Brian Bushart
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bbushart.bsky.social
Brian Bushart
@bbushart.bsky.social
650 followers 150 following 140 posts
Elementary Teacher (4th Grade) living in New York with my daughter and husband. I blog at https://bstockus.wordpress.com and share resources at https://numberlesswp.com.
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bbushart.bsky.social
That's a wrap! We ended our year writing thank you notes, Inaba place value puzzles, and a kickball tournament.

This isn't just the end of another year of 4th grade, but also my time as a classroom teacher. Not sure what the future holds, but for now I've got a well-deserved summer break to enjoy!
June 25, 2024 at 8:32 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
This geometry lesson (The Four Triangle Problem) and art project (Rotating Design) from the series Math By All Means is one of my favorites. The students get to flex their spatial reasoning skills and then create some eye-catching art. It makes me happy. #iTeachMath
June 7, 2024 at 9:56 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
Any time I get to combine math and art, I'm a happy guy. Today my students created Mondrian-inspired works of art. The activity comes from this IM lesson:

im.kendallhunt.com/k5/teachers/...

I modified the criteria a bit this year. The finished art looks great! #iTeachMath
May 2, 2024 at 9:52 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
My students are writing historical fiction stories that take place in the Arabian desert in the year 560. After reading some of their story titles, I had to intervene...

I told them, "I would honestly love to be stuck in the dessert." 🤣
The words "Stuck in the Dessert" with an ice cream cone drawn above it. The words "Stuck in the Desert" with a sun and sand drawn around it.
March 18, 2024 at 11:13 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
We played Don't Break the Bank again. This time I increased the bank to 200. That seemed to bring double, double, double out a bit more. To heighten the tension, teams reported out after rounds 4 and 6. By the end only 3 teams broke the bank! Still searching for the optimal bank size. #iTeachMath
White board with a document camera projecting an image of a 10-sided dice showing the number 4. On one side of the white board, students' scores for a game are listed. On the other side is a record of all the dice rolls made during the game. List of each team's score during rounds 4, 6, and 7 of the game: 160 to 194 to 202 112 to 180 to 196 128 to 178 to 194 128 to 178 to 214 144 to 178 to 194 76 to 180 to 196 120 to 188 to 204 Record of the seven dice rolls from the game: 6 4 6 4 4 9 4
February 1, 2024 at 1:01 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
Tried out a variation of Don't Break the Bank that I came up with to get my students to practice the doubling strategy for solving 2s, 4s, and 8s multiplication facts. It was a hit! First round students aimed for 100, second round 150. Might go higher to encourage double, double, double. #iTeachMath
Recording sheet for a game called Don't Break the Bank. In Round 1, the students doubled 7 twice to get 28. In Round 2, the students doubled 5 twice to get 20. In Round 3, the students doubled 3 once to get 6. In Round 4, the students doubled 9 twice to get 36. In Round 5, the students doubled 4 twice to get 16. In Round 6, the students doubled 2 three times to get 16. In Round 7, the students doubled 7 twice to get 28. Their total for the game is 150, which is exactly the bank.
January 31, 2024 at 12:09 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
One of my students was out sick for several days, so his desk partner created "Paper Paul" so she'd have a partner for our numerous turn and talks throughout the day. She even brought him to Specials. 😂
Photo of a classroom with desks and children. One desk has a piece of paper propped on top. The paper has a drawing of a child sitting in a chair with a speech bubble that says, "Hi, I'm Paul."
January 29, 2024 at 1:17 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
While I love the "Math Room" door hangar, I think this is my favorite piece of art I've received from a student this year.

Have a Gay! 😂

#iTeachMath
Student drawing that says "Best teacher ever!" above a drawing of a classroom. The drawing is labeled "Mr. Bushart's Room 101," and under that it says "Have a Gay!"
January 27, 2024 at 6:38 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
One of my students made a sign for our classroom door. 🥰

(I teach all subjects, but clearly she's figured out which one is my favorite.)

#iTeachMath
Close up of a door handle with a paper hangar that says "The Math Room"
January 26, 2024 at 9:48 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
Got to watch my favorite holiday movie with the family tonight: The Nightmare Before Christmas! It reminded me that I still want the deadly nightshade cookie jar Disney made years ago. I couldn't afford it back then. Maybe I need to browse eBay...
December 24, 2023 at 2:31 AM
Reposted by Brian Bushart
funranium.bsky.social
The alt text is essential reading.
justinling.ca Justin Ling @justinling.ca · Dec 20
According to Russian media, the Moscow Polytechnic Institute has unveiled this "Tesla-killer" made-in-Russia electric vehicle, to be produced by Russian automaker Avtotor by 2025.
It looks like Barney haunted a car The car has, and I know this is weird to say, too many holes The car looks like it has seen the face of god — and it did not like what it has seen
December 20, 2023 at 7:56 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
Whew! Winter break is finally here! We started our day with Splat, finished up some note taking in CKLA, played the game Leftovers with 20 again, & debriefed about remainders. They were a restless bunch, but they did great! We wrapped up with a party and a closing circle. Time to relax! #iTeachMath
Slide projected on a white board. The slide shows an image of blue dots some of which are covered by two black blobs. There are 4 dots not covered by either blob. One blob has been made transparent so you can see 4 dots underneath. The second blob is still solid black. Next to the image are equations showing students' guesses about how many blue dots there are in all. Two students playing a math game at their desk. They have square tiles and they are dividing them onto five small rectangles of construction paper. A white board listing various division equations: 10 divided by 3 is 3 remainder 1 8 divided by 5 is 1 remainder 3 14 divided by 5 is 2 remainder 4 20 divided by 6 is 3 remainder 2 There are two more equations that have accompanying pictures drawn to help students understand the problem with the remainders: 18 divided by 3 is 5 remainder 3 20 divided by 4 is 3 remainder 8
December 23, 2023 at 12:07 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
Now that I know my students are new to division with remainders, we played the game Leftovers with 20 today. The kids loved it! At the end, students shared out some of the division sentences they wrote, and we discussed the remainders. #iTeachMath
Table showing a math game in progress. On the far side of the table, a student is counting tiles that are being evenly grouped onto two small rectangles of construction paper. On the near side of the table is a recording sheet, a die, and additional small rectangles of construction paper. Screenshot showing the directions of the math game Leftovers with 20. Division equations written on a white board. All of the equations include a remainder.
December 21, 2023 at 12:41 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
I used variation theory to help students learn how to write equations to represent multi-step problems. We worked on the problem on the left first. Then the problem on the right kept the initial information but kept changing the second bit of information. #iTeachMath
Slide projected on a white board. The slide is divided in half. The left side says: Tim has 3 packs of markers. Each pack has 12 markers. Which equation can be used to find the total number of markers, n, that Tim has? A 12 times n is 3 B 3 times 12 is n C 3 plus n is 12 D 12 divided by 3 is n Answer choice B is circled. The right side says: Tim has 3 packs of markers. Each pack has 12 markers. He gives 8 of the markers to his sister and 3 of the markers to his brother. Write an equation that can be used to find the total number of markers, n, that Tim has. There are two equations written: The product of 12 times 3 minus 8 minus 5 is n The product of 12 times 3 minus the sum of 8 and 5 is n
December 18, 2023 at 10:18 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
I'm continuing to ramp up the difficulty of my science retrieval practice. I started with a word bank that had the exact 5 words needed. Then I went to a word bank that had 5 extra words that wouldn't be used. Now I've taken away the word bank altogether. I was nervous, but they handled it well!
Slide projected on a white board. The slide is titled "Science Sticky Practice" and contains five questions that review previously-taught science concepts and vocabulary: 1. the ability to make things move or change 2. The function of the electrical system is to provide _____ of energy to people to use. 3. A _____ converts energy from a source into electrical energy that goes into the electrical system. 4. type or kind (of energy) 5. Wires can _____ electrical energy from place to place. Mini white board on a student's desk. The writing says: 1. function 2. 3. source converter 4. forms 5. convert
December 18, 2023 at 10:13 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
[New Blog Post] This week I've got a few teaching wins to share as well as a story of how I had to completely change my math lesson on the spot. #iTeachMath

bstockus.wordpress.com/2023/12/17/4...
40 Weeks in 4th Grade: Week 15
This week I've got a few teaching wins to share as well as a story of how I had to completely change my math lesson on the spot. First, the teaching wins: 1) I pulled a small group to play the game Mu...
bstockus.wordpress.com
December 17, 2023 at 5:11 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
Holy cow did I have to make a sudden pivot at the start of today's math lesson.

It all started with this Same and Different warm up. It started off great (with me adding in vocabulary), until I asked the students, "What about the quotients? What's the same or different about those?"

#iTeachMath
Computer screen projected on a white board. The screen is titled "Same and Different". There are four quadrants labeled A, B, C, and D. They each have a division expression: 15/3 15/4 16/3 16/4 There are annotations written on the white board capturing similarities and differences students have shared.
December 16, 2023 at 12:19 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
"If you're not living on the edge then you're taking up a little too much space"

Morgan Freeman may have said it, but my daughter embodies it with these choices. 😂
Cell phone precariously resting on the corner of a table next to a program for the play A Christmas Carol
December 14, 2023 at 1:13 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
Teaching wins this week:

1) I pulled a small group to play the game Multi. They loved it! Throughout the game they kept remarking, "This is so fun! Where can I get this?"

#iTeachMath
Four students sitting together playing a math board game called Multi.
December 13, 2023 at 9:53 PM
bbushart.bsky.social
I feel late to the party, but I'm really enjoying Daniel Willingham's book, Why Don't Students Like School? I only have time to read a chapter here and there, but it's a fascinating read. Two big ideas that have stood are the importance of attention and background knowledge.
December 10, 2023 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Brian Bushart
duanehabecker.com
The school districts I work with often ask for advice on how best to do math intervention. I almost always send them here.
#iTeachMath

ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/...
December 10, 2023 at 12:02 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
Yes! The danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing

This scene creeped me out as a kid. I love it so much now.
December 9, 2023 at 1:45 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
Parent conferences wore me out today! As I sit at my computer, I keep stopping and closing my eyes. Time to get up and do dishes to help me wake up. It's too early for bedtime.
December 9, 2023 at 12:04 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
I may not be sharing everything, every day anymore, but I couldn't help but share today's estimation activity that got my students cheering and made my morning. 😄

#iTeachMath

mathstodon.xyz/@bbushart/11...
Brian Bushart (@bbushart@mathstodon.xyz)
Attached: 4 images Today we did our fourth Estimation Clipboard activity. The last one we did with length was about estimating a length of string inches. Today's was about estimating the length of a ...
mathstodon.xyz
December 1, 2023 at 12:36 AM
bbushart.bsky.social
As much as I hate breaking a streak, I'm going to take a break from posting and blogging about my teaching. In an effort not to present a fake or idealized narrative, I've shared warts and all, which has sadly led me to unhealthily fixate on the aspects where I don't feel successful. #iTeachMath
November 29, 2023 at 2:55 AM