How do you start your school day? Would you like to leave morning work behind and switch to a paperless option? If you answered yes, then it is time to switch to Morning Tub Tasks. Morning Tubs will allow your students to practice all those crucial skills without the papers to mark. Today, I am sharing five reasons you should make the switch to morning tubs.
If you are interested in how to get started with Morning Tubs and the organization behind it, please click on the image below to read this post.
In math, in particular, we teach units - time, money, patterning, and then we move on to the next unit. When you circle back to those topics, do you find that students have retained those concepts? If your students are like mine, the answer is "not always." Have you considered using morning tub tasks to keep revisiting those concepts? The idea is that your morning tubs reflect content that you have already taught or will introduce shortly.
By using your morning tubs in this way, you revisit concepts to keep them fresh, and you can also see what students know about upcoming units by having them try out some activities related to the new topic.
I am guilty of leaving math manipulatives on my shelves untouched because I was not teaching a unit where it made sense to use them or I didn't think about how to use them. Those manipulatives are not doing a lot of good sitting on a shelf! I got creative and really started to think about how many different ways I could use my manipulatives in different math units. Now, my counting bears are a hit for lots of things, not just patterning.
I consciously try to reduce the amount of paper I copy for my students. I am trying to be mindful and ask myself if the activity I am printing is necessary or if there is another way to teach/assess this concept. I have definitely embraced the use of digital portfolios and students taking ownership of documenting their learning. When they are busy with their tub tasks each morning, they are responsible for taking pictures of their learning. None of the tub tasks have a worksheet component. No marking for me! Instead, I log into their portfolios to see their completed work.
This one is a no-brainer! Students love to play with these manipulatives, so morning tub tasks give them a somewhat more structured way to do this. They are engaged, allowing me to get the jobs I need to do each morning.
The beginning of the day is busy! Parents stop in, students come to me with yard issues, I need to take attendance, check agendas, collect money... Whew! Just writing that reminds me of how crazy each day can be. Starting the day with morning tub tasks means the kids are engaged, and I can do all of these things without being needed. It is also the perfect opportunity to check in with kids before the start of the day.
Would you like to try Morning Tub Tasks? Click below to grab a free set of tub tasks for pattern blocks.
If you are interested in how to get started with Morning Tubs and the organization behind it, please click on the image below to read this post.
Why Morning Tubs?
It Helps You Spiral Your Curriculum
In math, in particular, we teach units - time, money, patterning, and then we move on to the next unit. When you circle back to those topics, do you find that students have retained those concepts? If your students are like mine, the answer is "not always." Have you considered using morning tub tasks to keep revisiting those concepts? The idea is that your morning tubs reflect content that you have already taught or will introduce shortly.
By using your morning tubs in this way, you revisit concepts to keep them fresh, and you can also see what students know about upcoming units by having them try out some activities related to the new topic.
It Gets Students Using Math Manipulatives All the Time - Not Just When You are Teaching that Unit.
I am guilty of leaving math manipulatives on my shelves untouched because I was not teaching a unit where it made sense to use them or I didn't think about how to use them. Those manipulatives are not doing a lot of good sitting on a shelf! I got creative and really started to think about how many different ways I could use my manipulatives in different math units. Now, my counting bears are a hit for lots of things, not just patterning.
Document Digitally to Save Paper and Marking - Students can do it themselves!
I consciously try to reduce the amount of paper I copy for my students. I am trying to be mindful and ask myself if the activity I am printing is necessary or if there is another way to teach/assess this concept. I have definitely embraced the use of digital portfolios and students taking ownership of documenting their learning. When they are busy with their tub tasks each morning, they are responsible for taking pictures of their learning. None of the tub tasks have a worksheet component. No marking for me! Instead, I log into their portfolios to see their completed work.
Engaged kids = Happy kids!
This one is a no-brainer! Students love to play with these manipulatives, so morning tub tasks give them a somewhat more structured way to do this. They are engaged, allowing me to get the jobs I need to do each morning.
It Gives You Time to Do ALL.THE.THINGS!
The beginning of the day is busy! Parents stop in, students come to me with yard issues, I need to take attendance, check agendas, collect money... Whew! Just writing that reminds me of how crazy each day can be. Starting the day with morning tub tasks means the kids are engaged, and I can do all of these things without being needed. It is also the perfect opportunity to check in with kids before the start of the day.
Would you like to try Morning Tub Tasks? Click below to grab a free set of tub tasks for pattern blocks.
Morning Tub Task Cards for Pattern Blocks
Perhaps you're ready to check out the whole set and jump in! If so, click on the link or image below to see the BUNDLE.
More than 100 Math Activities for Morning Work, Math Centers or Fast Finishers!
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Until next time!
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This sounds like an awesome idea. What platform do you use to document the portfolios? Do students upload the photos?
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