Day 13: Greatest Common Factor Goodie Bags

6th Grade Math Standards: Find the greatest common factor of two whole numbers less than or equal to 100 and the least common multiple of two whole numbers less than or equal to 12. Use the distributive property to express a sum of two whole numbers 1–100 with a common factor as a multiple of a sum of two whole numbers with no common factor. For example, express 36 + 8 as 4(9 + 2).
MA.4.a. Apply number theory concepts, including prime factorization and relatively prime numbers, to the solution of problems.

The Learning Objective: Apply the greatest common factor to real world situations

Quote of the Day: "If you want to be successful and to maximize your talent, you need to stop blaming others, take a good look in the mirror, and take responsibility of your own life. Television host Oprah Winfrey says, 'My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.'" -John Maxwell

Student Question of the Day: What is the greatest common factor of two prime numbers?

Assessment: There were four different assessments that I used today.

1. I checked the homework to see that the process and answers were making sense.
2. I had students start tonight's homework and checked the first two problems for understanding.
3. In groups students put together goodie packages. They had to determine how many people were invited to their party. I listened to their thinking by walking from group to group.
4. I had students write in their journals one thing that they knew based on the Visual Pattern that we showed on the board. Then I listened to them share their ideas first in small groups and then in the whole class. 

Agenda:

1. Jumpstart (3 greatest common factor problems) & check homework
2. Review the homework
3. Start the homework for tonight
4. At the start of class two I rearranged the room so students were sitting in groups and passed out the goodie packages.
5. I explained that students needed to be gentle with the candy and that they could not eat the candy.
6. Students wrote what they were trying to find and what they knew inside their journals (see picture below). 
7. The students worked as a group to determine how many people could attend a party if they had x amount of mints, y amount of lolly pops, and z amount of nerds (the amount changed based on what was in each bag).
8. We discussed Visual Pattern #2. I started by having students think. Then write. Then share in their groups. Then share with the larger group.

Glass Half-Full Take: The second part of class was what I would consider an ideal day from a teaching perspective. Students were sharing their thinking in groups of four and the groups for the most part were extremely respectful and cooperative.

The last two years I have used Visual Patterns as a "throw in" when students are done work or as an extra challenge for certain students in the classroom. This year, I'm putting a much higher emphasis on this after reading Making Thinking Visible. The discussions that I am having in one class in particular are incredibly deep and engaging as every student is determined to find the pattern and explain it to others. Today in one class, a student who typically describes himself as "not good at math" was one of the first to tell me what was happening.

One Regret: I spent $50 on the candy and bags for the lesson. I know the students love the candy, but what I thought all along to myself was 'they better master greatest common factor or else!' Next year I want to do this again, but I could just use construction paper, or paperclips, or used gum, etc.

Homework: 9 problems on greatest common factor plus a challenge problem for students that want it. Every student got at least four problems done in class today. I also crossed out problems for certain students and made the challenge mandatory for others.

Link of the Day: Zipgrade helps analyze any test data. A colleague was explaining it to me. I tried downloading it, but my room was in what scientists call the "mantle" and I don't get service.