Teacher Feature Sunday: Volume 6 (#mathhacks)

I'm a primary teacher at heart! I literally love teaching each and every component of the early childhood curriculum. For the most part, I focus on developing my reading and writing lessons, but I also love teaching math too. This week, I wanted to share with you some super-duper helpful math ideas I came across while surfing Instagram. I hope you find these ideas beneficial and share them with your teacher friends.

First up, we are going to look at an outstanding number line creation from Vera at @thetututeacher. In all of my years of education, I always had a traditional number line that ran above my lockers. However, Vera @thetututeacher has brought the number line to a whole new level! For the numbers 1-10, she had her students create number posters. The posters included a short poem on how to write the number, a picture of a student making the number using fingers, the standard form, the word form, a ten frame shading, and an illustration of the number. This is such a great example of how to create number sense in early childhood. Here is the link so you can see for yourself: https://www.instagram.com/thetututeacher/

Next, we have an outstanding method of comparing numbers from Erika at @love.laugh.lessonplan. In my opinion, one of the trickiest topics to teach in early childhood is comparing numbers using the greater than and less than symbols. I feel like I have tried everything. However, Erika has found a whole new visual manner of explaining the concept that I'm going to bet is game-changer. You create a number comparison chart that has a small number line indicating the numbers being compared down at the bottom. This number line also highlights the greater than and less than symbols which I think will make it more memorable for students. Finally, in order to justify an answer, Erika has her students draw the number out and explain the difference. Talk about number talk! Wow! Wow! Wow! I'm sure you'll want to check out more ideas so here is the link to @love.laugh.lessonplan: https://www.instagram.com/love.laugh.lessonplan/

Our final math hack idea comes from Emily at @creativelyteachingfirst. We spend a huge chunk of time teaching place value at the beginning of the year using all sorts of manipulatives. Emily has shared such an awesome idea that I think would help any early learner truly understand the process of adding place values. You simply write out a problem and use two different color sticky notes. One color will represent your 10s and the other color will represent your ones. You label them accordingly and then count them up. I mean, how fun is that? I could see this being used for hundreds place value and even as a center activity. Thanks so much for sharing Emily! Be sure to give @creativelyteachingfirst a follow: https://www.instagram.com/creativelyteachingfirst/

Again, we hope to get your Sunday off to a great start by sharing some high yield ideas with you. Our goal here at Lesson Plan Toolbox is to help you build your Lesson Plan Toolbox in order to save you time and make life just a little bit easier. If you are looking for something in particular, please feel free to reach out to us on Instagram (@lessonplantoolbox) so we can do the searching for you.

Teach~Relax~Repeat

Lesson Plan Toolbox