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Category: Grades K-2

Common Core State Mathematics Standards – What I Don’t Get

Common Core State Mathematics Standards – What I Don’t Get

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I’m frustrated. So I’m going to vent. ‘Sup with the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics? Haven’t we had a set of standards since 1989 that are called the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards followed by the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics in 2000? Wasn’t this already done by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics? What am I missing here? Oh…now the standards are going to be common across all states. That’s the diff? Really? I’ve been in education…

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Skip counting – Multiples of 2

Skip counting – Multiples of 2

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Students use sticky dots to create a caterpillar with a head and 10 body parts. They add eyes, a mouth, and antennae to the head. Then they add two legs to each body part. Finally, they skip count by 2s and write in the number. For the younger ones, I provide a 0-110 number chart for them to use as they write in the numbers. . . . Oops…I didn’t catch this one in time. Her caterpillar is skip counting…

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Money Jars

Money Jars

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Learning to save money is an important life skill. During America Saves Week (February) or Financial Literacy Month (April), I like to have small groups of students rotate through the Money Jar Center. I’ve also done it as a whole class activity with second grade and up. Students do have the option of using a hot glue gun. I go over the rules very carefully. Even so, there are usually a handful who choose not to use the glue gun….

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Celebrate our Base 10 Number System! The 100th Day of School

Celebrate our Base 10 Number System! The 100th Day of School

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There’s no better excuse to have kids counting all day than the 100th day of school. Often, teachers have students bring in 100 of something that they sort into groups of 10 (you can also have each student bring in 10 of something and then combine them to make 100). Or maybe it’s a project made with 100 of something. Or making tally marks and skip counting by fives to 100. Whatever you choose, it’s the perfect way to celebrate…

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Attitude. Its Effect on Math Ability.

Attitude. Its Effect on Math Ability.

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The word ‘math’ conjures up a lot of different feelings in adults. Some have always liked the challenge that math offers. But for far too many, ‘math’ brings up negative emotions. It’s the reason why the sentence, “I was never any good at math” is so widely accepted. But it doesn’t need to be that way. In fact, it shouldn’t be that way. We actually have more control about our feelings towards math than we my think. Since math anxiety…

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