"Baby on the Roof"!!

Before I get to "Baby on the Roof", I have to talk about Google Cardboard!  Over the summer, I attended a technology conference in Texas and was introduced to Google Cardboard.  Have you heard of this awesome VR (virtual reality) tool?  It has the capabilities to take your students all over the world while simply standing in your classroom.  When I first introduced this to my staff, I found it very difficult to explain with words.  You truly have to experience it!  What I did find was a video that showcased student responses to these view masters.  Here is an example of virtual reality Google cardboard that I found on Amazon:

This is the video that started it all for me!  It has also led me to Google Expeditions!  I signed up my school to pilot it, and I am hoping that it happens! Check it out!  It is worth your time!

Now, let's talk about "Baby on the Roof"! My students are currently learning about addition and subtractiom of whole numbers and decimals.  Within in this unit, is a topic about subtracting across zeroes.  This is a skill that requires lots of practice!  A fellow fourth grade teacher and friend first introduced this strategy to me a few years ago, and the students love it!  She has this elaborate story that opens up the lesson about a babysitter who finds herself in a situation when she loses the baby that she is responsible for...the baby is on the roof!  She has to go ask all of her neighbors if they have a ladder that she can borrow to help get the baby off of the room.  Of course, you can adapt the story for your own classroom.  My student teacher changed it up a bit yesterday, and said that the teenager was busy checking out the newest Vines when she lost the baby on the roof!  I stress to my students that this is another strategy that they can place in their "toolbox".  Do they have to use it?  Of course not!  I encourage them to choose a strategy that they are successful with...never box your students in!  I created a video of this strategy using the ShowMe app/website, and I added it to our class website so parents and students could reference it during this unit.  Here it is: