The Distributive Property! *Freebie!*

Call me crazy, but I LOVE the distributive property when teaching multiplication facts! Some of my students have a really hard time remembering their facts and we work hard on strategies to understand them and make the "tougher" ones a bit easier.

My students have a difficult time grasping the concept of the distributive property in a large-group setting, so I break it down for them as easily as I can in the small group. We begin by using tiles to show equal groups,  which for this array was 6 x 7.
We then "break apart" the large array into two "mini-arrays" using a ruler.

      

We then write two equations, one for each "mini-array."  (6 x 4) and (6 x 3)

We then do our multiplication, and add them back up. 

We discuss why we would want to break our arrays apart towards the middle, so we can work with small numbers. We often break it apart in different ways vertically and horizontally to see if (and explain why) we get the same answer.

I broke this procedure down into simpler terms and my students SWEAR the lightbulb goes off every time!! "Oh.....THAT'S it?!" We review this sheet while following each step to complete our distributive property wipe-off cards (created with my one true love, my desktop laminator! *see previous post!*) Click on the links below to download these freebies!

       

Distributive Property Worksheets

Distributive Property Wipe-Off Cards

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Miss I.

Back with a Vengeance!

It's been a while since Miss I. has popped onto the blog. Looking at my last post, I feel like I wrote it yesterday! This overdue comeback has me refreshed and filled with so many new ideas to share.

This is my sixth year of teaching Basic Skills Math. This year, I have about 40 students on my caseload in grades 1-5. I also assist in kindergarten classrooms during math time. My students are referred to my program because they struggle in math, and it's my job to help them understand while making math fun! This year I have completely changed the inner-workings of my classroom; old lesson plans have been tossed out and each day I work hard to create hands-on center-like activities for my kids.

Since I do not have a specific math program to use, I create most of what I do on my own (with a little help from Pinterest and other TPT resources!). I try to make our activities relatable to life and as relevant as possible. Of course this week, we're all about the election! 

This month will also be filled with lots of Thanksgiving activities. My students adore our yearly math project, Thanksgiving Dinner Problem Solving. 

Thanks for popping by! Enjoy this Thanksgiving Freebie that's all about fractions! 

                   

xoxo, 

Miss I.

Place Value Freebie!

Happy Thursday!

We're all in full swing and nearing the end of our second full week of school! Mine was interrupted by a severe sinus infection which always hits me at back-to-school time! 

As a Basic Skills Math teacher, the first chapter we are working on in each grade level is usually related to place value. Below, you will find a freebie that will help your students build number sense and place value understanding. Apologies for the short-and-sweet post...it's tea and bed time for this sick girl!

Enjoy!

-Miss I

Back to School Freebie!!

     It's that time of year again! Back to school! I still love to go back to school shopping. There's nothing better than new notebooks, binders, highlighters, markers, crayons, etc.- sometimes I even pick up a few things for my students ;). 

   Although next week begins the 'official' start of the school year in my district, every teacher I know has been working hard to get their classroom ready for the big day. The end of the summer is quite bittersweet. I know I don't speak for myself when I say that I spent my entire summer working several other jobs, but I am excited to get back into the classroom and back to a normal routine. 

   I spent my summer doing the million other projects that I don't always have time for during the school year. Aside from decorating and furnishing my new condo, I've taken on a new hobby: calligraphy! I will share more of my home and paper projects soon. Today's focus is all about school!

   Each year I try to choose a fun and exciting classroom theme. Last year, my classroom was decked out in cupcakes and baked goods! The students loved it, but I have to admit that I tired of it quickly since I often spend my weekends surrounded by baked goods (we will also discuss that at a later time...). Last year, I created these fun baked-good themed number posters. They include tens frames, which we know play an integral part in our Common Core Curriculum. Although they won't be hanging in my classroom this year, I hope you will enjoy them in yours!

    In the next few days I will be posting photos of my nice clean classroom and new math bulletin boards. Enjoy the holiday weekend!