Manipulatives in Math Class Are So Worth It - Math For Love 0 0 votes Article Rating

New blog post!

On the value of manipulatives in some recent work with first graders.

mathforlove.com/2026/01/mani...

Fraction Models Fraction visualizer.

Fraction visualizer in #geogebra www.geogebra.org/m/rewqc4mp

A good mental math strategy to have: doubling and halving

It’s integrated with Migrants’ journeys. Started with The Tar Beach to intro story quilts, played with own designs. Discussed math features. Read more stories and looked at different types of quilts. Discussed symbolism. Created own quilt blocks. Symmetry, area, shape… finished with Keepers Quilt.

My grade 4 students are currently learning about the significance and design of story quilts. They’re loving creating their own. I hadn’t known about barn quilts though, cool.

I like to also use “goal free problem” prompts, so you could ask the students what they could solve from this data.

The positive feedback on this free document has been overwhelming. The sheer number of downloads is evidence that people really want to understand and embrace the power of play. #PlayMatters
Get your copy today:

www.early-years-reviews.com/play-matters

Pi Day is Coming! 🥧 🥧 🥧 🥧 🥧

Pi Day ideas!

Including fun ideas from Desmos Classroom and @davidporas.bsky.social

annieforest.substack.com/p/pi-day-is-...

The quadric you have when you don’t have a quadric

A few I've gathered along the way, hope there are some new ones there ... thelearnersway.net/ideas/2021/5...

pmena2020.cinvestav.mx/Portals/pmen...

www.researchgate.net/publication/...

www.innovativeinquirers.com/my-professio...

www.youcubed.org/wp-content/u...

The Sciences of Learning and the Practice of Teaching A crib sheet highlighting some areas of contention and misunderstanding about learning, the practice of teaching and purposes of education.

"Any kind of teaching can be done ‘badly’. Explicit teaching can be dull and disengaging, just as inquiry-based teaching can be unfocused or pitched inappropriately. It is intellectually lazy to promote a ‘good’ version of one by attacking a ‘weak’ or caricatured version of the other." - Guy Claxton

Different age but similar messaging - Currently developing Yr 3/4 group, +4 years above peers. Choosing lessons to enrich thinking not just upwards. Using below as my touchstone. Started figurative numbers relationships as they'd know 'the tricks' from tutoring, so focus on patterns and reasoning

If you're still looking for ideas, many ideas within variety of Figure It Out lessons but particularly within the Proportional Reasoning books. In NZ level 3 relates to learning generally in yr 5 and 6, Level 4 Yr 7 & 8 etc.
newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz/figure-it-ou...