Number Line Frustration? Walk the Walk!

It took a while to really "sell" me on the idea of using number lines (and I'm a visual learner)!  However, since number lines don't seem to be going away when it comes to curricula and standardized testing, I knew I had to accept them, get comfortable with them, break them down for those kids who also are not initially "sold" on them either, and make them interesting for my class.  I've developed coloring worksheets and homework pages, but this year I wanted to "step" it up a notch and engage those kinesthetic learners.  So that's when I created "Number-line Tightropes!" 

The set up: 

While my fourth graders were at music, I broke out the masking tape.  I taped 2 horizontal lines and 2 vertical lines on the floor.

Next, I labeled the whole numbers with tenths at each intersecting tile.  I started on a vertical line with zero and worked my way up to 2.20.  Notice at that point, there was an intersecting horizontal line.  

On the horizontal line, I did the same thing, but instead of starting at the end with zero, I worked around the intersection.  To the left it says 2.10, and to the right (although you can't see it) it says 2.3.  Of course, I did not fill in every number; some of that work had to be for the kids!

Next, I drew smaller increments on the horizontal lines.  Those represent the hundredths.

 I followed the horizontal line to the left until I got to 1.3.  At that point I came to another intersection.  Just as before, I worked up and down the vertical line from 1.3, filling in the tenths, but saving some spots for the kids to complete.

Below, I followed the vertical line to 0.4, which brought me to the final intersection.  I filled in the hundredths on the horizontal line.

The activity:

When the kids walked in after music, they were "floored."  They could not WAIT to interact with the tape on the floor!

I had each of the 4 groups take a "line" to fill in some of the blanks.

Finally, a simple dice rolling game kept the kids engaged in studying the lines.  Roll a dice, move your "guy" that many tenths (for the vertical lines) or that many hundredths (for the horizontal lines). 

So much more fun than worksheets!

How have you turned number lines into fun?

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Creating polygons in the classroom

Hey, it's MissMathDork here and I want to tell you about how I use Anglegs in my classroom!  

What? you haven't heard of Anglegs?  Anglegs are sturdy little plastic strips that easily snap together to form plane geometric shapes.  They come in 6 different colors - each color representing a different length.  From my experience, students are drawn to the fun. building block nature of this manipulative.

Learning Resources AngLegs Overhead - Set of 74 Pieces

When I first use a manipulative with my kiddos, I like to give them some time to play an explore.  By doimg, they get the play out of their system and are less likely to "stray" off course when we are working on our activity.  

After giving the kiddos about 5 minutes of "free play", I asked them to separate their legs by color.On this particular day, we only started out with 4 colors. 

 Whenever we bring out a manipulative that doesn't get used all the time, I like to ask some questions about how to use it.  In this particular case, I asked what they noticed about the legs that were the same color.  They had were pretty quick to pick up that they were the same length.  After some prodding, they even used the word congruent. 

I asked them to prove to me that they were the same length and one student put his legs like this. 

 In their core 5th grade class, the students were working on naming quadrilaterals.  I knew the students were strugging with the sheer amount of vocabulary, so I started asking them to build so I could see exactly what each of them knew.

First, I asked them to create a quadrilateral. I gave them 30 seconds to create their figure (and made sute to tell them to keep it super secret!) and then did the 3.2.1. show me what you know countdown! 

... and I wasn't disappointed!  They knew quadrilaterals had 4 sides!  

Next I asked them to create a parallelogram.  After our countdown, and seeing as though not everyone was completely on target with a parallelogram, we worked through examples as a class and decided that a parallelogram had to have 2 sets of parallel lines.  

 And then we classified our plane figures as paralleograms and NOT parallelograms

Then we moved onto rectangles:

(note: normally I wouldn't just move on so quickly, but remember, i'mdoing a formative assessment to see what they know so that I can prepare for the following lessons and activities).

Same deal:  30 seconds, super secret..... 3.2.1..show me what you know!

Once I saw the figures, I broke out the handy-dandy protractor that comes with the angles - it snaps to the vertex!

Again, we talked about what makes a rectangle a rectangle.... ah, a rectangle is a paralleogram with 4 right angles!  Then we used our protractors to adjust.

By this time, our 30 minutes was quickly dwindling to an end... so it was clean up time.  And here's a tip I've learned...

 ...snap 4 of each color together on one end in ascending order.  This makes grabbing a student set super easy next time! AND, it's also an easy way to make sure you have all of your legs before putting them up!

Since this lesson, my kiddos have worked on quadrilateral acitivies and we have continued to create on a daily basis. As a class, we are now 100% accurate on quadrilateral, parallelogram, rectangle, square, and rhombus.  However, now I through in kinks such as rhombus that is not a square, or a rectangle combined with a rhombus.   Just chaning the wording up a little really stretches their brains.  

Have you used Anglegs?  What are some of your favorite manipulatives to use in your math classroom?

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5 Ways to Use a Hundreds Chart in the Upper Grades

Hi there, upper elementary teachers! It's Blair from One Lesson at a Time, here to bring you some tips for using hundreds charts in the upper grades. Hundreds charts are a fabulous math tool for all elementary students. Here are some of my favorite ways to make them work for upper elementary kiddos!

1. Race To 100: 2-by-1 Multiplication Practice

This is a fun and easy-to-prep game to reinforce 2-by-1 digit multiplication. Read more about this idea by clicking {HERE}.

2. Identifying Prime and Composite Numbers

Have students use two different colors to highlight prime and composite numbers. Finished charts should look like this:

3. Rounding to the Nearest 10

A hundreds chart is a great way for students to visualize numbers that round to each group of ten. Use one color to highlight numbers that round to 10, another color to highlight numbers that round to 20, and so on. Here's an example of a completed chart:

4. Identifying Multiplication Patterns

A hundreds chart is a great tool for identifying multiplication patterns. Have students color in multiples of each one-digit number and then discuss or write about the patterns that they notice developing. Here are some example charts:

5. Generating Equivalent Fractions

Use a hundreds chart as a jumping off point to discuss equivalent fractions. Ask students to color in half of the hundreds chart. What fraction is equivalent to 1/2? How do they know? Can they show 1/2 in another way on the hundreds chart? Repeat the activity with 1/4. Students should be able to easily divide the chart into fourths and use arrays or counting to find the number of squares that make 1/4. Identify the equivalent fraction with denominator 100. Ask students what fraction out of 100 is equivalent to 3/4. Repeat with other fractions. Show each fraction on the chart in multiple ways. Here are some example charts:

This is, of course, by no means an exhaustive list! Sound off in the comments about your favorite way to utilize hundreds charts! And make sure to stop by my blog, One Lesson at a Time, to pick up this FREE hundreds chart foldable for your interactive notebooks! Click on the picture to go to the post and download it.

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Perseverance in the Math Classroom

If you have read my posts either here on ATUE or on my blog over at The Teacher Studio, you have probably gotten the feeling that I am passionate about teaching math and helping students learn to love math.  One area that I spend a lot of attention on with my fourth graders is the idea of "perseverance". From the first day of school, I try to put students in situations where they are challenged and need to "persevere" to get to the finish line--and they need a lot of coaching along the way.  Many of them are used to things coming quickly and can easily get frustrated.  As a class, we practice encouraging each other and learn how to "help" without giving answers away.  It takes practice!

As the content this year has grown more difficult, I'm starting to see a few more students start to struggle, so I figured it was time to revisit the idea of "sense making" and perseverance.  Together we reviewed what this means and generated the following list.

I have it posted at the front of the room and we will be referring to it often as we tackle our next units!  I have several other posts about perseverance that explains some things in more detail if you are interested...it is such an important life skill--and is NOT just applicable to math!

Click here to read a post from November about perseverance...and another post here if you want to see a little bit more and yet one more from my guest post over at Minds in Bloom by clicking here!  (You can even grab a freebie at that last one!)

So as you tackle your math instruction for this next week, find ways to challenge your students--but give them some tools along the way so they can be successful.  Thanks for stopping by!

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Fraction Freebies for Interactive Notebooks

Hi, friends! It's Blair, from One Lesson at a Time, here to bring you a fun fraction freebie for your interactive notebooks! If you read my blog, you know that I am now teaching math in grades 1-4 and loving every minute of it! #mathnerd

We are eyeballs deep in our fraction units in 3rd and 4th grade, so I have numerators and denominators on the brain these days. I created this little set of foldable notes to help kiddos remember some key vocabulary and concepts about fractions.

The numerator/denominator flap is designed to look like an actual fraction. Glue the flap along the fraction bar:

Then, glue the definitions of each under the flaps. These are the definitions that we use with our kiddos and I really like them. That being said, if you want to use the template but would prefer your own definitions, just write them under the flaps!

I also created one that mimics the "diagonal" fraction bar. Same idea and same definitions:

Then, I created 2 fraction flip books to help students remember what each part of a fraction means in action - as part of a whole, part of a set, and on a number line. The first one is all filled in, using 1/3 as the example - this one is kind of an interactive anchor chart. The second flip book uses the fraction 3/4, but requires students to fill in the information and draw pictures on their own. Here are what the flip books look like:

Click {HERE} to download these interactive notebook fraction pages free from Google Drive!

If you need more fraction activities for your interactive notebooks, make sure to cheek out my packs for 3rd and 4th grade on TpT. I am also beyond thrilled to {FINALLY} be finished with the 4th Grade Mega-Bundle! Do you hear the chorus of angels or are those just in my head? ;) You can click on the product covers below to check each of them out in my store!

I also just posted a free set of Author's Purpose flippies for interactive notebooks on my blog - check out that post on One Lesson a a Time to grab your set! 

Until next time...

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Fabulous and FREE!

Hi there! I hope your winter is going well!  It has been very snowy, icy, and cold here in the Mid-Atlantic.  Many people are spending tons of time indoors drinking hot cocoa and warming up by the fireplace. I personally enjoyed taking my son sledding for the first time last week!

One thing I like to do for indoor fun in winter is to browse Pinterest for classroom ideas and resources.  I can get lost for hours on Pinterest boards dreaming of my next classroom makeover or the next set of anchor charts I will create. I also download many, many FREE RESOURCES!

Have you stopped by my popular Pinterest board, "Fabulous and Free?" There are TONS of RESOURCES there for you to download! There are resources for so many grade levels and subjects. You can even find pins from your favorite ATUE contributors! WARNING: You may be browsing all day so clear your plans and get ready to PIN, PIN, PIN!!!

Just click here but don't say I didn't warn you!!!  If you see any fabulous finds, be sure to comment below and let everyone know!

Stay warm and get those digital folders filled with free resources! What was your favorite find from the board?  Don't forget to let us know!

See you soon,

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