Calendar Math -- the routine

Now that you have the Calendar set up, the next step is to figure out how you are going to teach it to your class.  Below is the basic procedure that I follow with my students.
teachinginroom6.blogspot.com  Teaching in Room 6    5th grade
Here is the "script" I use when running through Calendar.  Click on it to download.


Each day begins with me asking the kids, "What is today?"  They then respond with "Today is December 19, 2011.  Also written 12/19/11.  It is the 56th day of school."  

I find this is a good focal point for the kids, gets them interacting right away, and starts off the Calendar in a nice way. 

I then go through the pieces of the Calendar in this order:

School Day Fraction
Odd/Even
Today's Arrays
Factors
Prime or Composite
Prime Factorization
How Many Ways to Make ___
Big Number -- Standard, Expanded, Word Forms
Place Value
Rounding
Daily Multiplication and Division
Geometry for Today
Today's M&Ms
Number Line


Some days, this order changes, depending upon my mood or the mood of the kids, but in general, it stays the same.  I may leave parts out for time, I may go over some parts very in depth, I may race through it all one day but slow down the next.  It is a VERY fluid time for me.

Another key to this is that it is INCREDIBLY interactive for the kids.  They aren't just sitting their watching me do all of the pieces and telling them the answers.  They are calling and responding, using gestures, using various modes of response, talking to their neighbor, coming up to help me write the answers, and other things that keep them engaged and motivated.  The students are not bored by the repetitiveness of it all because they are constantly involved in the process.   

Be sure to read about what you do the first week you implement Calendar.

22 comments

  1. I can't wait to try this with my 5th grade math classes!

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  2. How much time is dedicated to calendar math each day?

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  3. I too would like to know how much time is dedicated to this. This is great idea!

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    1. The time depends upon the day, but now, after a lot of practice and streamlining, the students can finish the worksheet portion in about 10 minutes. Then, at the end of our math block, I have 20 minutes set aside for review...however it rarely takes that long anymore. We can get through it in 10 mins if we need to. So a minimum of 20 mins for the entire process is necessary.

      In the beginning though, it does take more time. And if I am not careful, I find myself going on and on....which could then take f.o.r.e.v.e.r.

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  4. This is BEYOND amazing....thank you so much! I could wrap my head around what this might look like in the older primary/junior grades but your set up is so through and well explained. I really appreciate it.
    Beth
    Thinking of Teaching

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  5. I tried clicking on the link you have above for the script, but there was an error and it wouldn't come up. Do you have this in another format so I could see it?

    Thanks!

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    1. Danielle; did you figure it out? I can't get the script either.....

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    2. It works for me when I click on the caption underneath it...NOT ON THE PICTURE. Try that. Google Docs has been having lots of issues lately for me :(. Hopefully that will work for you.

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    3. not working for me either Sept 8 :((

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  6. LUV it! Very excited to put it into practice with my 5th grade friends. Thank you!

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  7. Stephanie,
    I love your program! I purchased it from Teachers pay teachers and came back to the blog for the instructions, but cannot get the script link to load....can you help?
    Nina

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    1. It works for me when I click on the caption underneath it...NOT ON THE PICTURE. Try that. Google Docs has been having lots of issues lately for me :(. Hopefully that will work for you.

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  8. Excited to start using calendar math with my 4th and 5th graders. Do you have spiral homework for 4th grade? Thanks you. Love this program

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  9. Hi, Stephanie, when I click on the caption it takes me to Google Drive. Help!
    Pat

    www.growingin5thgrade.blogspot.com

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  10. Very excited about starting this routine with my grade 4's. I can't seem to download the routine from google docs. Could you repost a link, please? Thanks

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  11. Hi Stephanie,
    The script does not come up when I click on the caption. It goes to google docs but there is nothing there - just the title of the document and no preview or way of downloading.

    I love what you have for Calendar Math... it is so great.

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  12. I am so excited to start this after winter break, but the script won't print for me. I get it to open in Google Docs but it won't let me print or save from there. Is there somewhere else to download it?

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  13. Today is my first day on pinterest and I was trying to take a look at the script on your page where it says download but I was unable to view it. It says Error. Can you let me know if there is another way I can view it! Thanks Donna

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  14. I wish I'd seen this blog at the beginning of the year. I teach 6th grade math so we will be tryning to implement this for practice and do the real thing next year!

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  15. I love your blog, but a question-On the Calendar math sheet, what does SF, EF and WF stand for. right under the Big Number?
    aianid

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    Replies
    1. SF = standard form
      EF = expanded form
      WF = word form

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