Using TACK for Math Instruction

Just before the March Break, I found a bulletin board idea for math goals on Mrs. Beattie's blog.  She has been using the categories on the Math Achievement Chart (Ontario Curriculum) in a similar way to the CAFE board - keeping track of lesson goals and success criteria for mathematics through the acronym, T.A.C.K.  I LOVED it!  I knew I wanted to create something similar for my classroom because we have also been working on this as a school focus.

The acronym T.A.C.K refers to the 4 categories on our Math Achievement Chart:

• Thinking - The use of critical and creative planning, thinking, and processing skills
• Application - The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts
• Communication - The conveying of meaning through various forms
• Knowledge / Understanding - Subject specific content acquired, and the comprehension of its meaning

Over the break I worked to set up my board, and we started implementing it on Monday.

I will be using the "K" to post our daily learning goals - and how the students will show they can successfully show mastery of the goals.  It will list all the goals for a particular unit, then I will probably take down the goals and start fresh under this category when we start a new unit (we've just started our fraction unit).  The "T.A.C." will be more cumulative.  It's still quite new to me, so I am working through the content I will include under the other categories.  Thinking will be about how we plan to solve a problem - and how we choose what strategies to use.  Application may be about the actual use of the strategies, and Communication will focus on the different ways we can show our mastery of the knowledge expectations.  It's definitely a work in progress, but I really like how it's so similar to our CAFE (CRAFT) board, which my students know and refer to often.  Having that familiar format makes the task a lot less daunting to me ... and hopefully them, as well.

If you're interested, I've uploaded the T.A.C.K. headers to google drive.  You can grab a copy HERE.

In keeping with aligning everything to the achievement chart, I've also started to work on my formative assessments for each expectation.  I'm working on creating assessments that include all 4 categories, and I added a cross-strand problem, as well.  This is DEFINITELY a work in progress ... and I'm still working through it all - I'm having some difficulties separating thinking from "knowledge" or "application", depending on the question I've chosen.  But ... I'll keep at it, and hopefully "get it" soon ... I definitely know how some of my students feel when they are struggling.  ;)  Here's a peek at one we worked on today.

I'm also differentiating the sheets by including 3 different "levels" for each expectation (which came in handy today for one of my kiddos).  Definitely a lot of work, but if it helps the students understand on a deeper level, then it's worth it.

So, that's about it.  Now you know how I've been spending my nights ... ;)

Happy Wednesday!