3 2 1 Exit Tickets

Hello everyone! It's Greg from Mr Elementary Math.  We all know how important it is to know where our students are, but what can we do to help us figure that out?  One strategy that I like to use to determine student understanding are 3-2-1 Exit Tickets.  They are easy to use and can be very informative.

What Are 3-2-1 Exit Tickets?

3-2-1 exit tickets are a way for students to summarize and reflect on a lesson.  I found that it is a quick and effective tool because it provides feedback on what kids have learned and allows you to see questions that they may have about the concept or skill. 

The students write:

 3 - Things that they learned from the lesson

 2 - Questions that still have

 1 - Idea or thought that stuck with them

How Does This Look in the Classroom?

After you finish your lesson, give students an opportunity to review and reflect on their learning by having them record their thinking on the 3-2-1 exit ticket. 

This activity can be completed independently, in pairs/groups or as a whole class. Early grades teachers may allow students to discuss the ideas with a classroom partner and then verbally share with the class.  After the students share with a buddy, the teacher should record student responses on chart paper or the board.

You can find a FREE 3-2-1 Exit Ticket template HERE. 

If you choose to try it out, I would love to hear how it went in your classroom!

Fall Multiplication Sort

Hello everyone!  It's Greg Coleman from Mr Elementary Math and I have been busy lately writing about multiplication.  I have recently written about fun ways to teach multiplication and great books that help introduce multiplication.

Fall is here and in the spirit of the season I wanted give away a free sample of one of my seasonal products that reinforces multiplication.  It is a true or false sorting activity.

Sorts are a great instructional strategy because they:

1 - Are more interactive than worksheets
2 - Can be easily used a formative assessment
3 - Lend themselves to working with a partner or group
4 - Are an example of how you can use one of the researched based high yield instructional strategies in the classroom (Marzano - Similarities and Differences)

Click on the photo below to grab the FREE sample

If you would like to check out Fall Edition Multiplication Games & Activities in its entirety check it out HERE.  Enjoy!

How to Use T Charts in Math Class

Are you ready for some more more strategies for integrating math and reading?  It's Greg from Mr Elementary Math, and I am back with more ideas about how to incorporate reading and writing during math instruction.

T-Charts are not just for the reading block!  They can be used during math class to help students visually organize their thoughts and ideas.   T-Charts are graphic organizers that are made up of two or more columns. T-Charts are very versatile, making it one of the more popular graphic organizers.    They can be used to take notes, compare ideas and list main ideas and details.

Since there are many different ways to use T-Charts, I wanted to focus on note taking. According to research by Robert Marzano, note-taking is one of the 9 instructional strategies for effective teaching and learning. This skill helps students with comprehension. When students take notes, they are forced to put the materials in their own words.   

This graphic organizer can be used when teaching any topic in the classroom.  Here are some examples of how T-Charts can be used in math class.

Use a 2 column T-Chart for taking notes using main idea and detail.

Use a 3 column T-Chart to compare and contrast math concepts.

Here is a simple lesson cycle that can be used when introducing T-Charts in your classroom. Click on the image to get a printable copy.  If you are a primary teacher I would recommend creating and filling out a T-Chart on oversized chart paper or on an interactive whiteboard. 

There are many benefits to using T-Charts during instruction. Check out some of the benefits below:

- A great tool for collecting and organizing thoughts
- Provides a model for visual learners
- A powerful note taking strategy
- Integration of writing, reading and math (main idea and detail, compare and contrast)
- This strategy can be used across content areas
- This strategy is effective in all grade levels

Click Here to Download the Free T-Chart Template
If you like this blog post about using T Charts in the math classroom, check out my post about using concept maps HERE.  Find even more great math resources at Mr Elementary Math TpT.

Using Concept Maps in Math Class

Hello! I am Greg Coleman from Mr Elementary Math and I am excited to write my first post for Who's Who and Who's New.

Concept maps are not just for the reading block!  We can use them effectively during math lessons as well.  You may be wondering, "What are concept maps?" Let me explain.  Concept maps are graphic organizers that show a connection or a relationship between concepts. Concept maps can look different from each other, but have two major characteristics in common.  The concepts are inside a given shape and lines or arrows are used to link different concepts together.

In general, concept maps move from broad ideas to specific details and the main topic is usually located in the center.  There are many variations of concept maps, but I wanted to focus on one that assists with student acquisition of vocabulary.  Students need to be able to know and use academic vocabulary when communicating.  For example, one of the common core standards of mathematical practice states that students must be able to attend to precision (Standards of Mathematical Practice   # 6). Specifically, they are expected to "use clear definitions in discussions with others and in their own reasoning."

Below you will find a images of a concept/vocabulary map that you can use when teaching math concepts and vocabulary in the classroom.  In fact, this graphic organizer can be used when teaching any topic in the classroom.  Here are some examples of completed math concept and word maps that can be used across grade levels. Click on the pictures to get FREE templates of the concept map and the vocabulary map.

Two important things to point out with these maps are the Definition vs. In My Own Words sections and the Examples vs. Non-Examples.  First the Definition is more like the "official" definition, or what you would find in a dictionary.  The In My Own Words box is more of a what could I say to help me remember this concept or word. It could be a phrase or a short sentence.  Last, providing examples and non-examples deepen student understanding of a topic because they are generating similarities and differences.

Here is a simple lesson cycle that can be used when introducing concept maps in your classroom. Click on the image to get a printable copy.

In sum, there are many benefits to using concept maps. Check out some of the benefits below:

- A great tool for collecting and organizing thoughts
- Provides a model for visual learners
- A powerful vocabulary strategy
- This strategy can be used across content areas
- This strategy is effective in all grade levels


If you like this blog post about using concept maps in the math classroom, check out my post about teaching math vocabulary with Frayer models and math vocabulary flip books HERE.  Find even more great math resources in my My Elementary Math Store.