As elementary math teachers, one of our primary goals is to create a classroom environment where students are actively engaged in learning and exploring mathematical concepts. One of the best ways to achieve this is by setting up math stations—a dynamic, hands-on approach that allows students to rotate between different …
The Unseen World of Non-Repeating, Non-Terminating Decimals Irrational numbers are one of the most fascinating concepts in mathematics. They are numbers that cannot be expressed as a simple fraction of two integers. Unlike rational numbers (which can be written as fractions like 1/2, 3/4, etc.), irrational numbers have infinite decimal …
Nature isn’t just a feast for the eyes—it’s also a wonderful classroom for learning math! From the symmetry of flowers to the spirals of seashells, nature is full of mathematical wonders. Here are a few concepts that can be taught simply by observing the natural world: Symmetry Symmetry is everywhere …
Why Do Students Struggle with Fractions? Fractions are a fundamental concept in mathematics, yet they often present a significant challenge for students. Unlike whole numbers, fractions introduce new rules, abstract reasoning, and multiple representations, making them difficult to grasp. Let’s explore some of the key reasons why students struggle with …
Mathematics is full of Greek words and symbols that have shaped the way we understand numbers, geometry, and logic. The ancient Greeks made groundbreaking contributions to math, and many of their terms are still widely used today. Let’s explore some of the most important Greek words in math and their …
Pi (π) is one of the most famous numbers in mathematics, appearing in formulas across geometry, physics, engineering, and even nature. But why does this seemingly simple ratio—approximately 3.14159—hold such immense importance, and where did it come from? The History of Pi The concept of pi has been known for …
A Fun, Low-Prep digital activity for Review, Practice, and critical thinking As teachers, we know that spiral review is key to helping students retain math skills over time and to finding the connections between concepts. The idea of Math Trivia came as a need for an engaging, low-prep resource that …
Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year, and I love to use all kinds of Halloween-themed math games, puzzles, and other practice activities in the classroom. Today I would like to share some more games and activities ideas with a Halloween theme to practice arrays and multiplication …
Introducing divisibility rules early on equips children with problem-solving strategies that improve computational fluency and number sense. Simplifying Calculations: Divisibility rules make it easier to determine if one number can be divided by another without doing a long division. For example, knowing a number is divisible by 2 if it’s …
Word problems often feel like puzzles wrapped in layers of words, but they’re one of the most powerful ways to understand algebra. They allow students to apply algebraic equations to real-life scenarios, making abstract math concepts come alive. Whether they are calculating how many apples they can buy with a …
