Sep 14
2012

How to Read a Number Line

by Christine Losq

Have you ever thought about all the know-how needed to use a number line?
      - know number order,
      - identify benchmark numbers,
      - determine the scale shown by labeled points,
      - figure out the value of the interval between each marked point.

Some children can put this know-how together on their own. But many children need direct instruction to master this skill. Explicit instruction will ensure that ALL your students use number lines successfully.

Here is a video that lays out step-by-step how to read a number line. Once students have mastered this skill, they will be ready to use number lines for rounding, measurement, fractions concepts, and more.

You can find additional teaching support and practice on our web site, www.mathcoachinteractive.com. Just click on the Online Practice button.

Number line skills are essential to the new Common Core standards. Here are a few examples:
      Grade 2_MD6: Represent whole numbers as lengths from 0 on a number line
      Grade 3_NF2.a: Represent a fraction 1/b on a number line
      Grade 3_MD4: Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch.

Common Core Standards Grade 3 math Number Lines

Mar 15
2012

Common Core Math: Problem Solving

by Christine Losq

This week’s visit with our expert teacher focuses on how to help students develop confidence and persistence in problem solving. In addition to deepening their math skills, this activity helps students use academic language.

Notice that it takes only 5 minutes to introduce and do the work and then 10 minutes for students to share their thinking. This pedagogy is a simple way to implement key Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice using whatever curriculum you have at hand.

This video comes to us via the Teaching Channel.

As always, thanks for all you do to educate our nation’s children.

Common Core Standards Grade 3 math math talk

Mar 6
2012

Common Core Math – Video of mental math lesson

by Christine Losq

Here is another opportunity to watch a master teacher in action. Like our previous post at mathcoachinteractive, this video is also courtesy of the Teaching Channel.

Notice how Ms. Saul attends to the thoughtful habits of mind that are at the heart of the Common Core standards.

We hope that you are inspired to integrate these strategies into your teaching practice.

Thanks for all that you do to help educate our nation’s children.

Common Core Standards Grade 3 math Number sense

Feb 21
2012

Common Core Professional Development: Math Routines

by Christine Losq

Have you ever wished you had the time to watch a good teacher and learn from her good ideas? Now you can, with this series of blogs that feature videos from the Teaching Channel.

Excellent teachers know that children who are really great at math are persistent, ask good questions, see connections between math and real-world problem solving, and think about how the math they are learning makes sense.

How can these skills can be modeled and taught? In this series of four blogs, we invite you to watch a master teacher in action with her third graders.

Our first video shows an overview of math routines that make good use of teaching minutes. Tune in again next week for more a more detailed look into developing mental math skills, persistence in problem solving, and confidence as math learners.

Common Core Standards Grade 3 math

Dec 22
2011

Times Tables with an Algebra Twist

by Christine Losq

even middle schoolers like it

As of December 1, 2011, more than 12,000 users have downloaded our times tables app, Math Circus.

We created worksheets for every video that you can download right here.

Happy Holidays to you all and thank you for all that you do to educate our nation’s children. Teachers make a difference!!

Basic Facts Grade 3 math Intervention Multiplication

Feb 25
2011

View, Listen, Summarize: Literacy Skills for Math!

by Christine Losq

Math movies can grab students’ attention. And a related worksheet is a great way to make sure the information really sticks. Best of all, we can watch the movie more than once if students missed any of the ideas. This back-and-forth lesson plan, integrating video and written work, gets my students in the habit of viewing and listening with attention.

My students love math movies like MathCircus • Multiplication. I prepare the related worksheets ahead of time.

Try it yourself! Pick a multiplication fact that students need to practice. My personal favorite is Multiply with 9 • Check Yourself.
Click here to preload the movie directly from the mathcoachinteractive web site.

I prepare the whole set of Multiply with 9 worksheets ahead of time and make a packet for each student. Then I can pick the worksheets I want to assign more easily.

Learning Tip: Have students watch the movie again after they have completed their written work so they can check their work themselves.

For a terrific resource of easy-to-use reading comprehension strategies across the curriculum, click here.

Do you need help with a math concept or strategy? Click here and let us know how we can help.

Basic Facts Grade 3 math Intervention

Jan 3
2011

Times Tables with an Algebra Twist

by Christine Losq

Update of December 11, 2011: In just a year more than 12,000 users have downloaded our fabulous times tables app. Thank you so much for your support and your good reviews. It is great to know that this app is helping students everywhere learn their time tables while discovering algebraic memorization strategies.

We are pleased to announce the first instructional app from MathCoach Interactive in the iTunes store. That’s 34 FREE animated multiplication lessons. Over 3,700 users have already downloaded this new free app in just 3 weeks!

Download your copy now, our gift to you to start the new year right and support your teaching. Project the lessons from your computer for whole class use or have students learn individually or in small groups. More support will guide you to the downloadable pdfs to practice each lesson.

Stay tuned. We’ll be releasing new video lessons every month to help you teach those hot topics where kids need the most help and reinforcement.

Basic Facts Grade 3 math Intervention Multiplication