Do you use math stories in your instruction? We all know the importance of reading for our students. Obviously, teachers spend a lot of time reading in subjects like language arts, and even social studies – but math is probably the most challenging subject when it comes to integrating reading. However, it isn’t impossible! One of my favorite ways to integrate reading with math is through the use of math stories. There are so many amazing math story books out there already, or you can always write your own! (Or have your students write some). If this is something that interests you, keep reading for some ideas for using math…
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10 of the Best Elementary Math Ideas and Activities
Brilliant Elementary Math Ideas Are you on teacher Instagram? If not, you should be! Instagram is one of my favorite ways to find amazing ideas for teaching elementary math. When you connect with hundreds (or thousands) of teachers across the globe, you learn so much! Today, I wanted to share some of the most GENIUS elementary teaching tips and ideas for math that I’ve found on Instagram. If you like the ideas, too, then click the links for each one and give them a follow! 1. Teaching Times Tables I love this tip from @perfectforprimary! Instead of teaching times tables in order from 1-12, she teaches them in a more…
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How to Use Math Bingo to Engage and Improve Understanding
Using Math Bingo in the Classroom I don’t know about you, but my students always went crazy over bingo! It’s such a simple game, but what can I say? They loved it. Bingo was a regular go-to to help review educational concepts, or just for fun during holidays are class parties! I especially loved using math bingo to support my students in math. Obviously, bingo is a fun game – but can it really be all that educational? Or is it all just fluff? Personally, I believe that bingo can be an incredibly rigorous activity – as long as it’s used correctly! Let’s explore how we can use bingo in…
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This is One of My Favorite Christmas STEM Activities!
Christmas STEM Activities ‘Tis the season, friends! Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Because of this, I often go a little crazy in my classroom at Christmastime. I’m a huge fan of seasonal and holiday-themed activities. Last year, I shared some Christmas STEM activities and science experiments, including one of my favorites – a jingle bell maze! This particular activity is so elaborate that I felt it needed it’s own dedicated blog post! So, today I’m going to walk you step-by-step through the process of having your students create their very own jingle bell maze. Jingle Bell Maze Teacher Prep Before you start, you’ll need to have all…
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How to Use Cups to Make Fun Math Activities
Fun Math Activities with Cups There are so many great math activities out there for students. Between Amazon, the Target Dollar Spot, and your local teacher store, it isn’t hard to spend a few hundred bucks on math games and activities for your students. Unfortunately, our teacher salary doesn’t exactly give us the flexibility to drop that kind of cash…so, finding budget-friendly solutions for fun math activities is important! Fortunately, there are many activities you can make yourself for a fraction of the cost of a store-bought equivalent! I call these “math DIYs.” Previously, I shared some activities that you can make out of paper plates. Today, I want to…
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3 Quick Thanksgiving STEM Activities You’ll Be Thankful For
Thanksgiving STEM Activities I know how the week right before a break for a holiday goes – it can be absolutely crazy! And sometimes, you even start running out of things to teach. You don’t want to start something new right before the break, so what do you do to fill the extra time? STEM challenges are a great solution to this problem! They both engage and challenge students, and the way I do them, they’re incredibly low-prep and inexpensive! So, if you find yourself needing a quick and meaningful activity this month, here are some of my favorite Thanksgiving STEM activities. 1. Corn on the Cob For this STEM…
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5 Simple and Fun Fraction Games Math Students Will Love
Fraction Games for Math Does anyone else just hate teaching fractions? I’m not sure what it is, but it’s just not my thing at all. If you feel the same way, then maybe you’re looking for some fun ways to switch up your instruction. Today, I’m sharing 5 fraction games math students of all ages will love! These 5 games can be used for students of all grade levels! Whether you’re just working to identify and name fractions, compare fractions, or identify equivalent fractions – there’s a game in here for everyone! 1. Fraction Charades Okay, I know the idea of playing charades with fractions might seem a little confusing.…
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2 Thrilling Halloween STEM Activities That Are Un-BOO-lievably Easy!
Halloween STEM Activities Happy October! Halloween is just around the corner, and if you’re like me, you love incorporating seasonally-themed activities into your instruction! If you’re looking to have a little Halloween fun, then these Halloween STEM activities are perfect for you! They are low-prep and use only materials that can be purchased at Dollar Tree. Your students will be THRILLED to complete these fun STEM challenges! How to Do STEM Challenges STEM challenges have always been a big hit with my students. Typically, STEM challenges involve a short design/engineering task that students are required to complete using only certain materials. They are not told HOW to complete the task,…
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How to Engage Your Students Using Math Games with Dominoes
Math Games with Dominoes If you’ve been around for awhile, then you know how much I love easy, low-prep math games. Games are incredibly engaging for our students, but it can be a pain to have to gather materials for them sometimes. That’s why I’m a huge fan of games that use normal, everyday supplies – like dominoes! Today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite math games with dominoes. These games are all incredibly simple, yet meaningful for students and only require a set of dominoes, plus maybe a sheet of paper or whiteboard to write on. You can use these games as a center or…
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How to Teach Skip Counting and Why It’s Important
How to Teach Skip Counting Skip counting is an often underrated and underused math skill. Obviously, skip counting can help students learn their multiplication facts – but there’s actually so much more to skip counting than that. Many people don’t realize that skip counting goes beyond simply counting by 2s, 5s, etc. If you aren’t sure how to teach skip counting effectively, then keep reading for some tips and strategies. Why Teach Skip Counting? Skip counting is more than just a quick way to count equal groups and a strategy for learning times tables. Being able to quickly and fluently skip count is also an important part of building number…
