My kids were a little behind in terms of the district pacing guide when I got here in January and I didn't rush to get them caught up because the pacing guide had allotted 5 weeks for EOG review which sounded absolutely terrible to me.
I stretched us out to having a week and a half of review (and counted the half week I did before spring break to round to an even 2 weeks of review). Having the AIG kids, they really don't need a ton of review. Review is already miserable so I was determined not to be miserable longer than I had to be.
My kids really are so well behaved even though it's May. :) So, I knew I could plan fun activities for them and truly expect them to follow the rules and do their work. This kept review engaging and me from pulling my hair out!
Our week and a half of review:
Test Corrections & Pizzazz
We spent the first day of review completing test corrections from the test they just took to wrap up regular instruction. When they finished that, they worked with their group on a Pizzazz worksheet which is a fun puzzle worksheet reviewing the concepts a little more from the unit we had just finished.
Gallery Walk/Post-It Note
Then, we moved into a day of review on ratio and proportion. This strand of the curriculum has been the hardest to adjust to because ratio and proportion is the main strand for 7th grade. So I am so used to focusing on it heavily. It is the complete opposite for 6th grade and we spend very little time on it. I gave them 24 problems to work on and as they agreed on an answer with their group, they wrote their answer on a Post-It note and stuck it to the appropriate poster. As they put their answers up, I could keep track of where groups were and have them immediately re-work any they missed.
Practice EOG (sub plans...in groups)
I took a Friday off in the middle of review to go visit my Carrington Cougar peeps so I left them a practice EOG to do...I was nice and let them work in groups.
Shaving Cream
The number system is one of the top two strands in the 6th grade curriculum so we spent 2 days reviewing it. They need to know most of the number system without using a calculator so shaving cream was the perfect activity to keep them engaged and working without a calculator.
Sidewalk Chalk
Sidewalk chalk was also another way to keep them engaged and working without a calculator. They didn't all love this activity like I thought they would...especially my late afternoon block. They complained so much about it being hot. My first two classes, for the most part, really got into it.
I had the computer lab one day, but then Steph sent me this really fun review game called ZAP so I scratched the computer lab idea and planned on playing that. When it came to it, I didn't have the energy or time to get the board made and a quiet day in the computer lab sounded much more appealing. I did tailor their work in the computer lab to specific strands they felt like they needed help on. With the program I use, Moby Max, I can assign specific lessons for them to work on. Before we went into the lab, I gave them a list of all of the 6th grade topics/lessons and let them choose what they felt like they still needed help with. AIG kids take this kind of thing seriously. It was a quiet day, but it was also a continuous line of students asking me to switch their lesson once they mastered the one they were working on. From my screen I can see which lesson they're working on and their accuracy.
Speed Math
Then, I did a day of Speed Dating Math. I didn't think they could handle me calling it Speed Dating, but most of them picked up on the fact that's what it was. This kept them moving and working with someone different for each problem. We had extra long classes that day and it didn't take as long as I expected so we finished the practice EOG they did the Friday before with the sub after that.
Then, for the last day, I had planned on playing Nerf Basketball with them. I even had all of the questions and answer key prepared, but just didn't have the energy for it. After all of the fun and group work from the week on top of a busy week for me outside of school, I just didn't have the energy for this game. So, we had a chill day of make up work, a coloring sheet, and Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land. Overall, they did really well with review and I didn't want to stress them out right before testing started so I thought a relaxing day of basic math would be good for them...and me. :)
I am so thankful for a long weekend at this point in the year...it's such a nice break right before the real craziness of the end of the year sets in. Six and a half school days with testing and no electives...aka no break for me from the kids...we can do this...
Another review idea for next year: 4 Corners
Show students a multiple choice question, give them a time limit to solve it at their seat, then have them pick the corner of the correct answer. Give a time limit for getting to their corner and everyone who goes to the correct corner gets a point.
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