Math Journaling
View the Checkpoint that follows completion of Stage 1: The Number Sequence
When students complete a Stage of Symphony Math, they come to a Checkpoint. Checkpoints are opportunities for knowledge transfer, and give both students and teachers a chance to use mastered skills in a different context.
For example, in Stage 1, students complete tasks that involve the representation of numbers as concrete objects, such as dot cards and number bars, and also as points along a number line.
When they have completed their work, students are prompted by Symphony Math to record their new skills in an offline journal. They see a series of screens that prompt them to draw some of the material they have mastered in their journals (or pieces of paper that you can organize):
Students receive other prompts to create models in their journals as they use Symphony Math, especially when they show signs of struggle with a particular concept or visual model.
As time passes, educators and parents have a growing window into students understanding of math. Journals provide an opportunity to ‘pause the action’ and confirm mastery of important skills that are critical for success. Educators can use this material to help make instructional decisions, show parents examples of student math thinking, and to document student growth in math ability.