Too often teachers
see students make the same mistakes over and over. It’s been marked wrong, it’s been corrected
for them, or it has been re-explained but nothing seems to make a difference. Time to try error analysis! When students become the teacher, they get a
new perspective on the topic. They need
to analyze mistakes - not just stuff them into a folder never to be looked at again. Check out these great ideas for implementing
error analysis in your math class:
You’ve Got Math Talent!
Based on the popular
television show, four judges ask questions about possible errors made in the
featured work. This process helps
students to look over specific steps to determine whether it was completed
correctly or incorrectly. Students then
place an “X” in the box where the answer is no (ie the error) and demonstrate
the correct steps. There is usually one
mistake, but there can be none or two to ensure student work is thorough. These
error analysis sheets are perfect for warm ups, in-class packet practice,
stations, homework, and more!
Check out available
topics, including:
Here’s what other
educators are saying about these resources:
“What a great way to
see if students really understand.”
-Mary M
“This activity was
similar to a concept cartoon which is a literacy strategy I recently learned
about at a PL. I loved the creativity of
the character names and so did my students.”
-Joy M
“I love having
students find the errors…it really makes them think!” -Elizabeth C
Try this free sample
in your classroom!
PS - The clipart is by the super talented Sarah Pecorino Illustration!
PS - The clipart is by the super talented Sarah Pecorino Illustration!
Algebra Error Detection Practice
In this FREE worksheet by Mrs. E Teaches Math, students analyze common errors made in
algebra. This resource is designed to
facilitate discussion among peers in order to more deeply understand the
mathematical concepts. This is a truly
meaningful way to address these common misconceptions! You can learn more about math misconceptions in geometry on Karrie’s blog.
Errorgram
Tyra from Algebra and
Beyond has a super creative set of resources for Error Analysis. Errorgram is modeled after Instagram. Students identify, explain, and correct
errors in a fun, relatable format. Once the activity is completed, it also makes great classroom decor! Learn
more about these resources in this blog post.
Quiz Evaluation
Quiz evaluations are
a great reflective process that I have always used after a quiz.
Students fill in:
-Name of the Assessment
-Strength – This is something they did well.
-Challenge – This is something they struggled with.
-For each question where they lost points, students fill in the problem number, topic, number of points lost, then they check whether it was a simple mistake or they didn’t understand.
-Corrections or reflection are completed on the back.
-Name of the Assessment
-Strength – This is something they did well.
-Challenge – This is something they struggled with.
-For each question where they lost points, students fill in the problem number, topic, number of points lost, then they check whether it was a simple mistake or they didn’t understand.
-Corrections or reflection are completed on the back.
Students learn to
identify and fix their OWN errors. This
is a strategy that I implement after a formative assessment, such as a quiz, so
that students learn from their mistakes and – hopefully – do not make the same
error on the summative assessment, or test.
I am offering this
handout exclusively free for blog readers here.
This resource is part
of my Classroom Forms set:
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