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Science North Lesson Plans

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Home Page - Educator Resources | Science North

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Wow your students with engaging science activities, experiments and videos that meet the elementary and secondary Ontario Science and Technology curriculum. At the elementary level this includes Understanding: Life Systems, Structures and Mechanisms, Matter and Energy, Earth and Space Systems.

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Bee Bots: Animal Classification

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Bee Bots: Animal Habitats

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Vertical Classroom

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STEAM Bins

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Favourite English Apps and Practical Resources

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Favourite English Apps and Practical Resources

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Station Rotation Ideas for Different Subjects

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Station Rotation Ideas for Different Subjects

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HOW TO MAKE MATH MOMENTS THAT MATTER EVERYDAY IN YOUR MATH CLASS. Learn how to create powerful moments by sparking curiosity using the Curiosity Path in your math class.

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Now, one of the pieces that I did want to talk about was something that she really didn't ask for but I'm gonna bring it up because it works well here. And she had talked about it at the very end, her last question is what is conceptual understanding? And to really understand conceptual understanding, I want to talk about what it's usually compared to.

There's kind of this debate in math education about which is more important, conceptual understanding or procedural fluency? So procedural fluency, as we've talked about, is doing the procedures. Can they fluently do procedures? So when kids are solving that problem, are they fluently doing a procedure? Now, the other piece of math education is that conceptual understanding. Do they understand why it works? Do they understand how this works? Do they understand connections?

For me, as a kid growing up, I call myself a recovering traditionalist because back in the day, we were only taught the procedures and I was really good at that but I had no understanding. So when it was 39 plus 45, the only way, and I'm serious, the only way I knew how to do it was this procedure where you stack it and you add your ones and then you carry over the one and then you add your 10s and that gives you your answer. I seemed to have procedural fluency.

But, I had no idea what I was really doing. I was just following the steps. I didn't even understand that that flying little 1 was really a 10, that's how much I did not understand. And it wasn't until I became a teacher that I realized, I have to understand that stuff. It's not enough to just be able to do procedures.

That's why there's been such a push to build in that conceptual understanding. When we're doing the same problems, still 39 + 45 but instead of just the procedure, what do we want kids to understand, what's the conceptual basis that they need to understand about adding with multi-digits?

We want them to understand that within 39 is a 30 and a 9 and with 45, it's really a 40 and a 5 and I could add my ones and I could add my tens and then I could put those together. And I want them to be able to make that connection to the procedure.

All of it works together. It is not enough to just build conceptual understanding and let kids have that piece. Kids do need to build their procedural fluency and the standards do talk about that. Kids need both pieces. It's not that one is better than the other, it's that kids need both.

And I just want to come back around and tie this all together from this procedural fluency that we were talking about and conceptual understanding that the other piece of that procedural sense is knowing when that traditional procedure may not be the best thing.

Now, with 39 + 45, I now solve that differently. Now that I have more of a sense of how numbers work, I can look at problems and decide is the traditional procedure or that traditional algorithm, the best way to go with this or using my sense of procedures, of numbers, my conceptual understanding? Or, is there may be a better way that's more efficient but yet still gives me accuracy and shows my flexibility?

All of those pieces go together to build a true mathematical thinker. The last thing I'm going to leave you with is why it's so important. Because of a problem like this, 17 - 8, you don't know how many times, I've seen middle schoolers, even high schoolers, when they get confronted with 17 - 8, they're either counting on their fingers or they stack it like this and then they're doing the procedure.

They know how to do the subtraction procedure, they go over and they say, in their mind, they're like, "well I can't take eight from seven, so I've got to borrow one or regroup," whatever terminology you're using, but they'll regroup it and now they've got a little flying one there with the seven and they don't understand that still guys, it's 17 - 8, nothing has changed. Just because you've done that procedure for subtraction, that doesn't mean they have any conceptual understanding of what's going on.

This is why I really am a proponent of doing both. So, conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and part of building that conceptual understanding is helping kids develop that computational sense. It's not just about being able to perform it, to be a calculator, a computer, we want to build their math minds and that comes by building their sense.

Now, for a limited time, I do have the webinar's up on replay. If you're lucky enough to be reading this right when I post it, the webinar's are up and available for you to watch. There's one on addition and one on multiplication to help you really understand, how do we build fact fluency and also build their sense as we do it. I hope that this has helped you build your math minds so that you can go build the math minds of your students.

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Now, one of the pieces that I did want to talk about was something that she really didn't ask for but I'm gonna bring it up because it works well here. And she had talked about it at the very end, her last question is what is conceptual understanding?

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This year I've had the chance to team up with the awesome folks at Book Creator! This app is one I use with educators all across the country. When I visit schools to talk to teachers about reaching all of their students, creating dynamic learning experiences, and connecting students to authentic audiences, I love sharing Book Creator. I hope you'll like these Book Creator webinars!

If you haven't used Book Creator before you've come to the right place. If you've used Book Creator and want to take it to the next level you've come to the right place too! These webinars were designed to help teachers who want to get started with Book Creator, or take their use of this tool up a notch. If you missed the live events you can watch the webinars by clicking the links below. Have a special experience with Book Creator to share? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!

Getting started with Book Creator

This webinar is for teachers who are using Book Creator for the first time. It's interactive so make sure to have your iPad by your side! You'll hear about the basics of using the app, plus ideas on how to introduce the app to the classroom.

Spotlight Sessions

Using Book Creator in the Science Classroom
Learn how to publish student projects in your science classroom with Book Creator.
Watch

Favorite Apps to Use with Book Creator
Explore different apps to use with Book Creator to design dynamic products.
Watch

Increasing Writing in Math with Book Creator
Learn how to encourage and support writing in the math classroom with Book Creator's interactive features.
Watch

Writing in Response to Reading with Book Creator
Use Book Creator to organize reading responses and differentiate instruction in your English Language Arts classroom.
Watch

Book Creator for Informational Writing in Every Subject Area
Explore different project ideas for incorporating informational writing across the content areas.
Watch

Publishing for Authentic Audiences: Creating with a Purpose
Learn how to publish Book Creator ebooks for local and global audiences.
Watch

Three-part series: Intro to Book Creator webinars

If you want a deeper dive when you're just starting out, this webinar series breaks it down into three pieces.

There are more live webinars coming in 2017! You can sign up here to be the first to know about upcoming events :)

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10 FREE Book Creator Webinars for Teachers - Class Tech Tips

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This year I've had the chance to team up with the awesome folks at Book Creator! This app is one I use with educators all across the country. When I visit schools to talk to teachers about reaching all of their students, creating dynamic learning experiences, and connecting students to authentic audiences, I love sharing ...

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10 Tips for Teachers Using the Station Rotation Model - Dr. Catlin Tucker

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Teachers are already blowing up my Twitter feed with awesome photos taken during their first few station rotation lessons! It's exciting to see so many teachers trying this blended learning model and creating opportunities for small-group instruction, real-time feedback, collaboration, and differentiated learning. 1) Use your teacher-led station for a range of activities beyond differentiated [...]

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STEAM Bins

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How to Start a Math Fight

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HOW TO CREATE A QR CODE - [ INSTRUCTIONS 101]