When I called this post “Math Fact Fluency (Without Tears)” you probably thought I meant student tears, but really I really meant your tears. Am I right? There is nothing more frustrating as a teacher than when a student does not have a basic foundational skill like fast recall of their math facts. It’s like […]
Building Math Fact Fluency (Without Tears) Read More »
The second math unit I teach after place value is addition and subtraction of greater numbers. While on the surface this can be a pretty mundane topic, there are lots of fun ways to spice it up for you and your students. I like to use lots of games and fun activities to practice. Here are
9 Fun Games and Activities to Practice Addition and Subtraction of Greater Numbers Read More »
The beginning of a new school year is an exciting time for both teachers and students. As educators, one of our primary goals is to create a positive and inclusive learning environment where students feel safe, supported, and connected. Building a strong classroom community from the very start plays a crucial role in fostering a
Ways to Build Classroom Community at the Start of the Year Read More »
I’m not sure why, but Metric and Customary Measurement is a topic which most teachers seem to push off until the very end of the school year. While introducing these topics can be done in about a week, it is always a good practice to tie in these skills into your math and even in
Strategies and Kahoot Games to Practice 4th Grade Measurement and Elapsed Time Read More »
We’ve all been through this. Students can solve problems on a worksheet in isolation, but when they are given the same concept in a word problem, they are lost. No worries. I’ll walk you through how I implement problem solving skills in my classroom. Pay attention to DOK. We know that providing questions with rigor
Avoiding the Overwhelm with Word Problems Read More »
I hope by now that you are enjoying your summer break. Summer for my wife and I means means spending time outside – particularly camping. So far my wife and I have had three opportunities to take out our camper and enjoy the great outdoors. When our kids were younger, we always camped in a
☀️ Sun, ⛺️Fun, 🦜Birds and 📏Measurement Freebies Read More »
Even as the year winds down, many kids love to finish goals in their subject areas. I’m big on earning badges through the year to mark learning accomplishments. For example, in my math class, we have 30 topics in an online assessment program (Learning Farm) that kids can earn medals as they show mastery. As
How to Wrap Up a School Year with Fun AND Learning Read More »
It always cracks me up when a student says “I know my multiplication facts, but I don’t know how to divide.” Many students struggle with the concept of fact families as they relate to multiplication and division. However, developing fluency with basic division facts is a key foundational skill to learning long division. How do you
Developing Division Fact Fluency Read More »
Long division is easily the most challenging 4th grade math calculation your students will learn. It involves a complicated (sometimes confusing) algorithm and requires a strong fluency of basic facts for not just for division, but also multiplication, and subtraction, too. To master the steps requires a lot of practice, practice, more practice. This post
10 Teaching Tips for Long Division Using the Standard Algorithm Read More »
Long division is a skill which requires a lot of practice to master and patience to teach. I typically spend at least 3 weeks covering this topic and use Kahoot as a formative assessment tool to test student understanding. For tips and tricks for making long division a positive experience for your student, check out
Kahoot Games to Practice the Standard Method for Long Division Read More »
