The Joy of Teaching – Page 19 of 46

May 3, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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A Homeschool Review of Evan-Moor’s Daily Summer Activities

Summer is right around the corner (don’t the kids do an excellent job reminding us of this?) and by that time, we all need a break from the normal routine! As a former elementary school teacher turned homeschooling mom, I firmly believe that it is vital for kiddos to have a break from their normal school routine during the summer (or if your child attends year-round), but to keep “one foot in the door” so that dreaded summer slide does not happen. And let me tell you from classroom experience, any teacher can easily tell who practiced facts, read books and touched base, on other subject areas over the summer.

It can be overwhelming to put together curriculum pieces for summertime, especially for parents. Sure, teachers can pull materials together in a snap because they know what they like and trust. Many times, parents do not know what direction to turn in and might consider any book that’s available. Well, like life, that’s not always the best way to approach it.

When I taught, I constantly had Evan-Moor books being rotated in my curriculum. Parents spoke highly of the work that was completed in the classroom and also sent home. Now as a homeschooling mom, I use many of their resources for my children and continue to have incredible success with them! Even though I keep a traditional school calendar with my children with the summer months not in session, I am adamant about keeping up with math facts, reading comprehension, and basic language arts applications. Instead of taking forever to compile materials for my kids, I wanted a book that had all of the content I desired so the kids could write in it and make it their own.

From a Teacher’s Point of View…

I was THRILLED when I received my Evan-Moor Daily Summer Activities workbooks in the mail. From a teacher’s perspective, these are the first things that I noticed and was most excited about:

The workbook pages are not limited to one grade. They are formatted for what your child just completed and will be entering in the fall (many call this “rising”). Meaning it is not going to be material they are not familiar with; the intention is for a refresh and review instead!
There are ten weeks of lessons included. This is perfect for the summer weeks, or, if your crew attends year-round school, the workbook can be a great resource for those stretches of time.
There is an overview in the beginning to show parents which concepts will be covered each week. This is a lifesaver, especially for tutors using the book, so they know what areas they can expand on and extend lessons, whether more reinforcement was needed, or if the child just took to the topic extremely well (“light bulb moment!”).
The curriculum is excellent, and the skills covered each week reach benchmarks and appropriate grade expectations. It is truly a one-stop shop where you can feel confident that you made the right choice.
Each week comes with a reading log for 20 minutes of daily reading Monday through Friday. Can we say accountability?!
Each workbook page is clearly labeled with which day it is to be completed on.
There are stickers enclosed for encouragement!

Pacing and Completion of Book

Of course the first thing that parents think of is how long will this take my kids? How can I convince them to complete it? This is the great part; each day covers one workbook page that is front and back. As mentioned above, I want my kids to have a break during summer, but keep some of the essentials current during this time. The workbook can be completed anywhere, too! It is not limited to the kitchen table; you can easily get creative and have them complete it outside, underneath a homemade fort, or even in the car during a road trip. Completing these lessons every day will certainly help carry over previously learned material.

Expanding on Lessons

The books provide excellent opportunities to expand on many of the skills/topics featured. For instance, geography is a feature every week. Expand your Daily Summer Activities lessons with some hands-on activities that relate to the topics within your weekly lessons, such as:

Poster board map: Use a piece of poster board to have your kids create their own map/map key of their choice!
Geography research: Your child could easily research one of the countries featured in the book and create a tri-fold on that country’s facts and then try to cook something that locals eat.
Handwriting practice: Whip out an old cookie sheet and spray shaving cream on it and have them practice on there. Other ideas include markers for windows, bathtub crayons, cotton swabs dipped in paint, and even the old-fashioned stick and sand!

What Did the Kids Say?

My crew was incredibly receptive to these workbooks! They loved the variety of assignments to be completed and never felt bored or tired of the work even though they knew what to expect. The layout of the pages was easy for them to follow and never caused frustration, which would never be the intent of a summer enrichment book. They were also pleased with how much work space was given so everything could be solved on the actual workbook page instead of having to use a separate piece of loose leaf paper. Naturally, the drawing pages were a huge hit!

In closing, the most valuable thing to remember when working with your child during the summer months is to make it enjoyable for all and make those special memories! I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Best, Emilie

For an inside view of Daily Summer Activities, click here!

Emilie H. is a former elementary school teacher who currently homeschools her children. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (K-5) and Learning and Behavior Disorders (K-12). She is very passionate about planning and mapping curriculum and creating meaningful experiences for her children!

April 29, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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How Evan-Moor’s Vocabulary Fundamentals Changed My Homeschool Lessons

I am a former elementary school teacher (grades 2, 3, and 5) turned homeschooling mom. Regardless of which pedagogy homeschooling families use for their curriculum needs, we find ourselves utilizing many instructional resources, whether it be a workbook series or following a blog online for ideas and support. I am writing today to let you know how much (okay, I will admit I am obsessed with this workbook!) Evan-Moor’s Vocabulary Fundamentals workbook has been such a lifesaver AND key instructor for my curriculum instruction!

I have used Evan-Moor products for years, both in the classroom and home, too. They have always provided me with the materials I was looking for without having to create something on my own (which can be rewarding, but let’s be honest, no one has the time to do that for each lesson to be taught!). This is the first year that I have utilized this workbook, and I don’t know what I would do without it. I purchased it because of what the table of contents listed, but I did not realize the depth of the material until it arrived in the mail. If I was teaching in a classroom, I can guarantee I would be using it to supplement my curriculum. While this workbook is published for grades 1–6, and is fabulous for the younger primary grades, this vocabulary series shines like no other for grades 4–6.

Here Is Why:

Synonyms, antonyms, and homophones are introduced in the early primary years, typically by first grade. This is essential for children’s language development and should not be put on the back burner as they progress in school years. This workbook for grades 4, 5, and 6 has an entire unit dedicated for synonyms, antonyms, homophones and even homographs. Can I say how wonderful this is?

I will usually provide my child with task cards (that I have created) that focus on one of these topics and then continue the lesson with the review pages from the workbook. This works wonders for me to provide a floor activity with movement and then to wrap the lesson with a writing application such as the pages from the workbook.
Figurative language for idioms is included! Figurative language can actually be really enjoyable to teach if you have a pre-determined plan on how you are going to get the kids to decipher between the different types of figurative language. I always provide laugh-worthy activities, so it is not always apparent that teaching/learning is taking place; I might have to change my plan of action if my kids read this! While these moments are great, I like to have some follow-up pages to ensure connections took place. My child was extremely receptive to the idiom section of the workbook and actually preferred solving the answers by color-coordinating the choices and answers!
Root words are an entire unit! How many of us always wished we had learned Latin and Greek root words while still in school… Seeing that there was an entire section dedicated to this made me so happy! What an incredible opportunity we can provide our kids by introducing these words at a younger age for additional exposure. In addition to solving the workbook pages, we utilize the words by using index cards to review the meanings and other words that contain the root word being studied. Time permitting, we will play review games that I created on the index cards (can you tell by now I have a slight affection for the 3 X 5 cards?).
Did I say prefixes and suffixes? Yes, I certainly did! My most favorite aspect of this workbook for grades 4, 5, and 6 is that there is an entire unit dedicated to prefixes and suffixes. When I taught second and third grades, phonics was my favorite subject to teach. The ideas for instruction were limitless, and the kids were always receptive because they fed off of my excitement and energy for the subject! I have always been a firm believer that phonics instruction should not end at second or third grade. Vocabulary Fundamentals provides two separate units chalk-full of review work for the most commonly used prefixes and suffixes. Just like I mentioned above, I prefer to have a kinesthetic activity or something that gets my child out of the chair so the work never seems redundant. To follow up with whichever prefix or suffix we are studying, the workbook pages provide excellent clarification for instructional time.
Last, but not least, Word Play is found at the back of the workbook. Word Play is essentially workbook pages that focus on vocabulary words while presenting them in different types of puzzles to solve for enjoyment. This section of the book is an excellent extension work opportunity if your child completes his/her work early.

Sample kinesthetic activities to include with your vocabulary lessons:

Circle-Step Synonyms and Antonyms:
Get them outside with clipboards and their work or utilize chalk on the driveway if word repetition is in order! You can also take simple outdoor games and turn them into educational reviews such as circle-step. Write words that are being studied in your Vocabulary Fundamentals unit so every time they land on that word, they can say the word out loud. The kids can be challenged by asking to furnish a synonym or antonym or by putting the selected word in a sentence.

Singing: If we are learning a new phonics skill, many times I will create an anchor chart (a condensed version of a resourceful bulletin board), and we will sing the anchor chart’s information out loud.

3X5 Card Prefix Ladder: Write prefixes from Vocabulary Fundamentals and line cards in a ladder format on the floor. Practice saying words that start with that prefix, moving up the ladder with each word.

By now, I am sure you get the picture on why I hold this workbook in such high regard! I highly suggest visiting Evan-Moor’s website and looking up the workbook to take a peek yourself. I hope reading this blog has provided help and insight for those who are looking for materials that are found in Vocabulary Fundamentals!

Wishing you the best in your homeschooling adventures,
Emilie

April 29, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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Summer Learning Ideas for Kids: Kitchen Math, Garden Science, and Other Educational Activities

Everyone talks about the summer slide, but is it really a thing?

A recent study called the NWEA RIT Scale Norms Study in 2015 estimated that students lose 20% to 50% of their school year gains as they grow older.

“Summer learning loss was observed in math and reading across third to eighth grade, with students losing a greater proportion of their school year gains each year as they grow older – anywhere from 20 to 50 percent.”
– NWEA RIT Scale Norms Study in 2015

As a parent and former teacher, I can attest to the importance of keeping your child’s skills fresh throughout the summer. Children who read and engage in educational activities with their families see growth in every area of their academics. Take time throughout your summer break to actively take part in your child’s learning process.

Try these summer learning activities and tips to create a summer learning routine:

1. Kitchen Math

Math is one of summer’s forgotten skills. Many studies show math skills decreasing faster than reading skills over the summer.

“In the summer following third grade, students lose nearly 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading and 27 percent of their school-year gains in math. By the summer after seventh grade, students lose on average 36 percent of their school-year gains in reading and a whopping 50 percent of their school-year gains in math.”
– NWEA RIT Scale Norms Study in 2015

Cooking
We don’t really think about it very much, but cooking requires quite a bit of math skills. Get your children excited about learning and practicing their numbers with some fun summer recipes. Remember to allow your child to make mistakes and let him or her try and figure out the measurements with a little guidance from you. Always handle hot pans and ovens yourself!

Get started with this free kid-friendly robin’s nest recipe! Click here to download!

Math Talk
So much of math is learning how to covert language into math sentences and computations. Give your child practice with math language by creating word problems within your daily routines. These frequent conversations are an excellent way to reduce math anxiety and present mathematical reasoning in a relaxed and fun environment.

If you are at the grocery store, create a math problem within their skill level that they can figure out as you shop.

(2nd–3rd grade) Today I am going to make applesauce. My recipe calls for six green apples, but I need to double the recipe. How many apples do I need to buy today?

(3rd–5th grade) Micaela picked 171 cherry tomatoes from her garden. She split them equally among herself and two friends. How many cherry tomatoes did each person get?
Fact Practice
Practicing math facts is a very important element in children’s math education. Having the ability to quickly and correctly compute simple numbers will be a huge asset as they progress. Find time within your busy summer schedule to fit in a few sessions of math fact practice. For fun flashcard activities read: Games to Play with Math Flashcards

Evan-Moor’s Daily Summer Activities includes a weekly grade-appropriate fact sheet to keep your child’s skills progressing throughout the summer.

Evan-Moor’s Daily Summer Activities includes a weekly grade-appropriate fact sheet to keep your child’s skills progressing throughout the summer.

2. Garden Science

Whether you have an outdoor box garden or just a window box, plan to grow a few garden favorites this summer! Gardening teaches gives children practice developing their creativity, responsibility, and physical development.

Build an herb garden
Research different types of herbs and what conditions they need to grow. Pick three that would grow in your climate to plant.
Start your own seed garden.
Begin your own seed garden indoors, and when the plants are hardy enough, plant them in your garden outside. This is a wonderful way for children to watch the growth cycle of plants and appreciate the hard work it takes to grow a mature plant.
Try a science experiment in your garden
Have your child design an experiment and hypothesize what the outcome will be! Plant and test his or her theory throughout the summer!
- Feed the same type of plant different fertilizer and see if one plant grows more than another.
- Try planting one plant in the sun and one in the shade to see if they grow differently!
- Try planting watermelon or pumpkin seeds. When the flowers begin to bloom, research what the difference is between a male and female plant. (Female flowers will have a small bulb of fruit growing just below their flower.) If you don’t have a local colony of bees, try hand fertilizing your flowers yourself. When the flowers have blossomed, touch the stamens of a male and female plant to cross-pollinate.

3. Summer Reading Fun

By now we all know the importance of reading over the summer months. Evidence shows (National Institute for Literacy, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the U.S. Department of Education) a strong connection between reading skills/frequency and academic success. Develop a reading plan for your family this summer! Set goals for family read-alouds and your child’s individual reading progress. Here are some suggestions for incorporating reading into your daily summer routine.

Family Reading Night
Choose a book for your family to read aloud during the week. If you find yourself too tired to read aloud at night, try playing a book on tape (Audible and iTunes are great options). These books on tape often have readers who create voices and sound effects to go along with their story.

Our Top Favorite Read-Alouds on Audible:
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Magic Tree House Collection by Mary Pope Osborne
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Reluctant Reader Tips
If you have a reluctant reader, choose small, short, daily reading passages they can complete without feeling overwhelmed. Make sure the reading materials you are providing are within their reading level. It can be very frustrating for some children to read texts they are not fluent in. Follow the five-finger rule.

Five Finger Rule: If there are five words in the first page of reading text your child does not know, choose a simpler book.
Reading Rewards
Motivate your children to read with a summer reading reward program. Some ideas are:
- Movie Night: For every novel or set of books your child reads, he or she earns a family movie night. (You can even match a book with the movie!) Provide fun family treats and snacks for your movie night!
- Game Night: Pop a bowl of popcorn and choose your family’s favorite board and card games!
- Book Rewards: If your child loves comic books, reward him or her for reading with a comic book such as Calvin and Hobbes or Garfield.

4. Memory Book Writing

Create a summer memory book with photos and have your child write about each adventure. If you have a budding photographer, let him or her get behind the lens and take create his or her own photo portfolio. This will turn out to be a wonderful keepsake for your child to remember summer experiences. The book doesn’t have to be fancy, and the photos can even be drawn. The writing can be short or long depending on your child’s abilities.

Challenge them to edit their own work. You can even offer a reward for every mistake they find in their writing! (I find that small food rewards work well in this instance. Our family’s favorites are yogurt-covered raisins and chocolate chips. My children receive one raise or chocolate chip for each mistake found.)

Design a Summer Learning Schedule

Creating a summer learning routine will help you (or your child?) stay on track with your learning goals all summer long. Post a summer learning calendar to help your child complete reading and math goals appropriate to his/her age.

For example, for a child ages x–x:

Complete 2 pages of your daily summer activity book
Read for 15–30 minutes
Track your progress with a daily checklist and sticker book
Spend time outdoors!

Daily Summer Activities makes it easy to have fun and learn all summer long in only 15 minutes a day. There’s a checklist for your child to track daily progress and record summer reading books, and there are sticker reward sheets (up to grade 5). Middle school students can also track their progress and record summer reading.

Take a look at these sample activities.

Keep summer learning active and engaging with a combination of indoor and outdoor activities that challenge your child to think, solve problems, and most important of all, just have fun!

Summer Learning Activity Books:

Daily Summer Activities books on Evan-Moor.com

Daily Summer Activities books on Amazon:

Daily Summer Activities Between Grades PreK and K
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades K and 1
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 1 and 2
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 2 and 3
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 3 and 4
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 4 and 5
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 5 and 6
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 6 and 7
Daily Summer Activities Between Grades 7 and 8

Discover more summer learning ideas below!

How To Create Your Own Summer Camp at Home

How to Get Your Child to Read Tips for Summer Reading

Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.

$Math Flash Card Games$

April 29, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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Games to Play with Math Flashcards

$Math Flash Card Games$ As a teacher, I would often get questions from parents, such as “Is it really important for my kids to know their math facts quickly?” Yes, it really is. What so many of us forget is how much we use those skills in the upper grades and throughout high school. Students first begin to understand the importance of math facts when they learn long division. They are multiplying, dividing, and subtracting all within one division problem. If children do not have a firm grasp of their math facts, these new math strategies and skills become more and more difficult with each passing year.

Flashcard games are a great way to learn your math facts and have a little fun. The other day I was so surprised when my daughter asked if I would practice her math facts with her rather than doing the online program she normally uses. She explained that it is more fun to “just spend time with your mom.” I am so glad I took the time out of my busy day to play some fun games with my daughter! So, break out those flashcard games from your childhood and have fun practicing your math facts!

Build a Number Sentence

Addition and Subtraction
This exercise is a great one to start with if your child is just beginning addition or subtraction. It will help him or her visualize what is happening to numbers when they are added or subtracted. Choose ten addition or subtraction flashcards and place them in a pile.

Using counting objects such as cereal, Legos, pennies, rocks, or any tiny countable tiny objects, have your child create a number sentence for each flashcard.
You can also take it a step further and have him or her write out the number sentence and answer.
If your child is ready, ask him or her to use the number sentence to write a word problem. He or she can even illustrate it! This transferring of number sentences into word sentences is a wonderful way to exercise critical thinking skills. (Plus you can squeeze in a little writing and spelling practice, as well!)

Example:
7-2=5
OOOOOOO
Bella had seven cookies. She ate two of them. How many does she have left?

Multiplication and Division
If your child is practicing multiplication and division, have him or her demonstrate with counters what is happening to the numbers when you multiply and divide.

In multiplication, we want to know the total groups of numbers. Have your child build an array for a multiplication problem. When you are first learning multiplication, choose beginning facts such as 1s, 2s, and 5s.

Example: 2×5=10
2 by 5 array (2 rows by 5 columns)
XXXXX
XXXXX
2+2+2+2+2=10

Division is simply repeated subtraction and is the reverse of multiplication. In division we want to divide the total into smaller groups, and the answer is how many smaller groups there are. (Modeling with counters should only be done with division problems that do not have remainders.)

Example: 12÷3=?
(Divide 12 into 3 equal groups)
Start with 12
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
(Can you create equal groups?) (How many equal groups?)
XXX XXX XXX XXX
4 equal groups of 3 were created so…
12÷3=4

War

This flashcard game can be played with any addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division flashcards.

Shuffle a deck of flashcards and deal out all the cards between two players.
Each player turns a card over at the same time and solves it.
The player with the highest answer wins and collects the cards.
When the players are out of cards, the player with the most cards wins.

Math Families

This flashcard activity takes a slightly different approach to practicing math facts, and the number fluency required helps children build a strong math foundation. It can be played with one or more players. You will need either multiplication and division flashcards or addition and subtraction flashcards.

Start with a stack of two decks of addition and subtraction flashcards.
Match up the addition cards with the corresponding subtraction cards that make up a fact family. (When playing for the first time, separate out a small set of fact families for a total of 20 flashcards. Once your child understands the game you can begin to include more cards.)
You may also play this game with multiplication and division flashcards. Using a stack of multiplication and division cards, have your child match up the cards that create math families such as: 3×5=15 and 5×3=15; 15÷3=5 and 15÷5=3.

Maze

A single player or multiple players can play these games.

Scatter flashcards around a room in a random order.
Players must find and organize the cards by their answers from least to greatest. For example, 2+1=3 would be followed by 3+1=4 or the next-highest answer. (If you need a pared-down version of this game, simply choose 6 to 10 flashcards for your child and have him or her put them in order from smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

Flashcard Deals

Flashcard Sets of 3 for $9.99:

Flashcards on Amazon:

Addition and Subtraction

Multiplication and Division

Looking for a little extra math practice?

Skill Sharpeners: Math for grades PreK–6 provides colorful and fun math pages that give your child grade-appropriate math skills practice.

April 16, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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Using Voice to Persuade: Persuasive Writing Prompts for Grades 4–6

Teaching persuasive writing with an emphasis on voice is a great method for teaching students how their writing can influence people’s thoughts. Through this series of activities and lessons, students will understand that it takes careful word choice (voice), the development of logical arguments, and an organized summary to master using voice within persuasive writing. These persuasive writing activities are geared for students in grades 4, but can be adapted for grades 5–6.

Teaching persuasive writing can seem overwhelming, but following these steps helps to guide students through the writing process:

Use read-alouds and writing examples to show persuasive writing with voice.
Review elements of persuasive writing, such as opinion statements.
Discuss supporting evidence with examples.
Write a persuasive paragraph on a compelling topic!

Persuade: to cause someone to do something by giving them reasons; to convince. A persuasive article speaks directly to the reader with pronouns such as you, your, and we; it appeals to the reader’s emotions and provides reasons that support the opinions stated.

Introduce Persuasive Writing with Voice

Before asking students to tackle persuasive writing with voice, introduce them to examples of authors using strong voices. Expose them to various writing voices and explain why the author chose each voice for a particular audience.

Read-Alouds to Show Voice

A fun way to introduce voices within persuasive writing is through read-alouds. These three picture books are entertaining stories that get students invested in identifying voice:

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff

Click on the activity for this free download.

Examples of Voice in Writing

Once students understand the importance of voice, introduce examples of using voice within persuasive writing. Writers should ask themselves who the audience is and determine the most appropriate voice for their purpose.

The best examples are taken from two different texts written about the same topic to the same audience. The examples listed below identify the differences between a formal letter to the President of the United States and an informal letter. Students should identify which letter uses the correct voice for the audience (the president).

Review Elements of Persuasive Writing

Click on page for close-up view.

Opinion Statement

An opinion statement is one sentence that tells how you feel about a topic. In persuasive writing, you must always take a stand and state your opinion on the topic or issue. Often, the sentence after your opinion statement gives the most important reason for your opinion.

Practice writing strong opinion statements such as:

Should students be allowed to have cellphones in the classroom?

Sample answer: Students should be allowed to keep their cellphones during class. Cellphones are important to have in case of emergency.

Should your class go on a field trip to a science museum, a play, or an aquarium?

Sample answer: Our class should take a field trip to the science museum. We could do research there for our upcoming science projects.

Click on page for close-up view.

Supporting Evidence

In order to convince someone that your opinion is the best, you need to convince them using supporting evidence. Strong opinion writing will list multiple reasons as well as address opposing views of their opinion.

To persuade your readers, speak directly to them; give reasons that support your ideas, and write with emotion. An author’s voice is his or her attitude toward a subject, and creating a strong voice makes an author’s writing more interesting to read. Match your voice to the purpose and audience. Use persuasive techniques such as word choice, repetition, and emotional appeal that are appropriate to your audience.

Practice developing supporting arguments with these examples.

Assignment: Read these community project ideas. Choose one project to persuade your class to do. Write your opinion statement and create four reasons that support your opinion.

Volunteer at a wildlife rescue center. Help birds, amphibians, and small mammals that are hurt or sick.
Hold a book drive to collect new and used books. Donate the books to schools or libraries that need them.

Raise money to build wells in Africa. Hold fundraisers to collect the money.

Write a Persuasive Paragraph

Listed below is a combination of serious and fun persuasive writing prompts to give your students practice.

Which community service project should your class perform? (Use the ideas generated from your supporting evidence exercise.)
Sweet or salty? Which is better?
Should television be allowed in classrooms?
Should pets be allowed at school?
Should schools sell soda to students?
Students should be allowed to have cellphones turned on in class (yes or no).
State government should mandate for more recess time (yes or no).

Resources

Daily 6-Trait Writing grade 4 unit 5 provides 5 weeks of lessons scaffolded to teach students how to use their voice to write a persuasive essay.

Week 1: Examining Different Writing Voices (these bullets should be the same style as those above)
Week 2: Using Your Voice to Persuade
Week 3: Writing From Different Points of View
Week 4: Using Voice in Poetry
Week 5: Developing Your Own Voice

Get this grade 4 unit from Daily 6-Trait Writing TeachersPayTeachers here.

Additional nonfiction writing resources from Evan-Moor

Nonfiction Writing grades 2–6

Text-Based Writing grades 2–6

How to Teach Evidence-Based Writing in 5 Easy Steps

April 3, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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Homeschool Review of Evan-Moor’s Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation

In this review of Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation, we will explore the features and layout of the newest addition to Evan-Moor’s Skill Sharpeners series.

We can all agree that grammar and punctuation are quite important in written communication. Evan-Moor makes it possible for kids to enjoy practicing these skills.

Let’s take a look inside Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation, the latest addition to Evan-Moor’s Skill Sharpeners full-color activity book series.

The Layout of Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation

The table of contents clearly outlines the contents of each themed unit. This detailed list shows what specific skills are taught. It allows you and your kids to track their progress.

Each of the 15 themed units of Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation includes:

A story or article that highlights the grammar and punctuation skills in a real-life situation.
Grammar rules that are clearly stated in their own colored box. It clearly stands out on the page to make sure kids see and understand the concepts.
Short theme-based activities and games where kids practice the grammar and punctuation rules. The activities vary from unit to unit, but each unit follows a similar structure. The kids enjoy the meaningful and engaging activities. This is great for easy planning, too.
Activities that invite kids to use both critical thinking and writing skills. These activities ensure kids really understand and use grammar skills in their own writing.
A review page. This can be used as an assessment if you prefer.

Here is an example from Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation grade 4.

The “Away at Camp” unit begins with two friendly letters between friends at camp. The grammar focus is on commonly confused words, while the punctuation focus is using commas in a letter.

There are two pages to help kids edit friendly letters that are missing commas.

An application page invites the kids to rewrite letters from camp that have errors with commonly confused words and missing commas.

Finally, the unit concludes with a quick review, which can be used as an assessment if you would like.

Additional Resources in Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation

In addition to the themed units, Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation also features a Language Handbook that can easily be torn out and used as a reference book once the activities are complete.

The Language Handbook is ideal for kids to store in their writer’s notebook; it can also be used when kids are editing their own writing.

Another resource is a full-color answer key included at the back of the book. It is wonderful for kids to be able to check their own work. It makes Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation a great option for independent work.

Build Your Kids’ Confidence with Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation

If your kids love writing, Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation will be a fun way to increase their confidence when using grammar and punctuation skills.

If your kids could use a little more grammar practice, then Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation offers quick and engaging activities that keep kids focused. By completing one page a day, your kids can successfully practice their grammar skills without being overwhelmed.

At $9.99 each, my kids are thrilled to have a colorful activity book that they enjoy using for learning fun. Skill Sharpeners Grammar and Punctuation is available in each grade level from PreK–grade 6.

Curious About Other Skill Sharpeners Books?

If you haven’t checked out the other colorful activity books in the Skill Sharpeners series yet, now is the time to discover this teaching gem for grades PreK–grade 6!

My kids enjoy Skill Sharpeners and often ask to work ahead of their one page a day assignment. The topics always hold their interest. Most of all, I appreciate how Skill Sharpeners books show kids real-life ways that the skills are used.

Evan-Moor’s Skill Sharpeners series are packed with fun ways to practice skills. Skill Sharpeners are available in the following subjects:

Evan-Moor organizes each Skill Sharpeners book into kid-friendly themes. The themes are color-coded so the kids (and you) can easily see the kids’ progress.

Skill Sharpeners are such a fun addition to independent practice – whether at home or school.

Using Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation in Your Homeschool Curriculum

If you are looking for homeschool curriculum resources, Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation pairs well with Language Fundamentals.

Be sure and check out a specific list of grammar and punctuation skills offered in each grade level of Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation to see which level is right for your child!

View this video for more information on Skill Sharpeners: Grammar and Punctuation.

Amy Michaels is a certified teacher with 11 years of elementary classroom experience who is actively homeschooling her own children. Her mission is share the best teaching methods and resources with all homeschoolers. Amy supports parents through her podcasts, webinars, and online training for homeschoolers on her website www.thrivehomeschooling.com.

March 14, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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Solar System TPT Lessons: Take a Journey Through Outer Space

Spark students’ interest in science with a study unit about the solar system. Still one of the last frontiers of science, outer space holds modern day mysteries of unknown origins that will have your students feeling like space science adventurers.

Sometimes students just need to take a break from the textbooks and delve into topics of study that pique their interest. Students love learning about the world around them, especially when it relates to space science.

Create a study unit with informational space lessons and hands-on activities with these TPT solar system lessons:

Earth Is a Part of a Solar System
Grades 1–3

Start your space study with this introductory unit on the Milky Way Galaxy. It teaches students about the order of planets in our galaxy and their relation to each other. This unit includes directions for implementing activities, experiments, and a minibook about the solar system, the order of the planets, and our universal address.

Each Planet in Our Solar System Has Unique Characteristics
Grades 1–3

This unit provides detailed information about the individual planets. Included are directions and hands-on experiments about orbits, the distances between the sun and the planets, and a minibook on each of the eight planets in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Pocket Book on Space
Grades 1–3

Perfect for displaying on Open House night, this extensive hands-on unit provides detailed directions, patterns, and ideas through which students create a “pocket book” about planets, the moon, stars, humans in space, and other topics. Activities include information pages, making a flip book of the planets, art projects, a minibook, a space puppet, writing activities, and more.

Space Riddles
Grades 1–3

This unit is a short, fun addition to any outer space unit. It provides directions for creating a question-and-answer minibook in the form of riddles about our planets and other objects from space.

The Moon (Earth & Space Science/Moon)
Grades 2–3

This informational reading unit investigates information about the moon, including its phases. The unit contains a two-page article, plus three student activities on answering comprehension questions, developing vocabulary, and keeping a log of observing the moon.

Outer Space Center Activities
Grades 3–4

This “Take It to Your Seat” science center provides information and activities in which students match terms about the sun, moon, planets, and outer space with definitions and write sentences. The unit is also includes directions for creating a center with a file folder that contains directions, task cards, and answer forms.

Phases of the Moon: Take It to Your Seat Science Center
Grades 3–4

This “Take It to Your Seat” science center provides information and activities in which students match descriptions with pictures of the phases of the moon, write a paragraph, and draw a diagram. The unit is placed into a file folder that contains directions, picture/definition task cards, information sheet, and response forms.

Moon Phases Match Game and Activities
Grades 3–6

This short activity bundle includes information, activities, and a memory match game about the phases of the moon, plus student record sheets.

Gravity (Physical Science)
Grades 4–6

This “Read & Understand Science” unit investigates the concept and effects of gravity in the solar system and on Earth. The unit contains a two-page article including directions for creating a poster, plus three activities to answer comprehension questions, use vocabulary, and use notes to explain the poster.

Gravity in Our Solar System (Reading Informational Text)
Grade 5

This nonfiction reading unit (level V) focuses on gravity. Students learn how all objects in the universe exert gravitational force on all other objects. The unit contains teacher support pages, a reading selection with supporting illustrations, and activities to guide students in close reading of the text. Students also gain practice applying content and academic vocabulary. The unit concludes with a lesson exploring text structure (Question and Answer) and a text-based writing activity.

Fun Hands-on Group Activities

Orbiting the Sun Grades 1–3
Get your students moving with this fun outdoor demonstration of orbiting planets.

Directions:

Create a large yellow sun from butcher paper.
Cut individual planets out of colored butcher paper. Download these free images of the planets to guide you.
Assign one student per planet and tell the rest of the class that they are astronomers studying the planets.
Take your class outside and assign a student to hold the paper sun in the center of the playground.
Place each student and his or her planet in the correct order from the sun. (Neptune will be at the very edge of the playground.) Planets (students) begin to orbit around the sun.
Ask your “astronomers” to explain what they see.
- It takes some planets much longer to go around the sun than others.
- Why? Some planets have to go farther than other planets.
- Which planet has the shortest trip?
- Which planet has the longest trip?
Explain that the amount of time it takes each planet to revolve around the sun is called a year. Ask your students, “Is a year the same amount of time on Venus as on Neptune?”

For more information, view these free educational videos from NASA for grades 1–6:

sea otters an ocean mammals lessons and activities

March 5, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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Sea Otters, Marine Mammals, and Ocean Life Activities for Grades K–3

Learning about marine mammals, or sea mammals, is important for understanding the impact they play in marine ecosystems. Marine mammals are quite amazing because they are similar to land mammals, but have adapted to aquatic life in order to survive. While these animals do not share a common ancestor, they do share several characteristics that classify them as marine mammals, such as:

The need to breathe air
Being warm-blooded
Having mammary glands that produce milk in order to feed their babies
Giving birth to live young
In some cases, having hair

Interesting Facts About Sea Otters

Sea otters are one of the smallest marine mammals in the ocean. They grow to about four feet long and can weigh about 65 pounds. They prefer to live near rocky shores and kelp forests, and some will come onto the shore occasionally, but they can actually live all their life in the ocean.

Why do otters have fur?
- Unlike most marine mammals that use blubber to stay warm in the cold ocean waters, sea otters rely on their extremely thick fur. In fact, sea otters have the world’s finest and densest fur—up to a million hairs per square inch! In comparison, you probably have about 100,000 hairs or fewer on your whole head. Sea otters use their fur to trap air, which helps them stay warm, but they have to keep it clean, because dirty hair will not hold air.
How do otters stay warm?
- Besides their dense fur, sea otters use their feet to reduce or maximize heat loss when water temperatures are too cold or too hot, respectively. To reduce heat loss when the waters are cold, they float on their backs with their feet out of the water. When the waters are warm, they extend their feet out underwater to maximize their surface area.

What do otters eat?
- Sea otters are carnivores, and their typical diet includes fish, crabs, clams, and octopuses. Sea otters prey on a variety of sea animals, and this can end up influencing the marine ecosystems that they live in. For example, they prey on sea urchins, which reduce grazing pressure. This allows kelp bed forests to grow and increase marine fauna density and diversity, which aids in the development of new ecosystems.

How do otters eat?
- Sea otters dive down into the water to catch their food, sealing their nose and ears to keep the water out. Once they are back at the surface, they roll onto their backs and put the food on their stomach, like a plate on a table, and use a rock to help them crack open their food. Just like people, sea otters use tools to help them eat, because some of the foods, like clams, have hard shells that can’t be eaten.

TeachersPayTeachers Marine Life Lessons and Activities for grades K–3

Grades K–2

Use these picture cards to help your students identify and learn about different types of marine mammals.

Grades 1–2

In this “Read and Understand Science” unit for grades 1–2, you can help teach your students how sea otters adapted to the habitat in which they live.
A fun reading activity to do with your class is this readers’ theater unit on a hungry octopus who steals food from three sea otters.

Grades 1–3

Marine ecosystems are full of diverse animals, and a fun way to explore the different types of animals with your class is by doing one of these four ocean animal art projects.
Learn about life in and around oceans with this science unit on Living in an Ocean, Spanish and English versions. Topics include animals without backbones, mammals, seabirds, and plants.

Practice sequencing with this matching activity on otters and fish: Sea Otter Reading Worksheet for Sequencing for grades 1–3.

Sea Otter Protection Programs

Some aquariums, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, have programs to help endangered marine life recover from the threats that affect their populations. The Sea Otter Program is one example: they help rescue, treat, and release injured otters or look for homes for those otters that can’t return to the wild.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Program also raises and releases stranded pups through a surrogate program. This is important, as it connects to the concept that, in many kinds of animals, organism survival is dependent on what parents pass down to their offspring. Parents engage in behaviors that help the offspring survive, so stranded pups need the guidance of a surrogate to teach them how to live in the wild.

You can learn more about the Sea Otter Program by visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium website. Be sure to check out the daily sea otter feedings on their live cam. You can also find suggested science units on marine life under their “lessons” tab.

You can also head to the education link on their website for more live videos and marine life activities.

Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter for more activities, teaching tips, and blogs like this.

Mineko Inouye currently works as the project lead for the Marketing and Communications department at CSU Long Beach. Before moving into Higher Ed, she worked as an afterschool teacher/site supervisor at an LA-based learning center. There she could see that students throughout LAUSD were learning at different paces based on their school, so she avidly used instructional workbooks like Evan-Moor’s to help bridge the gaps between her students. She’s thrilled to be assisting Evan-Moor’s marketing communications team. She loves the company because they, like her, will always be passionate about helping students learn.

How to Help Your Child Learn Division Strategies

February 20, 2019
by Evan-Moor
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How to Help Your Child Learn Division and Long Division Strategies

When my daughter started division in fourth grade, I knew we were in for trouble (and extra math practice at home). As a parent who learned math the “old” way, I had a really difficult time understanding the processes behind her math homework and word problems. (I am embarrassed to say that fourth grade division word problems are no joke.) I used Evan-Moor’s book Math Fundamentals to learn, practice, and review division strategies. The visual models and explanations provided a step-by-step learning process that reinforced what my daughter was learning at school and deepened her understanding. While helping my daughter master long division, I even discovered strategies behind the division process that deepened my understanding of the relationship between division and multiplication.

Division is one of those math skills that deserve lots of attention, explanation, and practice. Rather than teach math as a series of systems/steps to memorize, today’s math curriculum encompasses the fundamental thought processes behind every skill and strategy children are taught. Today’s math curriculum wants children to understand why they are doing those steps and to utilize that understanding of number relationships to solve problems more efficiently. If children know why they are doing specific steps, they can apply that understanding to solve various mathematical problems and understand number fluency at a deeper level.

Here are some of the strategies and concepts we practiced that helped both my daughter and me better understand division.

Beginning Division and Multiplication Facts

As your child begins to learn division, it is important for him/her to understand the relationship between division and multiplication. Children need to know their multiplication facts well. (If they don’t know their multiplication facts, practice fluency for a few weeks before beginning division.) Check out the additional links below for tips and ideas to learn multiplication facts.

Relationship between multiplication and division

Beginning division teaches the simple concept that in order to divide, you must multiply. Use visual examples of multiplication and division will help your child learn to recognize the difference between multiplication and division.

If you are used to the old method of dividing, this process may seem tedious, but it is important for children to understand the difference between multiplication and division. When the numbers and word problems get more complex, this foundational understanding will help them know when to divide and when to multiply.

Model how to find an unknown number with multiplication or division.

To find out if your child understands the basic relationship between multiplication and division, ask him or her:

How can multiplication facts help you solve division problems?

Answer: multiplication and division facts are related. If you know one fact you can solve the other related fact.

Three Division Strategies

One aspect of the current math curriculum that I love is the focus on teaching multiple strategies and allowing children to decide which one works best for them. This approach allows children to understand and choose which method makes the most sense for their learning style. Trying different approaches can sometimes even make the difference between failure and success in math. Here are three different strategies to teach when beginning division.

1. Make connections with division patterns and break down numbers

This is number fluency at its finest. Teaching children to recognize and use patterns within number operations will make them very efficient problem solvers.

6,000 ÷ 3

6 ÷ 3 = 2

6,000 ÷ 3 = 2,000

Just think of 6,000 divided by 3 as 6 thousands divided by 3, and that is 2 thousands.

2. Breaking down numbers into “friendly” numbers using an area model

260 ÷ 5 = 52

Break down numbers into “friendly” numbers. Breaking down numbers into easily divisible numbers is important to learn for number fluency. This may seem a bit tedious, but understanding how to break large numbers into easier-to-manipulate numbers can build children’s mental math capacities.

Break down 260 into the “friendly” numbers 250 and 10. I chose 250 because it’s the divisor, 5, multiplied by a big number (50). I choose 10 because it’s the difference between 250 and 260. These go inside the boxes of the area model. Divide each one by the divisor to get the factors, then add the factors together.

3. Divide by subtracting groups

623 ÷ 4

I can make groups of 4 and subtract them from 623 until there isn’t enough left to make a group. I’ll start with 100 groups of 4. That leaves 223. Next I’ll subtract 50 groups of 4. Now I have 23 left. 5 groups of 4 will use up most of it; there is not enough left to subtract even 1 group of 4. Finally, I’ll add up the number of groups of 4 and write the remainder.

Long Division: dividing multidigit numbers with area models, partial quotients, and the standard algorithm

If I just lost you using phrases like “partial quotients” and “standard algorithm” don’t be alarmed. These are just mathematical terminologies for step-by step processes. A quotient is an answer, and a partial quotient is a partial answer. A standard algorithm is a step-by-step way to solve a problem. Long division uses these strategies to incorporate repeated subtraction to eventually find the answer.

Dividing multidigit numbers using an area model

We tackled this earlier with beginning division, but now the numbers are getting larger and a little more complex.

3,182 ÷ 15 = 212 R2

Division is just repeated subtraction. I’ll make groups of 15 and subtract them until there isn’t enough left to subtract. Then I’ll add up the number of groups. Since I ended up with a number smaller than the divisor, I’ll write it as a remainder.

3,182 ÷ 15 = 212 R2

Divide using partial quotients

Just like in the area model, I’ll find groups of the divisor and subtract them. Then I’ll add up the numbers of groups and write the remainder if there is one.

Divide using the standard algorithm

If you sigh with relief at this example, I completely understand. This is the traditional way of teaching division that most of us learned years ago.

This long division standard algorithm repeats itself with the steps of:

1. Divide

2. Multiply

3. Subtract

4. Drop down the next digit

5. Repeat

*Many children get confused with steps 2 and 3 because you are not actually dividing but multiplying and subtracting to find a remainder.

3,182 ÷ 15 = 212 R2

Look at only one place at a time, starting on the left. Since 15 won’t divide into 3, I’ll go to the next place. Now I estimate how many times 15 will go into 31 and write that above the 1. I subtract and bring down the digit from the next place. I keep doing this across the dividend (number). When I run out of places, I’ll write the leftover number as the remainder.

The best way to help your child master the difficult skill of dividing is to practice, practice, and practice. Find out which method works best for your child and provide plenty of practice problems for him or her to work through. Also, don’t forget to tackle division word problems. Solving word problems can demonstrate how well your child understands the concept of division and how to use it.

Recommended Resources

All examples and strategies were taken from Evan-Moor’s Math Fundamentals for grades 1–6. While this is a classroom resource, I found the math models and practice activities easy to use at home.

For additional practice solving word problems, view Evan-Moor’s Daily Word Problems: Math for grades 1–6.

For teaching tips on word problems and multiplication, check out these articles:

How to Solve Word Problems in 3 Simple Steps

Tips for Teaching Multiplication and a Free Multiplication Strategy Printable

$Math Fluency Strategies$

February 18, 2019
by Evan-Moor
0 comments

How to Completely Transform Your Child’s Math Abilities in Minutes a Day

$Math Fluency Strategies$

What Is Math Fluency?

Fluency is the ability to understand and apply something effectively. We talk about fluent readers who can look at a word, instantaneously know what it says, and understand whether there is a deeper meaning in the context of the whole. Math fluency is a very similar concept.

Math fluency is the ability to use different computational strategies to reach solutions quickly and effectively. This means that kids can assess a problem and predict which method would be the easiest to calculate the answer.

Many people drill their kids with flashcards, driving their kids to memorize the facts. While this gives the same quick response as fluency, it lacks the diverse and flexible thinking skills that define fluency.

Why Is Math Fluency Important?

I am a bit bitter about my subpar math education from elementary through junior high school. I, like many parents who are struggling with Common Core Math, lack fluency. While we may be able to quickly fire off the sum of 19 and 23, this is a hollow shell of fluency. We simply lack the flexibility in computational strategies that is the hallmark of fluency.

This study found that fluency was an accurate predictor of mathematics success in the long term. This study is not unique. Researchers and teachers alike have noticed a strong correlation between fluency and success in math and related areas for decade. Researchers have even noticed that the brain changes in response to fluency. Which makes sense, because researchers have noticed that those who are fluent pull information from a completely different area of the brain than non-fluent people. During the high school years, activity during calculations in the area of the brain linked to insufficient math fluency was also linked to lower PSAT scores.

Fluency is about understanding numbers in a deep way that allows you to work the same problem many different ways. This flexibility is the key to being confident in problem-solving. When children are not intimidated by simple calculations, they have more mental labor available for wrestling the deeper part of the problem.

Imagine how children learn to read. At first, all their focus must be aimed at sounding out the words, and it is difficult for them to understand the meaning of a complete sentence. As they grow older, they are able to immediately recognize more and more words, allowing them to consider the meaning of the whole sentence, then a paragraph, and eventually they are reading, comprehending the shallow meaning and later deeper symbolism and other literary elements.

Mathematical fluency is much the same. We must teach our kids many different computational strategies so that we can give them the tools to face each and every problem with a fresh and appropriate strategy.

Math concepts build upon one another just like reading. Multiplication is just repeated addition. Exponents are just special types of multiplication. Algebra is basically realizing that math is a puzzle, with pieces that directly relate to each other. Understanding each of these basic concepts makes it easier to understand the more complicated ones.

If we spend our time focusing on making kids just memorize facts, we are not giving them the tools to really use numbers and their relationships to each other. This will leave them high and dry when they come to a problem where they need to understand addition in the realm of a division problem, like in remainders. For example, 28/5 = 5 R 3, because 5*5=25, and you must add the remainder of 3 to get 28. A fluent way to write this would be 28/5=5R3 = 5*5+3 (see how I used addition?).

How to Build Fluency

I briefly mentioned earlier that some people focus on memorizing math facts as a way to gain mastery, help free up mental labor, and help kids gain confidence. However, rote memorization does not mean a child or adult is fluent in mathematics. Memorization alone does not provide the flexibility in calculations that set a student up for success in higher mathematics.

This is where I start defending Common Core. So many people hate Common Core because they don’t understand why CC places so much emphasis on making kids use so many methods to solve problems and explain mathematical reasoning. Can you imagine a reading program that stopped teaching reading when the kids could just sound out words? Because that is what the old-style math taught. Parents have a hard time understanding so many CC concepts simply because parents are NOT fluent in math.

So if rote memorization isn’t the way to build fluency, what is?

Teach your kids different computational methods. Teach them to use addition to solve a subtraction problem. Does this make absolutely no sense to you? Well, I bet you do this without realizing it. Let’s say you get a coffee and the total is $1.23. Do you think about the problem like this: .23 + .02 = .25? Then .75 + .25 = 1. So your change should be .75 + .02 or $.77. To put it in other words, I am using easy addition problems to solve a subtraction problem. You may have seen a meme like this:

This comparison is meant to show the simplicity of the place value based subtraction (“The Old Way”). “The New Way” is meant to look complicated. But “The New Way” makes mental computation much easier and demonstrates the mental flexibility characteristic of math fluency. “The New Way” simply uses easy addition problems to find the difference.

This meme is used to make people think that CC is unnecessarily complicated, but the CC way is only complicated if you don’t truly understand the relationship between addition and subtraction.

Teaching Fluency If You Aren’t Fluent

If you are realizing that you are not fluent, all hope is not lost if you want to raise kids who are fluent in mathematics. You also don’t need to enroll them in school, either. It is all about your resources. Now, I am going to review one of the best resources for promoting fluency I have ever seen.

Evan-Moor Educational Publishers has a Building Math Fluency series, and I am reviewing the grades 4–6+ book.

The Setup

This book is set up into 8 major sections:

A teacher section: a short introduction to the book, how to use it, some reproducible tools, and a glossary of math terms.

1 each of Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division (total of 4 sections): Each section includes computational strategies and practice. A double-sided cheat sheet starts each section. One side is a simple explanation of each strategy, and the other is simple examples. Then there are labeled practice pages for each strategy.

Test Your Knowledge: Short exercises or tests if you prefer to evaluate progress. These exercises can be timed to judge fluency.

Flashcards: 269 flashcards are included.

One “Test Your Skills” exercise. At the bottom, you’ll notice that there is a place for recording data to evaluate fluency.

The Good

First, Building Math Fluency recognizes the value of the diversity of learning styles and includes a page that helps kids think about how they best understand things: in pictures, in words, or in actions. Then each section has resources aimed at each of the 3 ways so that kids can practice in the way that is most valuable to them.

Second, these strategies are gold!

They are simple, easily understandable, and once you see them, you are going to wonder why you didn’t think of them yourself. For example, two addition strategies that I think everyone uses is the “See 8, Think 10” and the “See 9, Think 10.” These teach your child to add 10 then subtract 2 or add 10 then subtract 1, easy.

Some of these strategies reinforce algebraic skills, too. Like subtraction strategy “Think Addition.” I have already talked about using addition to complete subtraction problems. So instead of 29 – 13 = ? you would think 13 + x = 29. One could easily solve this problem by thinking 13 + 7 = 20, 20 + 9 = 29, so 7 + 9 = 16. This strategy shows the inherent relationship between addition and subtraction, a foundation of algebra. It makes so much more sense learning to balance equations when you understand that addition and subtraction balance each other. Same goes for multiplication and division.

There are little bubbles above each problem on some exercises, and these are for you to write the strategy best for that problem. I just feel like this is a really nice way of getting kids to think about the different strategies and keep them from becoming too dependent on one strategy.

This book also has Chock the little lizard character that adds some fun, but also asks some great scaffolding questions to get kids (and parents) thinking about the best way to solve calculations. The best part is that there is no right or wrong answers. I would encourage you to really dig deep into these scaffolding questions. Your kids’ answers will probably surprise you. If they don’t have an answer, you probably can assume you should work on those strategies more.

The Test Your Knowledge section has both long exercises and short exercises that you can time to evaluate fluency. Each exercise has a little section at the bottom where you can record accuracy and time for each exercise to track progress.

Towards the end are 269 flashcards in case your child needs to practice; there are also 2 pages explaining how to use the flashcards and the best ways to practice. You are encouraged to write down the strategy used to solve the problem on each of the printed cards to teach your child to recognize when to use each strategy. These flashcards include a set to write down summaries of the strategies to practice recalling them, too.

You also get a code to download an additional 5 practice pages to print or project via smartboard in a classroom setting.

Of course, an answer section is at the end of the book in case you need it.

The subtraction strategy pages, with explanations on the left and examples on the right.

The Bad

I really wish that this book skipped the accuracy and time recordings in the Test Your Knowledge section. While these are important for judging fluency, I would just jot a quick note somewhere else so that my kid doesn’t feel that much pressure. Connor (11) tends to panic when anything is timed, although that is an integral part of his mathematics curriculum. I guess I really just don’t like kids knowing they are being timed.

The flashcards are small, thin strips of paper, and I wish they were bigger and sturdier so I could put them on a ring. These are definitely not a set that I would take with us in the car or to an appointment. I would not take them outside to the park, either.

Some of the practice exercises are fairly long, up to 48 problems. I would probably divide these up into 2 different days just to reduce pressure and anxiety.

The flashcards

Conclusion

I have seen plenty of other programs that promise fluency but that are really aimed at just making kids memorize math facts without actually teaching them multiple strategies to solve problems, so Building Math Fluency by Evan-Moor Educational Publishers really stands out from the crowd.

Despite the things I don’t like about this book, there are clear and useful strategies to build math fluency. I highly recommend this book if you are looking to teach a child to understand math and not just imitate it.

Ali Southerland is a long term homeschool mom of many. She is zealous about education, the result of her own rigorous education. While math is not her favorite, science is. She writes all about how our science education is lacking (and how to fill the gaps) at This Addictive Mess. She also writes about teaching kids about money, how parents can save money and have a better relationship with it. When she isn’t writing, chasing her kids, cooking, or sleeping, she is probably reading about dinosaurs. #rawr