Patterning: Growing and Shrinking with VNPS
"What I love most about having the Wipebook Flipchart is that students easily edit their work and share the writing with their group. Especially in a room that only has 1 dry erase board."
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!
What Are We Learning
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.
Teacher's Role
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!
Displaying and Sharing
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.
Jessica Venneri, Teacher, Joseph A. Gibson PS, York Region District School Board
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