Are you looking for a way teaching math vocabulary in a more visual and conceptual way? To differentiate for your struggling learners? Every year, it seems we get more and more visual learners coming into our classrooms, learners who benefit from math word walls that show concepts and vocabulary in action. This approach has worked wonders in my classroom and I know it will in yours! Adding a visual math word wall to my classroom completely changed how my students access our math vocabulary and the concepts we learn in class. Our math word walls are covered in examples and visuals that show the math concepts in context along with the vocabulary words we cover in class.
This bulletin board poster will help your math class remember the difference between the X-Axis and Y-Axis and will look GREAT on your wall!
I have been using interactive math notebooks in my classroom for as long as I can remember. Math notebooks are a great place for students to take notes, record definitions and sample problems, and practice new skills. They are perfect to use for direct instruction and guided practice, in small groups or as a whole class.…
Ready to make math centers work in shorter middle school class periods? Get the details - structure, scheduling, activities, and more!
Learn how to provide math intervention that will make an impact in your classroom while making your life easier!
We have a whole collection of matchstick puzzles that are easy for you to print and enjoy. Use them as classroom worksheets or just to have some fun at home.
Help your students become multiplication masters.
Are you looking for examples of "I do, we do, you do"? This blog post provides examples of it in action in the classroom and in lesson plans.
Learn about spiraling standards in the classroom, and why it is a more effective way of teaching. Learn five tips for incorporating spiraling into your own classroom.
Here is a fun way to motivate students in a math journal or math workbook! As you teach a new concept or unit of study, introduce the reference tools...
Although the original idea comes from Algebrainiac, my colleague, J.J. Martinez, first heard about Dance Dance Transversal when participating in a middle school math chat (#msmathchat) on Twitter. …
The 5 Best Methods & Specific Tips on HOW to Incorporate Each in Your Own Classroom Being a teacher is a tough business. It can be hard to navigate the classroom and know if your teaching methods are
Are you looking for a fun hands-on activity for teaching quadratic trinomial factoring? A factoring activity we did in class using cereal is described in this post as well as links to other fun quadratics activities.
This Sudoku Bulletin Board Set is sure to be a hit with your class! It contains two different puzzles (Irregular Sudoku and Classic Sudoku) with a hard and easy version of each.
It is possible to use math small group instruction in middle school with a bit of upfront planning! Tips for implementation and ideas to get your math small groups running smoothly.
Collaborative Problem-Solving in Math - group work for math where everyone works
A blog about creative products and the joys of teaching 5th grade!
I absolutely LOVE a good classroom transformation. First of all, the look on a kids face when they walk into a classroom filled with black lights or decked out like a pirate ship? Priceless! Worth the extra work 1,000 times over. But the academic gains are also note worthy. I notice a huge increase
Here’s an update on this year:1) I am still in 1st grade, but with an entirely new team. It has been a little weird and overwhelming at times, but it’s getting better. Two of my teamm…
Create a Math Block I can't say this enough. An effective math block will help you tremendously! It creates routine and structure that you need to make sure everyone is on task. This is what I include in my math block: Engaging Mini Lessons Math centers Independent practice visuals throughout the classroom Use A
Classroom Management: Using a WOW Board No comments Classroom Management, student recognition, WOW board Have you heard of the WOW board? This tool is not a brand new idea, but I only started using it last year. And, I intend to keep using it! Using a WOW board is a great (and super easy) way to recognize individual students and reward their choices, achievements, and efforts. It is also a great way to boost self-esteem too. What is it? The board is simply a table that is printed onto poster sized paper. The table is labeled with letters along the bottom, and numbers along the side, creating cells. It is laminated so it can be used again and again. I printed my board using the standard poster size setting on our poster maker. I know that some schools may not have a poster maker, but there is no rule that says your WOW board has to be poster sized! How do you use it? When you see a student making a smart choice, setting a good example, making gains, or whatever you feel should be recognized, they add their name to the board. They can choose any space they want and write their name in the selected space. Many WOW boards have 100 spaces, but I like for it to fill up quickly, so my board has only 25 spaces. Since I use other means of recognizing students, like reward tags, I didn't want a board with 100 spaces. Since the board is laminated, students can use an Expo Vis-a-Vis marker to add their name. This makes it easy to erase and start over when we're ready to do so. What do you do when the board is full? When the board is full of students' names, I choose 5 students to receive a "prize." Really, they get to choose a classroom reward coupon. Prize buckets and I don't get along (#clutter). The classroom rewards cost me nothing and the kids love them. You can find all sorts of classroom reward options on TPT. Then, I erase the board and we start filling it up again and the cycle repeats. How do you choose the winners? I usually just pick five random cells and write them on a sticky note, without looking to see whose names are in those cells. For example, I might write down A3, C4, B5, D2, E1. I call out the cell number and identify the name of the student written in that cell. They're a winner! You could write all your cells (i.e. A1, A2, A3, etc.) on color tiles, small slips of paper, or anything else you can fit into a small bucket. Then, when it is time to choose your winners, you just pull a tile, slip of paper, etc. out of the bucket and match it to the name in that space on your board. Using a Wow board is just another way to recognize your students and motivate them to do their best. If you'd like to give it a try, you can download my free template. If your school doesn't have a poster maker, don't dismiss the idea of using a WOW board. You could easily print this on regular paper and just use a smaller sized version. The kids will still love it! DON'T FORGET IT, PIN IT! Share It:
Stop taking away recess and using other punishments to control your students. Find success with 10 powerful classroom management strategies!
Keeping students engaged through extension activities - 9 Ideas to incorporate in your classroom
Use a good behavior grid as a part of your classroom management strategies for your middle school classroom to create a positive learning environment.
Planning the first day of school can be stressful! Learn my 3 favorite activities that will allow you to have the perfect first day of middle school math!
The self-paced classroom benefits students and teachers! We share how to make it a reality in your classroom using the Grid Method.
A few years ago, I created a set of group work roles posters for my classroom. These were inspired by Ilana Horn's Strength in Numbers.
An easy way to increase rigor use this free resource. This graphic organizer will help students take information and organize it by....
Some days you just need a break from the monotony! Preparing for exams, transitioning to a new unit, days when half your students are gone for a basketball tour
I absolutely LOVE my job! Helping teachers meet the needs of their students makes me giddy. When I can save you a little time, I get crazy excited. And every time one of your students uses a Not So Wimpy resource, I like to think that they are my student too. So I've created a whole
In too many classrooms, students aren't really thinking. It's time to try something different.
Raffle tickets are a great way to practice math skills in the classroom, but did you know they can be a great management tool, too? Today I want to share
Students are given a set of cards that have either an algebraic expression or a word sentence. They then have to match up the expressions with the word sentences. This is not meant to be a big activity but just a quick one to help kids connect the different forms. You could use this in grade 7, 8 or 9. NOTE: This activity has been updated and a newer version can be found here Gr7 - translate phrases describing simple mathematical relationships into algebraic expressions, using concrete materials Gr8 - translate statements describing mathematical relationships into algebraic expressions and equations MPM1D, MFM1P - As review There are four sets. Print each on a different colour card stock (there is no real reason for this except that if the cards get mixed up it is easier to get them back into their groups) and laminate (if possible) then cut them out. Mix each set up and put each into an envelope Because there are only four sets, you will have to make up multiple sets depending on how big your class is. Put students into pairs or triads Give each group one set of cards Students are to match up the word sentence with the algebraic expression If time permits, have groups trade sets for a different colour. Number Sentences (doc) (pdf) Did you use this activity? Do you have a way to make it better? If so tell us in the comment section. Thanks
About me math activities and ideas that engage students are here! Head back to school with these about me math tasks for 3rd, 4th, 5th graders
It is that time of year again! We are all getting back into the swing of a schedule (which means lots of coffee for me)! From my experience, those first few days of middle school can be tough for some students. I have tried many things for those first days. I always give a quick overview of my Rule
Do your students ask, “Why are we learning this?” or “When will I ever use this?” Real-life math projects answer these questions by allowing students to work with meaningful, relevant situations that they might encounter
