Smart PAL Giveaway...Teach Smarter with this Cool Tool!

A couple years ago I discovered Smart PAL, a tool that helps me teach "smarter." A SmartPAL is a transparent sleeve into which you can easily insert your own materials. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to review it, as it's something that I use on a routine basis. How?

1. Document camera or overhead projector - At first, I only owned one SmartPAL. I would slip a piece of blank paper into it and have students build models with manipulatives (like tile or base ten pieces) on top of the plastic sleeve, thereby allowing me to record notations about their work around the model without wasting paper. I could also insert any worksheet or gameboard (whether a paper copy on the doc camera or a transparent copy on the overhead) into the sleeve and have multiple students write and then erase, all using just one piece of paper.
2. Math Stations - After I received a few more SmartPALs, I changed the way paper was copied for Math Stations. Rather than copying games and activities for the entire class, I only copied the number needed for use at any one time. So, for example, if a station needed a math game board, I made just 4 copies for 4 student pairs to use in that Math Station. Since many game boards are written on--one per student--this has saved a ton of copying!
3. Scratch Paper - With an entire class set of SmartPALS, I now ask students to use them to show their work during times that I might have otherwise used scratch paper. Yesterday, I asked each student to write down one fraction addition problem and solve it using a clock, money, or number line model. Each student then followed along with me--recording their own work--as we also used a ratio table. Every student was accountable for the work, with zero use of paper. I could quickly walk around the room, peering over shoulders for a quick assessment, then have them erase and try another problem.

Using as scratch paper...with the manila Math Station folder in place.
The Jr. version does not have the nameplate.

Additional Tips:

Math Stations
I put a manila folder inside each SmartPAL and put the current game on top of the folder. Although the SmartPAL is fairly stiff, this gives it additional stability. Then, I place game rules inside the folder. When students pick up a SmartPAL in a Math Station, they are set to go with the game, the rules, and a wipe-off playing surface.

Save Worksheets Year to Year
I save worksheets when we're finished using them on the doc camera or in a Math Station. They go into folders, by unit and module, where I can reuse them in the future.

Bottom Line?
This product regularly saves me scads of paper. It's invaluable for student sharing. And it's a helpful tool during Math Stations. My classroom would be a lot more inefficient without them.

Giveaway!!

EAI Education has graciously offered one set of SmartPAL Jr. Sleeves for a giveaway. Note that the winning mailing address must be in the contiguous 48 states. 

Giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Hillary M! :)

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Here is a video telling more about SmartPALs:



Disclosure: I was provided a set of SmartPAL Jr. Sleeves in exchange for an unbiased review. I've actually thought about featuring SmartPALs for a long time, because they are one of my favorite classroom products.

Moebius Noodles Winner!!

Announcing the winner of:  Moebius Noodles: Adventurous Math for the Playground Crowd

Random.org picked #3:


Thank you all for entering! And a special thanks to Yelena McManaman, co-author of Moebius Noodles: Adventurous Math for the Playground Crowd.

Zero the Hero Giveaway! ...and a note from the author

After reviewing Zero the Hero, I asked the author, Joan Holub, to share how she came to write the book. She writes,

"Zero the Hero grew out of a visit I made to a classroom. The teacher was using the concept of zero as a hero to teach place-holding to her students. In other words, Zero is a hero because he enables us to count beyond the number nine. Without him, we'd be like the ancient Romans, unable to do much in the way of math operations.

I visualized Zero as an underdog math superhero, complete with cape. It took me years to actually finish writing this book about him. Lucky thing, because the timing was perfect. The manuscript hit my editor's desk just as she was working with a wonderful, bestselling artist named Tom Lichtenheld, who agreed to illustrate it.

The story teaches place-holding and arithmetic operations like addition and subtraction. It touches on stuff like rounding up and down, even and odd numbers--and the fact that the number eight looks like a snowman. But that's all secondary. Mainly, I just hope it's fun to read."

Joan has graciously offered to send one lucky winner a copy of Zero the Hero. Enter below. And pat yourself on the back for being a hero to your students!

Contest closed. Thank you for participating!

Winner is Cindy from Iowa. Her book is on the way!


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Walking & Talking Math in Your Sleep

Remember how we love Mythmatical Battles? Well, I'd better love it a LOT because my 7yo student just discovered it and wants to play it ALL. THE. TIME.!!! How much does he love it? He's dreaming about it.

He is my sleepwalker. Last night, after playing a round of M.B. with Dad, I found him wandering down the hallway, fingers rubbing against his blankie as he murmured,

"Look how powerful our defense is!"

I cannot make these things up. If you want a chance to win a game and have children in your household sleepwalking and uttering things about "defense powers," join the Mythmatical Battles giveaway.


Disclaimer: I make no money off Mythmatical Battles (unless you buy a set off Amazon, in which case Grace and Hope gets a couple cents.) I just like them. Or I did until I was asked to play it 39,000 times a day. But 7yo student suddenly knows a bunch of multiplication. And we haven't even started studying that yet!