Finding the least common denominator? Find out why that’s more work and see how understanding equivalent fractions make adding fractions easier!
Pedagogy Posts
Working with Fractions: Dividing Fractions
For most of us dividing fraction is one of those things where we got the right answer in math, but we don’t really remember why. Most of us memorized a procedure with a concept we don't understand: “don’t ask why, just invert and multiply.” Maybe it’s time to ask...
Common Core Mathematics Companion: The Standards Decoded
The district-adopted textbook is not actually our curriculum! Find out what the standard is actually asking them to do, what it means, and what it looks like to teach it.
PreK Centers in a Snap!
Last week I was in New Orleans working with Lafourche Parish preschool teachers. The goal of the day was numeracy, and one of the highlights was the afternoon make-and-take session, where we had five stations for teachers to visit. In addition to working on numeracy,...
Magical Math Dust – Round One
Time for another sprinkling of Magical Math Dust! Shannon answers your questions with quick, practical advice, suggestions, and resources! This post features questions about word problems, counting collections, and area/perimeter. Do you have a question? Submit it...
Magical Math Dust!
For the next few weeks, Shannon will put her years of classroom experience as a teacher and an education consultant to work to bring you practical solutions to your burning questions in a Q/A format. No question is too small for a sprinkling of Magical Math Dust!
Problem Solving Series: Model Drawings with Fractions
Fractions, as we know, is a very hard area for students to acquire conceptual understanding. When reading a word problem involving fractions, most kids panic because they don’t know where to start. Thoughts like “we should skip count and find a common denominator” or...
Problem Solving Series: Multiplicative Comparison Problems for Model Drawings
Multiplicative is a really hard word to say! It sounds super fancy and impressive, but in reality, if you understand how to do additive comparison problems, multiplicative problems are a snap! Using Manipulatives The biggest thing when learning to do multiplicative...
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