MATH: online practice

Over the Break I looked at several online math programs. These are the ones that I found: XtraMath
https://www.xtramath.org/

This is a math fact fluency program. The online program is FREE, and extremely easy to set up. Students practice at their own level for a short time period per day. Tracking Reports can be sent to both parents and teachers via email. The tracking information and progress is also available online.

IXL
http://www.ixl.com

IXL Math is online math skills practice where the student is evaluated at his/her level and progresses at his/her own speed. There is a free offering and a membership. Ability levels are arranged from Pre-K through eighth grade and then through Geometry.The membership version of IXL tracks/reports student progress to teachers and parents. The site is very similar, visually, to the Adapted Mind site (listed below). A membership for a classroom runs about $200 a year.

Adapted Mind
http://www.adaptedmind.com/index.html

Online Reading and Math: The READING portion is a “Membership Required” area but much of the math is free. You may purchase a membership for about $200 per year. This site is similar to IXL, except it offers a reading skills section. Additionally there are good instructional videos available. There is a limited (5 students) free trial.

Khan Academy
http://www.khanacademy.org/

Khan Academy is free. It is cumbersome to sign up your students but once you have done that, the program itself is manageable. It is geared toward upper grades  to adult learners, but I used it last year for fourth grade and it was adequate. It is not as “entertaining”, nor as engaging for younger students as some of the other sites.

Some great stuff for the Thanksgiving Break

This is a blatant plug for one of my most favorite Blogists, Richard Byrne. His blog was one the first that I began following when I began my online PLN. Each week he inspires me to keep plugging along, with his useful , fun, and informative posts. Thanks Mr. Byrne, from the Wilderness of Utah!
I have posted this link before but with Thanksgiving coming up and my infrequent readership; I thought it might be OK to repost it. Great links for those of us teaching about the first Thanksgiving. Richard Byrne's Blog

My other endorsement this week is TBA….    - Teaching Blog Addict. This site truly is addictive. It is my “go-to” site when I need a fast idea or something specific. There are tons of teachers involved with this site from k-12. Most have their own blogs. Many participate in a weekly FREEBIE – giving away a classroom lesson or activity that you can download. Still others participate in topic specific LINKY PARTIES, where you follow links to their activity (this is called blog hopping). Currently there are 122 LINKY PARTIES posted here. (just scroll down and look for “FIND” on the right side to go to Linky Parties).

Hope you enjoyed, or at least took advantage of, the last two full weeks of instruction .  I feel like we actually got things accomplished.

Hope your Thanksgiving is full of family and great memories!

Novembuary (a grand-kid-ism)

Two ENTIRE weeks to teach (sorry… I think there may be an assembly or two in there but, WOW… ten somewhat solid days in a row!)

Here are some gleanings from my weekend…

Thanksgiving and The Pilgrims
Scholastic sites: The first is about the voyage: http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/voyage/
The second site is about living in Plymouth: http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/daily_life/index.htm 
And a third that has a slideshow and a WebQuest about the First Thanksgiving: http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/feast/
There is also a link to some nice Teacher Resources: http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/resources/