Math Stations: Organizing Your Classroom for Active Learning
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 …
Mastering Word Problems in Algebra
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 …
Introducing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers
Integers and their operations are an important concept in mathematics, typically introduced in the middle or early high school grades. While integers are often used in everyday life, this concept can be challenging for students. The introduction of negative numbers, numbers that are less than zero, is new to students …
Division Mental Math Strategies
We have already discussed mental math strategies for addition and subtraction as well as mental math strategies for multiplication in previous posts. Today we will talk about division strategies that not only help students solve problems quickly but most importantly they help them gain a conceptual understanding of numbers and …
Mental Math Strategies- Multiplication
Using Mental Math strategies means solving a math problem mentally using a conceptual understanding of the numbers. Teaching Mental math Strategies to students is very important as it develops their flexible thinking and boosts their confidence in math. Being able to use the multiplication properties to apply mental math strategies …
Mental Math Strategies – Addition and Subtraction
Using Mental Math strategies means solving a math problem mentally using a conceptual understanding of the numbers. We teach mental math strategies like making 10, splitting, and regrouping in grades 1 and 2, however, I think it is important to teach strategies to older students as well. I noticed that …
Are you smarter than a chicken?
At mathcurious we love math puzzles and brain teasers. Anything that tickles the brain and improves mathematical thinking. Puzzles provoke creativity and show the students how different math concepts and combinations of them can be used to solve problems in unexpected ways. Are your students smarter than a chicken? Have them …
Algebra-Simplifying Expressions, Solving Linear Equations and Inequalities
I love teaching algebra especially in grades 5 and 6 when students start to learn about variables, expressions, and equations. Although algebra might seem strange to them at first, as they start to understand the rules they begin to enjoy this new chapter in their math adventures. I cannot stress …
Equations and Inequalities – Balance the scales
Combining letters with numbers and mathematical operations is new and exciting for students starting with basic operations. I find that many students see these equations as puzzles and love to solve them. As the equations get more complicated, however, including fractions, exponents, and more, many students start getting frustrated. Algebra …