View From My Classroom!

February 22, 2017

Got something new and exciting!  So many difficult areas of mathematics for elementary learners and one of them is fractions.  I preach at my workshops giving students the opportunities to work with three picture models of fractions—area, set and number line!  Now they can see number line models every day in your classroom  I am so excited to introduce my new poster in my lines of visuals.  It is double sided showing visually number line models of fractions!  One on side of the poster you will see fractions from rolling two dice.  The denominator will be one, two, three, four, five and six.  This poster is a great tool to be used with a game called “Race Track Fractions” from my fraction book, Fractions:  A Part of the Whole.  It is played with double dice!  (Reminder that we have such a great price on these!)

The other side of the poster shows fractions on the number line with denominators of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten.  It is used with the game called “Race Track Fractions” from my fraction book, Fractions:  A Part of the Whole.  It is played with decahedron double dice!  (Reminder that we have such a great price on these!)

This game can actually be played on the poster using markers and velcro.

This is the game board using the decahedron double dice and transparent chips. 

Torn Snowpeople Logic Problems!

How about celebrating the last week of January with a construction project that includes measurement and higher level thinking?  First thing to do is to go to my website, www.creativemathematics.com.  Find the button that says, "Free PDFs and Conference Files."  Register and download the three data sheets!  Remember the days of Project AIMS?  I was part of the original writing team.  We wrote an amazing book called Primarily Bears.  We wrote lots of logic problems.  Child ten had to think!

Here are the three data sheets!

Now get all the materials ready!  Get creative with ribbon scraps and other paper!  I always put the materials out and have the students pick up the paper they will need to tear their snowpeople!

Now the students are ready to tear (no scissors) the four snowpeople.  Each one is unique!

Here is Sweet Sally!

This is Herbert named after my grandfather!

This is Jollly!

Meet Froggy!

Now make a fence for the four snowpeople to order themselves.  Students can cut them out and tape together!

The students and teacher will read each clue set and place the snowpeople on the fence based on the clues.

Here is the solution to Clue Set 1.

This is the solution to Clue Set 2.

Work through the remaining two sets of clues.  Now the real fun begins, students can make up their own clues.  How many different arrangements can there be?  I just love that problem.......

More to come with a special tool next week!  Teach on!

Mathematically yours,

New Game for New Year!

Welcome to a wonderful New Year with high hopes for math in the air! (I am actually listening to Frank Sinatra singing the song, “High Hopes” as you read this! I just love the part about the ant!!!)

Some of you know that I live by the Pacific Ocean so we never entertain thoughts of snow here…..just doesn’t happen but every so often (every 7-10 years) we get some snow! January 2nd

was the day we got snow. Now imagine how that would shut down an area like ours. I was not there because I was on my way to Moore, Oklahoma but our neighbors kept sending picture of the snow! Beautiful in the Redwoods and on the beach! Even had frozen pipes one day after returning…..that is really not news to people in other places!

Have you ever wondered how you could bring more motivation into your classroom? If you have not tried the Double Dice, they really are “game changers!” Why not try to include more playful practice of basic skills for this new year! We, at Creative Mathematics, carry the Double Dice for the best price ever! $5.00 for a bag of 16! Can’t beat that.

Got a great game for the first week back in school whether it is this week or next! The game is called

“Rolling Equations!” It uses two regular dice or a set of the double dice! The object is to be the first one to have three different equations for each number.

Players take turns! Roll the Double Dice and the player with the highest sum goes first. Player A rolls the Double Dice and states an equation with the two numbers. That equation is written down in the box with that answer.

Any operation can be used. Before the next player takes a turn, Player A writes two other equations for that same answer. The numbers to be used in the other two equations do not need to be what numbers the player rolled. Player B checks each equation and gives the “thumbs up” signal.

Player B repeats the same process. The player who completes all the equations first wins! If an answer is rolled after a player has completed the equations, the player loses the turn.

To increase the difficulty of game, each player must use three different operations in the three equations for each answer.

To make the game more challenging for upper grade students, roll the triple dice and create equations using two operations with three numbers!

Simple but effective way to practice for five to seven minutes! You want the data sheet for playing “Rolling Equations” with your students? Go to www.creativemathematics.com and click on the Free PDF section (red button) and register and download! I want to run a contest! 

Tweet a picture of your class playing the game and share the blog with a friend! Your tweet and share by January 20, 2017 will earn a chance for a drawing to win $50 of my merchandise!

Mathematically yours,