Flap Books: Powers of Ten (Multiply & Divide by 10, Again & Again!)

We've been working with the power of ten--more specifically, looking at what happens to a number as it is multiplied or divided by ten again and again. Here are a few of the highlights:

We began with The Great Wall of Base Ten. (photo, right) If you ever have a chance to do this with students, it's really eye-opening to build a model where numbers grow (multiply!) by powers of 10 as you move across the visual. We also read books and watched videos that show what happens when you multiply and divide by ten.

SCOOT! is always a hit in my clasroom and a version that requires students to multiply and divide decimals and whole numbers by 10 and 100 is really helpful. It gives students a bit of practice while they move about the classroom. It also provides an assessment check, allowing me to know who understands the concepts and who still needs a little practice.

After our success with the flap book "presents" we made with multiples and factors, I made another version to practice what we're learning about multiplying and dividing with powers of ten.

 Students answer nine problems (two sets) to investigate what happens when a number is either multiplied or divided by 10 again and again. Then they record patterns observed in the multiplication or division equations. This little flap book will be added to our math journals to demonstrate what we've learned about powers of ten. Blank versions of the sheets are also available for teachers and students to create their own powers of ten problems.

The new flap book is currently available at Teachers Pay Teachers and will soon be available at Teachers Notebook. As a new product, it is on sale...in addition to the big Thursday-Friday TPT sale.

I hope the last two days of your school week are tenfold fun!

What's Up, Chupp?

Cindy Chupp, that's me! Wondering where I've been? We've had a LOT going on around here. Here's a taste:

Basketball season!

Snow...the first of the season for us!

Decimals and place value in math

Fairy Tales - intense planning! More to come...

Starts tomorrow! Don't miss it! All my products on sale.

TPT Sale Includes New Products:

Flap Books - mutiplying & dividing by powers of 10. More details tomorrow!

Oregon Trail Reader's Theatre

Whew! So what have YOU been up to?

Jeans Pocket Recycling = Add/Subtract Game for Any Target Number

I recently did this activity (revived from an old post) with a handful of first graders who needed a little extra support in adding/subtracting within 5. Across the board, they all said, "This is FUN!" With that endorsement, here's an idea for adding/subtracting with any target number. All you need is an old jeans pocket and some change.

I cut a pocket from a pair of jeans in the ragbag. We used the pocket for lessons at a variety of levels...

Add/Subtract Within 5:

I showed my 4yo five coins. I told him that I would hide some of the coins in the pocket while he shut his eyes. When he opened them I asked, "How many pennies are in my pocket?" While I was thrilled that he got the first one right, I quickly realized that it may have been a fluke. He needed more support to understand how many coins were hiding.

I made a little 5-frame. We put all five pennies in the frame and counted them. After I hid some, he used the 5-frame to help him figure out how many coins were missing.

Once understanding is more solid, continue without the five frame.







Add/Subtract Within 100:

I told my 7yo that his coins totaled $1. I put some of the money outside and some of the money inside the pocket. He counted the coins he could see and then told me how much money he thought he'd find inside the pocket. He then emptied the pocket and counted the change. I'll upgrade to dollar bills as he needs a bit more of a challenge.

Mental Math Game: I Have, You Need

In the context of our curriculum, Bridges Second Edition, we've been introduced to a quick, easy new game: I Have, You Need. The premise is simple and can be played with a pair of students or with an entire class.

1. Set a target number.
2. Call out "I have ________ (a number)."
3. Someone responds with "You need __________ (a number)."

I quickly do this with the entire class. Here are some examples:

Numbers to 100
Teacher: I have 22. (point to a student)
Student: You need 78.

Numbers to 10
Teacher: I have 7.
Student: You need 3.

Fractions to 1
Teacher: I have 4/8.
Student: You need 4/8. (Or 1/2.)

Decimals (as we're doing now!)
Teacher: I have 0.15
Student: You need 0.85.

Students can also pose problems for one other, taking turns with the questions/answers.

This has become a wonderful, quick tool to assess fluency. To provide students additional practice in mental math, try using the free, online game, Numberbond. Choose a target number of 5, 10, 100, or set your own number.

Fractions and Decimals on a Number Line

Just wanted to share a couple photos from a recent lesson from Bridges Second Edition, "Decimals on a Number Line." (And scroll down for a related online game!)

Battleship Numberline - Choose from decimals, fractions, and whole numbers...then find the number on a numberline to sink the battleship.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Enjoy your day! The cards are here if you need them in the future! :)

Picturing 5,000!

Nana ordered new meal worms to feed the wild bluebirds. Someone was captivated with the total.

"One, two, three, four,..."

Math Monday Blog Hop: 100th Day of School

Welcome to Math Mondays! This week, we're thinking about the 100th day of school. You can literally find 100s (and 100s!) of ideas for the 100th day of school.

Please take a moment to share below (no ads, please...items from TPT or TN must be FREE.) Thank you!





If you want to share this collection on your blog, just grab this link:

get the InLinkz code

Getting Kids Excited About GRAMMAR?! (free, too!)

Over at Growing By Degrees, my brilliant-English-teacher-friend, Sherri, wrote a series of grammar lessons that begin with the book, Woe Is I, Jr., and extend to related online games and creative writing assignments. My fifth grader has been working his way through the series, mostly independently. It could be used as a source of grammar teaching ideas or as an independent study.

Here's a link to the final page (for Lesson 12), which contains an index for all 12 lessons. The introduction begins here.

This is a fantastic resource for grammar teaching and learning! Woe is...anyone who doesn't give it a try. 'Cause this grammar really will make you GRIN!

Are You a Follower?

Announcement, announcement!!  Please read on if you are interested in knowing about products that I make (free and/or paid) and post in my teacher shops...

In the past year, I've climbed a rather steep learning curve, learning to make original products to share with my teacher & homeschooler friends. As my skills have improved, I've begun posting things more frequently.

Although I will continue to write about new products, I won't write about all of them, free or paid.  I just don't want to use that much blog time and space.

THEREFORE...here's what I'm going to do...

If you follow my teacher shops, you will be notified when I post new products, free or paid. New paid products will always be posted at a significant discount for the first couple days. Sales will also be advertised to store followers. To become a follower, just visit my stores here:

Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers Notebook

I hope that makes it easier for those who are interested to stay updated.

Thanks for following!
Cindy

This Plus That: Life's Little Equations (writing, math, & free handout!)

In Amy Krouse Rosenthal's 2011 book, This Plus That: Life's Little Equations, "simple arithmetical equations show how big and small moments add up in life."

For example (from the book):

1 + 1 = us

yes + no = maybe

red + blue = purple

laughter + keeping secrets + sharing = best friend

chores / everyone = family

cozy = smell of pancakes - alarm clock = weekend

While this little book is a great stand-alone, it's also a wonderful model for children to consider their own life equations. My class wrote their own poetic, autobiographical equations modeled after these little beauties. What a great way to combine writing and math. See one student's work, below:

I made a little handout to help kids start brainstorming their own life equations. Enjoy! And please let me know if you use it! :)

Review: Color Tile Fraction Puzzles

During our fraction unit, I added an extra activity to my 5th graders' study. Color Tile Fraction Puzzles: Grades 5+ consists of 30 puzzle cards, color tile, and an instruction booklet with student answer sheet and answer key.

What I like:
1. This is a great way to get kids thinking with visual fraction models.
2. Cards ask kids to calculate a fraction of a whole number (1/3 of 15, for example), contributing toward understanding multiplication of fractions.
3. The combination of puzzles, manipulatives, coloring, and computation lends a lot of fun to fraction exploration.
4. The product aligns to CCSS 5.NF.2:

"Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem."

4. Since the cards increase in difficulty, it is easy to differentiate.





Additional Thoughts:
The puzzles are advertised for use in grades 5 and up. I think it could be useful in 4th grade (perhaps even a challenge in 3rd), but I would probably only use it in grades higher than 5th if students were struggling with this particular concept...or I might use it as an extension.

Extension Idea:
Students with the greatest understanding of fractions could rapidly figure most problems in their heads. Given more time, I would challenge those students to write their own color tile fraction puzzles.

Summary:
This product contains a nice balance of fun and learning. I'm glad to have it available as an addition to our fraction practice.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Color Tile Fraction Puzzles in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.

Gross, Fun Measurement Experiment: Carrots!

I always look forward to this Calendar Collector activity from Bridges. Each winter, 5th graders measure two carrots--one large, one small--and make predictions about what will happen to them if left out for a month. My kiddos LOVE this experiment. Our only regret is that we didn't take regular photos of the ensuing deterioration; it's really quite remarkable to watch the "shrinkage!"

Maybe you'll want to try a similar experiment. Post your photos...my students would love another chance to get grossed out! :)

Math Monday Blog Hop: Valentine's Day Math

Welcome back to Math Mondays! This week, we're thinking about ways to integrate math and Valentine's Day.

Please take a moment to share your ideas below (no ads, please...items from TPT or TN must be FREE.) Thank you!


If you want to share this collection on your blog, just grab this link:

get the InLinkz code

FREE Parallel Lines Poster Cards (for Valentine's Day or just for fun!)

"Parallel lines have so much in common...it's a shame that they'll never meet."

Print these humorous parallel lines cards for Valentine's Day or hand them out as mini-posters at any time of the year!

I add candy sticks or pencils to the parallel lines to make a fun, math-y Valentine's Day card!

Pick yours up (free!) here:

Teachers Notebook
Teachers Pay Teachers

Enjoy! (And thank you in advance for taking the time to rate this free product!)

P.S. Speaking of LOVE...and MATH...do not miss this article on how love and math intersect.