Summer Workshop Plans

InMath 2000 Summer Workshop Summary

How long do your workshops last?

This summer we offered a one-week workshop.

How many teachers do you involve in your workshops?

Approximately 252 teachers (and principals) attended the workshop this summers. This workshop was offered twice to accommodate the large numbers. 135 attended the first June workshop and 117 attended the second June workshop.

What are your major goals for your workshops in terms of content and pedagogy?

The summer workshops were developed to engage teachers in thinking carefully about the content and teaching of the Investigations program. More specifically, the goals for this summer are:

• To assist teachers in gaining an understanding of the K-5 development of geometry and measurement in Investigations, and familiarize teachers with the software used to develop these ideas. This includes: understanding shapes, their properties, and the relationships between them; interpreting 2D representations of 3D shapes; understanding conceptual issues involved in making measurements (particularly length, area and volume) and exploring the relationships between those measurements.
• To model instructional practices for effective implementation of Investigations. Teachers will investigate and explore the mathematics in the same way that they will have their students do mathematics with this new program and discuss their reactions to doing mathematics in this way.
• To engage teachers in the process of reflecting on teaching, with a particular focus on the mathematical emphasis of lesson(s), providing a supportive environment for student learning through better questioning techniques; and understanding the variety of assessments built into the Investigations program.

Are you offering professional development on specific curricula that you are hoping will be used in the classroom? If so, which curricula are you using?

Yes, all teachers in our project are using the Investigations curriculum.

Are you using specific professional development materials?

A few of the sessions include ideas from the Bridges Manual created by TERC for doing professional development on Investigations.

Afternoon Sessions
In the afternoon we offered a variety of sessions for particpants to choose from, many of which were geared towards a particular grade level or grade level band (e.g., K-2, 3-5). Afternoon sessions were 2 hours long and were lead mainly by InMath Teacher Leaders.

For example, here is Tuesday's detailed schedule:

Session 2: Exploring 2D Shapes
Participants investigated ways to compose and decompose two-dimensional shapes, identified properties of shapes, and classified shapes. In particular, participants focused on analyzing triangles and quadrilaterals and determining what features all shapes in these categories shared, and what features were shared by a subset of those shapes. Discussion of these activities centered on the importance of analyzing shapes, rather than focusing on definitions.

Session 3: Exploring 3D Shapes
In this session, participants explored ways to compose and decompose three-dimensional shapes, identify properties of shapes, and classify shapes according to their similarities. In particular, participants focused on analyzing the relationships among the dimensions of the faces of a prism, and on building polyhedra from written descriptions of particular characteristics.

Session 4: 2D/3D Connections
This purpose of this session was to explore two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects. Participants analyzed student drawings of 3D buildings made from geoblocks in order to think about how to encourage more thought about such drawings. Participants were introduced to silhouettes (front, top and side views) of 3D shapes made from snap cubes, and finally looked at student work to consider the next steps for those students.

Session 5: Additional Computer Software
In this session, participants were allowed to explore the software in Investigations. The session was predominantly self-directed around grade-level specific software. At the conclusion, teachers shared their thoughts about the kinds of mathematical ideas and understandings that the software promoted.

Session 6: Length
The purpose of this session is to encourage participants to rethink the concepts and skills necessary to making measurements in everyday life, and the impact this has on what we do with elementary students. Participants were engaged in the process of determining how to measure a "pace" and then finding a "middle-sized" pace as a way to focus on where a measurement begins and ends, and motivating a need for standard units of measure. Participants also engaged in measuring aspects of the room with standard tools to emphasize the issues surrounding using tools appropriately, and the error inherent in measurement.

Session 7: Area
In this session, participants explored the relationship between area and perimeter by working on a contextualized problem in which the perimeter stays constant and the goal is to find the maximum volume. Participants also explored the use of geoboards for finding different shaped figures that have the same area, and discussed the different strategies for determining "equality" of area.

Session 8: Volume
Participants explored a series of activities designed to illustrate the development of the volume concept. This session began with a discussion of the importance of having students explore volume through direct comparisons. Participants were introduced to flat patterns (nets) for rectangular boxes, and engaged in activities focusing on the relationship between the pattern for a box, the volume of the box, and the unit of measure. Discussion of these activities focused on the mathematics involved including connections between 3D geometry, factors and multiplication.

New to a Book Sessions (offered once for each grade level):
These sessions will be walk-throughs of the following geometry units by grade level. They are intended for new teachers who have not yet taught these particular units.

	Kindergarten:	Making Shapes and Building Blocks
	Grade 1:	Quilt Squares and Block Towns
	Grade 2:	Shapes, Halves and Symmetry
	Grade 3:	Flips, Turns and Area
	Grade 4:	Seeing Solids and Silhouettes
	Grade 5:	Containers and Cubes, Picturing Polygons (two activities only)

Extend a Book Sessions (offered once for each grade level):
These sessions will use the units listed above, but the conversation will revolve around issues that teachers have had when teaching the particular unit. Topics for discussion will include: understanding the mathematical emphasis of specific investigations, sharing what students struggle with and suggestions for guidance, discussing the possibility of using extensions and excursions within the units, etc. These sessions are intended for experienced as well as new teachers.

Reflecting Sessions (offered twice for each grade level range-K-2 and 3-5):
These sessions will be similar to the grade-level meetings we have held this past school year. We will use a videotape of a lesson from Investigations to discuss the launch and closure of the lesson as well as the how students are supported as they work through a particular investigation. We will not be able to offer grade-level specific Reflecting sessions, but rather will use a lesson from one grade level to discuss issues pertinent to a range of grade levels. These sessions are intended for both new and experienced teachers.

Math Extension Session (offered twice):
This session will focus on mathematics beyond what is expected in Investigations in order to increase your understanding of mathematics. Participants will explore/investigate a mathematics problem in geometry, make predictions about what might happen, pose possible solutions, and discuss the reasonableness of solutions. In other words, you will experience learning mathematics in the same way as your students are expected to learn in the Investigations program and you will deepen your understanding of mathematics. This session is intended for all teachers.

K-2 Routines and 3-5 Ten-Minute Math Sessions (each offered twice):
These sessions will focus on the routines and ten-minute math activities that are described in the back of the units and are meant to be done as warm-ups throughout the school year.

We are recommending specific sequences for the afternoon choices (depending on your level of experience with Investigations) and strongly encourage you to follow the recommended sequence. We also hope that everyone is able to attend an Extend a Book session and a Reflecting session.

K-2 Teachers new to Investigations or to geometry and measurement units:
	Monday:	New to Book
	Tuesday:	Routines
	Wednesday:	Extend a Book
	Thursday:	Reflecting
K-2 Teachers with experience teaching geometry and measurement units in Investigations:
	Monday:	Reflecting
	Tuesday:	Math Extension
	Wednesday:	Extend a Book
	Thursday:	Routines
3-5 Teachers new to Investigations or to geometry and measurement:
	Monday:	Ten-Minute Math
	Tuesday:	New to Book
	Wednesday:	Reflecting
	Thursday:	Extend a Book
3-5 Teachers with experience teaching geometry and measurement units in Investigations:
	Monday:	Math Extension
	Tuesday:	Reflecting
	Wednesday:	Ten-Minute Math
	Thursday:	Extend a Book