Simply Skilled in Second: Guided Math and Math Stations

I guess I will start with WHY I implemented a Guided Math approach in my classroom. I work in a very affluent school district and expectations are extremely high for teachers and students. We are expected to challenge our advanced students, who are at times well above grade level, and we are expected to work one-on-one with our struggling learners to help them meet the yearly benchmarks. Not an easy task! The reason I implemented Guided Math this year was because over the past sixteen years in my district, I have noticed a trend where some students were capable of learning and applying higher-level math skills than what I was instructing each day; in short, I was not differentiating my instruction enough.....so...in came... Guided Math.

I read a couple of books, scoured the internet and then found
Stephanie's blog called Third Grade Thoughts...UMM..this girlie is Fab-U-lous!!! I learned a TON of information through her blog! She is the bomb-diggity in my opinion :)

So my quest began! I started implementing this approach by first getting everything organized. I knew I would have 3 Rotations.

The rotations were Teacher Feature, Workbook Nook. and Elation Stations. I would meet with each group for 20 minutes and then rotate groups.

This photo {names are blocked} is what I have posted in my room for the rotations. When we begin the guided math rotations for the day, my Blue Group works on the Lesson Work from the day prior. Which means, the Blue Group will be taught a lesson, yet not practice the skill until the next day during the first rotation that they are in Workbook Nook. My Yellow Group goes to Elation Stations first and my Pink Group works with me in Teacher Feature first.

I pre-assess my students with each new unit that I begin. I created math assessments for each common core math standard. They are very useful to me because it clearly deliniates which area my students are struggling with or excelling in. I also always give a pre-test and a post-test.

These groups change based on the results of my unit

pre-assessments. My Pink group is my group that needs a bit more of my attention in regards to the particular skill I am teaching. The Yellow group has a decent handle on the information, but require direct instruction. My Blue group are advanced in the particular unit of study that we are working on and require more of a challenge within this unit.

This is the anchor chart that I complete with my students prior to beginning our Guided Math Rotations. They match my Daily 5 Charts so some of the expectations and behaviors are consistent throughout math and reading.

This is how I organize my Math Stations. Each drawer has 2 clear envelopes (from the dollar store) labeled with the same numbers that are also on the drawer. There are 20 different Math Station Activities in this drawer unit at a specific time which accounts for about a month or two of Guided Math Rotations. I do not do Guided Math everyday. As I mentioned, this is my first year implementing it, so I am gradually working up to an every day model. Each activity has a recording sheet, but doesn't necessarily have to. My students also have a check-off sheet that matches each activity number and drawer.

This is the recording sheet that my students use to keep track of the Math Stations they have completed. I have two of these on one sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

If a student completes their Math Station before the 20 minutes is up for the rotation, they work on a Math Journal Prompt and then Math Fact Fluency activities until the chime rings. They use Beat the Clock Books from Lakeshore and Hot Dots to practice their Math Fact Fluency.

They complete their Math Journal prompt in black and white {well blue and white in this case} marble notebooks that my wonderful hubby cut in half for me :) Gotta love him :)