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
Super easy way to have 2nd or 3rd graders physically make each of the multiplication facts. They roll two dice (two different colors, one color for rows and the other color for columns) and create the array using stickers or rubber stamps. Sometimes having them use graph paper helps keep the rows and columns lined up. Also, since a regular die only goes up to 6, you can use dice that has 10 faces. Another options would be to cover…
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….
Meaningful math with a purpose! This great hands-on lesson gets students doing math while designing targets. Students become comfortable using the area formula for circles. And the best part is, their targets are set up and used during the school’s fall carnival. Watch the video below for the entire lesson plan. CCSS: 7.G.4 TEKS: 6th grade 6C, 8A, 8B Link to video. .
This is one of my favorite math and art activities. That’s because it involves a mathematical pattern. Using centimeter graph paper, we start with the basic unit which, in this case, is simply one square. I then ask students what they think the area would be if we doubled the size of the square. The first thing they blurt out before thinking is “two”. I then use the graph paper to show them that if I double the square (double…