Stanford Online, FREE Classes

Sometimes there ARE things in life that are free!  Stanford Online offers valuable classes for educators for FREE!  Yes, I'll say it one more time... free.  I just signed up for two classes starting in March:
1)  Mastering Language for the Common Core (Elementary Mathematics)
2)  Designing for Deeper Learning:  How to Develop Performance Tasks for the Common Core
If you sign up, let me know so we can compare notes.  There's always so much to learn!

Domino Addition, 1st Grade

Here I go, blurring the lines between work and play.  Facebook, my source of connecting with family and life-long friends is also providing some great resources for Math.  I "liked" Illustrative Mathematics and wouldn't you know it, I get math tasks that pop up where I least expect them.  They're nestled between statuses on the most recent episode of The Bachelor and updates on potty training progress of little ones.  This is the latest for 1st grade, Domino Addition.

Magnets for 10-frame Activities

I came across these colored magnets at my local Daiso store.  It's like they were made for 10-frames and they were only $1.50/pack.

Math Tasks and Teasers

Looking for Common Core aligned math tasks and brain teasers for your grade level.  The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has a newsletter, Illuminations, available for you.  You can also subscribe to the newsletter on the right side of the webpage to continue to receive these resources.

Play Time

It's time to play with technology and Math, two of my favorite things!  I can't wait to be inspired by educators who have a passion for edtech and share some of my ideas with others.  I will be leading a session for the first time at the Orange County CUE conference.  The "Let Their Inner Math Geek Out" presentation can be found here.

Got Fractions?

Many of us had the same experience in school when learning fractions.  We just had to memorize the procedures to add, subtract, multiply and divide them, without any understanding of why or how the steps made sense.  Most of the time, I couldn't even figure out when I would need to use the calculations... besides in my math class.

As teachers we have to learn the concepts that were missed in our own education to be better prepared to teach our students.  Thank goodness for resources like this from Illustrative Mathematics.  It's a seven part video on the progressions of skills needed to teach/learn the Common Core State Standards in fractions.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, Illustrative Mathematics!