Hands on Activities:
For my math lessons I try to use a lot of hands on activities. This is the best way for students to learn a new material. For the section when students learn about surveys, I conduct many classroom surveys and poles. For the measurement unit students have to stretch a gummy worm, measure it, stretch it again, let it go, and measure it again. They are able to measure one gummy worm in different ways. For the lesson on temperature, students have to make a thermometer.
Working with simple geometric shapes to create new more complex shapes.
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Creating a paper thermometer to measure the temperature.
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What figures can we create using flexible straws?
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Creating an ocean habitat with its animals.
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Learning multiplication with plants.
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Creating survey questions for other groups to answer.
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It's all about recycle!
3D geometric shapes.
Why not to use marshmallow and toothpicks?
Circle Time:
Every day in the morning we have a circle time where students do calendar, days of the week, how many days we are in school, the weather and so on. I do these activities by myself for about two months and then I pick a "Teacher" based on the equity sticks (Students have to do everything in Russian). They love to be the "Teacher".
Fun Learning:
I implement "5 minute math" where students have to master timed math facts. They always ask for it. Because it is a Russian Immersion Program, I try to engage students to use the target language at all times. In either one of the charts after every 5 stars or points earned, students recieve a prize.
Center Time:
One hour a day I have center time for students where they use hands on activities and a closer curriculum learning. Centers are changed daily. I have journal writing, math, art, ABC blocks, magnetic letters, and writing. Periodically I change activities in centers depending on what we study.
Working in centers.
Question of the week:
To promote Russian language usage, math and to know what students like I write a question on the board. Students have to read it and place a balloon with their names on "yes" or "no" section. Then we estimate the number of students and count the balloons all together. The question is being asked here is "Do you like to eat rice?"(We were studying food groups and healthy foods).
Counting school days:
Doing this activity every morning helps students to learn place value. Showing asked number on one hundred chart is helpful not only for knowing number place value but also for practicing Russian.
Group work:
Students often work in groups. They need to learn from each other.They work collaboratively on their projects. For example, for 100 days of school students created a poster with 100 Russian words. When we studied healthy food unit, students created a food pyramid. They had to find different food in a store's circular, cut the items out and place them in the right food group.