As teachers, there is always a balance between teaching students our content area, and following the curriculum, but also teaching students other core skills that they will need for our class or for others. I am often asked about how to integrate more math into science class. Here are five strategies that I have found to be helpful.
Geometric Art
Learn how to make quilt patterns using the Fibonacci sequence in this STEAM activity integrating Math and Art.
I love teaching math! I also love integrating math concepts with literacy and art! I had just done a unit on fractions that included measurement and line plots. The students did a fantastic job on their understanding of fractional equivalence and comparison, but I didn’t really spend very much time on line plots in a...Read More »
Discover how math writing prompts boost students' understanding of math and increase their ability to communicate math ideas.
Geometric Art
It seems like mathematics is a subject that falls into three categories: you like it, you know enough to get by, or you absolutely hate it. For those who love it, I applaud you all. Now you can learn how … Read More
Here’s the deal with hands-on math. I know it’s a lot easier to print a few worksheets for your students and tell them to have at it. Sometimes, that may be
Make math fun and engaging for homeschoolers by teaching math through cooking! Teach fractions, measurements, and more with hands-on kitchen activities.
Lots of ideas and pictures of ways to teach reading skills using phonics centers to make learning fun and promote fluency in reading skills.
Make math fun and engaging for homeschoolers by teaching math through cooking! Teach fractions, measurements, and more with hands-on kitchen activities.
This flower symmetry activity is a great way to introduce geometry into your classroom this spring! Students will create gorgeous blooms while they learn!
The best ideas that combine math and art~ Check out this mega list of math art projects for kids! These hands-on activities will make any lesson fun!
Geometric Art
Who says practicing math facts has to be boring? This kinesthetic math activity is perfect to get kids up and learning.
Learn how to make quilt patterns using the Fibonacci sequence in this STEAM activity integrating Math and Art.
A fun, processed based Fibonacci art project for kids. Great for S.T.E.A.M. learning at home or at school.
Introducing this innovative “Rhythm Math Foldable Game”, designed to enhance mastery of basic note durations in music theory. Ideal for elementary general music classrooms, your music students will love folding this origami rhythm game as they memorize essential note values. The objective: Memorize note durations of quarter, half, dotted half, and whole notes. This product includes: -Printable rhythm origami outline -Folding instruction page -Game play instructions By integrating math concepts into rhythm practice, this music game promotes cross-curricular learning. Students develop not only their musical skills but also their mathematical abilities as they explore rhythm through a mathematical lens. This game can be a yearly addition to your music curriculum! *DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW FOR TPT CREDIT! Follow my store for more projects and ideas: Music Is Life!
Looking for a fun activity for grades 3-5? This arts integration lesson focuses on patterns and structure. Discover how to use it in your own classroom.
In our multi-age classroom, integration is the way to go. Most of the math activities I choose are both differentiated and integrated, and it works so well!
If the goal of math instruction is comprehension, it only makes sense to use literacy strategies to teach math. This post is full of useful ideas and tips!
Simple, quick, strategies, and tips for covering standards! Do you struggle to find time to fit in all standards and subjects during the school day? Try using Cross-curricular learning to combine different subjects that children find meaningful, engaging, and relate subjects to real life. When used correctly, cross-curricular boosts critical thinking skills, increase application of skills, structure lessons around themes, and encourage students to become lifelong learners. In primary grades, most teachers are responsible for teaching all subjects making it difficult to cover all standards. In this post I am going to share a few simple, quick, strategies, and easy tips, you can begin using to get you started learning how integrate standards in your classroom. MATH SKILLS THROUGHOUT THE DAYIn math, I have students graph daily by writing simple things on the board. Have you ever...? Do you like...? I teach shapes, counting, addition, subtraction, area, and perimeter daily. When cutting out sorting sheets we discuss the shapes. I will ask, how many rectangles are there on the top row, bottom row.. etc. How many rectangles/squares do we have altogether? We have glued four of the eight rectangles/squares so how many are left? Are the shapes 2D or 3D? If we cut one of the rectangles/squares in half what two shapes will we have?Anytime we are making crafts, using journals, or other activities that require cutting and gluing, we discuss how to glue around the outside edge (perimeter) and on the inside use their glue to make an X (area). When I taught third grade, I started on day one having students look at the clock(s) in my classroom. Together, I'd point out the time, and teach them how to write it down at the top of their paper. As I saw they were able to tell time, I'd start having them right the start and stop times down on their paper. My students got so excited about telling time and it only took me a few seconds to do and gave them daily spiral practice and review. As the year progressed, I would start asking students how long did they think it took us to do this worksheet, which gave me a way to introduce and work daily on elapsed time, a much harder skill. As you can see, these are such simple, effective, and quick ways to cover multiple math skills throughout your day and make learning relevant, engaging, and applicable to real life for your students. WRITING ACROSS SUBJECT AREAS Writing can easily be used in all subjects to help students build fine motor skills, practice correctly writing letters and numbers, drawing and sharing work with peers to build confidence with speaking and grammar skills, and allow children to make connections in life that are relevant and meaningful to them. No matter what grade you teach, the writing process needs to be taught. You need to be teaching correct letter formation, beginning sentences with a capital letter, ending with an end mark, spacing between words, using graphic organizers, and how to use word walls as resources. Make writing fun and engaging by sharing your pen in shared writing activities, let students use different colored highlighters to highlight sight words, synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech, etc. In math, let students use dry erase markers to work math problems, use exit tickets for students to write/draw one opinion they learned.The main thing is to make writing fun, engaging, and meaningful for your students. Below is an example of how I use my Read Aloud for Charlie the Caterpillar to have students writing daily and by using cross-curricular activities I am able to integrated science, vocabulary, writing, sequencing, spelling, and math making ever second of my day count. Click on the image to check out Charlie the Caterpillar. SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES I don't know about you, but covering all the standards in science and social studies were the hardest for me to fit into my day until I learned how to use fiction books, nonfiction books, and shared research activities. For students to see and make meaningful connections in the way subjects integrate, learning must be engaging, exciting, and relevant to real-life! Real life does not come packaged in curriculum boxes. In real life,we use all subjects and skills integrated daily in our lives. When students begin to make that connection you will immediately see your students making progress! One of the best ways I have found to integrate science and social studies is by using my animal unit. I use it to teach syllables, animal classification, different habitats around the world, climates, and weather. Students learn that the different ways animals move are verbs and animal names are nouns. Kids learn how animals meet their basic needs (food, water, shelter), and how animals help us meet our basic needs. I am always doing shared research activities! (Common Core Requirement in all primary grades) For example, when we learn about polar bears and penguins, we use maps, globes, real photos, and technology. Students will locate where each species lives, what they special adaptations they have, then compare and contrast the animals and the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Students will draw and write about what they have learned using graphic organizers, labeling activities, and create crafts and projects and I have been able to cover everything for two weeks but math using one resource. Another example of how I use cross-curricular learning is by using The Biggest Pumpkin Ever,The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever, and The Biggest Snowman Ever. These three fictional books are great for teaching about transportation, cities, towns, governments, and seasons of the year. These two little mice, Clayton and Desmond have problems that need solutions, they have to learn to make good and bad behavior choices, and have friends and neighbors just like kids. Students will also learn how to compare books and characters in a series. By using cross curricular learning, it is easier for students to make real life connections. If you will begin trying just a few of these tips, it will make it easy for you to transition into using cross-curricular learning to combine different subjects. This will save you tons of time, boost critical thinking skills, increase application of skills, structure lessons around themes, and teach your students how to be lifelong learners.
I saw a cute picture on Pinterest using Cheez-It’s to practice area and perimeter. My first thought was, “Pefect Squares!” and could not wait to develop a Square Roots Cheez-It l…
. Have you read Centipede's 100 Shoes? This book is filled with math! Literature and Math connections are among my favorite! Here's a youtube reading of the story! I've created a fun pack to integrate math and literature. This file can be used for 100th day fun. Learn the truth about centipedes through the math integrated in this adorable story! Students will be engaged while investigating how many legs this creepy crawly really has! Click image above to link to my store! I'd love to giveaway three copies of this file in hopes that someone may wish to use as a last minute activity for the 100th day OR possibly a follow up activity! Terms for the FLASH giveaway: One entry for each of the following... Follow my blog, Follow my store, and Share the giveaway. Don't FORGET an Email!!! I will select and winner and announce on this post tonight at 11pm. AND THE WINNER ARE... I'm emailing you now!
See how we incorporated hands-on butterfly math activities for measurement, data, and graphing during our life cycle study. Get FREE printables too!
Math crafts are fun! Add art and crafts to your math lessons to make them more fun! Download a FREE math craft project. #mathcraft #firstgrademathactivities
A round up of over 15 great STEAM projects – where math concepts are used to make pieces of art!
UPDATE, September 2017: This post was originally celebrating a special nearing-the-end-of-the-school-year event titled “Move with Math in May. The event featured four math-and-movement lesson…
How to make an indoor boomerang out of paper. What a fun boredom buster science and engineering project for kids when they are stuck inside!
Our 5th grade classes learned and defined what symmetry means (which is nice for integrating math into the curriculum). I got this l...
Learn three ways for integrating number sense into your math lessons that won't overwhelm you!
Research is clear…learning through movement is an effective way to get students to attend, engage and learn. Click here for a good article on how movement effects the brain. Movement can be added to most any lesson. In my class math is the subject dreaded the most, so I try to add movement to most of our […]
This FUN printable music and math lesson plan is based on students listening to musical excerpts, analyzing them, and identify beat patterns. Integrating music into math using the musical element of rhythm will get students to participate in math in different ways.
Discover the beauty of parabolic curves where maths and art intersect. Learn how to create stunning geometric designs using simple mathematical principles. Perfect for students, artists, and anyone fascinated by the blend of creativity and mathematics.
. Have you read Centipede's 100 Shoes? This book is filled with math! Literature and Math connections are among my favorite! Here's a youtube reading of the story! I've created a fun pack to integrate math and literature. This file can be used for 100th day fun. Learn the truth about centipedes through the math integrated in this adorable story! Students will be engaged while investigating how many legs this creepy crawly really has! Click image above to link to my store! I'd love to giveaway three copies of this file in hopes that someone may wish to use as a last minute activity for the 100th day OR possibly a follow up activity! Terms for the FLASH giveaway: One entry for each of the following... Follow my blog, Follow my store, and Share the giveaway. Don't FORGET an Email!!! I will select and winner and announce on this post tonight at 11pm. AND THE WINNER ARE... I'm emailing you now!
Students will learn all about animals in this 2-week unit.
