I distinctly remember the week in 7th grade pre-algebra that was spent learning and (supposedly) understanding the distributive property. I remember this week so vividly because, for some reason, it made NO sense to me. None. At. All. Eventually I understood what it meant, and how to use it and apply it in the wonderful world of Algebra and solving equations and working with expressions. But I never forgot how confusing and nonsensical it Keep Reading...
Weekly Math Freebies Round Up!
Welcome to the weekly collection of math teaching freebies here at Math Geek Mama! Every week I share the best, FREE math lessons, games and printables on the web! If you have a free teaching resource you would like me to share, just send me a link! Kindergarten-2nd: I love this adorable animal version of a Sudoku game! Not only does it help kids with logic and problem solving, it provides fine motor practice! My kids will love this! (And Keep Reading...
Weekly Math Freebies Round-Up!
Welcome to the weekly round up of FREE math teaching resources here at Math Geek Mama! I gather all the best freebies that I find and share them here, every Saturday! If you have a fun teaching freebie that you would like featured, send me a link! I'd love to check it out! Kindergarten-2nd: It's always great to find hands-on activities and games to help your kids understand counting and cardinality, but these free Bug Counting Pages are Keep Reading...
{FREE} System of Equations Logic Puzzles!
The subject of systems of linear equations is very intimidating to most students. Especially if they have struggled to solve a single equation! It doesn't have to be scary though. I would introduce systems of equations with simple and fun puzzle challenges to ease kids in. System of Equations Activity: To help show my students that systems of equations are not all that scary, and actually quite doable, I would start by giving them a Keep Reading...
Math Curse Activity Pack! {FREE!}
Math stories are such a fun way to engage kids in math learning, as well as help them see math in the world around them. Stories can make math come alive and get kids excited! One of my favorite (and highly engaging) stories is Math Curse by Jon Sciezka. This hilarious tale can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. To help you incorporate this into your math curriculum, I've created this Math Curse Activity Pack! This is such a fun book, and I Keep Reading...
Understanding Data with Mean, Median and Mode {FREE Lesson!}
Gathering data and then knowing how best to analyze and summarize that data is an important mathematical skill. In this lesson, students use a handful of pennies to explore different measures of center (mean, median and mode) and discuss what might be the best for their data set. All you need for this hands-on math lesson is a large sample of pennies from varying years, or if it's easier for you there are different sets of data included in the Keep Reading...
Integer Practice: Fun {Free!} Math Game!
Looking for a simple and fun way to practice integer operations? These adorable Peeps Matching Cards can be used for a variety of games to help kids practice adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers. *Please Note: This post contains affiliate links which support the work of this site. Read our full disclosure here.* Could your students use some extra practice adding and subtracting integers this spring? This Easter Peeps themed Keep Reading...
Exploring Volume: FREE Lesson!
To continue with my study of 3-D shapes, I have created a lesson to begin exploring volume. Like surface area, this is something that is often rushed through, and students are told to just "plug it into the formula." But I have seen this lead to many unnecessary mistakes because students never actually understand where the formula comes from, and therefore they end up "plugging in" the wrong things. Understanding WHY the formula for prisms Keep Reading...
The Importance of Math Vocabulary
Some of the most common errors I have seen teaching algebra occur because students simply cannot accurately "translate" words into mathematical models, or because they do not understand math "jargon" such as evaluate or simplify. I think this problem could easily be avoided, however, if one or two days were spent focusing on these skills. We cannot expect students to walk into class with a clear understanding of "math words" if they were never Keep Reading...
Quadratic Equations Project (with FREE printables!)
One of the best ways to really learn something so that it sticks with you is to teach it to someone else. Giving students a project that gets them thinking through a mathematical process and allows them to express their creative side is always a win-win! The following example involves solving quadratic equations. A skill in Algebra that, while important, can very easily become boring and meaningless. And while I believe it is always helpful Keep Reading...
