I am currently teaching my ratio, unit rates, proportion and scale math unit. This is one of those skill sets that kind of just need to be practiced a lot for kids to get them. I took some time to make a set of 40 cards, ten for each of the skills. Each day this week during my math workshop the independent practice group has been working on the task cards. To make them more engaging I spread them throughout the room for kids to find.
The kids really seemed to have a great time finding the cards and solving them. I asked the kids for their honest feedback after the first day of using them and they pretty much unanimously said that they really liked how they only had to focus on one problem at a time and didn't have to sit at their desk working independently for that center.
This activity paired with doing fun things at the "Teacher Center" like M&M ratios and baking cookies (we gave the students a recipe for one cookie and they needed to figure out to make cookies for 24 people), really has made math time fly by this week!
I'll definitely be using task cards again. As many other teachers have discovered, they could be used in pretty much any subject area. I'll be posting my Ratio set of 40 cards on my TpT store at some point this weekend! EDIT: I got productive and posted them! Here they are!
Have any of you used task cards yet? What do you like about them? Not like?
I know a lot of you out there are getting ready for summer vacation...NOT ME! We go to school til June 11th, so we still have loads of school to go. For the last 20 days of school I like to do fun things with the kids each day for just a few minutes. Sidewalk chalk, rock-paper-scissors tournament, etc. What fun & free ideas have you got?
I love task cards. I've made some of my own and used a lot of Rachel Lynette's cards from TPT. They are reasonably priced. Here is her link in-case you want to check her store out. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Rachel-Lynette
ReplyDeleteHi~I'm Brandee, your newest follower and fellow fifth grade teacher blogger! I totally agree about task cards and I tend to save some fun ones for those last few days when they are a bit more difficult to keep on task. My suggestion for the end of the year would have to be to let them go back through any task cards you may have and choose some to do with a partner very quietly. My kids are able to stay busy with the files of task cards for quite some time and they are still learning...but mainly...they are still quiet and busy!!!! :)Looking forward to learning lots from you.
ReplyDeleteBrandee @ Creating Lifelong Learners
Thanks for following! I'm YOUR newest follower now too! I've already grabbed that great Close Reading Task Card off your blog too! Thanks!
DeleteI also love putting task cards all around the room for them to find! Another fun thing is to play Scoot with their task cards- they get 30 seconds, or a minute, depending on the skill, and it really makes them think quick. They like it because it feels like they are racing the clock! :)
ReplyDeleteJivey
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Task cards are fabulous! They essentially accomplish the same thing as a worksheet without being so mundane. So many games! I also like scattering them around and SCOOT! :) Erin
ReplyDeleteI'm Lovin Lit
Such a fun idea! I found you by following your link from caffeine and lesson plans. I'm your newest follower!
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the school year I always pull out jigsaw puzzles. Usually 200 pieces or larger. These keep kids busy and relatively quiet for hours. I usually get puzzle glue to glue the pieces together so they can take them home once they are complete.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through the fifth grade bloggers link up. I'm your newest follower.
Katrina
http://teacherofscholars.blogspot.com