl’s research.
A Thinking Classroom involves the use of vertical non-permanent surfaces where groups consisting of 2 or 3 members collaborate, share ideas, make mistakes, challenge the thinking of peers and develop common understandings. We began the year with several non-curricular tasks including; Numbers 1-100, Ice Cream Problem and the Twelve Dots problem. Students learned about each other, how to collaborate, listen, effectively communicate, respectfully agree/disagree and how much fun it is to work together standing and sharing at a vertical surface. There's a sense of magic around the use of VNPS as no matter what the task assigned to students, so long as it's on a whiteboard they're overjoyed! So by using these VNPS in non-curricular tasks the classroom is able to engage within their small groups and bond in various ways. Pairing this with frequently randomizing groups to allow the students to interact with new peers and the class starts to grow into a learning community.
The universal design for learning guidelines are made to make both teaching and learning easier for everyone involved. The UDL guidelines focus on three points of the teaching & learning experience, engagement, representation and, action and expression. The most resinating tip offered by UDL is the importance of giving content that offers an entry point for all students. Content should be open enough that there are multiple ways to solve and provides EVERY student a starting point. As well as the opportunity to push and build their own personal understanding. Using the flipcharts as a space to record thinking, expand and extend problems and use a variety of ways to represent understanding has encouraged and supported engagement of ALL students, regardless of special programming and/or diagnosis. Many students have realized through the use of the VNPS that they do their best thinking as part of a small group, gallery walks help them when they get stuck, and thinking while standing can be more beneficial than completing tasks while sitting.
The addition of Wipebook Flipcharts into my classroom has been such an enjoyable experience for myself and the students. Being able to incorporate VNPS easily into exercises allows for a more engaged classroom and the experience of using the VNPS with their peers has blossomed an amazing community.
Mrs. MacLeod, Rocky Lake Elementary, Halifax Regional Centre for Education
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The past few years have been wild, thanks to the pandemic. I work in a school that follows the looping model so I get to keep my students for two years through fifth and sixth grade. It truly is the best getting to watch them grow throughout the two years. When they come in as fifth graders they are shy, hesitant to try new things, and overall shocked at how different fifth grade is compared to elementary school.
I have read, and reread Building Thinking Classrooms, by Peter Liljedahl, and his description of vertical non-permanent surfaces still remains my favourite teaching. I truly believe mistakes are the best thing about teaching math. I love watching students solve problems and miss a step and then getting to talk to them about what happened. Watching students have that lightbulb moment gives me the truest form of satisfaction. In order to help bring this reality to my classroom I searched for an upgrade from the tired whiteboards in my classroom. I was concerned about storage space as I looked for an alternative as its tricky to find homes for new classroom materials. One night I found Wipebook and their reusable Flipcharts, I was giddy with excitement because this was exactly what I was looking for.
From the very first day I introduced the Flipcharts to my class, the students LOVED using them. I have a few places in my classroom where I can hang them, but I can also use the hallway and secure them with magnets on the lockers. This allowed students to be able to stand up, spread out and work in collaboration with their classmates. They loved getting to work with partners in a new and exciting way.
I have also been using them for tabletop activities in my classroom by laying them on the tables throughout the room. While, it is not vertical there are times when it's easier for the class to remain seated. It makes for an easier activity when the students are in larger groups to have them seated as its allows everyone a space at the board. Students are able to gather around the Flipchart and be able to write and contribute their ideas to the group while still being able to see the work others are doing.
For one of the activities, I gave students task cards and they worked to solve them. Some made it a game and split the flipchart in half and each partner solved the problem and talked about how they solved the problems. I had 100% of the students engaged in the activity. For the next few days students were asking if they could do that again.
I was observed by a district administrator recently and we used them as the review for our test that would be the following day. I had the review printed out on cardstock and the students received ten question cards. She was impressed with how active students were working and talking about the math problems in front of them.
I have thoroughly enjoyed having the Wipebook flipcharts in my classroom. One of the best features is the Wipbeook Scan app feature that allows me to take a picture of the chart and upload it to my Google Drive. This has been great with needing to provide work samples, especially during the special education testing process. It is so easy to scan and then share with whomever.
I feel lucky to have found these flipcharts and be able to use them often in my classroom. It has made a difference in my students' attitudes towards math and has boosted their confidence.
Teddie Brune, Mitchell Intermediate School, Conroe Independent School District
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The most tedious issues with using traditional anchor charts to use with students is that they are permanent. Once students write on them, you cannot erase what has been written on them. But how else can students create their own anchor charts and graphic organizers to convey understanding? You give them the Wipebook Flipcharts and some dry-erase markers and let their creativity shine without the fuss of wasting paper!
Wipebook Flipcharts, with their dual versatility of grid lines areas (on one side) and a blank slate (on the other side), is a convenience and adventure for students as a canvas for their writing in group collaborations. My most common use for the whiteboard Flipcharts is an exit ticket parking lot for students to place their final thoughts about a lesson we have learned. The sticky notes have to be Post-It brand because other types will not stick.
Students were preparing a video book recording, they had previously read the book, “The Circus Thief” by Alane Adams. Students had discussions around story elements and asking and answering questions about what they had read. Once they were finished reading, their task was to specifically examine the theme of the text, as well as the sequence of events. As a collaborative effort, students worked together to write the book reports. Each student in grades 3-4 wrote their own three to four-sentence plot line for that story. The reusable workbook was used to provide them with a visual to help them remember their oral lines just in case they needed a cue to record their portion of the book report.
One of the most convenient benefits of using this with students is the vertical non-permanent surface (VPNS), which is similar to what they would see at their seats working individually. The whole idea of using these Flipcharts with my students was to scaffold their learning so the students experienced all aspects of being gradually released from the teacher’s accountability for their learning. While students were using the Wipebook pages, they encountered ways to work alongside their classmates to determine what the best way was to write their sentences - whether it be in color or black and white, or whether the letters should be big or small amongst other details for their presentations.
The students really enjoyed the collaboration and the fact that the VPNS allowed them to erase and write smoothly without the marker running out of color or becoming dry. Many of them settled into roles without being told by the teacher. It was an professional experiment to see if the use of the whiteboard Flipchart would give them the initiative to delegate roles for completing the collaborative activity without being told assigned. Of course, I was on standby just in case they had been unable to determine how to divvy up their “roles”. Surprisingly, there were no arguments or disagreements as students took turns accountably contributing to the presentation. I was proud, to say the least.
To be able to allow students to leave their creations out on the walls of the classroom to marvel at their collaborations; as well as return to completing their presentation at later dates throughout the week, I took to using a digital format to capture their “masterpieces”. There is a Free Wipebook Scan App, which I recommend for those who want to get the full effect of the experience with the reusable workbook. The students’ work can be saved to a favorite cloud service like Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox and OneDrive. The best part of all is that the app is FREE!
Wipebook Flipcharts provide a quick, fun, and easy interactive way to save and share creations in all subject areas. Every teacher should try it...it will definitely change the minds of students from compliant (writing on paper to throw away) to imaginative (writing on VNPS to preserve)!
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Traditionally teachers have taught in isolation; they were the kings and queens of their own domains. Growing up, I remember my grade school teachers, each and every one of them. They were awesome educators and helped shape me to be the educator I am today. Growing up, my teachers would stand at the front of the room teaching us about a skill, then having us all do it together then finally assigning us a set of problems either out of the textbook or off of a worksheet; I can still smell the fresh acetate smell from the purple ditto machines blurry purple lines. Largely these teaching strategies have gone unchanged as teachers today still follow these practices based upon my observation and conversations with practicing teachers and administrators. New teachers cling to this practice as it is what is taught in education prep courses. How do we change the mind-set of teachers from this old fashioned practice to one that industry is demanding?
As an educational consultant, the task of convincing teachers that a teaching strategy or practice they aren’t currently using is valuable can be very difficult. I can tell how it will help their students be successful in the future but, if they don’t believe that it is better than the old teaching methods they are comfortable with then most likely there will be no change.
Most recently, I have pushed into several schools to work with teachers to first examine their state testing data then create a plan for how to address the learning gaps. When we looked at the data, most classrooms struggle with the higher ordered thinking process or the ones where students have to explain their thinking. This was eye opening for a lot of teachers. This discovery then led into a conversation on how to best approach this.
After doing a brief discussion about what collaboration in the math classroom might look like, we dove into a professional development about Number Talks in the math classroom. Teachers were shown a couple of models through video clips and then were divided up into groups of three. First, teachers were asked to discuss what language they would expect to see in a higher ordered thinking class. Teachers came up with terms such as analyze, rationalize, explain, transfer, and decide. Each group was then given a common problem to solve. Teachers were told that when groups were working that it was important to constantly move around and listen to the discourse of each group and make observations on thinking practices.
Using the Wipebook Flipcharts, teachers began working out their problems, discussing the problem, drawing, writing, and erasing as their discussions changed. I encouraged the teachers that there is plenty of room for showing their thinking processes. I noticed that teachers were more liberal with their writing and editing of problems since the Wipebook made it easier to correct their mistakes or change their work product.
When the timer went off, I asked all groups to finish their thoughts and then had each group do a gallery walk around the room to look at the different ways each group solved the problem. We then entered into another discussion on how students may have different ideas on how to solve problems and how that should be encouraged and discussed. By the end of this activity, many teachers were buzzing with ideas on how to incorporate this strategy into their math classrooms.
Another favorite use of Wipebook flipcharts in my professional learning courses is to have teachers group together and discuss the different types of accommodations that can be made for students who may be struggling in their classroom.
Teachers were again randomly assigned to groups of three where they took a few moments to discuss what accommodations in a lesson looked like and then shared all the different accommodations that they had made in their classrooms to help ensure student success.
It gave me goosebumps listening to teachers discuss what they were doing. It was interesting to see the brand new teachers soaking all this in and going around taking pictures of each groups chart to reference back when they got back to their classrooms.
The Wipebook Flipcharts are great for taking into schools and putting up on the walls so teachers can collaborate and easily record their ideas and thoughts. I already have had several of my schools ask for purchasing information so that they can get sets of these for their teachers to use in the classroom.
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In September students and educators have many new experiences. New classroom, new teacher, new friendships and possibly a new school. How can we build community? How can we support students with these new transitions? How can we nurture new friendships? These are questions educators ask themselves. They look to build a safe community where learners feel safe, a place where they are valued, appreciated and celebrated for the beautiful gifts they bring. On the first day of school we began using Wipebook Flipcharts along with flexible groupings to start building our learning community. Allowing students to connect in a small group setting on a variety of tasks minimized the pressure of sharing things as a whole class.
Non-curricular tasks promote critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and inclusivity of all students. Students work together as a team tapping into one another's lived experiences and strengths as individuals and as learners. and working together to investigate, draw pictures and ask questions. Using VNPS allow students to investigate, draw pictures, ask questions and while getting to know their new classmates.
Rich discussions around communication, collaborations, respect, choice and voice evolved naturally during our shared. It was an authentic and inclusive way to begin building our learning community.
As an educator, I quickly realized that I needed to use Wipebook flipcharts for as many non-curricular and curricular tasks as possible. Students were up and moving, communicating with their classmates, problem-solving, and demonstrating perseverance while encouraging one another. Using the Wipebook Flipcharts as whiteboards for students to record their thinking is a non-threatening way for students to actively participate in their learning.
VNPS has been a game changer and I could not imagine teaching without them. Students have recorded things they notice and wonder about, recorded their ideas around topics, answered questions, solve problems and create possible solutions. It provides me with a snapshot of their understanding and helps me know where I need to go next with their learning. Having the opportunity to go back and re-visit their VNPS and add to their learning has allowed students to go further in their learning and understanding. Once the activity is complete, they get to wipe the surfaces clean and try again next time.
Wipebooks have helped in nurturing a safe community where learners can take risks, problem solve and preserve with their peers together. Creating flexible groupings multiple times a day allows students to work with different peers for each activity. I have found that these opportunities have aided students in getting to know one another. Which has had positive impacts within our learning community inside and outside the classroom. This year, in particular, I found that connections have taken place quickly compared to other years. I also find that students are taking more ownership when choosing their seats, partners for other group activities and supporting each other with learning tasks. I believe that Wipebooks have role played an integral role in fostering community and collaboration.
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How can you keep students engaged in early literacy when they spend so much of the day using paper, pencils and crayons? Using these tools over and over throughout the day can become boring for my young students. I have been looking for different ways to continue their fine motor practice but keep them engaged, and then I found the Wipebook flipchart. Students are able to make mistakes, quickly erase and try again. There are so many different engaging activities you can come up with for the Wipebook flipchart.
In primary students work continuously on their fine motor skills in a variety of ways, to be able to write and form letters correctly. Many students come into primary school not being able to write their name, some struggle with holding a pencil correctly and how much pressure to place on their writing utensils. We use many different methods and activities to practice our fine motor skills throughout primary school and one of their favourite tools is a whiteboard and marker. There is something exciting about whiteboards, the ability to erase something so quickly and the possibilities of what they can draw are endless for my young friends! We use our Wipebook Flipcharts to practice our letter formation, write our names, collaborate during writers workshop and during math centres as well.
Things we focused on:
● The verbal path for each letter
● The letter name and sound
● Connections: Where have you seen this letter before? Do you have this letter in your name?
Students would work together in small groups either on their writing piece for writers workshop, or letter formation practice for literacy centres. Having the chart paper sized Wipebook allowed students to collaborate while doing their writing, rather than independently writing on their own paper. It also allowed students to make mistakes and quickly erase, which helps build their confidence with writing and letter formation.
Using the Wipebook Flipcharts together in small groups allows students to collaborate by seeing what their group members are working on, getting feedback or input from each other. In small group for writing students were able to suggest edits in their sentences or things students should add to their pictures to make it a more detailed story. They were able to edit their sentence and picture while working, easier than with traditional paper and pencil, and this small group method allowed for greater collaboration rather than each student having their own paper and working independently. Then once we were complete students got to wipe it off and were ready to try again next time!
I also love using non-permanent surfaces to practice our writing and letter formation. Students will watch me form a letter on my main whiteboard then write theirs on their smaller whiteboard and hold it up and show me when they are done. This allows them to hear the verbal path as I form the letter, watch my formation and then practice on their own. Using the whiteboards to practice their formation allows them to make mistakes and then try again, it is great for building confidence!
Another favourite use of Wipebook flipcharts is to have students use this as a centre during math. I am able to do groups of 2-4 with the flipchart and have students show me numbers in different ways. I asked them to represent the number 3 in as many ways as they could think. Having them all work on the same chart made it easier for students to collaborate, they were able to discuss different ways to represent numbers, ask and see what their group members had done so far.
Then when they are done I love giving them a few minutes of free drawing time to see what they come up with. They love drawing on the Flipchart together, rather than traditional individual whiteboards because they’re able to merge their drawings together and add details to each others art work. Wipebooks flipchart has been great for helping my students practice their knowledge across different subjects, I am able to use it for many different outcomes and it allows them to build their confidence in a low risk way. They are always highly engaged when they know they will be using the Wipebook Flipchart.
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As a high school science teacher, I am constantly searching for ways to help students engage in the eight NGSS science practices; (1) Asking questions, (2) Developing & using models, (3) Planning & carrying out Investigations, (4) Analyzing & interpreting Data, (5) Using mathematics & computational thinking, (6) Constructing explanations, (7) Engaging in arguments from evidence, and (8) Obtaining, evaluating, & communicating information. Since adopting Wipebook Flipcharts this fall, I have found them an extremely valuable support to build these skills within both my 11th grade Chemistry and 12th grade Environmental Science classes.
The first activity we tried in Environmental Science was a Building Background Knowledge (BBK) workshop on the mystery of Easter Island. The BBK workshop is a protocol used to help students gather evidence about an engaging topic or question. And then using the topic as a launching point for further study or analysis. In this case, students used the workshop to gather evidence to form an argument about the best hypothesis for the collapse of the Rapa Nui civilization. Groups of students first analyzed a “mystery piece” (photo of the Moai statues) and brainstormed their background knowledge (recorded in blue in the example below). They then collectively reviewed a common resource and added evidence to their prior knowledge (recorded in red). Finally, students independently engaged in further research using “expert” resources, then came together to share their respective findings. This stage of the discussion was recorded in green in the example below. Throughout the process, the Wipebook served as a way to make student learning more visible and keep students engaged in the discussion process. After the workshop, students participated in a gallery walk to view each other's work. The class then used their collective concept maps to develop their own evidence-based arguments for why the Rapa Nui civilization collapsed.
In Chemistry class, our first unit focused on the kinetic theory of matter and the relationships between the temperature, pressure, and volume of gasses. WipeBooks were an excellent way for students to develop models for particle behavior after exploring a PhET simulation on the properties of gasses. Smaller whiteboards were used in conjunction with the Wipebook Flipcharts to allow students to give each other feedback on their models. In this way, students mimicked the process of scientific peer review. The Flipcharts made it extremely easy for students to visualize their understanding of particle behavior and it was simple to clean up and re-use the Flipcharts for the next class.
Another useful application of Wipebook's Flipcharts in Chemistry was for data analysis. In our next activity, students collected data to prepare a heating curve for water. In this variation on a classic chemistry experiment, students were encouraged to illustrate their data and explanations using their Flipcharts. We again used a Gallery Walk procedure for peer feedback. In this way, students practiced their graphing skills and were able to more tangibly visualize the important phase changes that were occurring as they heated their water from 0ºC to 100ºC. This activity then served as a launching point for further investigation of the anchoring phenomenon of the implosion of a railroad tanker due to a sudden drop in internal temperature and pressure.
Overall, I am extremely happy with how students have responded to the use of Wipebook's Flipcharts in the science classroom. Students are much more engaged when they are able to use creativity and tactile learning to practice scientific reasoning. As an environmental science teacher, I also love that we can reduce waste by utilizing reusable materials. Finally, using Flipcharts allows me to save my valuable science budget for lab equipment and experiment supplies, rather than reams and reams of chart and graph paper. Needless to say, WipeBooks are here to stay in my science classroom!
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Coming out of the pandemic, students have not been communicating in groups effectively and presenting opportunities for students to effectively do this is increasingly important. We were reviewing for an upcoming test, but just didn’t have the time to work through all of the problems on the review. So, what should we do? How about having student groups take a problem or two, and make a poster out of them, and then do a gallery walk to compare answers and ask questions? This provides the opportunity for the groups to talk more and improve their collective understanding of topics, work collaboratively, and provide a student led approach to review. It’s all about their expression of learning and leaving the teacher to just be that “guide on the side.”
The 8 Standards for Mathematical Practices are not only great skills for mathematical learning, they are good for learning in general. The standards addressed in the proceedings of the day include SMP 1: Making sense of problems and persevere, SMP 2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively, SMP 3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others, and SMP 6: Attention to Precision. Finding activities that address multiple standards in a way that keeps engagement high and the information pertinent to learning is a value added activity. Students have the opportunity to initially reason in the safety of their team, supporting second language and special education students in a manner where they can practice explaining and questioning the work. Such a powerful experience for all.
One of the greatest challenges in a mathematics classroom is encouraging students to take risks. This activity allowed me to choose problems from the review that students had a high probability of being correct before having them go to the Wipebook Flipchart and put their work up there. It also became my responsibility with this newly defronted classroom to move throughout the room. I would look at all of the posters and asking leading questions of each of the groups to help them get the correct outcome to be presented to the rest of the class. The conversations among the students was key, especially since they are still learning how to have those conversations due to being on distance learning so long and not having those experiences. The students in the presentation groups had in depth discussions based on the problems they were presenting if they did not agree. This was possibly the most meaningful part of the activity.
The feedback from the students is a factor for the continued use of the introductory activity. Students loved the opportunity to get up out of their seats and work through the problems on the vertical non-permanent surfaces, instead of sitting in their groups. Students were challenged to present the work in legible and understandable ways and they rose above the challenge to create learning experiences for themselves. There was laughing, great explanations, and students wanted to find more ways to continue to use the flipcharts.
On this particular day, there were teachers from the Junior High that came by. They loved getting the students up and using the vertical non-permanent surfaces around the room. Seeing how it was managed, the teachers were not as intimated to try the approach, as long as they could get the flipcharts to make it happen. They love the conversations between the students, and how I was able to redirect and ask reflective questions to help the students make the progress needed.
All in all, a very successful day for the students and visiting teachers.
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Over the summer I was introduced to the importance of incorporating vertical non-permanent surfaces into your classroom by Dr. Bonnie Bolado at North Carolina State University's Math Summit. Dr. Bolado shared Peter Liljedahl's knowledge from his book Building Thinking Classrooms about the many benefits of mobilizing learning. VNPS plays an important role in mobilizing learning by being used in enriching and challenging tasks in order to engage the class. We are 3 weeks into our 2022-2023 school year and the Wipebook Flipchart's have been used daily in our 5th grade math and science class. Flipchart's large size makes it easy for students to have space for all their work and its reusable surface erase easily. I love that the Flipchart comes with 10 pages so I can adjust my groupings based on our assignments and the gridded side has helped with coordinate planes.
For our first adventure with the Wipebook Flipcharts, students were tasked with creating two survey questions. One question had to result in categorical data and the other had to result in numerical data. From there, students had to determine what graph would best represent their data. The students were put into randomized groups of 4. Students started by collecting data from their peers using the survey questions they created. Each group then produced a bar graph and line plot from the data they had collected. The Wipebook Flipcharts allowed students to easily see other group’s work and gather ideas from them. Also, students were able to display their graphs with pride on a larger scale rather than just on a piece of paper. Lastly, it allowed our class to walk around and have great discussions about the data the groups created.
In science, our Wipebook Flipcharts have been used for drawing animal and plant cell models, labeling them, and then defining the vocabulary that goes with each model. They have also been used for creating venn diagrams to show the similarities and differences between unicellular and multicellular organisms. Students are far too often stuck staring down at their paper assignments in front of them. It is hard to collaborate when you’re all looking down at a small paper assignment and not looking at each other. The Wipebook Flipchart Surfaces have given the students the freedom to get up, get moving, and actively engage in math and science. My students are so excited when they get to show their work on the wall and I’m excited to have a way to keep them engaged!
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New Teacher
As a new teacher, Wipebook's Flipcharts have been the best tool to support cultivating a classroom community. Students are eager to go to their Wipebook each day; to brainstorm our classroom norms, to stimulate discussion, to problem solve and are inquisitive. Flipcharts allow students from all backgrounds, cultures and communities to have a place to explore, be curious and feel safe to try.
Wipebook Make it Easy
Being a new teacher can be busy and overwhelming. After creating a defronted classroom with Flipchart I am able to stand in the middle of my room and view all of the students' work at a glance. At any point in the room I am able to know what my students are thinking, know where they are at in a problem, or know which students are ready for a challenge or who may need more support. Students learn to work together, to look around the room and to share their thinking, see others work, creating the mobility of knowledge which allows students to take ownership of their learning and me as a teacher to step back. Stepping back allows me to assess student understanding and provide feedback to extend student thinking. At the beginning of the year we used our Wipe Books in our non-curricular thinking tasks, which would typically be done on paper. The Flipcharts allowed students to work together, build their collaboration, perseverance, problem solving and teamwork skills, while allowing every student to have a voice and feel included.
Multiple Entry Points
Classrooms are diverse, and students come from all backgrounds and situations. Students who may have anxiety or trauma and struggle to work in groups, have become enthusiastic in going to their vertical non-permanent surface, their Flipchart. Students have to stand at their wipebook, which makes them more engaged in the task, and the non-permanent aspect of the Wipebooks allows students to take risks (P. Liljedahl, 2021). Not all students are comfortable raising their hand, but in a thinking classroom and using a Wipebook all students know their voices are heard, their thinking matters and it is not a you versus me mentality, it is everyone thinking and taking risks together. If a student is anxious they are able to quietly step back, observe the room and use the mobility of knowledge to contribute to their specific group. If a student is not comfortable sharing their ideas, then they can become the designated recorder for their group. Wipebooks allow for the learning to meet the students where they are at so they feel confident in their thinking and value.
Formative Assessment Tool
As students learn from each other and I am able to step back and observe, I am able to provide my students with an authentic observation, and timely feedback. Wipebook's Flipchart allow me to provide clear goals, feedback and a balance of challenge and ability to keep them in the flow which is where they are willing to take risks and persevere (P. Liljedahl, 2021). I am able to see the thinking of all my students and see if they are ready to do something, if they can justify or explain their thinking, can they teach their peers or if they are ready to extend their thinking (P. Liljedahl, 2021). The Flipcharts allow me to provide all students with what they need in order to persevere, take risks and grow.
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How do you distinguish small group instruction using the data you already collect? Teachers began the day collaborating on how differentiated instruction has looked in their classrooms previously.
Teachers then followed up with new ideas they would like to implement after receiving the day's professional development. They shared their ideas and collaborated with each other using the vertical non-permanent surfaces, called Wipebook Flipcharts.
With Wipebook Flipcharts, math teachers were able to reflect their ideas on their current practices with differentiated instructions. Then, share their thoughts with colleagues and discuss them in groups and erase the ones that will not be considered.
After receiving professional development, teachers collaborated and used Wipebook Flipchart to write down new ideas they want to implement this year. Teachers could then discuss their colleague's ideas and expand on them.
With the Wipebook Scan App, it's possible to digitally save these thoughts by scanning them and saved on Google Drive directly.
Here are some pictures of their thoughts written on the whiteboard flipchart. This practice helps you to track your progress and see how you improve over time and save your work to Google Drive so you can access it later.
The objective of the activity was to make a reflection on two main questions:
These questions don't have a right or wrong answer, so they're perfect for discussion and brainstorming with others. Teachers work in small groups to answer the questions on the VNPS using dry-erase markers, then collaborate on responses so everyone can get fresh ideas to implement in class.
Wipebook's Dry-erase boards are useful because they are erasable, so teachers can write down more ideas without worrying about them being permanent.
I received a reusable flipchart pack of 10 double-sided sheets that can be detached and used in different spaces and then reattached for further sessions. One of the sheets was heavy-duty that doesn't tear apart, so it may last longer.
This dry-erase whiteboard pack allows me to create small groups of teachers to co-work and brainstorm ideas from what they learned from the past PD, so everyone was able to participate and give their personal points of view.
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I always start my teacher workshops asking the participants “What would be the perfect class? You get to the end of an hour and say ‘that was the best day ever!’, what happened to make you say that?” Every answer I get describes my class every day since I have started using the Thinking Classroom. This summer I got to spend time with teachers wanting to learn more about the Thinking Classroom. The workshop was two days long and allowed us to learn and practice the 14 principles that make the Thinking Classroom.
The Thinking Classroom brings very big changes to your classroom. I think of the classroom routines that are highly effective but don’t require big changes like Notice/Wonder and Number Talks. These routines are great to learn about because you can easily use them without the stress of completely changing your classroom.
Alternatively, the nature of the Thinking Classroom is that it transforms your entire class into a place where students are engaged and learning the whole time, not just during a routine that takes a part of the class period. This means there are big and wonderful changes ahead. This also means that there is a commitment to major changes.
This can seem overwhelming, but take comfort in that the changes are gradual and you don’t have to do all fourteen components at one time. I personally started with a goal of getting my students to the boards twice a week. Two years later I realized that almost every day my students were working in groups at the boards. It happened naturally as I had time to make the changes and got hooked on the way the Thinking Classroom got my students thinking and active in their learning.
I have given one-hour intro workshop sessions to the Thinking Classroom in the past. This summer I wanted to dedicate more time to allow for participants to learn more details, practice the fourteen practices, and ask all their questions. I also wanted to give participants a chance to see and use the Wipebook Flipcharts and easels.
If teachers don’t have vertical non-permanent surfaces in their classrooms, they are often searching for alternatives to use other than the expensive whiteboards that districts often are not willing or able to purchase. Wipebook offers such a great and affordable alternative with the Flipcharts.
We also found them to be useful even when we did have the traditional whiteboards available. We were working on a lesson about negative and zero exponents. You can read about it here. We found very quickly that a lot of time could be wasted having students copy the grid needed to do the puzzle. Using the gridded side of the Wipebook reusable Flipchart eliminated a large amount of copying time and allowed the participants to get to solving the puzzle faster.
Note: When you buy a Flipchart, you will get 10 pages which means you will have a whiteboard space for 10 groups. Also, they are not sticky, so you will need to find a way to secure them to a wall. I would recommend hooks so that you can easily flip it from clear space to gridded space. During the workshop, I used painters tape, but I do not know that the tape would work long term, or be good for using both sides.
I teach in a small school district, which means I have pretty small class sizes. One of the big concerns of teachers with large class sizes is how to manage that many groups and where to put all the groups. Even with small class sizes, teachers can struggle placing groups at boards if their classroom doesn’t have the wall space to put whiteboards up.
Wipebook also has a solution for this problem with their easel. We also tested it out at the workshop. It is constructed of cardboard and has pegs at the top to hold the Wipebook Flipchart in place. It was very nice to use and proved to be easy to fold up and tuck away when it wasn’t needed. It could be set up on a table, allowing us to use the interior part of the classroom for groups, not just the walls.
Note: The easel did not come with the Wipebook Flipchart, you would have to buy those also. It is also light weight, so you will need to weigh it down with something. You should be able to place a textbook on it in the back and it would stay just fine.
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What do Toasty Toes, Too Many Mangos, and The Old Truck have in common? They’re all children’s picture books that also allow students to experience the beauty and fun of mathematics. Recently, a group of 5K-2nd grade teachers in Spartanburg District 6 attended a professional development session on using children’s literature to teach mathematics. Two of the biggest challenges that teachers face are finding enough time in their day to teach everything and making math meaningful to students - by integrating language arts and mathematics, they can address both. During the session they were also introduced to the reusable Wipebook Flipcharts and how they could be used with instruction - teachers were very impressed!
Teachers began by listening to a read aloud and then engaged in math activities related to the book. This was repeated with two other books. Along the way, acting as their students would, teachers used ten frames, made counting collections, modeled and compared numbers, played math games, identified shapes within a book’s illustrations, constructed polygons with Geoboards and AngLegs, and participated in a Polygon Hunt. Teachers quickly noticed that these Math by the Book activities (Susan O’Connell, 2022) were very engaging, but also very thorough in covering the South Carolina math content standards. The Wipebook Flipcharts were used throughout the session to record both math content and teachers’ ideas.
Teachers also have South Carolina mathematical process standards that they must teach to students. Many of these are not just math skills, but also life skills to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Some of these include:
Children’s literature provides a perfect avenue for students to dive into mathematical content while also practicing these processes. Problem solving, effective communication, and the ability to collaborate are all skills that are valued in today’s workplace. During the training, teachers participated in activities where Wipebook Flipcharts were used to record mathematical data and also to share ideas with others.
“What do you notice? What do you wonder? When we approach our world with these two questions, there is much to see, much to be curious about and ponder. Noticing and wondering is a way of looking at our world” (Hintz and Smith, Mathematizing Children’s Literature, 2022).
When we allow students to notice and wonder, all students have a voice, regardless of their life experiences. Children’s literature opens a door to new places and cultures that invites students to make observations and ask questions. Wipebook charts are a perfect tool to capture students’ noticings and wonderings in a non-threatening way. During the session, teachers collaborated to make Notice and Wonder charts about other children’s literature that could be used to teach math. Then, they were able to share their charts with peers. A frequent question was, “Where did you get these charts? They would be great to use with students.”
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My name is Amy Mathewson. I am a 6th grade math teacher in Forney, Texas. Over the last few years of teaching, many of the teaching communities I am a part of have been raving about how much they love using their Mini Wipebook Scan. I have seen people using them non-stop and have been wanting to use it for a long time!
They use the whiteboard notebooks in their classrooms for many different purposes. I have been wanting to try a reusable notebook myself and just recently got this amazing opportunity.
I recently got my first Mini Wipebook Scan; this reusable notebook is living up to the hype in every way! I love using it on a day-to-day basis, and my kids love doodling on them. I have also been using it every single day to contain all of the thoughts about my classroom that are swimming through my mind during this summer break. Being able to write out all of my to-do lists, problem-solving and great ideas that I have for my public school classroom this coming fall has been amazing!
The different pages in the Wipebook and rewriting tools, allow me to have a page dedicated to every different area of teaching. The ease of erasing and rewriting on each whiteboard sheet allows me to come back to the ideas again and again and keep tweaking them without having to cross out things I want to change and get out a new piece of wasteful paper.
I can already see how much this product will help my students as well! Math is all about trial and error. Unfortunately, many students do not feel they have the freedom to truly keep trying and adjusting as they learn new concepts.
I think that the Wipebook Flipchart would be an amazing product to add to my classroom this upcoming school year. I look forward to purchasing more of their products in the future for the students!
Using Wipebook's reusable notebooks makes trial and error seem incredibly easy! I can’t wait to purchase more Wipebook products so that I can see my students succeed this coming school year.
Students come to our classrooms with a variety of mathematical needs. How can we make sure we are meeting them where they are? Teachers in our professional development session will collaborate with other same grade teachers to dive deep around the evidence of learning and brainstorm how to align assessments to the achievement levels of the state test. One of the best ways for teachers to work together to design high quality assessment items is to use a reusable Wipebook Flipchart!
Designing a high quality testing item requires some trial and error. By using Wipebook, teachers are able to work on their collaborative surface from the start. Teachers are able to brainstorm and put their ideas into action without the fear of making a permanent mistake. Wipebook provides teachers the opportunity to design testing items using a trial and error approach without the fear of not being able to make a mistake.
How many times have you been to a professional development session where you are collaborating with other teachers around anchor chart paper? What is done with those pages after the session? They are thrown away never to be seen again! This is wasteful and expensive.
Using the Wipebook allows for teachers to step back and look at their designed testing questions a whole. Teachers can then edit and change their testing questions as they proceed through their discussions. The participants are able to rotate groups and easily see the work of the others before them. They can add to their thoughts of other groups on the Flipchart as they rotate. Once they have finalized a question, they are able to take a picture of it before erasing their Wipebook Flipchart Sheet using the Wipebook Scan App. Now all the work is converted into PDFs for future reference
As soon as the teachers have met their goal of a high quality testing time, they are ready to move to another group and begin again. The surfaces are wiped clean and expensive chart paper is not wasted!
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How do you partition into equal parts? How do identify and count unit fractions, while using concrete models? Fractions and understanding the concepts, are challenging to young minds. Understanding fractions within context of a problem, involves critical thinking skills.
You have to unpackage the problem, to understand what you are solving and then applying the learned strategies to specify and partition a whole into equal parts. One of the most effective tools we can use, are Wipebook Flipcharts. They provide the space to try and revise calculations without the pressures of having to start all over.
After teaching a lesson, students are provided with time to debrief. This is the time students are given to apply the skills they have learned, using a problem set. Students are then invited to reflect on their understanding of a given problem and assess the need to revise their thinking.
They review their solutions, check and compare answers with a partner before going over their answers as a class. With the use of Wipebook Flipcharts, students are able to revise their work on the spot, easily and efficiently. Allowing students to have conversations and reflections on the task. As the teacher, I may visit and provide feedback that may easily be revised by a student.
In the task given to students, each student was given a different task to solve, partitioning wholes into equal parts. Although each problem was different, the process for each were similar staying within the 3rd grade benchmarks.
When completing word problems, students may find the solution in different ways. Working with partners, allows room for discussions and clarifications. Having students work in small groups on Wipebook Flipcharts, allows students to work together with ample space and the ability to revise as suggestions are made by peers.
Using Wipebook Flipcharts in lieu of chart paper, allows students to edit, revise and change their answers as real time discussions occur. Best of all, when they finish, they wipe them down and have them ready for the next lesson.
I love the durability of these boards, as well as the fact they are reusable. This means less paper waste, especially when students make a mistake. I embrace mistakes, so having the option to erase is a huge plus for my students.
I teach multiple subjects. Therefore, math is not the only subject I use my Flipchart. They are perfect for story maps, brainstorming, KWL charts, timelines, etc. The uses are endless. Flipcharts are very user friendly for both students and teachers. Students enjoy the ease of knowing they don’t have to start over or use “boo boo” tape to cover a mistake. Simply wipe and rewrite. The use of these charts builds confidence and builds teamwork capabilities.
Some students choose to use the dotted graphing side to make sure their Canada has the right proportions, and some use it to make a pixel-version! The novelty of VNPS helps students stay engaged and on-task, and brings out some really clever ideas. From critical thinking, brainstorming, temporary note taking, sketching a map, Wipebook Flipcharts help students practice their knowledge in a low-risk way, building confidence and skills they can use every day, even outside of the classroom.
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As teachers, we’ve all seen it. We plan a lesson, and think an activity will work amazingly in groups or teams. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned. One student wants to do all of the work, another student is willing to help, and yet others do nothing and try to slide under the radar. How can this be avoided? In my position as a Math Coach, I am provided a unique opportunity to help! When teachers focus on collaboration instead of groups, each student is invested and engaged. This applies to adult learners too! Several teachers from my district recently participated in a professional development workshop to explore collaborative learning with Kagan Strategies. We also decided to include Wipebook reusable Flipcharts to model this tool and see how we can possibly include it in future PD sessions and the classroom.
As most educators know, a good PD is only as valuable as the ideas you choose to implement in your classroom. During the training, teachers learned several structured activities to move from “partner work” or “group work” to a collaborative learning environment. Toward the end of the day, groups of teachers were tasked with brainstorming the collaborative learning structures learned throughout the day and then compiling the ones they are likely to use immediately with use of a Wipebook page.
Group Question:
After completing the initial brainstorming and list in each individual group, teachers had the opportunity to do a “Learning Walk” and read the ideas of the other teachers/groups by visiting each Wipebook Flipchart page and reading the ideas the other groups would like to implement. The goal of the learning walk was to review structures and ideas other teams had come up with to see if there were any “aha” type moments a teacher might want to implement themselves. After that time was complete, teachers returned to their groups and added any useful ideas they found while on their learning journey.
One amazing feature to use with Wipebook Flipcharts is the ability to take pictures of the posters and share them digitally. Wipebook has a free app for use on mobile devices that lets the user take pictures of the posters and keep them organized in folders or share them.
After the teachers completed the “Learning Walk” and added information to the posters, I was able to take pictures of the posters completed by the groups, and then email them to participants. The quality of the picture was great (even i, and is now a useful reminder of the strategies learned in the training- instead of leaving the charts behind at the end of the day which is a great eco-friendly alternative)
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How do you make a claim? How do you back up your claim with evidence and reasoning? These are skills that sixth grade students are working on together. We work these skills by practicing reading a case and making claims. Then go back into the text to find evidence to support our claims.
One of the most effective ways of practicing these skills is by using WipeBook Flipcharts to make collaborative claims and working together to find evidence to support their thinking. Working together on Wipebook Flipcharts makes it easy to work together to show!
Using WipeBooks lets me pose a question and then let the kiddo work collaboratively to work on their evidence. It leaves me free to facilitate and ask guiding questions that will help them become independent thinkers.
Questions include:
Most of the students are able to make a claim, but they need to to work on analyzing the text and evidence. What better way than using a reusable WipeBook. They work in groups to come up with their claim. They are able to find text evidence to support their thinking and if they find better evidence they can erase their answers easily.
They also work in groups to rotate to other groups to evaluate each groups claims and evidence. This is a great way to get students to think critically and also be able to look at other student work critically.
Using the Wipebook Flipcharts allows students to edit and change their notes and answers as they make evidence trackers and graphic organizers to plan their writing. Once the activity is over, I can take a picture and add their thinking to google classroom for a future resource thanks to this eco friendly tool and the Wipebook Scan App.
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I recently saw that Wipebook offered a partnership program where I could get to try our a product for free in exchange for a short review on how my students and I used it in the classroom. One quick application later and I received Wipebook reusable Flipchart pages to try out with them. I wanted to say first, how excited I was to be selected. Second, how excited my kids were about my excitement. My students dove in! We used almost all the pages during planning time for reader’s theatre.
Each group worked together and brainstormed in the spaces they picked. Some groups set up on the floor while some set up in the hall outside our classroom (that very not-in-the-way space at all haha). They got some painter’s tape and set to work. It's nice to have a tool that allows for student's to chose where they feel comfortable to complete a task, it allows them to focus. Not something we could do easily with paper, not to mention how easy those pages are to lose.
It was truly amazing to see my students armed with whiteboard dry erase markers working together toward a common goal. Creating supply lists for props to make. Creating standing mapping for where they should be during their plays. Without Wipebook, this would have been very difficult to accomplish.
My students were all able to have their voices and ideas heard. I loved using this eco friendly tool as we could store them for the next day. I also took photos of the boards to save for later. The Wipebook Scan App works very well to do this and keep track of their work. Every classroom needs a set of these! We used them for playing math games, marking areas in the classroom for math votes, and having them up just for free time doodles. Can't wait to keep using these in the fall and see what new ways I can incorporate them in my lessons.
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After almost two years of online distance learning, many students needed to relearn how to interact with one another. The transition back to in-person learning demanded more effort. Interactions from greeting at the door to talking with their Shoulder Partners in small groups takes more energy than ever before.
Getting students to talk to one another about math was the most challenging. I made it my focus this year to engage students with math by talking about the steps of solving the problems together with each other. I found success when I used the eco-friendly Wipebook Flipchart. I saw students collaborating on learning and heard students explaining how to solve problems using math academic languages.
I introduced one learning strategy at a time until students are familiar with what to do. As we approach the end of the school year, students are routinely using these learning and teaching strategies that we have been practicing. Why not mix up the strategies using the Wipebook?
Instead of only working on the problems on paper or electronically, my students enjoyed writing on the Wipebook Flipchart with dry erase markers. I mixed up the learning strategies of Think, Write, Pair, Share with Rally Coach and Gallery Walk.
Figure 1: Algebra 1 students collaborating with their respective Shoulder Partners to show their work on factoring degree two polynomials.
Students have a minute to think, another 30 seconds to a minute to write down their work in their own math notebook. Then, they pair up at the Wipebook Flipchart, where Partner A writes and Partner B coaches, cheers, and learns as seen in Figure 1. Students taught each other via Wipebook Flipchart and shared their learning together. Then, you can ask students to move three to five problem spaces to the left from the current problem they have worked on.
Students can read through the work of previous problem solvers, add additional work, draw arrows to link ideas, correct any portions that are off-track, and cheer each other on with positive comments and drawings. In Figure 2, you will find some of my Algebra 1 students’ collaboration on the transformation of a function as well as arrows linking individual translation, reflection and dilation from the Gallery Walk.
Figure 2: Think, Write, Pair, Gallery Walk: After Algebra 1 students worked on identifying all the possible function transformations together in pairs, they move left three work spaces, read through the work of previous problem solvers, add additional work, draw arrows to link ideas, correct any portions that are off-track, and cheer each other on with positive comments and drawings!
Getting up from their seats helps students boost their memories and engagement. Movements help my students stay more focused and accomplish more in their learning. From these learning and teaching strategies mixers, I saw an increase in students’ energy levels and improvements in students’ social-emotional well-being when they get up and problem-solve together at the Wipebook Flipchart as seen in this video and this video.
After I saw an increase in student engagement from mixing up learning and teaching strategies, I thought why not combine Wipebook with other EdTech as a means for students to review for their tests and finals. Students completed their review as a practice before the test. We then jigsawed the review questions for each partner to show their work on Wipebook Flipchart and whiteboards around the classroom.
In Figure 3, each partner takes turns explaining how they solve the math problems step-by-step while the other partner helps record the explanation using FlipGrid video, as seen in this video. At the end of their presentation recording, students returned to their seats to watch and comment on two other FlipGrid videos before completing their learning reflection on PearDeck.
App-smashing Wipebook with FlipGrid and PearDeck is a great end-of-the-school-year teaching and learning strategy when students are already familiar with how each EdTech program functions. It is a creative method that builds students’ mathematics knowledge as well as 21st-century skills.
Figure 3: App-Smash With Wipebook: Algebra 2 students reviewed for their Conic Section Exam by first using Wipebook to show how to find the equation of conic sections given a center, a vertex, and a co-vertex. Second, each pair within the group helps the other pair record their verbal explanation using FlipGrid to practice their presentation skills. Then, at the end, each student completes individual reflection on PearDeck in self-paced mode. Students can then go home and review by watching each other’s videos on FlipGrid!
Connecting math to other subject contents may be difficult and time-consuming; however, the benefits of honing students’ 21st century skills outweighs the obstacles. With Wipebook, students found creative ways to connect their math when they commented on each other’s work during Gallery Walk. In Figure 2, students use words and pictures of encouragement to help build each other’s confidence in their math skills.
Figure 4: Algebra 1 students working in their collaborative group solving and explaining to each other how to tell the different types of function transformation from just looking at the equation.
Figure 5: Algebra 2 student is extremely proud of his work on finding the equation of the hyperbola given a graph. He explained step-by-step in words (top right), drew arrows to indicate where the given information is located on the hyperbolic equation, and cited his sources (bottom right)!
By learning how to explain to each other while problem-solving on the reusable Wipebook Flipchart, students become better speakers who know how to communicate effectively as seen in Figure 4.
As students learn how to app-smash for their presentations, I found students explaining their work using both written and verbal methods. In Figure 5, a student used English’s APA citation to give credit where credits are due. Students practice their English and math knowledge when they show their work step-by-step and hone their videography and speaking skills when they explain their problem-solving method.
Students conclude the activity with a reflection using complete sentences and examples to illustrate what they have learned and reviewed. By providing opportunities for students to connect math with other subject contents, we can help students make sense of the world, create wonder, and promote a growth mindset.
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I know it’s summer vacation for most teachers, but I’m already thinking about next year. I start thinking about the next school year in May. I don’t do any deep planning, but I definitely start letting my mind imagine the possibilities. One of the best parts about teaching is that each new school year is a fresh start. A fresh start to rebuild, reinvent, and redesign. How will I redesign my classroom for more collaboration? How will I reinvent my learning experiences to have more impact? What new tools can I use to enhance my instruction?
One of the things I am MOST excited about is my latest addition: Wipebook Workbooks for my students! I do a lot of drawing as part of my whole-class and one-on-one instruction. At the beginning of each school year, I teach my students a visual vocabulary developed by Dan Roam that helps them tap into their visual minds and allows them to articulate their thinking. Most teachers in the classroom rely on their whiteboard to write lesson objectives, detailed directions, or the daily schedule. This is such a missed opportunity to sketch out big ideas! I use my Wipebook Flipchart to help me tell better stories, explain complex concepts visually, develop new ideas, solve problems in unexpected ways, and share insights with my students. Research shows that making ideas visual helps engage students and clarify concepts.
I teach students how to annotate various texts by drawing depth and complexity icons. I tend to waste a ton of paper redrawing these icons each time we have a class discussion or when I work with students one-on-one. Not anymore! I now sketch on my Wipebook Notebook and use the Wipebook Scan app to upload them so that students can access our discussions throughout the year. I also use visual thinking to teach complicated topics in U.S. History. For example, when discussing the American Revolution, sketching out concepts visually allows me to communicate the complex military, social, and economic forces that guided certain historical outcomes. Having an engaging lesson is great, but I don’t want to do all of the talking. I want my students to use pictures to analyze primary source documents, make inferences, and convey their clear thinking to each other.
Next year, not only will I be able to scan my Workbook sketches and post them online for my students, each student will have their very own Wipebook! I can throw out those junky dry-erase boards and pass out reusable Workbooks to each student. I plan to have students draw their thinking on the Workbooks throughout multiple subjects. For Math, they will be able to sketch their thinking using the square graph paper. They can use the blank or lined pages for any other visual note taking we do in class. For example, I can quickly scan the room and check for understanding to see how students are approaching a particular Math problem. Or I can have students draw, erase, and draw again as they explain complex thinking in small-group discussions. If they want to save their work, they can use the Wipebook Scan app to save it to their Google Drive.
This is a game-changer for how I will facilitate better collaboration and critical thinking in my classroom! Using these Workbooks, along with my Wipebook Flipchart, will help me better structure my classrooms to encourage idea cross-pollination among my students. At its best, learning is a social act. Student collaboration and discussion are essential elements of an engaging classroom experience and promote deep understanding. Using the Workbooks as a collaboration tool (and Flipchart as an instructional tool) will ensure that my students are able to continually collaborate across a variety of topics/problems.
I realize that Fall is a long way off; I have a lot of rest and recovery ahead of me. However, part of my recovery process is getting excited about things I want to try in my classroom in the upcoming school year. I believe that learning can be both fun and rigorous; engaging and responsive when students use erasable Workbooks to draw out their thinking. My class set of the Wipebook Workbooks will help my classroom be more engaging and collaborative. My lessons just got a huge upgrade!
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This week, my students were tasked to use Wipebook Flipcharts to record their feedback, write appreciations to teachers, and solve mathematical problems. We love anchor chart activities and getting students on their feet so it was exciting to test out this product and its reusable properties.
Recently, it was Teacher Appreciation Week and what better way to show your appreciation for your teachers than by using Wipebook Flipcharts to write notes and comments. I gave my students one question for this quick activity: Who are the teachers that you want to appreciate and why?
All around the classroom you could see students using their creativity to draft out some words of admiration for their teachers and treating the Flipchart like a large greeting card. They used lots of different colours of dry erase markers to answer the question. It was nice to let them explore the Flipcharts in different ways and to not be afraid to make mistakes.
Next up, students worked in small groups to analyze a two way table and create one from a scenario using the Wipebook Flipcharts.
My students and I love using the flipcharts for whiteboarding because they are easily transportable and they allow students to edit their work without messing up the page. The detachable page allow for my classroom to be used to its fullest and every student gets a workspace to call their own. One of my students said, “I love using Wipebook Flipcharts because it’s fun and easy to use.” Allowing the freedom to let their minds solve the problems or brainstorm new ideas
Every year my colleagues and I gather our teaching supplies at the start of the school year and we always want so many anchor charts to use through the year. The anchor charts are expensive and are not erasable. I really enjoy have Wipebook Flipcharts in my classroom because they are affordable and reusable. It's a great eco-conscience alternative. As teachers, we don't need to give up on chart activities since the product can last us all year round. It's a great investment.
Summit Atlas was given a trial run of a reading program called LANGUAGE! Live. To give some context of this program's "instruction reinforces the literacy foundations students need while strategically using authentic text to engage and accelerate them to grade-level proficiency." as stated on their website. I had my students test out the program then use Wipebook Flipcharts to share feedback on the program.
Wipebook Flipcharts are often seen in math focused lessons but I believe they are equally important in ELA contexts. They were of use for letting my students put theirs thoughts on paper and share them with their fellow classmates. In all, the students were excited and enjoyed using the Wipebook for many types of activities.
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How do you accommodate a wide variety of interests and skill levels? How do you encourage students to explore their interests while adhering to scientific research and engineering design principles? How do you allow for student autonomy? How can you reduce the amount of paper being used in the classroom? One of the most effective (and fun!!) ways is by using Wipebook Workbooks. With blank, grid, and lined sides, students can self-select what they need to use, while being able to easily fix their mistakes and show their understanding of their chosen content.
These Wipebook Workbooks are amazingly versatile! Students have options for a blank, grid, or lined side and can self-select which side(s) they need to use.
In my Independent Study Science class, students self-select their topics of study. They have a wide range of interests, but these Wipebook Workbooks can be used for them all! Not only do my students select their own topics, they are able to choose how they learn about them.
Using the lined side, students can take notes from an article they read or a video they watch. Using the grid side, students can collect data from their experiments in a chart or use their collected data to create a graph.
They can also draw things to scale, which is perfect for microscope drawings and engineering designs. Using the blank side, students can plan their next steps, play games, and so much more! Making a mistake isn’t a problem because they can easily erase and try again! A quick picture and their information is stored for later reference.
Sometimes, students need a brain break. These Wipebook Workbooks are awesome for that! Challenge students to a quick game of Tic-Tac-Toe. After students play a game, they can erase and play again. No more paper waste in the classroom! After a few rounds, students are better able to focus on their previous activities.
These Wipebook Workbooks are also great for brainstorming! Students may need some additional time and strategies to select their new topics or deciding on their process. Students use the blank sides to create a mind map of their interests, potential research methods, and possible activities. Students can save their mind map using the Wipebook Scan app, then refer to it when needed.
Students in my Independent Study Science class have a lot of autonomy. Students conduct their own literature reviews, select and design their own research process, collect and analyze data, make conclusions, and share their results. Throughout the process, students have made question and answer cards.
At the end of the process, students share what they have learned with each other by writing quick notes and labeled drawings and using those to teach their small group about their topics. The Q&A cards are randomly drawn and group members answer the question on the blank side of their Wipebook reusable Workbook. Through this game, students have fun while showing what they learned about each other’s topics! Students were excited while engaging in this activity and using their Wipebook Workbooks!
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Why does math need to be done independently? The answer is it doesn’t. In my grade 2/3 class we focus on working with our classmates on solving higher order thinking questions. I enjoy using Marian Small's resource called “ Open Questions” and this is where I got today’s minds on question from. Students will be answering this question using non permanent surfaces that I can easily add into my classroom: Welcome in Wipebook Flipchart!
My class is learning about patterning! We have spent the past two days refreshing our memory on what patterns are, what a pattern core is and how to extend patterns. Today our focus was on growing and shrinking patterns. The way I like introducing topics in math is first by gauging where my students are at. For example,I provide them with a question and listen to their thoughts. This helps me see where the gaps might be in this topic.
In today's question it had a focus on growing and shrinking, which I predicted some students may have gotten confused with having both in one pattern. We first start by writing what we know in the question. Students wrote on their Wipebook Flipchart or on a dry erase board “ 4,6,7,9”. We all agreed this was where to start.
The teacher plays an integral part in this math congress. I circle around each group and check how they are doing on this question. I do more listening than telling. I ask them a basic question like “what do you know so far” and let that guide my next prompting comment.
What I love most about having the Wipebook Flipchart is that students easily edit their work and share the writing with their group. What also helps is students are able to see other possible answers right in front of them. Especially in a room that only has 1 dry erase board, having the Wipebook Flipchart assists our teaching in a small room.
As the teacher, I believe it also helps my students confidence to be able to work with others and solve a question that they may need help with. It develops their confidence when they can easily wipe away their answer and change their response, or have another student edit their work!
Another favorite use of Wipebook Flipchart is to have students share their thinking! What is so great about how the Wipebook Flipchart is portable is that students went around to each group and shared how they answered their question! This is such a great strategy so all students can listen and reflect on someone else's solution.
The best part about having the Wipebook Flipchart is that I do not need to worry about having to erase their work right away because I may need the board. I like how I can keep their work up on our walls or other areas in the classroom for them to reference and see their thinking! Let's not forget the wonderful Wipebook Scan App that I can use as well. I am so happy to see my students collaborate and share their mathematical thinking with the class.
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The Sketch and Tell @eduprotocol has been a creative way for my students to show what they have learned about new content. We have been learning about westward expansion in the United States. Normally, I have my students do the Sketch and Tell in a @peardeck, but since students were testing, I wanted to make an effort to go analog, which led me to the perfect eco-friendly solution, Wipebook Workbooks!
As scared as I was to introduce Play Doh in the classroom, I wanted to dive in and try it with the Wipebook Workbooks. While I have heard that people have used Play Doh in the past like @historysandoval, I had fears of kids throwing it around the room, stepping on it in the carpet, red is all mixed into yellow… I admit the fear made it into my dreams. I wanted this to be a successful activity, so I started by having the students come up with their own “Play Doh Norms” in order to increase accountability and empowerment. I was proud of the result:
Now that we have set our norms, students helped to pass out the materials:
As soon as the students received the Wipebooks, they were pretty excited. They opened them up, and I heard “Ooh.” “Cool.” “Wow.” They noted that there was a grid on one side and lines on the other, so they knew exactly how to do the Sketch and Tell using this medium. I could see it was also a bit of a relief from the stresses of state testing to be able to massage the play doh and put a creative cap on to figure out what to create.
The prompt of the Sketch and Tell was “Describe what happened during Westward Expansion in the United States in images and text (4+ sentences). They could pull from past content about settlers moving west on Oregon Trail (or others), the reaction/perspective of the Native Americans to the settlers, Texas Independence, Mexican-American War, etc. and replicate it on the Wipebook Workbooks.
They happily dove in. I saw many faces massaging and thinking of what to create, which is what any teacher wants. They had to think critically and creatively in order to apply what they have learned. You can’t get that with a worksheet!
In the end, they could have played with that Play Doh for two+ full class periods. Some realized that they could use their rulers to cut, caps or bottoms of Expo markers to make shapes, etc. After giving them time to create, I had to remind some about the writing part so that they did not run out of time.
They were fascinated with what their neighbors have created. The Wipebook Workbooks served as a perfect surface for them to create the Sketch and Tell. It had the lines for the writing and the grid for creative expression. I saw everything from Donner Party limbs to a fairly accurate recreation of the map of the United States). Once they finished their creation, they took a picture of it with their Chromebook cameras and posted it in a Google Slide assignment in Google Classroom.
Now, it was time to clean up! They proceeded to wipe down the Wipebook Workbooks, get the Play Doh back in the jar, and put away the materials. We scanned the tables and the floors to check to make sure there wasn’t anything that had fallen on the floor, and phew! The students were super good about adhering to their established norms, and honestly, I think that the experience was a breath of fresh air after spending so much time on the computer with state testing.
We will be using the Wipebook Workbooks, not only with Play Doh, but even a Sketch and Tell with just Expos. The format makes it easy to take a picture with the Chromebook, save to Google Classroom, erase and reuse it for our next educational activities. Thankful for the students who embraced the Wipebook Workbooks and enjoyed taking the Sketch and Tell Offline!
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Research supports that collaborative learning environment leads to deeper learning. Students who are able to engage in learning together build high thinking skills, better communication, and even increased leadership skills. The Wipebook Flipchart was the perfect tool to allow students to engage in this form of learning with VNPS activities and Thinking Classroom values.
One common concern with collaborative learning is having the right tools to facilitate. The Wipebook Flipchart allows students to work with partners using a common space. Students are able to work together while still having the amount of space to complete their own process. When hung on the wall, several students can utilize the space simultaneously! One advantage of using the Wipebook reusable Flipchart was the ability for students to show their thought process but also having the chance to edit or change their answers.
The Wipebook Flipchart can be used in a stack or separated throughout the room. This creates erasable surfaces throughout the entire classroom! Students can move around to work and share ideas. As a class, we have enjoyed jig-saw activities which encourage students to collaborate with many different classmates. Throughout these collaborations, we continue to grow as a community in trust and knowledge.
In a world where we are constantly challenging students to find greener solutions, the Wipebook Flipchart is the perfect ecofriendly tool for modeling. For years I have struggled with the balance of having interactive charts but the guilt of knowing we will just recycle them in a few weeks. With the arrival of this product, that eco-guilt is gone and I can focus on the activities I want to organize for my students.
The Wipebook Flipchart not only allows us to display our thoughts for an extended period of time but also allows us to reuse them over and over again. I also appreciate the easy Wipebook Scan App that I can use on my device to store the images for future reference. While I have only been using this product for about a month, I already know I will be using it in my teaching for years to come!
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How can STEM be integrated in an ELA lesson? How are basketball, math, and science connected? Why do we create prototypes? Does collaboration really create better products or is it better to work on a project independently? These are questions my fifth graders have pondered over the past few weeks. One of the most effective ways of practicing STEM skills is by using the eco-friendly and reusable Wipebook workbooks to make informed decisions without the pressure of being right or wrong! A lot of magic comes out of a dry erase experience.
Students have been reading several fiction and nonfiction books about basketball over the past few weeks. Basketball for a few weeks? You bet! I try to incorporate current events in our classroom as much as possible. The most recent event was the NCAA basketball tournament. Why not take the opportunity to introduce the science of basketball through literature to create interest and teach the standards? The added bonus of a STEM integration is the icing on the cake for 5th graders. Until recently, the students had no idea that basketball is truly a numbers game. That force and motion (a 5th grade science standard) has an impact on if a basketball will make it in the basket. Being the time of year where state testing is around the corner and concept review is critical, I took the opportunity to make a STEM challenge out of what we have been learning about in the classroom. Students were tasked with creating a basketball goal as well as a catapult to launch a miniature basketball successfully in the basket. In addition to creating the goal and catapult, students were asked to collect data and a heat map to measure success outcomes from different distances and positions from the goal. The final product will also include a written paragraph analyzing the data. You see, STEM can be integrated in a language arts lesson. It doesn’t have to be an isolated idea or task.
Students chose a partner to complete the challenge with. The only constraints were the materials students had access to and the number of people in partnership together, two. They began the challenge with each student getting a copy of the engineering design process, a dry erase marker, and a Wipebook Workbook. This lesson was the first lesson where the STEM work wasn’t completed in the STEM journals, but instead on the dry erase surface of the Wipebook. Students were so excited for the change of pace. Who knew that with just a dry erase marker and a different writing surface the students would be more excited and engaged with completing a STEM task? When I solicited feedback from students it was shared that dry erase surfaces take the pressure off of being perfect. That collaborating with their partner was less stressful because everything was easily erased and revised as needed. This was especially helpful in the design and revision stages of the process. Students had to collaborate and label the design before having access to the building materials.
When partners agreed on changes it was not a big deal to create the change and everything was readable for building day. Using the Wipbook workbooks for whiteboard space allowed students to focus on the task at hand and not be consumed with eraser marks, torn pages, illegible writing after many erases on the paper, ect. Using vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPS) to design, collaborate, test, and revise has been such a great experience. The notebooks fold up and are easily placed inside individual travel tubs to revisit each day of the STEM design challenge.
Another favorite function of the Wipebook is the app you can download online to save work products. At this time we were unable to download the application on student devices because of district protocols; however, students did take pictures of their work and have it saved on each individual student device. The pictures will be uploaded to a Google slide deck to share with parents upon the completion of the STEM challenge. The Wipebook workbook has a gridded side as well as a lined side which is perfect for collaboration. For this particular challenge I didn’t specify which side of the notebook each step in the engineering process should go on. I like that there are options to meet the individual preferences of my students. Some enjoyed the grid to create and label a design while others preferred the back of the Wipebook because it was blank and less constricting for design work. Any page of the Wipebook worked for me. My goal was to create engagement through partnership collaboration with students to solve the challenge of basketball by numbers. I wanted to create STEM concepts in an ELA classroom. Wipebook workbooks help students practice their knowledge in a low-risk way, building confidence and skills they can use every day, even outside of the classroom.
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