Transition Strategies

Call and Response:

English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
Teacher: Twist up
Students: Twist arms together and interlock fingers
Teacher: Hocus Pocus
Students: Everybody Focus
Ring Chime and Everyone Freezes
Play music during active times and pause music to signal transition or to give directions
Give 5 min warning before transition
Songs, Claps or Chants:
English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
Visual Timer: Online-stopwatch.com

Activating Prior Knowledge/Beginning Phase of Lesson Strategies

These strategies can be applied towards a lesson that involves any of the 1st through 3rd grade math
standards. Specific English standards that are addressed by these strategies are listed below.
Ball Toss:
English Standard 1.1 The

oral language.

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in-group
activities.
Each student gets to share when the ball is tossed to them. I remember...I wonder.....

Learning Profile/Interest Inventory

English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
Teacher creates a questionnaire that allows students to write about their interests,
preferences for learning and prior knowledge. Can help teacher create
meaningful contexts, cater learning environment and activities to specific learning
styles and determine how to differentiate lessons based on interest and prior
knowledge.
Word Splash

English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
Students have a designated time to write all the words they can think of related to the topic that is
about to be covered. Can have them write in one color at the beginning and then write in another
color at the end to see what they learned.
3 min write about a topic: To get brain going

English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
ABC boxes (pink paper)

English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
There is a box for each letter of the alphabet. Students write a word related to the topic that starts
with each letter.
Where have we been, where are we now, where are we going?:
English Standard 1.1 The student will continue to demonstrate growth

in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
Have students turn to a partner. Put guiding questions on smart board, each partner has 30 sec.
2 Truths and a Lie

English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
Use to introduce properties. Write two things that are true because of the same property and one
thing that are not true, based on that property. Students guess which one is the lie and try to
identify what makes the other two true.
Graffiti
English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.

English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
Post large pieces of paper around the room. Write questions about the topic about to be covered on
each piece of paper. Groups of students rotate around to each paper and write, or draw a response
to the question. After everyone has had a chance to write or draw on each paper, the group who is
at each paper last shares what is written.
What are the Chances/Likelihood Like/Anticipation Guide

English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
Vocab Strategies
These strategies can be used to address any 1st through 3rd grade math standards. Specific English standards
addressed using these strategies are listed below.
Frayer model

English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 1.8 The student will expand vocabulary.
English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
Rectangle divided into 4 sections: all have, some have, examples and non-examples. Other
components can include: Student generated definition, pictures, It's like.../It's not like..., This
makes me think of..., Related words, Part of Speech, Synonyms/ Antonyms, Sentence, Analogy
Portable Word Wall

English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 1.8 The student will expand vocabulary.
English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.

English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
Manila folders laminated together with pockets for each letter of the alphabet. Students Write
vocabulary words on index cards with definitions, pictures, and anything else they want to remind
them of what the word means. Then, they put it in the pocket for the letter that word starts with.
Vocab Games:

English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 1.1 The student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of
oral language.
English Standard 1.8 The student will expand vocabulary.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.

Go Fish
Concentration/Memory
$10,000 Pyramid
20 questions
Fly Swatter I Spy
Pictionary

Whole Group Sharing Strategies/After Phase

These strategies can be used after lessons involving any 1st through 3rd grade math standards. Specific
English Standards are listed below.
Ball Toss
English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
Each student gets to share when the ball is tossed to them. I remember...I wonder...

Think-pair-WRITE/DRAW-share
English Standard 1.1 The student

oral language.

will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
English Standard 2.11 The student will maintain legible printing and begin to make
the transition to cursive.
English 3.8 The student will write legibly in cursive.
English Standard 3.9 The student will write for a variety of purposes.
5 Practices for Whole Group Discussion (see Van de Walle):
1. Anticipating student responses
2. Monitoring student work while engaged in task
3. Selecting students to present work
4. Sequencing student responses
5. Connecting different responses and connecting responses to key mathematical ideas
English Standard 1.1 The student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
Write a note to a friend telling why you did what you did (metacognition, thinking about and sharing
strategies used)

English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.

English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
Talking Chips
English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
Everyone gets a designated number of counting chips. Every time they talk, they have to put a
chip in the middle of the table.
Jigsaw
English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
Group becomes expert on something, and then shares w/ larger group. We did with reading work
samples and creating groups and next lessons for students.
Thumbs-up, ready to share
English Standard 1.1 The

student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.

Students put their thumb up when they are ready to share, or everyone starts with a thumb up and
they put their thumb up once they have shared, so the teacher knows who has not shared yet.

Pairing Strategies
Clock buddies
Students are given a piece of paper with a clock face and a line extending from each number on
the clock. They start at 12:00 and write the name of the partner they choose on the line extending
from the 12. Next time they need a partner, they have to choose a 1:00 buddy. This way they
need to choose a different partner every time clock buddies are used and they have a record of
whom they have already worked with.
Playing Cards
Every student is given a card. They can be asked to find everyone who has the same number they
do, the same symbol (clubs, spades, hearts, diamonds) or the teacher can put together a special
deck that has the desired number of cards that are exactly the same, or that have the same number
and color. For example, if the students need to make groups of three, the teacher could make sure
there are 3 red cards or 3 black cards for each number. If the student was given a red 3, they
would have to find everyone with a red 3.
Puzzle Pieces
Pictures are cut into puzzle pieces, based on the number of people required in each group. If the
students need to make groups of 3, each picture is cut into 3 pieces. Students are given a puzzle
piece and asked to find the other pieces that fit into their puzzle.

Strategies that are good for everyone...But especially good for ELLs
These strategies can be used during lessons that involve any 1st through 3rd grade math standards and also
address the following English Standards:
English Standard 1.1 The student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of

oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
English Standard 3.1 The student will use effective communication skills in group
activities.
1.
2.

Value home language

Explicitly teach vocabulary

3.
4.
5.
6.

Use meaningful contexts

Make connections (math to self, math to math, math to world)
Encourage student talk
Use multiple representations

Stations

Stations can be used to work with any 1st through 3rd grade math standard.
Workshop-Must dos/ May dos/Focus question for each station
Inventory Bags
By myself, w/a partner, @computer, w/ teacher
B.U.I.L.D. Boxes
Using smart board to move picture to a slot in a station
Rotations
Naturalistic and Teacher Guided

Asking Good Questions

These questions should be asked when working with all 1st through 3rd grade math
standards.
English Standard 1.1 The student will continue to demonstrate growth in the use of
oral language.
English Standard 1.2 The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral
language structure.
English Standard 2.2The student will expand understanding and use of word
meanings.
English Standard 2.3 The student will use oral communication skills.
Type of Question

Examples

Exploring mathematical meanings and/or relationships

What if I did this?

What would happen if you...?
Do those mean the same thing?
How could we know for sure?
How are these similar/different?
Will this always work?
I'm confused about where the parentheses go, or if I even
need them. Can I write it like this?...How do you know I
can do that?

Probing, getting students to explain their thinking

How do you know to divide?

Can you come to the Elmo and how us what you mean?
I notice you changed your answer. Why? What were you
thinking?
What helped you to make this graph?

What did you try first?

Generating discussion

Is there another way that we could write the same equation

to see if it would still work?
How could we represent this problem?
Can someone tell me another way to solve the problem?
Who agrees/disagrees?...Why?
Does anyone want to add to that?