Category Archives: Math Tools
I’ll Rip Your Face Off: The Art of Defacing Manipulatives
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 … Continue reading
Geometric Subitizing: A Different Kind of Number Talk
These Geometric Subitizing Cards have been in beta the past two years. I asked our buddy Joe Schwartz to take them for a test drive last spring and he reported back. Joe’s all in. How do they work? Let’s play… Last week I took them for … Continue reading
The Progression of Division
Last month I posted The Progression of Multiplication hoping that a couple of friends and parents would find it helpful. Well, here’s my stab at the progression of division. I understand that there’s lots of ways to model division and this is only … Continue reading
Take it to the Bank
It’s never been a secret that Superman fears Kryptonite. But I think the same can be said for many 2nd grade teachers and the way they feel about teaching money. There’s no way around it…teaching money to students is hard. With … Continue reading
The Progression of Multiplication
There’s a lot happening in elementary mathematics and it’s really tough for teachers to keep up with it all…let alone parents and administrators. I keep reminding myself that the turtle won the race. It’s my hope that in creating and … Continue reading
More Bang for your Buck: The Power of the Estimation Station
Time IS NOT on our side! In a 1st grade planning session I was asked,”How do we fit it all in?” I loved this question because it asked for a solution to problem we know exists. We collectively tackled this question … Continue reading
Posted in counting, Estimation, K-2, Making Math Accessible, Math Tools, Number Sense, Planning
Tagged Andrew Stadel, comparing numbers, estimation, graphing, number lines, ordering numbers
8 Comments
Not Your Mom’s Flashcards: Conceptual Understanding of Multiplication
What’s the purpose of flashcards? There’s 2 answers I frequently hear and only one I agree with. Answer 1: help kids know/memorize their facts Answer 2: help students build fluency through the automatization of strategy I know how Tracy and many … Continue reading
Posted in 3-5, Estimation, Fact Fluency, Games, Math Tools, Number Sense
Tagged 3rd grade, fact fluency, flash cards, fluency, multiplication, Steve Wyborney
26 Comments
When Student Thinking Hits the Wall: VNPS
First week back to school and I was chomping at the bit to begin working on my #1TMCthing. My quick backstory about Vertical-Non-Permanent-Surfaces (aka VNPS) I first found out about VNPS on Nathan Kraft’s blog which referred me to Alex Overwijk’s … Continue reading
The Manipulative Whisperers: The model tells a story
If you listen carefully you will hear them. They sit motionless in every classroom, on top of desks, waiting to tell a story. Without the story they are nothing. What’s most difficult is that you can’t speak for them because the … Continue reading
A number line, number string, and Number Talk walk into a class…
As teachers and students ramp up for testing I was invited to visit a 5th grade class and asked to focus on fractions. Before the lesson, the teacher and I discussed the importance of a number line, which was an extension of … Continue reading
Posted in 3-5, Estimation, Fractions, Making Math Accessible, Math Tools, Number Sense, SMPs, Strategy Development
Tagged fractions, number lines, Number Talks
6 Comments
