Best Ted-Ed Videos

I love Ted Ed videos. They are beautifully done and explain topics in a unique way. I want to share some that cover topics we might teach in math or science.

The videos are not meant to teach an entire concept to students, but rather a way to understand the concept in a more real-world situation.

To be honest, it would be nice if teachers had more time to teach mathematical and scientific concepts in the actually situations and money for better tools. Like the soccer one, how cool would a lesson on force, velocity, and friction be where students figure out the best way to do the impossible kick and take measurements as they go?!

Why can't you divide by zero?
Topics covered: Division, Multiplication, Properties of Operations, and Zero


Why do airlines sell too many tickets?
Topics covered: Statistics (binomial distribution), probability


Football Physics: The impossible free kick
Topics Covered: Newton's 1st Law, Velocity, Force


The weird and wonderful metamorphosis of the Butterfly
Topics: Metamorphosis



Pangaea Pop Up
Topics: Plate Tectonics


What happens when continents collide?
Topics: Plate Tectonics, Plant and Animal Migration, Fossils as Evidence

Mythbusters-Force

I thought Mythbusters was off the air, but its not! Which is awesome. I think it is a great show and a cool way to talk about scientific investigations.

This past week in 5th grade science, the 5th graders started designing a simple experiment to test the effect of force on an object. I like using Mythbuster videos to show students how to design scientific investigations. Not every investigation they do checks all the boxes, but it does allow us to discuss the questions they are asking, the variable, their steps, and how they can make a new investigation.

I spent sometime this week looking for some Mythbusters videos that show investigations dealing with force to show our 5th graders and then discuss.

If you use a service like View Pure, you can enter the link from YouTube and get a new link without ads or distracting side menus that YouTube might have.

Video #1
Cars Crashing into each other at 50mph

Video #2
Car crashing into wall at 100mph

Video #3
Dropping concrete on a car to make it somersault

Video #4
Eggs holding lots of weight

Video #5
Phone Book Friction

With each of these videos, you can ask the following questions:

What question is the investigation designed to answer?
What is the independent variable? What are the mythbusters changing?
What are the steps to their investigation?
What do you wonder? <--This question is to see if students think of similar investigations they could do. This is helpful as the TEKS states they should be designing their own experiment.

There are more force videos available, but these have no beeped language in them.

You can just have a class discussion after watching the videos or have students write their answers here.

Rational Numbers Song

This song has been stuck in my head. When my students learn how to classify numbers, we listen to this song at least once a day. It is a simple song with lyrics that students are easy to remember.

I dare you to listen to it 15 times in a week and not have it stuck in your head!

Dan Meyer-Math Class Needs A Makeover

I hope every math teacher has seen this video.

He starts by saying we sell a product that students don't want but are forced to buy. I love math--always have even if I wasn't always good at it. I wish my students could see how awesome it was. But am I doing a good enough job actually want them to buy into the product.

My Favorite No

I love when student analyze their mathematical errors. (Which is why I liked this activity)

This is another way to have students analyzing errors when the teacher pictures her favorite wrong answer.

Sometimes a students has the perfect wrong answer because it leads to so much rich discussion with the class. Then every one has the opportunity to learn from a mistake.

Scientific Laws and Scientific Theories

While I have students after school waiting for buses to dismiss, we watch education related videos. Sometimes we watch CNN Student News and sometimes we watch Ted Education videos. This is their new one this week. If you believe a theory graduate into a law, you need to watch this.

In my Science Teaching for Middle Grades class I took in grad school, we discussed this topic a lot. Most people have misconceptions of what a scientific theory is and think that it will one day "graduate" into a law. (Which is what I thought at one point in my life.) A theory in science is not like a theory in other content areas.

So when people here things like the Theory of Evolution or the Big Bang Theory--they hear theory and think there is not enough evidence to support the theory to become a law so it should not be given too much weight. Not the case. 

Having a scientifically educated population is important for our future and our children's future. Teachers need to make sure they understand what they are teaching. Many elementary teachers are not given proper training in science teaching--or the time to teach it. I love teaching math and I think it is extremely important to my students futures that they understand the basics of it--especially financial literacy and reading graphs. An understanding of science affects who we vote for, what policy are leaders create, what gets published in textbooks, etc. 

Unfortunately, most schools are not going to provide the training to make sure that teachers know what they are teaching. It is up to teachers to research, read peer-reviewed articles, have subscriptions to journals, and ask when they don't understand. This way they are doing everything they can to provide the best lessons for their students with the most accurate information. 

Prime Factorization

The students started prime factorization this week. 

I was unfortunately sick on Wednesday and ended up missing school that day. It was the first unplanned absence I had in 5 years. It was agonizing on Tuesday night trying to predict if I would feel better the next day. There were many cons to calling in. Mostly, the students would miss a day of new instruction. I had an emergency sub basket all ready with work for them, but it was just practice. Also, I would miss our class picture. In the end, the sickness won and it is good I did stay home. I ended up losing 5 pounds in one day to being sick. I was miserable. 

So my prime factorization lesson seemed rushed as I was trying to make up for a lost day. But I tried to vary the activities the students did, and gave them time to talk about the math. 

We started the lesson with reviewing what prime and composite numbers were. We talked about definitions, debate over which numbers were prime and composite and watched this video.

In one class, we had to talk in length about the difference between a multiple and a factor. 

Then we added a page to our notebook about prime factorization that looked like this. 

The tree flips down and there is another practice factor tree underneath. The students then got a practice sheet to work on with their group which we then checked. 

Afterwards, I gave everyone a dry erase marker and they practiced making factor trees on their desks while I went around checking and asking questions. 

Some common mistakes I saw were wanting to make the prime factorization smaller. Like taking 2x3x5 and wanting to collapse it to 6x5. We would go back to the definition of prime factorization and ask ourselves if all the numbers were prime. Also, some students just did the factor tree and thought they were done. I had to remind them that the factor tree was the process, not the actual prime factorization. 

Next, I will pull students in small groups and practice so I can really who has it and who needs more help. 

One station I will have next week while I pull students in small group is this Prime Factorization Match Up with QR codes. I try to have many of the stations that my students do include instant feedback. I am actually much better at grading this year than I have been in the past, but it is still not same day grading. Students need to know if they are doing it correctly. This way, they can check right away. Plus they'll have an ipad which they still think is cool. 

Beginning of the Year and Videos

This is getting real. I am having a hard time adjusting to not napping in the middle of the day.

I wasn't sure if I would be able to make it through Meet the Teacher night without yawning the whole night, but once the kids got there, I was awake and ready to go.

This is my yearly ritual to watch some energizing videos to get me started in the new year.

Here are my three. The list has grown.

Our students deserve the best!

Triangles

This is Day 1 of how I will be teaching Triangles this week.

With the new Texas standards this year, my 6th graders are supposed to already know the types of triangles, but they do not. So I really cannot spend any days on teaching classification of triangles, but I will.

Inquiry Question: How can triangles be classified or grouped?

Engage: Ask students where they have seen triangles or how could they be useful.

Explore: In groups: Cut out a sheet of triangles of all types and find 3 ways to group the triangles.
Allow students to share how they classified the triangles. (I expect that some students will already know the types of triangles, so this will be a way for me to assess who knows and who doesn't.)

After listening to student ideas, have them try again and find 3 other ways to group the triangles.

Explain: Glue notes into ISN giving definitions of triangles and watch this video.

Elaborate: Using the app Geoboard, students will make and explain all the types of triangles.

Evaluate: Write triangle riddles: I have 3 60 degree angle, I have 3 equal sides. What am I?
 and a quick 4 question exit ticket.


This is the plan. I'll report back after execution.

Math Shorts

I have been using these short videos in my classroom this year to jump off into a topic or to refresh student's memories.

Math Short has about 20 videos on various math topics that are colorful and to the point. And  no log in is required. 

Videos can be great additions to math class and can break up a lesson into manageable pieces. 

Anyone have any website with videos that they frequently use?

Every Kid Needs A Champion

My principal showed this video at our PLC meeting this week. It will be added to the list of videos I watch on the day before school starts. It is a reminder of why I teach. I want students to realize that no matter their circumstances, they can be somebody. It's why I love working in Title One schools.

Collaboration

I will be doing Guided Math in my mathematics class this year. As I learn more about how it works, I will write about it. Essentially, it allows me to work in small groups with students while other students reinforce their skills in groups.

I think an essential part of getting Guided Math to work is getting students to rely on each other for support. Gone are the days when the teacher is the final answer in the classroom. I really don't want my students to wait for me to answer their questions before they begin anything. They need to learn to work together.

This is a short animated video that tells the story of collaboration and what can be done if two people put their heads together and share their strengths with each other. I plan to share it with my students as we begin practicing procedures for small group work.

Technology Integration

Another video to watch. I watched this for an assignment of one of my grad school classes, but it is something I am really trying to do this year as a teacher. I am lucky that my new classroom is the "Tech Grant" room so I have more technology in my classroom than I ever had. I want to use  I want the students to use that technology frequently.



I think a lot of lessons teachers plan don't necessarily need technology. The objectives can still be reached and some students will still learn without using technology.

HOWEVER, technology integration allows students to become more engaged and take more ownership of their work and learning.

Here are a few key points I liked from the video:

• Technology helps teachers meet students where they are.
• Kids respond better when they can share their stuff. It shouldn't just go sit in a pile somewhere to be graded.
• Students can learn at their own pace and the teacher can formatively assess better. 
• Its not about the tool, it is about the learning, the process, and the engagement. 

I am doing a research project this year on using technology in my classsroom to increase student attitudes towards math. I can't wait to see the results. 

If you are a technology guru or know a fabulous teacher-tech blog I should follow, leave a comment!

Day Before School

My annual tradition as I start my fifth year of teaching is to watch this video:


This year I am adding this to the tradition:



Good Luck to everyone who is starting school tomorrow!

Science Safety

There is one thing all science classes teach the first week of school: Science Safety.

There aren't many dangerous things 5th grades get to do in science quite yet. The most dangerous thing they face can be their own behavior. I am sure some teachers have seen some crazy things! The worst I've had so far is some pencils poking eyes (mostly their own).

Yet, building good habits now will help when they get to that dangerous stuff later on.

As part of my "Plan-a-palooza," I have finished the lesson on science safety.

We'll begin with the science contract. It is the first grade of the year and it is an easy one. Just a parent signature!

My students have a hard time communicating their thoughts. After we go over the science contract, I will give the groups some scenarios of students breaking the rules. As groups, they will discuss what is going wrong and how the students can fix it. An easy intro to all the talking and writing about science they will have to do this year.

Both the contract and the science safety cards are available for download in the TpT store. Just click on the pictures.

One thing I discovered last year, was this video. The kids love it. 

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I am debating giving additional homework. I am definitely a teacher who believes in homework, especially if it involves the parents somehow. I might send home a blank sheet of paper and asking students to create a safety poster choosing one rules from the contract. I did this in class last year, but I just don't think I'll have the time with this lesson. 

How are you sure your kids are safe during science?

Declaration of Independence

I love Social Studies, but I find it harder to teach than science. I want it to be as interesting as science and I want my students to come to conclusions and make judgements on their own. But if they lack background knowledge, it is hard to get them to do that.

So I am always on the look out to make social studies more interesting. In Texas, 5th grade is US History. I found this video. It is Too Late to Apologize, but re-written about the Declaration of Independence.

My students loved this video. I wish whoever did this would make new videos. It isn't just the lyrics to the song that are great, but the music video that goes along with it.


There is another video that includes the lyrics on the screen. I usually watch that one.

And now they actually remember the three rights in the Declaration! Hopefully it sticks.