If you’ve ever bought a “Common Core aligned” resource and then wondered whether it actually matches what your state expects, you’re not imagining things. “Common Core” turns out to be less universal than the label suggests — especially by fourth grade. I went through the official Grade 4 math standards for all 50 states (plus […]
Do All States Really Teach the Same 4th Grade Math Standards? Read More »
Do you recognize any of these strange phrases? If so, you may be a 4th or 5th grade teacher who teaches long division. If you aren’t aware, these weird sentences are mnemonic devices commonly used to teach the multiple steps used in long division. Using the standard algorithm, I teach these steps: As a
What is the best way to teach long division? Read More »
There is so much to consider buying when you first start teaching. Over the years, I have bought a lot of stuff for my classroom – some good and some a waste of money. Below are my go-to, can’t live without them, must-have purchases for my classroom Amazon wishlist. If it made my list you
Essential Amazon Buys for Teachers Read More »
Hello there, teacher friend! I’ve seen a lot of teachers on social media who teaching fourth grade for the first time and are wondering, what are fourth graders like? First of all, congratulations on embarking on the exciting journey of teaching fourth grade. Let me follow that by saying that fourth graders are an at
Welcome to 4th Grade: Understanding the Wonderful World of 9 and 10-Year-Olds Read More »
I’m not sure why, but Metric and Customary Measurement is a topic which most teachers seem to push off until the very end of the school year. While introducing these topics can be done in about a week, it is always a good practice to tie in these skills into your math and even in
Strategies and Kahoot Games to Practice 4th Grade Measurement and Elapsed Time Read More »
We’ve all been through this. Students can solve problems on a worksheet in isolation, but when they are given the same concept in a word problem, they are lost. No worries. I’ll walk you through how I implement problem solving skills in my classroom. Pay attention to DOK. We know that providing questions with rigor
Avoiding the Overwhelm with Word Problems Read More »
It always cracks me up when a student says “I know my multiplication facts, but I don’t know how to divide.” Many students struggle with the concept of fact families as they relate to multiplication and division. However, developing fluency with basic division facts is a key foundational skill to learning long division. How do you
Developing Division Fact Fluency Read More »
Long division is easily the most challenging 4th grade math calculation your students will learn. It involves a complicated (sometimes confusing) algorithm and requires a strong fluency of basic facts for not just for division, but also multiplication, and subtraction, too. To master the steps requires a lot of practice, practice, more practice. This post
10 Teaching Tips for Long Division Using the Standard Algorithm Read More »
In my previous post, I confessed that I NEVER take home math papers to grade anymore. The reason is that I have, over time, worked hard to develop ways for all of my math practice work to be self-checked by the students. #1 Coded Joke Worksheets or Task Cards Is it just me, or do
Never Take Home Papers to Grade Again! – My 10 Favorite Ways for Students to Self Check Read More »
Why have students self-check? The question is really, why not? Here are 5 reasons why you should allow your students to check their own work. 1. It empowers your students . The Ohio teaching standards state that “Teachers (should) involve learners in self-assessment and goal setting to address gaps between performance and potential.” Allowing students
5 Reasons Why Your Students Should Self-Check Math Their Work Read More »