Launching GCF and LCM with a Real World Context Teachers often want to know how they can teach greatest common factor and the least common multiple in a way that is more concrete or constructivist. Using Least Common Multiple and Greatest Common Factor Worksheets is fine but we can do better. They’ve been teaching factor […]
Dividing Fractions Activities
Dividing Fractions is one of the lessons that students struggle with their whole lives. I have heard the argument over and over… “Why do they need to learn to divide fractions by hand when they all have phones and calculators that will do it for them?” “When will they ever be in a position […]
Ordered Pairs on the Coordinate Plane Activity
Ordered Pairs on the Coordinate Plane I can remember learning about longitude and latitude and looking at maps long before I learned about the coordinate plane. And I know I played battleship before learning about ordered pairs in math class! Battleship is a great way to introduce the concept, but those coordinates do not have […]
Unit Rate Activity: Find the Better Deal
Cost Comparison – What’s the better deal? Unit Rate Activity: What makes a bargain? How do you know which price is a better deal? Many products, especially snack foods and cereal, are sold in different sizes. A great way to teach unit rate is by doing unit cost and price comparisons to find out which […]
Patterns and the Coordinate Plane: Ordered Pairs Initials
Patterns and the Coordinate Plane Played Out This activity (Ordered Pairs Initials) will provide students with practice in graphing ordered pairs and seeing how patterns in the ordered pairs play out on the graph. Students are usually pretty good at graphing ordered pairs. It takes a class period or two to get the X and […]
Classifying Two Dimensional Figures: Shapes in the Real World Project
Classifying Two Dimensional Figure: Shapes in the World This lesson is a chance for students to see that the world is made up of shapes. When they ask, “Why do I need to know geometry?” this is why. Our lessons in geometry and shapes often rely on 2D shapes in a textbook or drawn on […]
How to Teach Volume of a Right Rectangular Prism
Manipulatives and Volume: Volume of a Right Rectangular Prism I have noticed that students often leave out the unit label when doing word problems or measuring. For the longest time, I didn’t understand why this was the case. However, one day I had an epiphany. My students didn’t understand what the label actually meant! When […]
Teach Multiplying Fractions by a Whole Number with Hershey Chocolate Smoothies
Fractions and Feeding a Group of People Feeding a group of people can be difficult, especially when it comes to Multiplying Fractions by a Whole Number in the recipe. So often we hear kids ask, ”When am I ever going to use this?” Well, if they are ever going to follow a recipe, the answer […]
Adding and Subtracting Fractions in the Real World
Engaging Your Students with Food: Fractions in the Real World When it comes to Fractions in the Real World, one guaranteed way to get kids to participate in class is to use food. Yes, food. I believe that food is the universal means to get participation by any group of people – especially kids! No […]
Standard Algorithm for Multiplication: Math in the Natural World
Math in the Natural World: Standard Algorithm Multiplication 5th Grade The natural world is a fantastic vehicle for getting kids to think deeply about the Standard Algorithm for Multiplication. When I show a nature video at the beginning of class, I get immediate buy in because they are all fascinated, especially when it has to […]
Multiplicative Patterns on the Place Value Chart: Gamify Your Math Class
Teaching Every Student – How to Gamify Your Math Class Multiplicative Patterns on the Place Value Chart Not all kids are the same. They don’t look the same or act the same. And they certainly don’t learn the same. As teachers, we know that reaching every kid can be a challenge. Getting every kid to […]
Numerical Expressions: Teaching the Language of Math
Teaching the Language of Math So much of being successful in math is being able to understand math vocabulary and numerical expressions for problem solving and to express one’s ideas and questions about the math concepts. Sometimes kids get hung up on the idea that math is only about numbers, but that’s just not true. […]