An educator since 1979, Tammy L. Jones has worked with students from first grade through college. Currently, Tammy is consulting with individual school districts in training teachers on strategies for making content accessible to all learners. Writing integrations as well as literacy connections are foundational in everything Tammy does. A variety of resources are offered for mathematics Pre-K through 12 as well as several that are interdisciplinary. Electronic trainings are also offered.
An educator since 1979, Tammy L. Jones has worked with students from first grade through college. Currently, Tammy is consulting with individual school districts in training teachers on strategies for making content accessible to all learners. Writing integrations as well as literacy connections are foundational in everything Tammy does. A variety of resources are offered for mathematics Pre-K through 12 as well as several that are interdisciplinary. Electronic trainings are also offered.
Do trade books have a place in today’s mathematics classroom? Yes! Incorporating literature into the mathematics classroom at any level can increase student engagement, make mathematics come alive and have meaning, and can help to differentiate instruction as well as support ELL/ESL students. Present mathematics in a way that will make mathematics more accessible and understandable for students at all levels.
This resource contains seven suggested activities to engage students AS YOU READ, for students to experience BEING A MATHEMATICIAN, and provide authentic OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITING. The suggested activities can be adapted for a large or small group, centers, learning stations and for intervention.
This resource is good for students with language-based learning deficiencies. We'd like to hear about your experience with our resources. Just give it a star rating then tell us what you think, simple as that!
Book not included.
Do trade books have a place in today’s mathematics classroom? Yes! Incorporating literature into the mathematics classroom at any level can increase student engagement, make mathematics come alive and have meaning, and can help to differentiate instruction as well as support ELL/ESL students. Present mathematics in a way that will make mathematics more accessible and understandable for students at all levels.
This resource contains five suggested activities to engage students AS YOU READ, for students to experience BEING A MATHEMATICIAN, and provide authentic OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITING. The suggested activities can be adapted for a large or small group, centers, learning stations and for intervention.
This resource is good for students with language-based learning deficiencies. We'd like to hear about your experience with our resources. Just give it a star rating then tell us what you think, simple as that!
Book not included.
Paper folding can be a useful tool of investigation for some students. Here are a few opportunities for using paper folding in the secondary mathematics classroom from difference of squares to an infinite geometric sequence. Directions are included as well as an extension activity for a learning station on paper folding to punch one hole and create a pattern.
This resource is good for students with dyslexia and language-based learning deficiencies. Please take a few minutes and review this resource.
The holidays are always a hectic time for educators. Here is a task for building procedural fluency. Students are simplifying rational expression within a complex fraction. Students will get a Christmas wish for their effort.
Pentominoes, like dominoes, have many uses in the mathematics classroom. A pentomino is simply a geometric shape that has been formed by placing five congruent squares adjacent to each other. The squares must connect on at least one side and there can be no corner or partial side.
Included in this 33 page packet are several activities and investigations for primary students through secondary students. Blackline masters for pentomino letter charts as well as pentomino letters to fit the 100 chart for printing on 11” X 17” paper for the number chart investigations are included. Resources with links are also embedded.
This resource is great for students with dyslexia and language-based learning deficiencies. Please take a moment to review this resource.
Writing is one of the parts of language that secondary mathematicians are still developing. For some students, ESL/ELL for example, what they know about mathematics may exceed their ability to communicate it through the written word. For that reason, pictures, diagrams, and the use of manipulatives support the students’ efforts in communicating about their mathematical experiences. Students learn to write by writing. Writing needs to be original thought, not just copying something that someone else wrote. Therefore it is imperative that opportunities are provided often for students to engage in writing about mathematics.
As the teacher, providing an environment that is rich in mathematical language is a priority. Providing students a Mathematicians’ Notebook, if for nothing else but the development of a Glossary and a Journal, offers a place where students can record their thoughts and experiences as it chronicles their growth over time while on their mathematical journey. Students’ writing should include discussions about what they did or how they thought, why they thought or did what they did. Strategy names and correct mathematical language need to be included as appropriate. Students’ writing should make sense and be complete. This will develop over time for secondary mathematicians as they have more opportunities to write about their experiences.
The following four learning station/center ideas can be first discussed in the classroom in a large group or small group setting before rotating out to an independent learning center.
Facilitation notes are provided below for each station. The ideas presented are but a start for the many ways in which these activities can be adapted. Most of the masters have been made so they can be easily used in The Mathematician’s Notebook.
Writing is one of the parts of language that secondary mathematicians are still developing. For some students, ESL/ELL for example, what they know about mathematics may exceed their ability to communicate it through the written word. For that reason, pictures, diagrams, and the use of manipulatives support the students’ efforts in communicating about their mathematical experiences. Students learn to write by writing. Writing needs to be original thought, not just copying something that someone else wrote. Therefore it is imperative that opportunities are provided often for students to engage in writing about mathematics. As the teacher, providing an environment that is rich in mathematical language is a priority. Providing students a Mathematician's’ Notebook, if for nothing else but the development of a Glossary and a Journal, offers a place where students can record their thoughts and experiences as it chronicles their growth over time while on their mathematical journey. Students’ writing should include discussions about what they did or how they thought, why they thought or did what they did. Strategy names and correct mathematical language need to be included as appropriate. Students’ writing should make sense and be complete. This will develop over time for secondary mathematicians as they have more opportunities to write about their experiences.
The following four learning station/center ideas can be first discussed in the classroom in a large group or small group setting before rotating out to an independent learning center. Facilitation notes are provided below for each station. The ideas presented are but a start for the many ways in which these activities can be adapted. Most of the masters have been made so they can be easily used in The Mathematician’s Notebook.
Number charts support the investigation of and discovery of many number patterns as well as serve as an aid in developing fluencies with composition and decomposition of numbers. This 38 page packet offers aids for investigations from a 10 frame, 20 frame, up to the 100 chart, 200 chart, and a 1000 chart (counting by 10s) support students as they are further developing their understandings of the base ten number system.
Multiple charts per page are provided that will fit nicely into the Mathematician’s Notebook.
Number charts support the investigation of and discovery of many number patterns as well as serve as an aid in developing fluencies with composition and decomposition of numbers. This 32-page packet offers aids for investigations from a 100 chart, 200 chart, up to a 1000 chart (counting by 10s) support students as they are further developing their understandings of the base ten number system.
Multiple charts per page are provided that will fit nicely into the Mathematician’s Notebook.
This resource is good for students with language-based learning deficiencies. We'd like to hear about your experience with our resources. Just give it a star rating then tell us what you think, simple as that!
A Month of PI: From a Piece of PI to Buffon's Needle offers secondary educators a vast array of ideas and resources for the month of March to support discussions and activities around circles and PI. Enjoy!
One Duck Stuck, by Phyllis Root, is a beloved children’s book. Not only does the story engage children it can also serve as a foundation for many mathematical investigations for primary mathematicians. Using doubles is one of the foundational strategies for primary mathematicians as they are building number sense. Connecting this study to a familiar story makes these activities more engaging for students. Additional literacy connections are suggested for use with introducing the concept of doubles.
Questions are provided that can be used during the development of the activity to determine the desired focus of the lesson. It is very important that young mathematicians understand that numbers are quantities represented by numerals, pictures, numerals, etc. Materials are listed for each of the activities. The 12 pages include both black line masters as well as color masters have been provided. Suggestions for preparing the materials have been noted as well to facilitate making classroom sets for long term use.
45 pages of blackline and colorline masters
5 pages of facilitation notes and sample questions
This resource is good for students with Dyslexia and language-based learning deficiencies. We'd like to hear about your experience with our resources. Just give it a star rating then tell us what you think, simple as that!
One Duck Stuck, by Phyllis Root, is a beloved children’s book. Not only does the story engage children it can also serve as a foundation for many mathematical investigations for primary mathematicians. The following 23 activities are a sample of the possible uses for these materials in the primary mathematics classroom. These activities are flexible enough to be used for leveled instruction in the primary grades, even into early intermediate grades. A second grader who is still struggling with counting can benefit from the counting activities denoted with kindergarten standards. Also many of these activities can be first introduced in small or large group instruction and then rotate out to a center or learning station.
One interesting and important concept in mathematics is Pascal’s Triangle. The combination of One Duck Stuck and the related mathematical concepts that can be found in Pascal’s Triangle allows students a fun, unique, and engaging venue for developing mathematical literacy. The main focus standards from the CCSSM have been identified at the beginning of each cluster of activities. Notice that for many of the activities the standards transcend two or all three of the primary grades. This was intentional to show the possible development of the learning trajectories for a topic and the possibilities for leveled instruction. Geometry connections although thin are there as well, just not identified as focus standards.
Materials are listed for each of the activities. The 128 pages include both black line masters as well as color masters have been provided. Suggestions for preparing the materials have been noted as well to facilitate making classroom sets for long term use.
One Duck Stuck, by Phyllis Root, is a beloved children’s book. Not only does the story engage children it can also serve as a foundation for many mathematical investigations for primary mathematicians. The natural progression from counting and making comparisons is to composing and decomposing numbers. The earlier experiences with sets and the relationships between numbers laid the foundation for young mathematicians to learn about operating with numbers. Using operations to make sense of situations in their world or to describe events in their world helps young children build an understanding for the need for operations. The discovery of some basic properties, such as the commutative property of addition, also allow students to build strategies for working with progressively larger numbers as they move from kindergarten through second grade.
Primary mathematicians first model “put together” and “take apart” situations using concrete objects, drawings, etc. These concepts are then expanded to composing and decomposing numbers additively. A connection to students’ prior work with building sets is important as students are developing fluencies with their addition and subtractions facts. Children need many opportunities to experience these situations. Incorporating a familiar story allows children to practice these mathematical ideas in a contextual setting. To effectively facilitate these activities, be sure to cover the common addition and subtraction situations found in Table 1, CCSSM, page 88. Questions are provided that can be used during the development of the activity to determine the desired focus of the lesson. It is very important that young mathematicians understand that numbers are quantities represented by numerals, pictures, numerals, etc.
Materials are listed for each of the activities. The 25 pages include both black line masters as well as color masters have been provided. Suggestions for preparing the materials have been noted as well to facilitate making classroom sets for long term use.
16 blackline and color masters
8 pages of facilitation notes, sample questions, and extensions
This resource is good for students with Dyslexia and language-based learning deficiencies. We'd like to hear about your experience with our resources. Just give it a star rating then tell us what you think, simple as that!
Vocabulary is one of the foundations for developing understanding for any subject area and mathematics is no exception. For many students words used in mathematics may not be familiar in context. Students need many opportunities to use vocabulary in their daily work. Providing additional opportunities to review vocabulary in a learning station, center, or small group will help support students who are challenged by the language of mathematics.
These five vocabulary ideas can be first used in the classroom in a large group or small group setting before rotating out to an independent/pair learning center. Specific mathematical topics are included but the activities can be adapted for any topic, or discipline for that matter. Facilitation notes are provided for each station. The ideas presented are but a start for the many ways in which these activities can be adapted. These are licensed for one classroom use only.
Rooster's Off to See the World by Eric Carle, is a beloved children’s book. Not only does the story engage children it can also serve as a foundation for many mathematical investigations for primary mathematicians.
The natural progression from counting and making comparisons is to composing and decomposing numbers. The earlier experiences with sets and the relationships between numbers laid the foundation for young mathematicians to learn about operating with numbers. Using operations to make sense of situations in their world or to describe events in their world helps young children build an understanding for the need for operations. The discovery of some basic properties, such as the commutative property of addition, also allow students to build strategies for working with progressively larger numbers as they move from kindergarten through second grade.
Primary mathematicians first model “put together” and “take apart” situations using concrete objects, drawings, etc. These concepts are then expanded to composing and decomposing numbers additively. A connection to students’ prior work with building sets is important as students are developing fluencies with their addition and subtractions facts. Children need many opportunities to experience these situations. Incorporating a familiar story allows children to practice these mathematical ideas in a contextual setting. To effectively facilitate these activities, be sure to cover the common addition and subtraction situations found in Table 1, CCSSM, page 88.
Questions are provided that can be used during the development of the activity to determine the desired focus of the lesson. It is very important that young mathematicians understand that numbers are quantities represented by numerals, pictures, numerals, etc.
Materials are listed for each of the activities. The 25 pages include both black line masters as well as color masters have been provided. Suggestions for preparing the materials have been noted as well to facilitate making classroom sets for long term use.
Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick wrote Habits of Mind in the late 90’s. Soon thereafter, Al Cuoco, E. Paul Goldenberg, and June Mark wrote Habits of Mind: An Organizing Principle for Mathematics Curriculum. In their work they described roles that students hopefully will assume as they are working with mathematics.
This poster gives a visual and brief descriptive overview of some of those roles. The language is applicable for all grade levels as well as subjects beyond mathematics.
Vocabulary is one of the foundations for developing understanding for any subject area and mathematics is no exception. For many students words used in mathematics may not be familiar in context. Students need many opportunities to use vocabulary in their daily work. Providing additional opportunities to review vocabulary in a learning station, center, or small group will help support students who are challenged by the language of mathematics.
These five vocabulary ideas can be first used in the classroom in a large group or small group setting before rotating out to an independent/pair learning center. Specific mathematical topics are included but the activities can be adapted for any topic, or discipline for that matter. Facilitation notes are provided for each station. The ideas presented are but a start for the many ways in which these activities can be adapted. These are licensed for one classroom use only.
Vocabulary is one of the foundations for developing understanding for any subject area and mathematics is no exception. For many students words used in mathematics may not be familiar in context. Students need many opportunities to use vocabulary in their daily work. Providing additional opportunities to review vocabulary in a learning station, center, or small group will help support students who are challenged by the language of mathematics.
These five vocabulary ideas can be first used in the classroom in a large group or small group setting before rotating out to an independent/pair learning center. Specific mathematical topics are included but the activities can be adapted for any topic, or discipline for that matter.
Facilitation notes are provided for each station. The ideas presented are but a start for the many ways in which these activities can be adapted. These are licensed for one classroom use only.
Do trade books have a place in today’s mathematics classroom? Yes! Incorporating literature into the mathematics classroom at any level can increase student engagement, can make the mathematics being studied come alive for the student as well as have meaning, and can help to differentiate instruction as well as support ELL/ESL students. See several samples of the mathematics that can be experienced by students from kindergarten through high school through well-known pieces of children’s literature. Experience how mathematics and the way it is presented can help make mathematics more accessible and understandable for students at all levels.
Contains over 80 assorted activities with over 30 to engage students AS YOU READ, over 35 for students to experience BEING A MATHEMATICIAN, and over 24 activities to provide students authentic OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITING. Activities can be adapted for large group, small group, centers, learning stations and for intervention. A MUST HAVE book for all middle school teachers. Several activity sheets and blackline masters are included as well as tables identifying key words, topics, and suggested manipulatives.
Books not included.
Writing is one of the parts of language that younger mathematicians are still developing along with their reading, talking, and listening skills. Children learn to write by writing. Writing needs to be original thought, not just copying something that someone else wrote. Therefore it is imperative that opportunities are provided often for students to engage in writing about mathematics.
As the teacher, providing an environment that is rich in mathematical language is a priority. Writing About offers a collaborative opportunity for small groups of students to work individually first to write about a concept and then to come together and putting their individual work into a paragraph about the topic. A word cloud is given as a prompt for words and ideas.
Facilitation notes are provided as well as student activity sheet. This is a good activity for struggling students and ESL/ELL who may need some support in writing.