More on Math Stretches

So some of you may know that I recently took part in a book study about Guided Math.

In fact, you can still win an Erin Condren Teacher planer as our final giveaway for the book study......the contest is almost closed! But there is still time to enter if you click HERE

Okay, so one of the things discussed in the book Guided Math by Laney Sammons was Math Stretches.

I recently got my hands on this book....by the same author Laney Sammons.

Daily Math Stretches K-2 {and there is Daily Math Stretches 3-5 too!}

There were so many good ideas that came from the book study...

Well, here is the thing. They can all be awesome... but what can you start doing now? What can you implement given your resources and what your state or district require of you?

In an ideal world we would do all of the things Laney Sammons suggested.

I thought that math stretches would be an easy place to start. In fact, you may already do some stretches and not even know.

Math stretches are not supposed to be scary and no one should feel they are being put on the spot. They are a warm up for your brain. They are designed to guide students to learn how to think more deeply about math.

You know, metacognition, where you think about your thinking.

Here is a quote from the Shell Education Daily Math Stretches K-2  book itself: "Well-planned stretches encourage young mathematicians to make connections, communicate their mathematical ideas, gain more precise understandings of mathematical vocabulary, and revisit mathematical concepts."

So, they got me... okay.... I am on board for math stretches, but want a little help. I do a lot of these things already and maybe just don't call them stretches.... but I don't think I structure them with enough conversation and asking the students to prove their thinking.

In THIS POST from June, I shared some math stretches I use in September. Then what?

Well, then you can start using ideas from this Daily Math Stretches book.

I like these pages that are provided:

A visual sample to get me going. You could pick up this book and use any of the ideas... and then you could make small changes to each one and have a million more ideas.

The book also gives sample dialogues you can have with students. Sometimes things like this drive me nuts... you know, super scripted Teacher Editions. Yuck! 

But in this case, they provide scenarios that may come up and offer sample dialogues that sometimes give you ideas of how to steer little ones in the right direction so they feel successful {remember no one should feel like they are in the hot seat} so I wouldn't mind glancing at one of these before I start my math stretch. 

As summer winds down I have to start getting serious about what my goals are for this coming school year. And one will definitely involve math stretches, as well as other areas of guided math. What about you? Do you already use math stretches?