Modeling Adding Integers with Algebra Tiles Free Google Drive Resource

 Virtual. Learning. 

Remote. Learning.

Distance. Learning.

Online. Learning.

Whatever your district calls it--this isn't easy. Not that I expected it to be. But this is just so much harder than I thought. There are so many decision to be made as new circumstances come up. I worry that our online learners aren't getting what they need. I worry about our in-class learners. I worry about my math teams and the stress they are under. I am constantly worrying. 

Hopefully in a year we can all look back on this time glad that school is filled with students talking, laughing, not on the computer all day long, etc. 

We've been working on our integer operations lessons. I filmed a video today with my favorite lesson that really needs students talking to work! I was just sitting at my desk talking to myself about the excitement that is integer operations <--that is not sarcasm. 

I love algebra tiles so much. When I first learned out them 7 years ago, I loved them. Where were these when I learned algebra, where all my math problems began!

If you aren't using algebra tiles or colored counters to teach integer operations--start now. 

This assignment has students model simple addition expressions, create zero pairs, and simplify the expression. 

Click here to copy the activity into your Google Drive. 

Addition and Subtraction Doubles--Basic Fact Fluency

We needed some help with basic addition and subtraction. Any math teacher will tell you that when students struggle with basic computation, it is difficult for them to learn more advanced skills.

These two activities focus on doubles. It can be used as a station for students for student to practice together.

Download this for free here.

Free Subtraction with regrouping Tic-Tac-Toe

I was in a classroom this week and the students were learning how to divide with 2-digit divisors. Over and over, I saw students get wrong answers. As I looked over their work, the problem wasn't that they didn't know the steps to division. They were having problems subtracting, especially when they had to re-group.

Even though this was a 5th grade classroom, it is always necessary to fill in gaps that students have. If students can't subtract without making lots of mistakes, they can't divide. Even students who were dividing using the partial quotients method have to divide.

I made this quick tic-tac-toe game for the teacher to use so students can practice subtracting without using just a worksheet.

Download it for free here.

Are there gaps that you see in your grade level that you have to go back and teach again or have students practice? What are they?

Dividing Whole Numbers BINGO--FREE

Are there concepts in math that you just don't like practicing? I have two: long division and adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. They are just not fun for me. But I love solving equations and proportions, which I am sure someone else despises.

I know I am not alone in hating long division. I don't think I have met a students who begs me for more long division problems. It is the process where I see the most mistakes because there are so many steps to remember and they may make computation errors. Although most of our students may wish it, division isn't going anywhere.

I don't like doing countless pages of practice to combat mistakes in long division. Why? Because its boring. If someone handed me a page of long division problems to do by hand...I can already feel my anxiety rising just thinking about it.

Practice is still needed, but not in the form of a worksheet.

When I need lots of practice for a concept, there are two things I do: scavenger hunt around the room or BINGO.

Today, I am sharing a dividing whole numbers BINGO. To set this up,  you need to print BINGO page for every student, the BINGO cards, and every student needs a dry erase marker.

If you are doing this in whole group, have students randomly place the numbers (which are the answers) in the BINGO board. Have them cross off answers as they place them in the boxes.

Randomly pull problem cards and display them for students to see. Students will work the problems with the dry erase marker either directly on their desk (my favorite way) or on dry erase boards. As they work, they should be able to talk to each other and work through their mistakes. You should also walk around the room looking for any issues. Even if all students are not finished with a problem, I display 2-3 problems at a time for students who work more quickly.

If the students don't have their answer on the card, they know they made a mistake somewhere.

Are there any concepts that you just dread teaching or practicing?


Dividing Whole Numbers BINGO

Posts I Love--Part 7

I love reading math blogs. I like reading what math teachers try in their classroom and reading their reflection on how it went.

Here is a collection of blog posts I love!

Fraction Ordering Activities from Math Fireworks-- The students will be practicing ordering rational numbers this week.This activity from Math Fireworks only talks about fractions, but I would like to expand it to include decimals and percents. I like the ideas of having students share their reasoning and discuss mistakes with each other.

I found this game which is a very basic but necessary beginning practice for graphing in all four quadrants. Stock the Shelves

I Speak Math shared this game. I will have it as a small group station to practice integer operations and absolute value. All I'll need is a deck of cards.

Finally, I love this activity about volume over at No. 2 Pencils.  She poses the question "How many starburst can fill our classroom?" and students go about measuring and formulating plans to figure out the answer. Definitely a thing I want to try.

Hopefully you are inspired to try something new!

Valentine Activities--Ways to use Matching in Math

I haven't ever done holiday themed activities in my classroom before this year. For Thanksgiving I did a turkey color by number, for Christmas I did a few others. The activities were not time wasters, or busy work--they reviewed previous skills that needed reviewing. The students liked it. It was different than normal--so I made some things for Valentine's Day. 

Coming back from Christmas break means students forget what they know. 

Integer Operations is something that they know but need reviewing. 

On our benchmark math test in December--making equivalent forms of benchmark fractions, decimals and percents was one of the lowest performing TEKS for my students. So they need some practice with this too. 

Go here for the Fraction, Decimal, Percent Matching--It is FREE right now. 

Go here for the Integer Operations Matching

I am going to use these matching activities in 3 ways. 

1. The students just match them. Turn all the heart pieces face up and find matches. 

2. Play a memory game. Turn all the heart pieces face down and find matches by turning 2 cards over at a time--I will reduce the number of cards I give the students so they aren't spending forever finding a match

3. Play go fish. Each student will get a 7 cards and then ask their group mates for matches. If they get -25+26=, then they will ask their group mates "Who has 1?

Thinking Blocks

Here are FOUR! free apps that require students to use strip diagrams (bar models) to solve problems. Each app has a different focus, addition, fractions, ratios, or multiplication. These are also available on the Math Playground Website. 

Your students might need some coaching on how to use a bar diagram. strip diagrams are a helpful way to see the relationship between quantities. I wish that I had bee shown how to use strip diagrams in school. Especially for ratios. 

Each app has different levels that get progressively more difficult and use different types of situations. 

The students are given feedback as they place each part of the strip diagram. If they get it wrong at first, they are prompted with question to think about to help them. 

Not every student loves this app, but it is helpful for them to practice making bar diagrams to model situations. 

Kakooma

Another free app to share.  It is not super easy so my students who like a challenge enjoy it. 

Kakoom was created by Greg Tang, who has lots of resources on his website.

The app has changed since I first downloaded it. I like the look of it now, but students do have to create an account before using it. All my ipads in my classroom have the old app so I do not have to worry about that. But if I did, I would just create one account and sign into each ipad app with that account. It is not easy to get signed out, so you wouldn't have to continue to do it.  

This is the description of the game. Students can practice multiplication, addition, and addition of negative numbers. The negative integers is my favorite part of the game because there are few integer operations practice games out there. 

The accounts are to keep track of points. Students can play practice rounds or play live with other students from around the world. 

Dividing Fractions

When I am in doubt about what I want my notes to look like in the student's ISN, I look for anchor charts. 

This page was after we worked through models and then moved into the algorithm. I saw the anchor chart on Teaching with a Mountain View. And adapted it to fit what I wanted for students. 

I asked students to chose two colors to take notes in (mostly a pencil and a red pen) so they could show the changes in each step they made. It looks like a lot to write down, but my students were excited to write in two colors. It's the little things.