Bilateral/Mirror Symmetry
Using folded paper and scissors, students create designs with bilateral (mirror) symmetry. CCSS: 4.G.3
Title I Section 1118. Parent Involvement: Nifty Numbers and Math Medley Family Math Night Events
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…
Student-Created Pattern Block Puzzles
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…
Fractions in the Fourth Grade
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
Identify, Describe, Analyze, Create, and Reason with Shapes and their Attributes
Here’s something super easy to do with kindergartners and first graders that covers a lot of the Common Core geometry standards. You will need one geoboard per student and some geobands. Working in small groups, ask students to design different shapes on their geoboards. Discuss the attributes of the shapes and compare different shapes such as rectangles and triangles. Next, have students create different shapes within specific parameters. For example, design a triangle that touches exactly 4 pegs. See photo…