Fifth Grade Model Drawing

This problem came to me from some friends.  It's got a "hidden question" that you have to answer before you can answer the stated question.  I also show the array model of multiplication here instead of the traditional algorithm.

I do lots of professional reading, in lots of forms.  I read blogs, professional journals, spend way too much time on Pinterest, and even tear myself away from my ipad to read real books.  I'm so excited about Small Steps, Big Changes.  Chris Confer and Marco Ramirez have written a very practical book about some ways to make changes in school cultures.  This book, written from the perspective of a teacher, an administrator, and a math coach, would make a meaningful book study for leadership teams, district (math) coach teams, or even a whole school.  It's an easy read, highlighting eight practices:

• Keep the end in mind
• Understand the problem
• The stance of a researcher (Making tough decisions)
• The 80/20 rule (Making decisions for the good of 80%)
• Patterns of talk (in the classrooms, the halls, and the teachers' lounge!)
• Patterns in Content
• Patterns in Instruction
• Intentionality

While this book focuses on math, it's really about change.  It's a great book to pick up over the summer.  I promise you'll be pondering these important ideas.

How I Justify Spending Time on Pinterest

I admit it.  I spend way too much time on Pinterest!  BUT it's usually time pretty well spent.  I use the search tool to look for fractions, division, or Singapore Math.  And there's lots of good content out there.  Pinterest is a way of bookmarking good websites to the cloud--with a visual and social component!  You can follow my boards (lots of them are math related!) as a way to get started.  If you get bored, look at the Humor and Wisdom Board!!