Jenn
Berry
"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." Margaret J Wheatley
Greetings!
I am excited and a little shocked to be starting my 22nd year as an educator! Educators are true lifelong learners and I strive to refine my teaching practice year after year. I am currently serving as a fourth grade teacher at Buena Vista Integrated Arts Magnet. At Buena Vista, my primary content focus is science, math, and integrated arts. In addition to integrated arts, I have had professional development in and focused my instruction on positive reinforcement, depth and complexity, differentiation, writing across the curriculum, student engagement, and Kagan Strategies. I believe in the power of community and look forward to teaming with and learning from others through this Spotlight experience.
Resources
New Depth and Complexity Prompts (1).pdfDepth and Complexity
The new prompts for depth and complexity align with the very thinking skills and tasks that are prominent in our current common core state standards. Coupled with the prompts most of us tend to be more familiar with, they remain a valid and powerful teaching tool that can be used with all learners.
Have you tried Open Middle?
Pictured above is just a sample taken directly from an open middle math task. It utilizes a GATE frame and depth and complexity prompts to challenge student thinking. There are many open middle resources you could use to challenge students who are ready for it. The GATE frame idea could be used to help students wrap their minds around the basic concepts of place value at this time of year as well.
Engagement
Students love to play games and listen to music. Throughout the year my students and I take a few moments here or there to practice skills using music or game based learning. Linked here is a 4th grade playlist of songs that correspond with and enhance our math program. Easy and affordable games using a deck of cards or easy to create gameboards make for great may do's for students.