Math Collaboration Project

I am super excited for our combined math collaboration hangout this week. This project has definitely put me outside my comfort zone, but by doing so I gained so much experience and knowledge of google's capabilities. 

After finding 8 teachers who were willing to collaborate I had to decide on how I could compile all of our students wonderful questions. This gave me an opportunity to use Google Sites. It shocked me how easy and fun it is to create a google site! This week we all put our students in groups where they created their very own questions for other students to solve. Keeping with my belief in education, my students choose the strand that they felt the most comfortable with to create a question. I want this experience to be unique, authentic and 100% student-driven/centered. Once all the questions were complied, I had to figure out a way to have a "hard copy" for my students to work on. Therefore I turned to google once again and used a google form. 

I thoroughly enjoy how this project is turning into something great for both my students and I. 

Link: https://sites.google.com/a/horizon.ab.ca/math-group-project/ 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

FOLLOW UP:

Today we completed a combined Google Hangout with two other classes in the USA. This week my class spent a few days solving the questions created by other grade two students. They had an opportunity to work independently, with partner or even a group to complete the project. As well there were many manipulatives such as hundreds charts, base ten blocks, pattern blocks, cubes etc available for students to work with. I was absolutely amazed to see the engagement in this activity. I must admit, problem solving and math in general is not exactly a favorite activity for my students, but the fact that these questions were created by other grade two students really upped the interest and engagement level. The students had both a hard copy of the questions, as well as an iPad with the questions in a google form to work through. 

During our hangout today, my students had an opportunity to talk and discuss with two other classes in the United States. There were a few questions that we skipped as it did not correlate with our curriculum, but still the project was a tremendous success. 

Before the hangout, we spent some time as a class reflecting on the process. 

I love the question: Why would your recommend this activity to someone at another school? 

My students responded with the idea of students becoming teachers and being responsible for their own learning. That in itself made this activity a success in my mind!