We know that flexibility is an essential part of fluency, but it can be hard to wrap our heads around how to teach it. Number tiles can help students actually SEE the computation. Students can manipulate the numbers in different ways to see relationships between operations and think flexibly. Math confidence increases because students see […] The post Using Number Tiles to Build Number Sense, Understanding, and Metacognition appeared first on Shelley Gray ..read more

Do your students possess fraction sense? Fraction sense involves a deep, conceptual understanding of fractions as numbers. This goes far beyond simply shading parts of a whole or identifying numerators and denominators. It involves true, flexible understanding. Errors in fraction calculations can often be traced back to poor fraction sense. For example, think of a […] The post Five Simple Activities to Help Your Students Build Fraction Sense appeared first on Shelley Gray ..read more

Have you tried Model Drawing in your classroom? I recently read the book 8 Step Model Drawing by Bob Hogan and Char Forsten. I have always been a fan of bar models, but this book was an eye opener. Bar models can be used for so many purposes beyond basic problem-solving. But as a problem-solving tool, they are super effective. The authors state that about 80% of word problems that students encounter can be effectively solved using models like these. I’m going to be doing a lot more work with bar models as a problem solving tool, but for now here’s a video that might help you get started ..read more

Measures of central tendency, or mean, median, and mode, is a math topic that can easily be made relevant and meaningful for students. Instead of simply giving students sets of numbers and having them calculate the mean, median, and mode with no real-life relevance, there are many activities you can do that will engage your students and make it easier to remember the difference between the three measures. But first, what are mean, median, and mode? Mean, median, and mode are measures of central tendency, or ways to describe the central value of a data set. Although mean,  median, and mo ..read more

Has your vocabulary routine gotten stale? Word of the Day or Words of the Week is a fun way to incorporate new vocabulary into your daily classroom routine without much extra time. Better yet, your students will love the challenge of building and using their vocabulary! In this post, I’ll explore how to use this Building Vocabulary resource to enrich word study in your classroom.     This resource includes everything you need to implement a Words of the Week or Word of the Day routine in your classroom. You’ll find digital slides for introducing each word, word cards to post on your ..read more

Do you have a vocabulary routine in your classroom? How intentional are you about helping your students build their vocabulary? Imagine if all students possessed a rich and robust vocabulary to help them comprehend text, enhance their writing, and serve them as a communication tool throughout the rest of their lives! But this can be difficult amidst all the other concepts you need to teach. Luckily, there are some simple ways we can help students nurture and expand their vocabularies, all while keeping engagement and motivation high. Here are some of my favorite ideas!     Word Map ..read more

  If there is one routine that has the potential to transform the way that number sense is built in your classroom, it is number talks. I absolutely LOVE number talks and how they increase students’ math confidence and help them build flexibility and strategic thinking. Also – they’re just plain FUN! In this 30-minute free number talks training, I’ll walk you through: – how to conduct a traditional number talk – why you need to make this an essential part of your math routine – 8 of my favorite ways to talk about numbers (add these simple ideas to your math routine to build students ..read more

  If you are currently using or considering using the Early Finisher Board or Math Choice Board, this 30-minute free training will be helpful for you. Throughout the video, I’ll explain exactly what the early finisher and math choice boards are and how they work in your classroom. I’ll also share tons of pictures I’ve received from teachers over the years that will inspire you to create your board in a way that works for your unique classroom. Whether you use a tri-fold board, a bin/tub system, a bulletin board, or even portable folders, there are many ways that you can make the material ..read more

Math can be a challenging subject for many students. However, it doesn’t have to be all textbooks and equations. Incorporating math games into your classroom can transform the learning experience, making it engaging, interactive, and fun! I love math games because they are another way to reinforce basic skills, but in a way that keeps engagement high and students engaged.   Over the years, I’ve published many posts about math games, but recently took ten of my favorites and compiled them into a ten-week email series. Each week for 10 weeks, you’ll receive a free, no-prep math game direct ..read more

Fractions can be one of the most difficult concepts for kids to understand. Often there is a disconnect between the fraction activities that we do in school, and how fractions are used in real life. If we want students to understand how important fractions are in everyday life, then we must give them opportunities to see how we use them everyday. Picture books are a fantastic way to do that.  Luckily, there are a lot of math read alouds available to teachers. However, without flipping through the book, it can be difficult to know which one will be relevant to our students. That’s where ..read more