Math Journal Sundays

11 March 2012
YAY for Sundays!  The sun is shining (and hopefully melts some of the snow that was DUMPED on us this week), the kids are watching a movie, the coffee is good, and I've got a fun little craft planned for them this afternoon.  Best of all ... no planning for tomorrow - LOVE March Break!!!

We're still in our 3D Geometry / Measurement unit.  We've been studying the different 3D shapes and their attributes, and finding their volume and surface area.  In our last unit, 2D Measurement, I had been making shapes with the forumlas for area on them and posting them on the blackboard.  I decided to keep them up during this unit (to help them with surface area), and have been adding the 3D shapes they need to know the volume of.  These sit at the top of one of my blackboards (yes, I still have blackboards ... well, one blackboard - the others have all been covered because what I need more than anything else in my classroom is more wall space.)
photo of Formulas for area of 2D shapes
So, these are our foldables from this week - we made a triangular prism and a tetrahedron for our journals.  We wrote some of the attributes for each shape inside the nets (# of faces, # of edges, # of vertices, sketch, and surface area and volume).  As we did last week, we only glued one of the faces down so the net could still be folded into its 3D shape.
photo of triangular prism surface area and volume math journal entry @ Runde's Room
photo of triangular prism surface area and volume math journal entry @ Runde's Room
photo of square based pyramid surface area math journal entry @ Runde's Room
photo of square based pyramid surface area math journal entry @ Runde's Room

photo of 3D shapes anchor chart @ Runde's RoomWe also have an anchor chart we have been adding to as we study a new shape.  The students have also copied this chart into their math notes and are adding to it as we update our anchor chart.

Well, that's about it for today!  I'd love to hear if you're using math journals in your classroom, and what you include in your journals.  This is the first year I've done these interactive journals, and I'd love some more ideas / advice ...


Happy, Happy Sunday!  Looking forward to a GREAT day!







Looking for more "fantastic foldable" ideas???  Laura Candler is having a linky party over at her blog, Corkboard Connections.    Come check out the great ideas already added, or link up to add some ideas of your own!!!  Just click the button to the left to join the party!

Have I already mentioned I LOVE foldables???









17 comments

  1. Thank god for you!!! If & when I go back to teaching all subject {hopefully next year} your Math journals will save me!!! They came out great!!!!!!!
    I love the anchor chart!!!

    ❤ Mor Zrihen from...
    A Teacher's Treasure
    Teaching Treasures Shop

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  2. Thanks, Mor! Any news on the grade change for next year???

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  3. I love your math journal Sundays and see your stuff all over Pinterest! :)

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    1. Thanks, Sherrie! I hope you find some of the ideas useful for your classroom.

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  4. I've nominated you for the Lovely Blog Award. Check out my blog http://rakiradresources.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/lovely-blog-award/ for details.

    Heidi Raki of Raki's Rad Resources

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  5. i always look forward to math journal sundays! you have such great ideas!

    i, too, have awarded you the lovely blog award! come by and check it out :o)

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  6. Mrs. Runde,
    Thank you, I am a parent of a 13 year old 7th grader who is a K-12 Virtual Student in Fl. He is doing fine in his Fundamentals and Geometry class, then I recently came across a few areas as his Learning Coach where he sometimes needs to reviews, He is studing Scatter plots. I love Your Math Journal! I am having him make one. We are working on the different pieces as fill in when he has a "your choice". This is When the K-12 didn't plan a lesson for that day, this allows for a student to catch up on work, or move ahead a lesson. I Would also like to post the info to his teachers if possible where the ideas came from. I have a blog, http:Take me back to when they were in Elementary.blogspot.com. I would like to add you site/ button to my blog if you don't mind. I wish their were other teachers who would offer the things you have, you are an inspiration and a great mentor to the kids.

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    1. Wow! Thank-you so much for your comment! I am so incredibly happy that my math posts are helping other teachers (and ultimately, the students). This is my first year using interactive math journals, and for the first time in my eleven years of teaching, my students are actually excited about math journals. What's more, they're actually using them first when problem solving in other math areas - such a nice switch from the line-ups at my desk. I would be honoured for you to share my site. Thank-you, again!

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  7. Mrs. Runde,
    Me again! How did you get started using interactive math journals? This is something I would LOVE to do next year. Can you point me in the direction of a book/website?
    Thanks!!!
    Shauna

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    1. Hi, Shauna! Thank-you so much for your kind comments on my blog. I saw a few posts on another blog this summer that got me interested in the math journals ... (pretty sure it was Frogs and Cupcakes). I knew right away it was something I wanted to try, so I've been coming up with one or two different foldables each week. You can also search "Dinah Zike" - she is the guru for foldables - I've found quite a few ideas for foldable templates from her. In fact, I've just ordered one of her books. I'll do a blog about it when it comes in.

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  9. This is such a fabulous idea! I did it with my class today and they loved it! Thank you!!

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  10. You are a genius! I teach fourth grade in a low performing school, and I think your math journal will be engaging and thought provoking for my students. I noticed your journal pages seem to be on loose leaf paper. Do your students use a 3 ring binder, spiral, or composition book? My students tend not to be very responsible and lose notebooks quite often! What do you recommend? And please keep up the good work!

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