One of the keys to being able to differentiate instruction and keep groups fluid is good ol' formative assessment. Sure, I use exit slips and quizlets and such, but my go-to is a 'Gimme Five' approach.
Kids show, using the fingers on one hand, on a scale of 1 to 5, where they are in their understanding of a concept or ability to work a computation. Super simple, right? Not so much. What I found is that without some definition, 5 (or 3, or 1) meant different things to different kids, so I decided to standardize them. I looked on Pinterest and found a few anchor charts with ideas about what each number of fingers meant. I read them over, made some adjustments, and popped them into a poster set for my classroom.
Now, a two is a two and a four is a four, and we're all speaking the same language, which makes it easier to get help to the kids who need it and helpers that can be trusted to actually be helpful.
Are kids shy about showing a finger or two? They can be. Usually, I make a joke while I'm asking, which helps. I'll say something along the lines of,"Okay, guys, quick! Gimme 5! On a scale of, 'Oh, I got this!' to, 'Woman, what are you talking about?!' where are we?" even if we've done it a bunch. Some will laugh and that takes the edge off. Remember, in any classroom, things are only a big deal if you make them one. Risk-taking classrooms don't fret over a two, especially at the beginning of something.
Clicking the poster below will hook you up with the Google doc with the set.
Thanks for hanging out on The Big Kids' Hall today! I hope you find this useful!
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