Calendar Math -- the basics

When setting up your Calendar, the first thing you will need to do is look at your state standards.  Ask yourself, what are those key standards, that I teach once or twice, and the kids just don't seem to get it?  For me, things like place value, prime and composite numbers, factors, and multiplication and division of larger numbers and fractions came to mind.  Those were the things I wanted to put on my Calendar.  I go through my standard (which, at this point are Common Core Standards) and check off the really "big" ones.  Those are MUST HAVES on the Calendar Math page.

I try to pick things that I know the kids won't struggle too much with, but will also find rigorous enough to constitute new learning.  I want them to practice, not guess at answers, so I don't put finding percentages on the first level.  That would be WAY too far over their heads.  I do put simplifying fractions though, because, even though they haven't learned it formally yet, it is easy enough to teach a rote way and have them practice daily.  (which then frees me up later to teach them the concept of it all!)

Here are the actual sheets I use in 4th and 5th Grade.  You can see that there are A LOT of standards covered.  At first, this truly is a lot for the kids, but once they get good at it, it takes no more than 10 minutes.

5th Grade Daily Sheet

5th Grade Geometry

4th Grade Daily sheet

4th Grade Geometry

Click on the pages themselves to enlarge.  You will see that they are fairly similar to each other.  I have designed it that way on purpose.  I want 4th and 5th graders to see the consistency of it all. I want them to practice skills and not be bogged down in format.  So I make them all the same, with different skills plugged in.

You can click here to access BOTH the 4th and 5th Grade first level versions for free. 

Once I had all of the things on my Calendar that I felt needed daily, constant review, I then went about setting up my calendar board.  I have had many incarnations of the board.  The last few years, due to space issues, I have the templates on actual poster board.  These go up and down as I work on Calendar with the kids. 





These are close up views of the boards I use.  These were used FIRST semester in 5th grade.  Second semester looks a *bit* different (no odd/even, for example)








But this year, I have space again in my room (different set up) and I am able to have a dedicated board!! I am so excited to have it up all day long this year.

Sometimes though, I actually just project the sheet itself on the ELMO and we review it that way.  There is no right or wrong with this part, just how you as the teacher are most comfortable.

I made a set of templates that I use in my class.  They really aren't that hard to make, and I fully encourage you to make them on your own to fit the needs of your class.  BUT, if you want to use mine that are already made, I have them available for you in my store.  You can find them here.
And while I fully encourage you to manipulate this to suit your needs, I respectfully ask that you do not repost on your own blog or TpT store.  (free or paid)  I appreciate you respecting my copyright on this.  Thank you very much.

OK...so there you have the set up.   Now, you are probably wondering how this all works in class.  I have written some more posts about it just for you!

Next up, the routine!    This post will tell you all about how I go about delivering Calendar instruction in my class. 

Or, if you would like, you can read about how to get it up and running the first week.

Here is a video I made showing the gestures and motions we use.


***************************************************************************

I am always asked if an editable version is available.  Well, I made one for you!  It is $3 at my store but all the formatting is done and taken care of.  Just change out your standards.  It is the 5th grade version AND the 4th grade version AND the 3rd grade version.  If you teach 6th or higher, the 5th are perfect for you to edit (as they are based on CCS standards, which I know contain a lot of middle school things in other states.)  Again, you can always make your own....but I have done the work for you in case you want to go that route :)

Just so you are clear though, these are text boxes in POWER POINT that you can put your own words on if you wish (or just keep it that way!)  These are editable for you to change the actual math TASKS.  I hope that makes sense.  (I don't want anyone buying them thinking they are something they are not.  Inputting the numbers is NOT what the editing is for)

If you teach 5th grade or 4th grade I have a special treat for you.  I created a Calendar Math Starter Kit!!  This is over 300 pages of everything you need to get this amazing program started in your room.  What is awesome about it (and what I am looking forward to having for next year) is that I have prefilled the numbers in on over 4 months worth of Calendar time...so the sheets are literally print and go for your students.  You don't have to think about what numbers you will put on the Calendar sheets.  It also gives you tons of examples of how you can actually implement the program in your room.  There are editable sheets AND the templates in there for you.  It literally is all there.

I will be updating these every year for the next few years, so if you buy it once, you basically get a subscription to it!  Just click the links above.