Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
Support her classroom with a gift that fosters learning.
Monthly
One-time
Support Ms. Diefendorf's classroom with a gift that fosters learning.
Monthly
One-time
Make a donation Ms. Diefendorf can use on her next classroom project.
Do you remember 5th grade math- the year when you decided you would either hate math or love math for the rest of your life?
My goal is that every 5th grade will finish out this year deciding they love math. This project will help me create a more engaging math classroom where we discover while learning. I notice my students work a lot better with manipulatives and I want to give them something other than torn up construction paper. I have added mathlink cubes, place value disks, and spectrum spots to support learning about place value and regrouping (one of the most challenging topics to teach without manipulatives!). I also quickly learned last year, that teaching measurements with paper rulers and protractors is not nearly as effective as using real ones so I have added a class set of plastic protractors to my list so that each child can better conceptualize angles. I've included dry erase boards and dry erase markers so that students are more engaged in the lesson- paper and pencil is never much fun. Every student gets to be a teacher with an expo marker in hand :). Finally, I've asked for a set of clipboards so that students can work in places other than their desks. I find flexible seating another great tool for engagement and excitement. I am also planning on incorporating more student lead feedback in the classroom this year and feel if they are able to walk around the class with a clipboard, creating a student led classroom will be much easier!
Thanks for helping make math fun!!!
About my class
Do you remember 5th grade math- the year when you decided you would either hate math or love math for the rest of your life?
My goal is that every 5th grade will finish out this year deciding they love math. This project will help me create a more engaging math classroom where we discover while learning. I notice my students work a lot better with manipulatives and I want to give them something other than torn up construction paper. I have added mathlink cubes, place value disks, and spectrum spots to support learning about place value and regrouping (one of the most challenging topics to teach without manipulatives!). I also quickly learned last year, that teaching measurements with paper rulers and protractors is not nearly as effective as using real ones so I have added a class set of plastic protractors to my list so that each child can better conceptualize angles. I've included dry erase boards and dry erase markers so that students are more engaged in the lesson- paper and pencil is never much fun. Every student gets to be a teacher with an expo marker in hand :). Finally, I've asked for a set of clipboards so that students can work in places other than their desks. I find flexible seating another great tool for engagement and excitement. I am also planning on incorporating more student lead feedback in the classroom this year and feel if they are able to walk around the class with a clipboard, creating a student led classroom will be much easier!
Thanks for helping make math fun!!!