Imagine asking your students how many jelly beans might fit in a jar. You watch as their eyes widen and they eagerly begin to guess. One child says “10,” another guesses “1,000,” while yet another child excitedly suggests “5 million ... Read More
Digit Place: A Place Value Game Your Students Will Love
One of the most common questions I get from teachers, especially at the beginning of the school year, is: "What are your favorite place value activities?" One of my all-time favorites is a game called Digit Place. I first came ... Read More
7 Fun Center Activities to Build Fluency with Addition Facts
Building fluency with addition facts is a critical building block in our students' mathematical understanding. We know that the more time we give them to become truly fluent, the stronger the mathematician they will become. But ... Read More
FREE Number Talks
First grade teachers, access 20 FREE Number Talk Prompts to enhance your place value unit and get your students engaged in conversation.
Clothesline Math: A Powerful Visual for Representing Number Lines
One of the most important foundational skills for young learners is number sense; the ability to understand and work with numbers flexibly. Developing strong number sense allows children to think critically about math, make connections ... Read More
Math Mad Libs: A Fun Twist on Problem-Solving in Elementary Math
If you’re like most elementary teachers, you’re always on the lookout for new and creative ways to keep your students engaged with word problems. Sometimes, the biggest challenge is getting them to attend the text. Enter Math Mad Libs: ... Read More
3 Tips for Building a Strong Math Class Community
Teacher tip 101: Building a strong class community is key. That’s one of the first things you learn in education classes and therefore, early in the school year, teachers are thinking about how to make their classrooms places where ... Read More
