Topic: Math Journaling
Standards: No specific standard goes along with this lesson. Students will journal about many different math standards throughout the year.
Essential Question: How do mathematicians write about their thinking?
Duration: about 1 hour
Materials: math journals, chart paper, marker, 2 pre-made (good and bad) journal entry examples
Overview or notes pertaining to lesson: Students will learn how to write about their math thinking.
Mini Lesson: Tell students that mathematicians write about their math thinking to show they understand math concepts. Explain that you’ll be having students write about their math thinking throughout the year. We will be doing this in our math journals. Make an anchor chart about journaling. We can journal about: problem-solving strategies, explaining understanding of a concept, explain what you did today in workshop, answer the essential question, etc. Show an example of a good and bad journal entry and talk about why the good one is better, ie: use math language, pictures, models, charts, number sentences, etc to explain thinking and understanding.
Guided Practice: Next do some pattern practice/review-ABAB, ABBA, ABC, etc. using numbers and shapes. Then do a practice journal entry together explaining mathematically what we learned and understand about patterns.
Independent Practice: Allow students to practice a journal entry on their own by writing an answer to the essential question for today.
Closing: Share journal entries about the essential question.
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