Mix and Math Monday

     Welcome to a new week.  My goal this week is to try and blog every day.  Lots of ideas running through my head. 
     Just finished a professional development session Friday on the common core and CGI- Cognitively Guided Instruction.  CGI is basically solving story problems, showing how you got your answer, and defending it.  I ususally do not introduce these problems so early in the year but with the push for common core I felt I needed to.  Purposely chose not to model to see what strategies were out there.  Very interesting.
     Our math supervisor suggested that everyone utilize math baskets for CGI.  Here are mine:

The scarecrow on the front is to let me know which table's basket I have.  Each table has a mascot according to the current season.

Back view.  I utilize 3-compartment totes  found a few years ago at the Target dollar spot ( got to love that dollar spot). 

What goes into my math baskets?  Well, a math/ problem solving journal, laminated 100's chart, a number line to 20, towers of10 unifix cubes ( 3 per student) and a math mini office.  The number line is a creation of mine using a table in Word and DJ Inker clipart.  The labels for the problem solving journal and the expectations inside are from http://www.kindergartenkindergarten.com/2010/07/setting-up-math-problemsolving-notebooks.html

The label from the front are from http://candokinders.blogspot.com/search/label/math%20journal%20labels

I utilized spiral notebooks I picked up at Staples for a penny each this summer. 

I will do a separate post for the mini office which is modeled after Mrs. Meachum's mini office but only has math items.

Happy Problem Solving.