You really will need this later

Just a quick post to share an article I read last Thursday morning in the local paper: "Math problems are a problem for job-seekers, employers say"

To summarize, General Plastics Manufacturing Co. in Tacoma, Washington is having difficulty finding qualified workers who have basic math skills.  They only interview high school graduates, but applicants are failing a middle school level math test.

This depresses me.  I love math and teaching it to my students.  I constantly connect what we are learning to what they will need later.

The article mentions the trends toward Common Core and STEM education.  Maybe we need to teach delayed gratification.

Quote of the Week -- April 7, 2013

“Education is all a matter of building bridges.”

Ralph Ellison

Math Spies and Function Tables

 

 Click here for a blank function table printable and have your students use copies of it to complete the Math Spies Missions in Episode 5.

Meet Maynard the Hacker.  He has hacked into the Math Spies Mathalator 3000 and sabotaged it so the Math Spies' Coded Messages won't work. 
Episode 5 of Math Spies is all about using function tables to solve coded messages.  When Maynard commits his nefarious scheme, only a skilled mathematician can find the mistakes, reprogram the Mathalator using the correct rule and decipher the messages.

Math Spies is my problem-solving website that I began developing as an after school class.  Each episode focuses on a strand of mathematics as the Math Spies combat evil with their superior computational skills.

If you prefer a paper pencil version of this unit, you can purchase this 14 page product from my Teachers Pay Teachers store or my Teachers Notebook store.

 

Happy Birthday Teaching Blog Addict

 

I'm glad that I have today off because of Spring Break.  I will be spending a good chunk of my time at Teaching Blog Addict's Birthday Celebration.  They are hoping to collect the largest set of freebies.  I plan to post some of my favorites from my TN store (see below) and also pick up some new items to try out with my students.

Message in a Bottle Writing Prompt
Arctic Word Sort
15 Terse Verse
Free Math Tools
List Poems
Color Poems
 

 

Hope you can attend.

Six Series for Girls

Several months ago, I wrote a post called Five Book Series for Boys.  I linked up with Swimming into Second and discovered many more titles I had to try.

I am writing a similar post called Six Book Series for Girls.  Here are six of my favorite series that encourage girls to form good friendships and a strong self-worth:

The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter
I had this series recommended to me in several places before I took the time to read it.  The main characters are good friends who also happen to be enrolled in a spy school.  They do not wait around for the adults and the males to save them.

Airhead by Meg Cabot
Em Watts wakes up one day in the body of a supermodel.  She learns a lot about inner beauty vs. outer image.  She also has to defeat an evil corporation.  This book is more appropriate for middle school and above.

Enola Holmes Series by Nancy Springer
Did you know Sherlock Holmes had a much younger sister?  You will be convinced when you read this series.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier
I am happy to see this book in my fourth graders' hands.  The main character has to undergo a particularly long and painful experience with braces.  Over the years, she learns what true friends are like.

Ally Finkle's Rules for Girls by Meg Cabot
This series is most appropriate for upper elementary girls.

Ruby Lu by Lenore Look
I recommended this series recently to a mom that was looking for books for her fourth grade daughter.  Second through fourth graders would enjoy this book.

Currently April

I love how social teacher bloggers are.  I look forward to Currently each month.  It's like time in the faculty room with people I enjoy working with.  Visit Oh Boy 4th Grade for Currently April.

Currently...
I'm listening to silence for a few minutes.  I know that it will be interrupted soon, but I'm enjoying the peace right now.

I'm loving that I'm on Spring Break this week.  March is a difficult month for me to teach and it is nice to have time off.

I'm thinking about my huge to do list.  Every vacation, I over plan.  Yes, I need to catch up, but I'm dragging my feet at the moment.

I'm wanting to just read my book.

I'm needing balance: read a chapter, do a chore, read a chapter, do another chore.

Advice: Don't answer the phone just because it rings.

Poetry Challenge Begins Today

Just a quick post to remind you that the April Poetry Challenge begins today.  I am posting my poems on Poems of Silliness.  If you never downloaded the packet, it's free on TpT and TN.

Update June 2014: I have replaced the April 2012 & April 2013 challenges with 10 Poetry Forms.  This packet is all the same poetry lessons in one place.  To download the freebie 10 Poetry Forms from TPT, click here.  To download the freebie 10 Poetry Forms from TN, click here.
Happy Writing!

For other poetry resources, stop by Mrs. O's Rockin Resources for her poetry link up.