Print and share this pdf which covers the areas of: Supporting positive attitudes towards mathematics Being an active participant in your child’s learning Creating an appropriate learning environment Promoting critical thinking and problem-solving Showing an interest in what your child is doing and learning in school
Patterns. It was always a theme throughout the school year in my mathematics classes. So to kick-off patterns, during the first week of school, the students create a color pattern using their name. Then, we discuss the patterns made by names of different lengths. It may seem like a simple activity, but some great conversations can be generated when students focus on the reasons why certain patterns appear. For example, in the photo above, there are 15 squares in each…
Building Strong Family-School Partnerships Educating our children requires a team effort. Today’s schools actively engage parents as partners around student learning. Nifty Numbers and Math Medley Family Math Nights are perfect examples of this in action. These fun and academically engaging events help parents feel connected, not only to the school community, but to their child’s learning, as well. When families attend the event, teachers feel supported in helping students learn and kids see first-hand the value their parents place…
There are a lot of commercially made pattern block task cards. For the primary grades, this is a great time saver. But what about getting our upper elementary students to make their own cards…ones that can be used with the entire class. Kids love it when they’re given opportunities to be creative. And since learning increases the more engaged students become in what they’re doing, it’s a win/win. Using pattern block triangle paper (link below), have students make a design…
Here’s a fun way to tie in some fraction work. Students will be making their own number trails using inch graph paper and then using them to develop their understanding of fractions. It’s nice to give them the ownership of making their trails any way they want. Just make sure all students have trails that are the same length in numbers. CCSSM: 3.NF.A.1; 3.NF.A.3a; 3.NF.A.3b; 3.NF.A.3c; 3.NF.A.3d; 4.NF.A.1; 4.NF.A.2; 4.NF.B.3b; 4.NF.B.3d