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Category: Grades K-2

Really, Texas? No calculators?

Really, Texas? No calculators?

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I just read that the Texas State Board of Education is getting rid of calcuators in the elementary grades. It’s a good thing, too, because I’ve no doubt that every kindergarten through fifth grade teacher hands their students calculators so that these teachers can get out of doing what they love doing…teaching. Honestly. Although not approved yet, it’s only a matter of time. Because, as we all know, politicians know best. And, yes board members, you are politicians. I remember…

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Plotting Ordered Pairs in First Grade!

Plotting Ordered Pairs in First Grade!

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This is a super fun activity I did in first grade. I glued a magnet on to a plastic fly my kids had in their insect collection. Then I read the story The Fly on the Ceiling to a group of first graders. I used my plastic fly to plot the points on the grid as I read the story. But the best part was when I had students create points for each other to plot. They absolutely LOVED that!

Pocket Chart Concentration – A Game for K-1 Students

Pocket Chart Concentration – A Game for K-1 Students

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I used a bunch of left-over stickers I had to make the cards. The first time I played it w/ them, I had only 4 rows and 6 columns. They need to say the letter first followed by the number (getting ready to read the X axis and the Y axis). If students win a pair, they hold on to it and we move on to the next student. Super FUN! .

Working with Equal Groups: CCSS Grade 2

Working with Equal Groups: CCSS Grade 2

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Here’s a super fun, super easy way to address one of the Grade 2 content standards: Work with equal groups to understand multiplication. This can also be done with stickers! CCSS: 2.OA.4 (although not done using rectangular arrays)

How to Use Rectangular Arrays to Teach Multiplication, Factors, Composites, Primes, Squares

How to Use Rectangular Arrays to Teach Multiplication, Factors, Composites, Primes, Squares

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Watchthe video below to see how simple objects like tiles, stickers, rubber stamps, dice, and graph paper help teach students important concepts in number theory: factors, primes, composites, and square numbers…not to mention the great reinforcement of multiplication facts. Grades 2 – 5 CCSS: 2.OA.4; 2.NBT.2; 3.OA.1; 3.OA.3; 3.OA.5; 3.OA.7; 4.OA.1; 4.OA.4