The race to cover the curriculum in 180 days is real. Between standardized testing, endless paperwork, and the daily demands of the classroom, it’s no wonder teachers often feel pressured to move fast. To save time, many turn to shortcuts — like teaching algorithms first. Algorithms, those step-by-step procedures to solve math problems, promise quick […]
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Number sense is the foundation of strong mathematical thinking, but helping students develop their number sense can sometimes feel like a challenge. Order It is a game I love to play that turns number sequencing into an exciting learning experience, helping students strengthen their understanding of numerical relationships while having fun. What Is Number Sense?
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Pattern blocks are great tool for understanding equivalent fractions. Fraction pattern blocks are an excellent addition because they give you even more options. Using fraction pattern blocks is also a great way to differentiate instruction and offer a challenge to students who are ready for it. The purpose of this activity is to introduce students
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Understanding that each place value gets 10 times bigger as we move a number one place value to the left is a major concept for 4th grade students. Let’s Explore how we can make that concept visual for students by using Base 10 Blocks. Tell students that you will be asking them a series of
Base 10 Blocks are a great tool for students as they explore the Base 10 system. The size relationships among the blocks make them idea for student understanding. Base 10 Blocks can be used for understanding operations with whole numbers, operations with decimals, rounding, place value, comparing numbers and many other topics in math related
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Subtraction on the Number Line Number lines are a great visual tool for understanding numbers and operations. However, students often don’t like using them. Today we are going to look at how to make the number line hands on, so students grasp the concept of this great tool. Concrete Let’s look at an example word
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Concrete, Representational, Abstract (CRA) is a 3 phase instructional approach for teaching math. I have been personally using this approach to guide my instruction and have found it extremely beneficial to my students. The first stage of the CRA approach is called Concrete. In this stage, students are learning and exploring a math concept with
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