Help! I Have to Teach Language Arts: A Language Arts Survival Mini-Course Part 10
Welcome
If you need to catch up here are the links to the other lessons 1, 2,3, 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 and 9.
I have a SECRET…although I am passionate about Language Arts….I am also a Math-lete!
So it should come as no surprise that I enjoy Logic puzzles and embedding formulas in excel spreadsheets.
Well maybe that is a surprise….anyway…
I do want to bring to your attention the possibilities of connecting math to English Language Arts.
Today’s Lesson: Know how to Connect ELA to Math Content
There are several ways to connect to the math curriculum. Here are some connections that I have found. All of the specific outcomes in today’s post are from the English Language Arts program of Studies.
Connecting to Math through Talking, Reading, Writing and Representing
Here are some articles to support the outcomes below.
Creating Math Talk Communities
Why Use Talk in Mathematics Classrooms
Kindergarten
- share personal experiences prompted by oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
- talk about ideas, experiences and familiar events (1.1)
Grade 1
- share personal experiences that are clearly related to oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
- talk with others about something recently learned (1.1)
- make observations about activities, experiences with oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
Grade 2
- contribute relevant ideas and information from personal experiences to group language activities (1.1)
- talk about how new ideas and information have changed previous understanding (1.1)
- express or represent ideas and feelings resulting from activities or experiences with oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
Grade 3
- connect prior knowledge and personal experiences with new ideas and information in oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
- explain understanding of new concepts in own words (1.1)
- explore ideas and feelings by asking questions, talking to others and referring to oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
Grade 4
- compare new ideas, information and experiences to prior knowledge and experiences (1.1)
- ask questions, paraphrase and discuss to explore ideas and understand new concepts (1.1)
- share personal responses to explore and develop understanding of oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
Grade 5
- use appropriate prior knowledge and experiences to make sense of new ideas and information (1.1)
- read, write, represent and talk to explore personal understandings of new ideas and information (1.1)
- use own experiences as a basis for exploring and expressing opinions and understanding (1.1)
Grade 6
- use prior experiences with oral, print and other media texts to choose new texts that meet learning needs and interests (1.1)
- read, write, represent and talk to explore and explain connections between prior knowledge and new information in oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
- engage in exploratory communication to share personal responses and develop own interpretations (1.1)
Connecting to Math – Recording Mathematical Ideas
Writing in Math Class…Absolutely
Integrating Writing and Mathematics
Kindergarten
- connect related ideas and information (1.2)
One
- group ideas and information into categories determined by an adult (1.2)
Two
- record ideas and information in ways that make sense (1.2)
Three
- experiment with arranging and recording ideas and information in a variety of ways (1.2)
Four
- use talk, notes, personal writing and representing to record and reflect on ideas, information and experiences (1.2)
Five
- use talk, notes, personal writing and representing to explore relationships among own ideas and experiences, those of others and those encountered in oral, print and other media texts (1.2)
Six
- use talk, notes, personal writing and representing, together with texts and the ideas of others, to clarify and shape understanding (1.2)
Connecting to Math Vocabulary
Kindergarten
- explore and experiment with new words and terms associated with topics of interest (4.1)
One
- identify and use an increasing number of words and phrases related to personal interests and topics of study (4.1)
Two
- develop categories of words associated with experiences and topics of interest (4.1)
Three
- explain relationships among words and concepts associated with topics of study (4.1)
Four
- use an increasing variety of words to express and extend understanding of concepts related to personal interests and topics of study (4.1)
Five
- extend word choice through knowledge of synonyms, antonyms and homonyms and the use of a thesaurus (4.1)
- distinguish different meanings for the same word, depending on the context in which it is used (4.1)
Six
- show the relationships among key words associated with topics of study, using a variety of strategies such as thought webs, outlines and lists (4.1)
Connecting to – Making Books About Math – Fiction and Nonfiction
Students can make their own books about Math topics. Showing students published books about Math can help them to find ideas for their own. I have included a book list below.
Booklist for Math Books (Students can use these books as a structure to write their own.)
Structuring a Student Made Math Book
Kindergarten
- talk and represent to explore, express and share stories, ideas and experiences (1.1)
One
- experiment with different ways of exploring and developing stories, ideas and experiences (1.1)
Two
- use a variety of forms of oral, print and other media texts to organize and give meaning to experiences, ideas and information (1.1)
Three
- choose appropriate forms of oral, print and other media texts for communicating and sharing ideas with others (1.1)
Four
- discuss and compare the ways similar topics are developed in different forms of oral, print and other media texts (1.1)
Five
- select from provided forms of oral, print and other media texts those that best organize ideas and information and develop understanding of topics (1.1)
Six
- experiment with a variety of forms of oral, print and other media texts to discover those best suited for exploring, organizing and sharing ideas, information and experiences (1.1)
Planning a Student Made Math Book
(These are the same outcomes used for “Connecting to Math” earlier in the post)
Kindergarten
- connect related ideas and information (1.2)
One
- group ideas and information into categories determined by an adult (1.2)
Two
- record ideas and information in ways that make sense (1.2)
Three
- experiment with arranging and recording ideas and information in a variety of ways (1.2)
Four
- use talk, notes, personal writing and representing to record and reflect on ideas, information and experiences (1.2)
Five
- use talk, notes, personal writing and representing to explore relationships among own ideas and experiences, those of others and those encountered in oral, print and other media texts (1.2)
Six
- use talk, notes, personal writing and representing, together with texts and the ideas of others, to clarify and shape understanding (1.2)
Writing a Student Made Math Book
Kindergarten
- draw, record or tell about ideas and experiences (2.4)
One
- write, represent and tell brief narratives about own ideas and experience (2.4)
Two
- create narratives that have beginnings, middles and ends; settings; and main characters that perform actions (2.4)
- use traditional story beginnings, patterns and stock characters in own oral, print and other media texts (2.4)
Three
- experiment with a variety of story beginnings to choose ones that best introduce particular stories (2.4)
- add sufficient detail to oral, print and other media texts to tell about setting and character, and to sustain plot (2.4)
Four
- produce oral, print and other media texts that follow a logical sequence, and demonstrate clear relationships between character and plot (2.4)
- produce narratives that describe experiences and reflect personal responses (2.4)
Five
- use structures encountered in texts to organize and present ideas in own oral, print and other media texts (2.4)
- use own experience as a starting point and source of information for fictional oral, print and other media texts (2.4)
Six
- determine purpose and audience needs to choose forms, and organize ideas and details in oral, print and other media texts (2.4)
- express the same ideas in different forms and genres; compare and explain the effectiveness of each for audience and purpose (2.4)
Connecting to Math – Sharing Mathematical Ideas
Kindergarten
- share ideas and information about topics of interest (3.4)
One
- share ideas and information from oral, print and other media texts with familiar audiences (3.4)
Two
- share, with familiar audiences, ideas and information on topics (3.4)
Three
- organize and share ideas and information on topics to engage familiar audience (3.4)
Four
- communicate ideas and information in a variety of oral, print and other media texts, such as short reports, talks and posters (3.4)
Five
- communicate ideas and information in a variety of oral, print and other media texts, such as illustrated reports, charts, graphic displays and travelogues (3.4)
Six
- communicate ideas and information in a variety of oral, print and other media texts, such as multiparagraph reports, question and answer formats and graphs (3.4)
This marks the end of today’s lesson.
I know.
You want me to keep going.
But I want you to digest today’s learning.
Know how to Connect ELA to Math Content
How do you plan to connect Math to ELA outcomes?
Can you think of ways to match up math literature with a student writing project?
Trust me…everything else makes sense if you know how to connect Math to ELA.
Until Next Time,
Coach Brandi!
