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A thinking student is an engaged student Teachers often find it difficult to implement lessons that help students go beyond rote memorization and repetitive calculations. In fact, institutional norms and habits that permeate all classrooms can actually be enabling "non-thinking" student behavior. Sparked by observing teachers struggle to implement rich mathematics tasks to engage students in deep thinking, Peter Liljedahl has translated his 15 years of research into this practical guide on how to move toward a thinking classroom. Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K–12 helps teachers implement 14 optimal practices for thinking that create an ideal setting for deep mathematics learning to occur. This guide Provides the what, why, and how of each practice and answers teachers’ most frequently asked questions Includes firsthand accounts of how these practices foster thinking through teacher and student interviews and student work samples Offers a plethora of macro moves, micro moves, and rich tasks to get started Organizes the 14 practices into four toolkits that can be implemented in order and built on throughout the year When combined, these unique research-based practices create the optimal conditions for learner-centered, student-owned deep mathematical thinking and learning, and have the power to transform mathematics classrooms like never before.
Grades 2-3 Builds visual, motor, and critical thinking skills for reading, writing, and math. Develops the child's recognition of letters, words, number, and similar/dissimilar objects. It also improves sequencing and visual memory skills. Designed specifically for shorter attention spans. No reading is required. Directions may be read aloud as needed. Each book includes eight progressively more challenging skill sections with pretests and post-tests to evaluate students' beginning and ending skill levels."
Active Bodies, Active Brainsoffers a wealth of physical activities to help kids develop physical, social, and cognitive skills. Based on cutting-edge research in brain compatibility, these games and activities help children -increase their ability to focus; -integrate their movement with thinking, thus enhancing development of neural pathways; -improve memory; -open up more areas of the brain to participate in learning; -reduce stress and enhance positive feelings to increase their learning; and -include physical activity in their daily lives. Active Bodies, Active Brainsprovides you with 66 activities and games--and it shows you how to easily modify and extend those to create numerous additional games. Indeed, by applying the techniques in this book, you can create an endless supply of brain-compatible physical activities while helping your participants build cognition, health-related fitness, and physical skills. Based on current brain-based practices, including Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, Active Bodies, Active Brainsincludes 66 cross-curricular critical-thinking activities that are aligned with national physical education standards. Because the activities call for common equipment and supplies that you most likely already have, your costs and prep time will be low. That prep time is further reduced by an activity finder that helps you find the appropriate activity at a glance. In each activity, kids are put in situations where they have to think critically--they learn how to think while they have fun moving. This movement-learning relationship is bolstered by research showing that movement enhances comprehension. Choose from numerous ways to both prompt learning and add variety. In addition to adapting games, you'll find ideas on the following: -Sequencing the activity differently -Considering the task from differing points of view -Identifying the reasoning used -Asking kids to think about their thinking processes -Figuring out what information is relevant to the task at hand Many teachers find they have less activity time because of the No Child Left Behind legislation, and the reduced activity time doesn't help kids learn. With its high-quality activities that are easy to facilitate, Active Bodies, Active Brainsis the perfect antidote for reduced activity time. Infused with brain-compatible strategies and critical-thinking challenges, this book will help students transfer the physical and thinking skills practiced and learned to other physical activities. And they'll become more physically skilled--and mentally adept--in the process.
Hands-On Thinking Skills develops spatial, verbal, motor, visual, and analytical thinking skills necessary for success in reading, writing, math, and science. Activities and units are sequentially developed to keep your child's interest level high. Activities encourage verbal analysis to build vocabulary and to maximize verbal and spatial skill synthesis.
