Math Journal Writing

When writing, thoughts become clearer--you discover exactly what you are thinking.

When writing in your math journal, use words, pictures, numbers, and manipulatives. Through these math journals, verbal knowledge, mathematical knowledge, personal experience, and visual ideas merge as you make mathematical ideas your own.

You will find yourself improving how you define concepts and explain solutions clearly and logically as you write and draw in your own style to discover real math.

Writing clarifies thoughts to develop greater understanding of the topic. Writing will help you to:

value math

develop math confidence

problem-solve

communicate mathematically

reason mathematically

connect math to your world.

Writing about mathematics helps you meet the Mathematics Essential Academic Learning Requirements (see objectives above).

Expectations:

Discover how to clearly explain and understand math ideas:

1. Think through the question or prompt.
2. Use words, pictures, and numbers as needed.
3. Discuss with a partner when appropriate.
4. Explain clearly, logically your answer to the question or prompt using words, pictures, and/or numbers. Your ideas, words, pictures, and numbers should flow and connect from one idea to the next using the evidence needed to answer the problem or prompt.

 

		Journal Assessment Form
	Name		Topic
	Evaluator		Date
	A. Apply ideas Thought-flow & connection	Words	Pictures	Numbers
	1
	2
	3
	4
	5
	6
	7
	8
	9
	10
	B. Central Idea	Needs work	Meets standard	Surpasses standard
	1. Offers logical evidence to support every major point:
	a. evidence
	facts accurate
	computation accurate
	strategy appropriate
	b. logic
	clear logical order
	good sequence
	smooth transition between steps
	2. Manipulates diagrams or materials
	3. Coordinates pictures, numbers, or words
	4. Exhibits a level of understanding
	shows own accurate sense of math concepts
	chooses various strategies
	gets unstuck
	spots errors
	uses mimimal counting
	poses problem extensions
	5. Connects to real world when appropriate
	C. Comments
	D. Overall Rating
	Marginal/incomplete	Needs work	Adequate	Excellent
	Adapted from: Stix, Andi (1996). Pic-jour Math: Pictorial Journal Writing in Mathematics. Emphasis on Assessment: Readings from NCTM's School-based Journals. Reston, VA: NCTM. p. 84-89. Schloemer, C.G. (1996). An Assessment Example. Emphasis on Assessment: Readings from NCTM's School-based Journals. Reston, VA: NCTM. p. 48-49. Greenwood, J.J. (1996). On the Nature of Teaching and Assessing "Mathematical Power" and "Mathematical Thinking". Emphasis on Assessment: Readings from NCTM's School-based Journals. Reston, VA: NCTM. p. 18-26.

 

	Problem-Solving Communication Rubric
	Points	Criteria	Comments
	4	A suitable strategy was chosen, implemented, and explained. Reasoning shows a logical flow which coordinates words, numbers, diagrams, etc. to explain the solution's mathematical relationships, conjectures, examples/non-examples, connections, and/or generalizations. Any errors were of a minor nature. For example, copying, simple computation.
	3	A suitable strategy was chosen, implemented, and explained. Explanation has logical flow which coordinates words, numbers, diagrams, etc. Any errors were of a minor nature. For example, copying, simple computation.
	2	Some understanding of the problem was demonstrated, but...
		a) an inappropriate strategy led to a wrong answer
		b) an appropriate strategy was presented without an answer
		c) an appropriate strategy was incorrectly implemented
		d) An apparently suitable strategy was selected, but some condition of the problem was ignored or misunderstood, leading to an incomplete or incorrect solution
		or e) An apparently suitable strategy was selected, but a leap was made from the appropriate strategy to the correct answer without a clear explanation.
	1	A meaningful attempt was made to solve the problem beyond simply copying it, but the work stopped far short of a solution.
	0	The work evidenced...
		a) only recopying of the original information
		b) only a wrong answer; or
		c) no meaningful work
	Adapted from: Schloemer, C.G. (1996). An Assessment Example. Emphasis on Assessment: Readings from NCTM's School-based Journals. Reston, VA: NCTM. p. 48-49.

 

	Journal Prompts and Questions
	Initial prompts adapted from: Norwood, K.S. and Carter, G. (1996). Journal Writing: An Insight into Students' Understanding. Emphasis on Assessment: Readings from NCTM's School-based Journals. Reston, VA: NCTM. p. 81-83.
	Date	Journal Prompt/Question
		When you know math class is next, how do you feel?
		What I like most about math is...
		What I like least about math is...
		Write a "mathematics biography." Describe your earliest experiences in math, both in and out of school. Create a timeline of math events up to the present time.
		Complete a math survey.
		Explain to your cousin the difference between addition and subtraction. You may use pictures or graphs.
		Explain to your cousin how addition and multiplication are similar. You may use pictures or graphs.
		Explain to your cousin how subtraction and division are similar. You may use pictures or graphs.
		Describe any places you became stuck when solving a problem, and tell what you did to get unstuck.
		Something I'd like to know about math is...
		The most important thing I learned about math this week is...
		Explain in your own words the meaning of...
		Explain what is most important to understand about...
		Your best friend was absent today. Write a letter to him or her to explain what you learned in mathematics class.