Being Better at Math Strategies for Elementary Mathematics version Paula L. Naugle 4 th Grade Teacher Bissonet Plaza/ JPPSS

Lack of prior knowledge Missing foundational skills Limited experiences with “doing” math “One right answer” approach “Permission” to be “bad” at math Others? What Makes Math Difficult?

Are you teaching students or learners? Let’s describe a … StudentLearner Active Engaged An independent thinker Internally motivated Focused on the learning Passive Bored Told what to think Typically unmotivated Focused on the grade

Strategies Constant exposure to meaningful math Allow students to verbalize their thinking Provide for meaningful use of manipulatives Help students develop “bridge” tools Create “reference” resources

Every day, provide meaningful math investigations through manipulatives, games, puzzles, and stories. Content example: Pig Closest to 100 Place Value Game Strategy 1 - Constant exposure to meaningful math

The goal of the game is to be the first player to reach 100. On your turn, roll the dice as many times as you would like, mentally keeping a running total of the sum. When you decide to stop rolling, record your total for that turn and add it to the total from any previous turns. If a 1 comes up on one of the dice, your turn is over and you score 0 points for that round. If you roll a 1 on both dice, you lose your turn and ALL points. Playing PIG

Roll a die. Decide if the number represents 10 or 1. For example, if you roll a 4, you must decide if you would like 4 or 40 points. Pass the die to the next player who also rolls once and decides how many points. After each turn, add your points. Play 7 rounds (you must play all rounds) The player who is closest to 100 (above or below) after 7 rounds wins! Closest to 100

Place Value Game thanks to Donna Boucher Get your copy here.here

Every day, expect students to explain their math thinking. Content example: Guess My Unit Recording Sheet Math journals or blogs Strategy 2 - Allow students to verbalize their thinking

Select a unit. Give clues about your unit until someone guesses what it is. milecentimeter pound gram inchkilometer cup decade quartmilligram footliter Guess My Unit

Get your own copy – Problem Solving Recording SheetProblem Solving Recording Sheet Problem Recording Sheet

Math Journals or Blogs Everyday have students write explanations to math problems in their math journals (Spiral notebooks) If you have computers, have students keep their math reflections on a blog. (21 st century skill) or Bennett’s Blog

Manipulatives should be available and integrated into every math lesson. Content example: Hundred Chart Virtual Manipulatives Resource: Marilyn Burns articleMarilyn Burns article Strategy 3 - Provide for meaningful use of manipulatives

20+ Things to Do with a Hundred Chart

Virtual Manipulatives

Students should be taught specific strategies to improve memory and understanding. Content example: Coin Chant Rounding Poem Nines Trick Strategy 4 - Help students develop “bridge” tools

Coin Chant

Rounding Poem Have students look at the digit they are rounding to and have them say: 4 or less, let it rest. 5 or more, raise the score.

Nines Trick Do you know the nines trick? Teach it to your students. Click hereClick here for the YouTube video Nines Trick from Super Teacher Worksheets

Students should maintain a math journal or blog to record and store math resources. Content example: Gallon map Anchor Charts DMSCBS Rounding Cadence Strategy 5 - Create “reference” resources

Gallon Map

Division Anchor Chart

DMSCBS When teaching long division, I use the DMSCBS acronym. The sentence we use is: Does McDonalds Sell Cheese Burgers & Shakes? D-Decide and Divide (Decide where to place the first digit in the quotient and then divide.)M- MultiplyS-SubtractC-Check and CompareB- Bring DownS-Start Over Again

Estimate means to round a number Look at the neighbor and remember Round down 1, 2 Round down 3, 4 Round down 1, 2, 3, 4 Estimate means to round a number When I say zero, you say down. Look at the neighbor and remember Zero, down, zero, down. Round up 6, 7 Round up 8, 9 When I say estimate, you say round. Round up 6, 7, 8, 9 Estimate, round, estimate, round. Go Math! The number 5 is in the middle But rounding it is no riddle Round up the number 5 Always round up the number 5 (Blue = Boy sing and girls repeat White = boys Red = girls Yellow = everyone) Rounding Cadence written by Paula L. Naugle (YouTube video of my students performing the cadence during a Skype call.)YouTube video

Check out these resources An Equivalent Fraction File Folder Game Johnnie’s Math Page The Math Worksheet Site MathTrain.TV

Check out these resources My Classroom Blog My Class Wiki Diigo Group – Elementary Math Free Online Math Resources Scholastic Math Study Jams

Some of the material contained here I adapted from Heather Sparks Oklahoma Teacher of the Year & 8th grade algebra and pre-algebra teacher Taft Middle School, OKC Public Schools