The Progression of Early Number and Counting

Against the Norm, counting, K-2, Making Math Accessible, Making Sense Series, Math Progressions, Number Sense, Strategy Development, Teacher Content

If you’re not a pre-k, kindergarten, or 1st-grade teacher, you need to find one and give them a hug after watching this video.  They do the work of an army and many times their work goes unnoticed. There’s so much happening in the early years of school,...

3-Act Task: A 5th-grade lesson captured

3-5, 3-Act Tasks, 6-8, Estimation, Fractions, Intellectual Need, Math Progressions, Modeling, Teacher Content

A while back I shared a kindergarten lesson and I was really happy with the way it turned out.  The 5th-grade lesson below, not so much.  The students did great but there are definitely some things I need to improve. We recently finished up a district PL where we used...

This Week a Webinar. Next Month a Workshop

Against the Norm

On Monday night I had the pleasure of presenting the webinar 3 Act Math Tasks: What They Are & Why You Need Them in Your Class.  The webinar was hosted by my good friend Christina Tondevold and focused on the implementation of 3-Act Tasks in the elementary grades....

The Progression of Fractions

Against the Norm

I’m excited to share the 4th installment of the Making Sense Series which explores meaning, equivalence, and comparison of fractions. Fractions are the gatekeeper of algebraic thinking and probably a big reason why we suffer from arithmophobia as a society....

I’ll Rip Your Face Off: The Art of Defacing Manipulatives

3-5, 6-8, Against the Norm, Fractions, Making Math Accessible, Making Sense Series, Math Progressions, Math Tools, Strategy Development, Teacher Content

It’s our fault. We have no one to blame but ourselves. We unknowing pigeonhole student thinking with the manipulatives we use. Take fraction tiles for example. Much to my disappointment, they come with labels and it kills me. Manipulatives that come pre-labelled...