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Plano
Futures Foundations |
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2001-2002
Educator Incentive Grant |
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Witzzle While
You Work - Bowman Middle School |
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| Contact
Person: |
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Margaret E. Funk |
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| Schools: |
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Wilson Middle School |
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| Name of Project: |
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Witzzle While You
Work |
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| Amount of Grant
Award: |
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Bowman MS amount = $469.00 |
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| Amount of Grant
Dollars Spent: |
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Bowman MS =
$467.00 |
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| Itemized
account of Monies Spent: |
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Purchase of
21 Witzzle Pro Games |
= $335.79 |
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Purchase of
Certificates/Awards |
=
$18.71 |
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Purchase of
Snacks/Juices |
= $112.50 |
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TOTAL |
= $467.00 |
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| Project
Description: |
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Witzzle Pro is a
mental math computations game using a grid of
nine numbers and the
basic operations of add, subtract, multiply
and divide. Students practice computation
skills without calculators. They must
recognize the line, column or diagonal of
three numbers that provide a correct number
sentence for a designated solution number. |
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| Student
Goals: |
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- To improve personal computation skills.
- To recognize sequences and operations
for target solutions.
- To understand numbers may be used in
multiple ways for other targets.
- To use order of operations in writing
number sentences.
- To "see" how numbers and
solutions must go together.
- To improve TAAS scores from 2001
(Practice or Actual TAAS Math).
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| Student
Outcomes: |
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- Students began the program completing
approximately 25% of each session's 15
problems, but by the end of the program
they often completed the whole lesson as
recognition and speed increased.
- Students initially could not
"see" that each column, line or
diagonal could be used in more than one
way, but by the end of the program they
would start with one set of three numbers
and find all the ways they could use it to
meet the target solutions for that game
card grid.
- Students often confused the order of
operations when writing number sentences,
but as they began to change the order of
the numbers to find more than one
solution, they recognized such order
elements as multiplication and division
coming before addition and subtraction.
- 21 students came over the Jan. 28 -
April 16 period with a total of 124
instructional sessions (total of students
attending all sessions) and over half came
5+ times out of the 14 sessions.
- Students average 2001 TAAS (Practice or
State) score before the Witzzle program
was 41.3. The average score for Spring
2002 (Practice or Actual) improved to 53!
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| Were
my goals accomplished? |
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Absolutely!
Students improved mental computations skills,
used order of operations consistently,
recognized multiple uses for each trio of
numbers, and could help each other with
explanation of how the number sentence worked.
They enjoyed the snack and juice, and, as an
incentive to come regularly, it did work well
to entice them to come back more often. Of the
21 students attending from January 28 through
April 16, 2002, 50%+ came 5 or more times. |
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| What
would I do differently? |
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I would start
earlier if possible since TAAS and TEKS focus
is on non-calculator based math. Practice!
Practice! Practice!
I would include a monetary allowance for
film and developing (one roll-est. $15.00) to
document student participation and awards.
This year I just did it myself since I did not
think of it. |
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| Plans
to continue the project? |
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Yes! I would like
to continue the program at Bowman MS, but I
believe it should be expanded to allow more
students to participate and, if so, I will
need a bigger room! |
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| Celebration
Fair Display: |
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Poster of the
Witzzle Pro game to demonstrate what it does
with pictures of students during the sessions
and receiving their awards and samples showing
the game/session worksheets and homework. |
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| Recommend
program for other grades/schools? |
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Absolutely! It is
fun, educational, and allows kids the chance
the learn while they play and play while they
learn! |
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| Presentation of
game to other sites? |
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Again---absolutely!
It is a wonderful activity for grades 3-9. |
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| Suggestions
to improve the Incentive grant Program: |
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Find a way to
push us to complete forms/applications
earlier. Since it is so hard to start new
programs at the end of first semester, a
program is left hanging until the next
semester and then delayed more because of the
need to get started again in January. I would
like to receive the actual funds by Nov. 1 so
the programs could be implemented more rapidly
and so materials and PO's can be
processed/purchased before the semester break.
When they come in at or near Thanksgiving, it
means funds are not available on site until
the week or so before Christmas and we cannot
order or have deliveries during holidays, so
waiting delays implementation. |
