I love asking my upper elementary students to draw a curved line using only straight lines that are at least five inches in length. It stumps them. And that’s part of the fun. Because now I get to show them how to do it! This is a super easy lesson and great to keep in their desks to work on when they finish other work. Mounted on black construction paper, these look awesome on a bulletin board. Students use a…
Recent research points to a students’ early understanding of fractions as critical for later success in mathematics. We need to give our students plenty of hands-on experiences with fraction concepts along with meaningful dialogue about what they are learning. The photo above is an example of developing the idea that fractional parts of a whole unit need to be equal in size. If you feel the colors of the pom poms will get in the way of learning, supply students…
Here’s a great way to help establish a positive classroom environment…a Positive Remarks box. I made this box many, many years ago out of an old shoebox which I decorated with construction paper and stickers. I then told my fourth grade students to be on the lookout for positive things their classmates did. When they saw one, they could write it on a little slip of paper and put it in the Positive Remarks box. To make it easy for…
Here’s a fun game I’ve played with kindergatners and first graders. It’s a twist on the Memory game where two cards are turned over and, if it’s a match, the cards go to that player. The one at the end with most cards is the winner. There are two ways I’ve played it. The first way is to have students match the total number of dots of both cards. The second way is to have students match a numeral card…
This fun hands-on activity is a great way to reinforce counting and develop number sense in preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders. It’s best done in small groups of 4-5 students. The video below goes over the directions in detail and offers ideas for differentiation. Click here for the pdf version. Materials Needed: • 4” Flower pots, 1/student • Blackboard spray paint • Colored chalk • Hairspray • Wiggly eyes, 6/student • Popsicle sticks, 4/student • Die cut flowers, 3/student •…