Simplifying Fractions -- When Prime is Slime!

Simplifying fractions is challenging for students, requiring a process where errors are easy to make.  The process is also difficult conceptually causing students lots of questions.  Here are the questions I hear:

What is "simplifying a fraction"?

Simplifying a fraction is finding its smallest equivalent fraction.

Why do I have to do it?

It's easier to work with smallest equivalent fractions.  

How do I do it?

Divide the numerator and denominator by the Greatest Common Factor or "GCF".  

An Organized Approach

I created a Simplifying Fractions Mat.  The Mat gives students a place to complete T-charts on the numerator and denominator then identify the Greatest Common Factor "GCF".  Once identified, students divide by the GCF to find a simplified fraction.  

How do I know when I'm done?

Simplification is complete when the simplified fraction follows at least one of these 4 rules:

1.  Prime is Slime:  When the numerator and denominator are both prime numbers.

2.  Back to Back Jack:  When the numerator and denominator are back to back on a number line.

3.  One and Done:  The numerator of the simplified fraction is 1.

4.  The "No-Rule" Rule:  Sometimes the simplified fraction doesn't follow a rule (i.e. 2/15).  If this is the rule that the simplified fraction follows, make sure all factor pairs have been recorded in the T-charts and the numerator and denominator have been divided by the GCF.

Simplifying fractions, though very necessary, can be challenging.  I hope the FREE Simplifying Fractions Mat simplifies the process for you and your students.

What method(s) do your students use to simplify fraction?

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Resources and Ideas for Teaching Prime and Composite Numbers

Sieve of Eratosthenes

Why Learn About Prime and Composite Numbers?

Dr. Math says: 

"Every time you send a credit card number over the Internet, it gets encrypted by your browser, and the encryption algorithm is based on the theory of prime numbers.  At some point, electronic money will become as common as paper money, and -that- will also be based on the theory of prime numbers.  And, what's used more in the real world than money?"

See the article in full here: Math Forum: Dr. Math

Conceptual Way to Introduce Prime and Composite Numbers

Donna Boucher, Math Coach at Math Coach's Corner, asks her students to identify all arrays of a specific number (i.e. 24).  They are then tasked with creating a poster showing the array, t-chart and organized factor list for each factor pair the class identified.  She hangs the posters around the room and students reflect.  What do you notice?  They may notice some numbers have more factors than others.  Cue vocabulary!  

My summary doesn't do the article justice.  You can access the original article at:

Prime and Composite by Math Coach, Donna Boucher

Video Lessons on Factoring Primes to Simplify Fractions

Math Antics videos are super -engaging and rich with conceptual ideas.  In the Math Antics video: 

Simplifying Fractions Part 1 and Part 2, 

learners see how to simplify fractions by factoring the numerator and denominator to primes then cancelling common factors.

One of my Favorite Resources

is a no-prep activity written by Shelley Rees, called, 

Prime and Composite Numbers Activities

It contains:
What is a Prime Number?  (Definitions and Explanations)
Cross It Out!  100 Number Grid Activity
Factor It and Label It!  List the factors and label numbers as prime or composite
Prime Puzzle:  Prime/Composite Number Coloring Puzzle
What Number Am I?  Use the process of elimination and number sense to solve number riddles
Prime Number Path  Identify prime and composite numbers and color a path.

All of this can be yours at a bargain price of $3.50


I've seen several ways to teach prime and composite numbers.  What are your favorites?

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Free Holiday E-Book with 20 Teacher Tips, freebie links and resource links

Sometimes, as I surf the web, I come across something really awesome.  Like when I came across this free E-book by Shelly Rees.

A lot of the authors of these tips and resources, are authors whose blogs I follow so I was really excited to get all of these freebies!  If you are interested in this free ebook, click on the picture or link  below:

FREE-Holiday-E-Book-with-Teacher-Tips-and-Freebie-Links

What did you enjoy about his free collection?  

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Announcement: Eduphoria's 2019 Annual Bumper Sticker Contest

What's in it for you?
The winner will receive a $250 Amazon Gift Card, 100 Bumper Stickers with their winning slogan on it, and infinite bragging rights!

Previous Winning Slogans -

• 2018 - I came. I Taught. I'm Still at School.
• 2017 - You Had Me at Jeans Pass!
• 2016 -  Will Work for School Supplies!

Click here to Enter!

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A Teacher’s Guide to Teacher Appreciation – Awesome Ways to Honor Fellow Teachers

Building Morale at Your School

How do you contribute to a positive morale at your school?  This year our teachers are participating in a voluntary "Sunshine Buddy" program.  Interested teachers put their name in a hat and they are matched with a secret Buddy to have a Buddy and to be a Buddy. 

There are many ways to appreciate your fellow teachers.  There are literally thousands of candy gifts with clever gift tags.  (Who doesn’t love chocolate or candy?)  A  big fave where I live is to treat our buddy to a Sonic (drive-in restaurant) drink.  Here are some other less obvious choices for ways to honor your Sunshine Buddy. 

Share an activity

It’s Fall; time for everything pumpkin – pumpkin DQ blizzards, pumpkin creamer, even pumpkin ice cream!  As I was browsing in Pinterest, looking forward to Halloween and Thanksgiving, I came across an awesome idea for an activity for a new Thanksgiving pumpkin tradition.  It only requires a pumpkin, permanent marker,  and gratitude.

Wouldn’t this be a fun activity for a classroom?  Children 

tell what they are thankful for and it goes on the
Thanksgiving pumpkin.  To share it with my sunshine buddy, I just buy a pumpkin (we can get this size for $4) and add a permanent market and cute gift tag describing the activity.  Or to make a gift tag, just print this picture and attach it.  

It’s pretty self-explanatory.  If desired, you can direct your Sunshine Buddy to One Artsy Mama where your buddy can read all about this Thanksgiving tradition.

Share supplies

What supplies are already in short supply?  Post-it notes?  

Glue sticks?  Expo markers?  Look for volume sales and when you find a good price, while you’re picking up something for yourself, get a few extra for your sunshine buddy.  Looking for a cute way to package them?  If they are small enough, put them in a mason jar.  

Here is a blog post from theSpruceCrafts for 

21 sets of Free Canning Labels for your Jars!  

Check out this Glue Stick Teacher Gift Idea with a free printable gift tag: 

Make a craft

There are literally thousands of ideas on Pinterest for making Teacher Appreciation gifts for your Sunshine Buddy.  Sometimes just by viewing the ideas, you may come up with one of your own.  It can be as easy as this:

If your Sunshine Buddy has a  DonorsChoose project a 

donation is an awesome way to show some love.  When you go to DonorsChoose, you can search by zip code or by school to see if your buddy has a project for which funding is requested.  Another way is to contribute to a classroom library.  Have a book fair coming up?  Teachers often fill out a “wish list” during the book fair.  Sunshine buddies can access the wish list and treat their Sunshine Buddy for a classroom book that students will enjoy now and for years to come.  A third way is to purchase item(s) from a teacher’s Amazon Wish List (if they have one) or give an Amazon gift card.

Give your Sunshine Buddy a Break!

Is there a specific duty for which your Sunshine Buddy is responsible?  In a school setting everyone has extra duties they are responsible for – for some it’s morning duty, afternoon duty, recess duty, bathroom duty, and so forth.

Volunteer to take over your Sunshine Buddy’s duty.  Sometimes filling in for your Sunshine buddy can be more valuable than any kind of gift.  Have a Fall Carnival coming up?  Donate candy or other requested supplies on behalf of your Sunshine Buddy – Check!  Our school has a monthly potluck luncheon.  Bring a dish for your Sunshine Buddy and let your Sunshine Buddy know they can put their feet up and rest the night before the Potluck and then come the next day and enjoy the delicious food! 

There are many other ways to treat your Sunshine Buddy.  Next time you find yourself saying, “Wow!  I wish someone would do this for me,” consider if your Sunshine Buddy might be saying the same thing.  

What does your campus do to promote morale?  Please comment below.  THANKS!

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BUCKS - A Successful Problem-Solving Strategy

In Mrs. Curry's 5th grade Math class, the emphasis is on strategies.  Every solution starts with a strategy and every word problem is solved using a problem-solving strategy called BUCKS.

Mrs. Curry's Problem-solving bulletin board

Why BUCKS?

There are a lot of problem-solving strategies out there - so I asked Mrs. Curry, the 5th grade Math Teacher at our Elementary school:  

Why BUCKS?  

Mrs. Curry,  said, 

"I love BUCKS because for my 5th graders, it helps them understand exactly what the question is asking and how to find their answers. We have adapted it as we need, such as adding a strategy box under the “S” so that they know exactly what they’re planning to use to solve. This way, if they have to revisit the problem, they know what they did & why."

BUCKS in Action

 Here is a word problem, solved using the problem-solving graphic organizer, "BUCKS":

What Makes BUCKS Successful?

Having a strong Problem-Solving Strategy is key to problem-solving success IF students use it. 

Mrs. Curry introduced BUCKS early and students already know and understand the acronym and use it for their problem-solving.  Mrs. Curry explained to students early on that using BUCKS is her minimum expectation in their problem solving and she enforces it. She tells her students that she will provide to them the strategies that work and will help them to be successful.  The students' part in the success equation is to use them.   

 Mrs. Curry has students write the initials, BUCKS on their papers and cross off each initial as they do it.

Bottom line, with a strong problem-solving strategy, consistency will produce successful results.  

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Does your school use BUCKS or something else?  If you use a different problem-solving strategy, and it produces successful results, please share it and tell why it's successful so this blog's readership can learn more about problem-solving strategies.
  
Thank you for reading this blog.  I love to offer helpful ideas to teachers.  Do you have a question or concern you would like to have researched and addressed?  Comment on this blog with your question or concern and if chosen, it will be the subject of a future blogpost!  

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Math in Picture Books: Featured Author Danica McKellar

We watcher her grow up as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years.  

Fred Savage and Danica McKellar in The Wonder Years

She played Elsie Snuffin in The West Wing.  She’s the voice of Miss Martian in Young Justice.  She has starred in several Hallmark Channel movies, including Crown for Christmas, My Christmas Dream, and Campfire Kiss.  But, these are only a few of the many film and television roles, played by Actress, Danica McKellar.  (For more on Danica's acting credits, click Danica McKellar Filmography)

Danica's off-camera roles include summa cum laude graduate from UCLA with B.S. in mathematics, internationally recognized mathematician, education advocate, and best-selling author of the most beautiful counting book called, GOODNIGHT, NUMBERS, among other best-selling books featuring math.

Danica McKellar reading GOODNIGHT, NUMBERS with her son, Draco.

GOODNIGHT, NUMBERS is a math picture book that features beautiful watercolor illustrations of different families saying Goodnight to Numbers as they exist in the real world – four legs on a cat, five points on a star, six sides on a block, etc.   Reading this book to children shows them how numbers are an integral part of their world.

For example, here is an excerpt featuring number 3:

This page was modeled after Danica and her son, Draco.  Their dog, Sparticus, is on the couch.  Draco is playing with his favorite trash toys: trash, recycling, and green waste.  There are several groups of 3 (three buttons on the couch pillow, 3 couch pillows, 3 flowers embroidered on the couch scarf, three stripes on the lamp, 3 wheels on the tricycle, three stars on the toy box, even three buttons on Draco’s shirt, etc.)  Each page features a 10-frame illustrating the featured number.  In this case, it’s a picture on the wall of 3 groups of 3. 

I love this picture book  

As a math interventionist, one of my biggest goals/hopes/desires is for students to see the world as a mathematical world and not to fear math.  Danica McKellar is an author that shares this goal.  Danica’s blog entry entitled, “Why Math?” tells why Danica was attracted to math.

Here are some of my favorite quotes by Danica McKellar:

To read more of Danica McKellar's quotes, go to 

Danica McKellar Quotes

To learn more about Danica McKellar, visit her website 

Danica is the author of several picture books and middle-school books about Math.  Her middle school books focus on making math accessible, particularly to girls.  To find her books, go to McKellar Math.  Once there you can navigate her list of books by pressing your finger along an interactive slider starting at the lowest point (infants) to the highest point (adults) to select books by intended audience age.   

Who's your favorite math author?  I'd love to know!  Thank you for reading my post.  If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment.  

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Don't Break the Bank on your Back-to-School Shopping

Back-to-School is upon us.  Our school starts back on August 20.  There's still a month to buy those Back-to-School Supplies but if saving money is part of the plan, it's not too early to start now.  Here are 5 ways you can save money on your 2018-19 Back to School shopping!

1.     Buy the loss leaders from each back-to-school sales circular.  If you don’t take the paper or you don’t have the weekly ad, just go to the website.  You can usually access the weekly ad on the website.  

2.   Sales usually start on Sundays so go early in the week as loss leaders may sell out.  If the store is out of a loss leader at the front, check the year-around office supply 
location. 

3.  Use coupons.  There are great Back-to-School coupons in Parenting Magazine, the Sunday paper, in stores and in weekly ads and online.  To find the best online coupons, click on the Krazy Koupon Lady logo to learn about opportunities for Back to School Savings.

4.  Plan to hit the big 5 best retail stores for Back to School:  Just click on any logo to see what these 5 super stores have to offer.

         
                                                       

5.  Consider acquiring an app for saving money on back-to-school shopping.  Click on graphic to access an article in Gazelle.com called, "9 Apps to Help with Back-to-School Shopping

I hope these 5 ideas help you to save money during this Back-to-School season!  Where do you like to go to shop for school supplies?  How do you save school supply dollars?  Feel free to comment.  I'd love to hear your ideas.

An Unexpected Finding

I used these 5 ideas when shopping for my granddaughter's school supplies and achieved 50% savings over what I would've have spent!  But that fact didn't surprise as much as the following: 

When my granddaughter dropped by my house later, I suggested we inventory the purchased supplies to make sure nothing was forgotten.  So, armed with the list, my  "soon-to-be a big 4th grader" granddaughter began checking off what I purchased against her school supply list.

Soon she said, "we need more glue sticks BB."  
"How many do we have?" I asked.
"None," 
"Show me," I said.  The list required 4 2-ct packs of glue sticks.  After looking through the sacks, I found the package of glue sticks - normally a pack of 6 glue sticks but this package awarded 2 free glue sticks for a total of 8.  We had a lively discussion about how 4 2-ct packs of glue sticks is the same as 1 8-ct pack of glue sticks.  (For some reason, my granddaughter doesn't just take my word for it, insisting on understanding in order to agree but I wouldn't have it any other way).

The most exciting part of our inventory was when we got to the pencils.  
The list required 96 pencils.  I had purchased 7 packs of 15.  My granddaughter calculated how many groups of 15 we would need to make a total of 96  When she had counted 6 packs, she reported that she had 90 pencils. 
"Is 90 enough?" I asked her.
"No, I need 96," she said.  
"What should we do?"
"If I add another 15, it will be more than 96".
"How much will it be?'
"105."
"So do we add another package?  or do we take 6 packages that make a total of 90?
She thought about this for awhile, and finally decided she would take the additional package of 15 and as a result will be taking more than she needs but if it was a question of taking more or not enough, she wanted to take more.

Inventorying her school supplies was an authentic experience for my granddaughter and gave her the opportunity to experience performing the math that you need to live rather than math used to reinforce or remediate a concept.

In my humble opinion, the best math is math you do to live - measuring, converting, counting, evaluating, analyzing, quantifying.  It's a mathematical world.  Our math skills are our path to success.  This experience inspired me to think about the math I do daily and invite my granddaughter to help me do the math necessary to live in the world successfully so she can make connections between what she is doing in school and what she is doing or will need to do in her life.

Thank you so much for reading this blog  post.  If you have any questions or comments, please let me know - I'd love to hear from you!

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PD in your PJs: Teach with Tech Mini ONLINE Conference

PD in your PJs!!!

Who:      Anyone who registers
What:     25 video sessions on Teach with Tech Mini Online Conference 
               by 25 speakers at the top of the EdTech field.  
When:    9:00AM July 23 - 11:00PM July 26, 2018
Where:   Online!!!
Why:      Totally FREE

By registering for Teach with Tech Online Conference, you will gain full access to all of the daily teacher PD sessions, free of charge!  You will also have access to replays, playlists, pdf downloads, and giveaways.  The conference will profive a Certificate of Completion, 5 hours of PD credit (see Note below).  Videos will be available for replay until 7/29/18.

Note:   At the completion of the conference, you will earn a certificate that you can turn into your school or district requesting professional development credit hours for each of the online video sessions you watched to completion.  This conference is not accredited by an educational institution and professional development credits are not guaranteed. Requested professional development credits will be assigned at your institution’s discretion. 

To Register, all you have to do is:

1.  Go to https://teachwithtechconference.com/
2.  Register by clicking on the yellow box at the very top (that says "Register").


Once registered, you will be given instructions on how to participate!!!I hope you'll consider it.  I know I'll be there!!!!!!!!

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Why I Became a Seesaw Ambassador

What is Seesaw

Seesaw      is a safe student-driven digital portfolio. You can download the app or use Seesaw on the Web.  Here is how Seesaw is being used at Wallace Elementary in Johnson, Iowa: 

As a K-5 Interventionist, I use Seesaw to document student work.  Students post their work in Seesaw then I can “like” it and comment on it.  They can comment back if they choose.   I’ve created digital portfolios for all of my Intervention students (Gr 2-5).  Creating submissions, editing submissions, sharing video, audio, photos and links, has been easy for me and for my students (even the 2^nd graders).  

A Seesaw Entry 

Here’s an exit ticket one of my 3rd graders posted to her Seesaw digital portfolio:  

After my student posted this, I viewed it, "liked" it, then commented on it.   While I chose this activity, Seesaw has an Activity Library teachers can choose from and share with students.  The graphic describes how activities can be used: 

You can choose an activity from Seesaw's Activity Library or create your own.

Family Access

By turning on Family Access, I can invite parents to view by either sending paper or email invites which give instructions on how to set up an account to view their child's journal.  Before they can do so, the teacher (me) must approve.  Then, throughout the year, whenever they desire, they can view their child's journal.  

Becoming a Seesaw Ambassador

Completing the training course to become a Seesaw Ambassador and sharing the information in a professional development at your school entitles you to:

•  Join a dedicated Ambassador community group for connecting and sharing with other Ambassadors from around the world.

• Receive Seesaw Plus, our premium features for teachers, FOR FREE for as long as you are an Ambassador ($120/yr value)

• Sneak peeks of upcoming Seesaw features.

• Use the Seesaw Ambassador badge for your website or Twitter profile.

• Enjoy A meal on Seesaw, if you visit San Francisco!
• Join Seesaw Social Media accounts such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

I can’t say too many positive things about SeeSaw.  That’s why I had to become a

Have you tried Seesaw?

If not, I hope you’ll take a look at this FREE resource – rich app and see how you can use it in your classroom!

If you’re a Seesaw User, I would love to know how you use Seesaw in your classroom!

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3 Really Awesome Things I Discovered this Week (You will love these!)

I found some really awesome information this week that was so exciting I just have to share them with you!:

First...

As I was reading the blogs I subscribe to, I came across a brand new review game called “Tic Tac Booyah” where students compete as teams to answer questions. When they answer a question correctly, they claim a square. Teams try to get as many three-in-a-row groupings as possible.  To access this awesome game, click on Fifth in the Middle Blog.  

Click on fifthinthemiddle.com to access Tic Tac Booyah!

Second... 

I plead with my students to give as much attention to the end of an assignment or test as they do at the very beginning.  

“Finish Strong!” is my battle cry!  

I’ll be honest, I’m tired.  I’m “end of the year, teacher-tired”.  But school is not over.  I want to "Finish Strong!"  so I'm taking this challenge:

If you need inspiration to Finish Strong, Click on pictures below:

               #3                                      

Eleanor Roosevelt, our 32^nd First Lady, persuaded Congress in 1953 to set aside a day to recognize educators.  In 1984, the National Parent Teacher Association designated the first full week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week.   

Where can a Teacher feel the love during Teacher Appreciation Week?

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4-8, 2018, here are some links for freebies, discounts, deals, etc….

Note: Some of the deals listed may not be available at all locations. Check with local retailers. Also, deals may require that you verify you are an educator.

Click the pic:  34 Teachers Appreciation Week Freebies

Click on pic for 50 deals & discounts by Teacher Pop

Click on Pic:  AJC News Deal and Freebies for the Nation's Educators

50 Awesome freebies and deals during Teacher Appreciation Week

I hope all educators and support staff receive lots and lots of appreciation this week!!!  What have you discovered?

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