We are finishing up our Quadratics unit in Algebra 1 and I wanted to share some of my favorite foldables and activities. Below is a cut and paste activity that we did as soon as we finished going over the basic key terms of quadratics. For the ROXS column, I tell my students that the acronym stands for Roots, Zeros, X-Intercepts, and Solutions to help them with the vocabulary. Students did extremely well on this activity and in hindsight, I did not know how much I would appreciate adding the factors columns. Here are some Transformations of Quadratics interactive notebook pages that I used. I really liked these pages because students were able to visually see the transformation and explain what was "happening." After the foldable, students worked on their first partner activity of the new year. I forgot how much collaboration and communication occurs when students work together on partner activities. Students really enjoy checking their answers with a partner! We spent two days covering transformations of quadratics and on the second day, students completed the following Desmos Challenge that was created by MathyCathy and Michael Fenton: I absolutely LOVED this Desmos Challenge and so did students. If there are any more Desmos challenges similar to this one, please send them my way! This is all we were able to cover before Spring Break so I knew I had to create a review game when students came back. I ended up making a PPT review game where class periods ended up competing for the most point. The class period that received the most points received a jolly rancher and free homework pass. I don't know about your students, but my students LOVE companions! The following day, we went over the vertex form in their notebook and completed a Google Slides activity in Schoology. Below is a Google Slides activity that I assigned to students where they had to copy and paste the triangle to the correct location. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post. If you end up trying some of these activities and foldables, I would love to know! If you would like to use the activities and foldables, click on the links below: Quadratic Key Terms Quadratic Key Words Graphic Organizer Transformations of Quadratics Foldable Transformations Partner Activity Google Slides Vertex Form Activity (FILE - MAKE A COPY)

Why I don't review the syllabus on the first day of class in high school and what I do instead. Fun first day of school activities and icebreakers!

So, you've been thinking about trying out stations in your middle or high school math classroom. There's a lot to learn for sure, but once you get them situated and they become part of your classroom routine, the possibilities and benefits are endless.

A lesson plan! A lesson plan! My kingdom for a lesson plan!

This review game for middle or high school students is SO MUCH FUN! I play this in my classroom before test day. It could be used for math, science, social studies or any other subject! It's an easy, active game that I often play instead of trashketball.

How do you use make and use guided notes in the high school math classroom? This post explains the how and why to use guided notes.

This post explains how teachers can use an academic version of the highly engaging Spoons game to review concepts. Free games included!

These are my favorite songs to use in high school math classes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and your students love them also!

Giving classroom jobs to middle school and high school students allows them to feel useful and creates a sense of belonging in the classroom. In applying for and carrying out classroom jobs, students will practice real world skills plus it takes a few tasks off your plate, allowing you to focus more on instruction. Read on for how to get started and ideas for jobs.

A fun and engaging Geometry Project on Measuring Angles where students design a Putt-Putt Course. Examples, rubrics, worksheets, and more included!

A blog about free resources for the secondary math classroom.

Learn and review on the go! Use Quick Review Calculus Notes to help you learn or brush up on the subject quickly. You can use the review notes as a reference, to understand the subject better and improve your grades.

Set yourself and your students up for success by planning your high school classroom procedures and routines this school year.

This is the fifth installment in the Everything You Ever Wanted To Know about Using Exit Tickets in your Math Classroom blogging series. If you haven’t already, check out the first four posts and t…

The biggest challenge with teaching middle school is the race against the clock! Ideas for how to structure a 60 minute class period.

Do you struggle with finding interesting ways to teach ESL listening skills? Maybe you have an activity or two already but you want to be able to mix it up and keep things interesting. By the end of…

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

One fun math idea to incorporate as a weekly routine is a Challenge of the Week problem. It is optional for students to give it a try, but I've found that just by adding the word challenge and hyping it up a little bit...kids love to give it a shot! The problem is always an extension of what we are studying that week in class. I put each new challenge up on Monday morning and students have until the end of the day on Thursday to turn in their solutions to the turn in basket pictured. We go over the challenge every Friday after our daily warm-up problem. Students who answered the problem get a small prize (mints in my classroom!) and the recognition of solving the Challenge of the Week! Enjoy! Both my 6th grade challenge problems and 8th grade challenge problems are FREE! Be sure to grab a copy and use them with your students! Here was one of our first Challenge of the Week problems this year during our fraction multiplication unit. Go Badgers...Wisconsin sports is a fairly common them in my classroom! After multiplying fractions, we moved on to multiplying and dividing mixed numbers. I love how this problem really makes them work backwards and think about the process of multiplying fractions and mixed numbers! As we moved into our rates and ratios unit, this problem was one of the more challenging this year. My students get to know my love of baseball pretty early on in the year! Another challenging rates and ratios problem. Especially letter c... Here was a great problem that I used during our percents, fractions, and decimals unit a few weeks ago. Another Problem of the Week from our percents, fractions, and decimals unit! This one was from later in the chapter when we learned how to find the percent of a number. For our shortened Thanksgiving week, I got creative and researched some crazy Thanksgiving statistics. Seems like a lot of turkey per person, but I guess the stats don't lie! Here is a challenge that relates to order of operations! I also had to show one of my students responses because of how complex it was. I love it when I see things like this in sixth grade! On the left is the problem of the week. On the right is one of my the student's response. I rewrote it so that I could go through it with all of my classes. They loved the challenge of having to use order of operations to solve such a complicated problem! After introducing algebraic expressions at the beginning of our algebra units, here was a challenge of the week that I had A LOT of students try! As we continued our units of algebra, here is a challenge of the week that I had students try BEFORE we learned about two-step equations. I liked the writing aspect of this problem, as well as how open-ended it is! Once we learned about two-step equations, I made our challenge of the week a little tougher...fractions AND decimals! More two-step equations! This challenge of the week was also a great review of dividing fractions and mixed numbers from the start of the year. This challenge of the week involved finding a two-step rule for the function table! This problem was as we were nearing the end of our algebra units. I like how it brought together everything that we had been learning about...equations, function tables, and graphs! On to solving inequalities! This problem was before we had learned about solving two-step inequalities. Two-step inequalities with fractions! This was a tricky one for the sixth graders! This challenge of the week was just prior to learning how to find the measure of a reflex angle. I had a lot of students who remembered to subtract from 360 degrees! This one was one of my favorites! Some students surprised me by finding angle C first. I hadn't even thought to solve it that way! This problem sparked a fun discussion of the names of different polygons...including a megagon (1,000,000-sided polygon). Translations, reflections, and rotations! Putting it all together! The rotation step was tricky for my students because most of the examples we did in class were rotated around the origin! Moving on to areas...this problem was just after learning about how to find the area of parallelograms and triangles! More work with areas! I really enjoyed creating these area challenge problems! Putting it all together with a composite area problem. This was challenging with the two semi-circles! Composite volumes...combining what we learned about finding the volume of rectangular prisms and pyramids! This might have been my favorite problem to create! Who doesn't want to solve a problem with a floating pyramid inside of a rectangular prism!

I develop curriculum for middle school math. I focus on using critical-thinking skills in my content so the math makes sense to the students.

The Unfair Game is a totally unfair twist on Jeopardy that your students will LOVE to hate! Learn how to play and find sample game boards in this post.

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

For years, I have witnessed, over and over again, the value of using pictures to teach reading skills in my classroom. I always use them to introduce reading skills like inference, story elements, ca

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

Education in the USA - ESL worksheets

High school teacher Grace Dearborn says students don’t all respond to consequences in the same way, so teachers need a full toolbox of options.

Are you eager for students in your classroom to conceptually understand integers and master the skills required for integer operations?

Caught the flu from a family member? Don't sweat it (pun intended) - you've got more options for prepping your substitute teacher than you think. Although I'm not a substitute teacher myself, I teach in a building that has a REALLY hard time getting enough substitute teachers, so I've *somewhat* been in that role by filling in for other teachers, both planned in advance or at the last minute. If you're in a middle or high school setting, you've probably noticed that the primary world seems to have cutesy solutions all over Pinterest for substitute teachers, and our sphere is more silent on this topic. News Flash: You don't need a cute "sub tub", or even a perfect printed pile of lessons on your desk when the other teacher walks in the door. But there are a few things that ARE essential before you're gone for any length of time. So here's a starter list of ideas to get you started! Do this first (before you get sick)... 1. Make your sub binder or folder. Pick a bright binder or folder and keep it in an obvious place - on top of, or near your desk - so that a sub could find it easily, even if it's not laid out front and center for him or her. Make sure your sub folder includes: A detailed, annotated version of your daily schedule - including any notes about where to go or what to expect! Copies of all your class lists/rosters, and/or any attendance forms you want to be used. Don't be afraid to annotate this list with any special notes about students, including allergies or behavioral FYI's. (Note: if your attendance is electronic, include directions for how to deal with that!) Copies of seating charts, if you use them. Emergency paperwork, such as directions of what to do if there's a fire drill or other alarm. Don't assume your sub is familiar with classroom or building norms! Technology instructions, whether that's how-to details about how to use your projector or rules about the technology that STUDENTS are allowed to use. 2. Appoint one student helper per class period. Pick a responsible student in every class period who you can trust to follow your rules, and ask him or her to be the sub's appointed helper. This student could be trusted to pass out or collect papers, be a "runner" to the office, or perhaps verify if a classroom rule is true or not. Once you have that set up, be sure to write the names of your student helpers in the sub binder somewhere (perhaps with each class period list/roster). 3. Post your classroom rules (either in general, or for Sub Days) Laminate and post a paper on the wall/board that has student rules or reminders on it. Doing so can give the sub something to fall back on, and cue the students to be on decent behavior... Are there rules that you want to make sure are followed? Will students be rewarded upon your return if you get a good report? Will today's activity be worth double the points? Options for Sub Lessons This is the more controversial part of my post because teachers have very strong and varied opinions about the "best" way to spend such a day of lessons. But here's my no-judgment list of ideas anyway. 1. Have a preprinted, stand-alone lesson in your binder. A popular option among many teachers is providing a single, easy-to-teach and easy-to-complete lesson or activity that is mutually beneficial for the sub and students. Here are a few of my own sub-friendly lessons that would NOT require technology: Theme mini-lesson: apply to any novel or short story! Greek & Latin Roots Activities, to inject a little vocab into the day Poetry Mad Libs, to read and imitate classic American or British lit poems! Here are a few that would require some tech, such as a projector: Public Speaking, according to TED: play videos and complete guided notes! Word Crimes: Activities to go with the music video ...Enter the Controversy... The suggestion I gave above is fine. It's what a lot of people do... BUT, you don't HAVE to leave behind a printed lesson, and you don't have to stay up late writing a quiz for the sub to pass out. (Gasp.) There are easier options, if you're willing (and allowed) to use them! 2. Give students a reading day. If you have an independent reading program already in place, OR if you are in the middle of a literature unit, why not just give students a reading day? They'd probably appreciate the "bonus" time to get caught up (or ahead) in their current books! 3. Give students a work day/ study hall. If they already have a project or assignment in motion, why not just give them a writing day and/or study hall? Most secondary students have enough homework on their plates that they'd use a study hall fairly efficiently (not to mention that they'd appreciate the "break"!) 4. Give a writing prompt and/or timed writing. In your sub binder, leave a writing prompt that the sub can write on the board, along with any directions you wish to give students. It can be a timed, in-class activity that they must finish and turn in within the class period, OR one that they start in class and finish (or proofread) for homework. Gone for more than one day? When I'm going to be gone for a longer period of time, I'm thinking a lot about what I can comfortably ask another teacher to do... that is still good use of student time... that won't make me feel guilty for what I'm asking of the teacher. Here are just a few multi-day or multi-week lessons that are self-explanatory enough in someone else's hands! Choice Writing Menus: Seasonal prompts that let students write in multiple genres on relevant topics... very self-explanatory and conducive to in-class writing time Five Paragraph Essay Unit: Easy-to-follow single lessons that could culminate in an essay Short Story Unit that puts some of the teacher role on students, instead of the sub! Two Truths and a Lie: Creative writing with a twist 15 Minutes of Fame, my best-selling public speaking project for a reason! Just read the teacher/buyer comments to see why it might work well in your absence. Why Grammar? Unit, if you want to weave in some nonfiction reading and writing Have other ideas for substitute teachers? I'd love to hear them in the comments!

Let's dive into some new options to teach vocabulary, for those who have the time and energy to pursue them. In this post and podcast, I'm sharing ten ideas for making the study of vocabulary something students might even look forward to.

A multiple choice quiz after reading is a quick and easy way to check student comprehension, but it doesn't allow you to assess deeper understanding and it certainly isn't fun or creative. If you are looking for more meaningful and engaging activities to use with students during literature circles or a novel unit, here's twelve ideas that are favorites in my classroom and the Common Core standards they align with.

Do you want to know the secondary classroom procedure I can't live without??

Short stories and poetry are great, but it's usually a novel that fosters a true love for reading in the English classroom.This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teaching novels. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the novels they use at different grade levels. Teachers also shared their methods of reading: whole class or literature circles, in-class or independently as homework. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.

Doodlr is a spin on Tumblr. Students make connections with words and symbols through doodling. This activity includes a parabola graphic organizer for students to label in relation to real-world scenarios. Available in printable form and digital for Google Slides.Add more iMath activities to the pho...

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Teaching divisibility rules is more fun and engaging with these divisibility rules doodle notes and math doodle wheel!

In a self-paced classroom, each student is given an appropriate level of challenge and grows at a steady pace throughout the school year. Here's how it works.

These dynamically created Pre-Algebra Worksheets allow you to produce algebraic expressions worksheets.

Today I wanted to stop by and share some strategies for teaching vowel teams and diphthongs in our classroom! It’s always challenging to teach spelling patterns that aren’t easily decodable! […]

TED Talks are informative, engaging, and often leave me thinking. Here are some of my favorite TED Talks for students in middle and high school.

Here are six essential back to school lessons I’ll be using in my classroom this back-to-school season.

Are you looking for a poster that shows the 4 different types of slope? In this post I link a free slope poster to download and add to an algebra word wall. Recently updated slope guy with a color and also black and white version.

3-Act Math Tasks are some of the most powerful learning experiences I've used in my middle school classroom. Learn about the research behind these effective teaching practices, and grab some incredible ready-to-go lessons for every grade level, primary to high school! #math #mathteacher #mathclass #3actmath #teaching

Trying to teach adjectives but it just won't "stick" in their brains? You know I like to sing!!! Click on the picture above or my blog button below to grab this freebie. I made it in color or in black and white - just for you! It's an easy Google Drive download! It's down towards the bottom of the post - but it's there! :)

I have a confession to make. During my years in the science classroom, I was never able to sustain a long-term warm-up or bell-ringer routine with my