Looking for a way to engage your students in your math mini-lessons? Want a better way to easily scaffold students through a math lesson? Math notes are your answer! Let’s upgrade your third grade math notes, and make them work better for you and your students.
How to Make Math Notes
Making your math notes will take some extra foresight and planning, but the good news is that the benefit makes it worth it. When creating my math notes, I like to have three sections: teacher example, buddy practice, and independent practice. This builds a gradual release model directly into my notes.
Then, you want to include problems in each section of your notes. In the teacher example section, there may be some extra components like definitions, images, or formulas. But the bulk of your math notes will be problems. This means, you will be preplanning the problems you will use during the mini-lesson as well.
With these math notes, you may also see that we are not spending a whole class on the teacher modeling. Or even the teacher completing twenty problems on the board. The teacher models a few problems, and then turns the reins over to the student. That is intentional!
How to Use Math Notes
I love using my third grade math notes during my mini-lesson, but they don’t have to remain there. You can also use teacher notes during your small group lessons. For example, you could model the “I do” section with students, and then help students as needed during the buddy practice.
You can use them in centers. Have them complete the buddy practice with their center group.
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Of course, they can be used during independent practice and homework as well. Send the page home and have students complete the independent practice.
Lastly, use it as a reference. By the end of the lesson, students will have an entire page of notes over a particular skill. They can review the concept again before a test using this sheet.
Benefits of Using Math Notes in Third Grade
Using third grade math notes can have several benefits. First of all, by incorporating scaffolding right into your lesson, you will see better mastery of the skill. Second, you help students take control of their learning. Students now have a built in reference material. Instead of being the holder of knowledge, your students can help themselves more easily.
Lastly, you have an easy way to check in with students. You can track students’ progression from the mini-lesson to working independently. If students are struggling at the end, where did things go wrong? Were they struggling right from the beginning with the lesson? Or did the struggles arise when they worked alone?
Want done-for-you third grade math notes? I have math notes for Multiplication Using Patterns, and Multiplication and Division.
Both sets of math notes include notes for the entire unit. The notes include three sections (teacher example, buddy practice, and independent practice) and come in two different templates. They include fill-in-the-blank style notes, so it’s easy for students to follow along, keeps them engaged, but the notes are consuming too much time.
If you are searching for 4th grade math notes, head here!
