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Free Number Sense Boosters
Could your students’ number sense use a boost? These quick and simple activities improve number sense while engaging your students.
Latest from the Blog
Understanding Comparision Word Problems
Why is it that comparison word problems are particularly difficult for elementary school students? There are several challenges present in these specific types of word problems that we don’t have to contend with when we are doing more simple problem types such as put together, take apart, add to, or
Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
How do you add fractions with unlike denominators? Find common denominators of course! You know, however, that I’m a big proponent of students understanding why they are using a strategy. If our students don’t know why they are using a strategy so many of our learners don’t know when to
Teaching Math Strategies that Stick!
How to Teach Counting On Addition So the Strategy STICKS! We know that when we teach procedures in math that many of our students lack the ability to generalize those procedures and apply them when it’s appropriate. How often have you heard this description of a struggling student: “They have
How To Teach Rounding When It Feels Like a Struggle
If your grade level has standards around rounding numbers then you have thought long and hard about how to teach rounding to students who are struggling with math. There are two main schools of thought here. Teach the students HOW to round. This may include a rhyme, an anchor chart,
Differentiate Worksheets Without Breaking a Sweat
What if I told you that you could differentiate your math worksheets, for any grade level, without getting out your computer, your white-out, your pens or, even taking a trip to the copier? Would you believe me? What if I told you that, without any work at all, you could
How to Teach Rounding Decimal Numbers
A few years back I wrote the post “5 And Above, Give It a Shove… No, Really…” It’s been a few years but when I type “rounding” into Pinterest, 3 of the top 5 results still involve a search for an anchor chart. Anchor charts are great, but when your students
How Early Can I Start Intervention Groups?
It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, back to school is a crazy time of year! You are teaching your students routines and expectations setting the tone for the school year. On top of that, you are getting to know your students and beginning the process of
Low-Prep High Value Place Value Games
Place value comes up every year throughout elementary school. But what makes it so difficult for our students to understand and what can we do to make place value instruction more clear for our most struggling students. Quick and simple place value games can help your students to build understanding
Why Teaching Line Plots is Harder Than it Looks
Much of the “data and graphing” instruction comes quite easily to students. A bar graph or pictograph is really quite intuitive to read- the difficulty in instruction comes in when students are asked to solve comparison word problems based on the data in the charts. And we KNOW that comparison
The Math Spot Compares Fractions: Abstract Thinking
We’ve made it! We’re at the last post in the 4 part fraction comparison series. If you haven’t read parts 1, 2, and 3, go back and begin there. Up until this point we have focused on teaching fraction comparisons by allowing students to have experiences that would promote understanding
