Manipulatives will transform your math block. Why? First, they can turn an abstract concept into a concrete visual. Second, they engage students in multimodal practice of math facts and problem-solving. Three, they are a quick way to ... Read More
Shades of Meaning: Strengthening Student Vocabulary and Word Choice
One of my favorite vocabulary units is teaching shades of meaning. Understanding the power of word choice is critical to molding great writers, speakers, and communicators. When we teach shades of meaning, we are offering students a ... Read More
Black History Biographies: 15 Picture Books Celebrating Black Excellence
First, let's be honest: If we're doing this right, February is not the first time our students are learning about Black history or seeing examples of Black excellence. Black history isn't a book bin that we put in our library for one ... 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.
Improper Fraction Activities and Games
Understanding improper fractions and mixed numbers can be really tricky for some students. Providing a variety of games and activities to help practice these skills independently can be really helpful as you teach small groups. Today, ... Read More
My Favorite Lesson for Teaching Area & Perimeter
Area and Perimeter can be such a fun unit, filled with projects and real-world applications. I love how the concept of area naturally builds off of our work with arrays and multiplication! However, learning perimeter is often where I ... Read More
Hands-On Manipulatives to Teach Area and Perimeter
Ready to kick-off your area and perimeter units with a bang? Teaching and learning real-world math requires scaffolds that break down big concepts. That's why I always use manipulatives to support conceptual understanding of area and ... Read More
