Division can be very scary for students, even basic division. A strong conceptual understanding of division will help build students' confidence with division and help as they progress into multi-digit division (and even division of decimals and fractions). This post shares a quick 2-page division intervention assessment that I use to assess gaps in my 4th and 5th ... Read More
Multiplication Strategies for 4th and 5th Grade
Do your students struggle with their multiplication facts? Despite what I thought my first years teaching, they don’t need more flashcards. They definitely don't need timed drills or tests. Instead, they need strategies to help them use what they do know (easier multiplication facts or addition facts) to solve any problem. Check out this post to read about the 6 ... Read More
Conceptual Understanding of Multiplication Intervention Assessment
One of the biggest struggles with teaching 4th and 5th grade math is that a lot of our students don't know their multiplication facts. They don't have their multiplication facts memorized and (more importantly) they don't have strategies to find the answer quickly. Students often struggle with multiplication fact fluency and automaticity because they lack a conceptual ... Read More
Free Math Tools for K-5
Being a classroom teacher for seven years taught me the importance of having tools or references for my student to use while they were working independently or in small groups. In the regular classroom, those tools were often anchor charts and students' interactive notebooks. However, after spending a few years in support positions where I "pushed in" or "pulled out" to ... Read More
Word Problem Strategies : Analyzing Word Problems with Free Organizers/Mats
Word problems used to be the bane of my existence as a new teacher. Thankfully, I learned new strategies and resources to help me implement and teach word problem strategies all year. To be honest, teaching word problems all year was the ONE thing that I did that had the greatest impact (if you are interested in more information about word problems and how I teach them, ... Read More
FREE Division Practice with Donuts Activities
Division can be pretty exhausting for students AND teachers. This year, I wanted to mix things up and bring in some sweet treats for my students to motivate them to continue pushing hard through our division unit. So, I created some donut themed division practice, brought in some donuts, and this fun activity was born. My students and I had a lot of fun with this and I ... Read More
Division Strategies for 5th Grade
Do you dread teaching division each year? I used to be in that camp. My students struggled big time with division because they lacked number sense and conceptual understanding. However, and thankfully, I learned that it doesn't have to be like that. I can use division strategies that are not only developmentally appropriate but that also make sense for my students. In ... Read More
FREE Math Partner Games for Multiplication and Division Facts
Partner games are definitely one of my favorite ways to have my students practice math skills. This post will share all the details about my favorite math partner games, a link to get 30+ free partner games, and how to get even more if you love them as much as me. Using Math Partner Games Partner games are perfect for practicing math skills. Because there are only ... Read More
Multiplication and Division Practice | Free Math Facts Take Home Kits
One of the struggles with teaching upper elementary math is that many of our students have not mastered their multiplication and division facts. This makes everything even more of a struggle for those students, especially when they get to 5th grade. Through a combination of fact drills, games, and teaching actual strategies versus just memorization, I am usually able ... Read More
Reviewing Basic Multiplication and Division with 5th Graders {Freebies}
Many of my students in the past have come to me lacking conceptual understanding of basic math concepts that were introduced as early as 2nd and 3rd grade. The most important part of my math instruction is fostering a conceptual understanding and this is really important as fifth grade moves into more abstract math concepts. With that in mind, this is the first concept ... Read More
8 Ways to Help Students Be Successful with Word Problems in Upper Elementary
Word problems can be really difficult for upper elementary students. The complexity of the word problems increase, the length of the problems themselves increase, the numbers are larger and more abstract, and often key words just don't work. Today I want to share with you eight ways to help students who struggle with word problems in upper elementary grades. 1. ... Read More
Solving Word Problems Without Relying on Key Words
One of the toughest things about teaching fifth grade is definitely the word problems. By fifth grade, a lot of students have become so dependent on using key words that they no longer even read for meaning when they're solving word problems. However, as fifth grade teachers know, key words only take the students so far. I have read many articles and blog posts that are ... Read More
