How a Triangle Magically Transforms into a Trapezoid!

This fun graphic helps students visualize the similarities and differences between a triangle and a trapezoid! In the classroom I make a large triangle from construction paper and use a pair of shears.  For my older students I say, "A decapitated triangle is a trapezoid".  It always sticks.  Bookmark this GIF to show to your students whenever they get stuck:)

Simplifying Logs ... So Simple!

Many students have a difficult time simplifying logs. Most teachers have students convert the logs to exponents first.  This is time consuming and confusing for most students.  This is how I teach my students!  They are always dumbfounded to realize how simple it is! For more logarithm tricks you can try my comprehensive guide here.

5 steps to Organizing your Classroom!

I'll be the first to admit that I've daydreamed of getting lost in The Container Store! I find myself fantasize of small cubbies and spots for everything from binders to paperclips. Organizing an entire classroom can be a daunting task! Here are 5 simple steps to getting everything in its place!

1. Gut it! Start by making three piles- Keep, donate and trash! Keep any paperwork and supplies that you consistently need and frequently use. Donate old supplies to your local shelter or to another teacher! I know that new teachers are incredibly thankful for any help that they can get... Supplies can get expensive! And finally trash... this is the tricky one. Obviously, trash the trash. Also, trash thing that are of no value or are broken. 

2. Clean it! Now that you've got the bare bones, it's a great time to clean the nooks and crannies that typically don't get any attention. One of my favorite products are Lysol Wipes (3 containers of 80 wipes for $9 on Amazon-WOW!). They are easy to use and easy to store for later in the year.

3. Categorize it! The hardest part of organization is finding a place for everything and remembering where things belong. Categorize items based on frequency of use (daily use, monthly use, etc.), size, and color! Frequency of use is by far the most important. Remember to keep these items easily accessible and in practical containers- this is the only situation that I would splurge on containers.

4. Contain it! Choose container solutions that are appropriate for each set of items. It's amazing how expensive plastic can be! My favorite places to shop for inexpensive containers are The Dollar Tree and Big Lots. Both stores have a ton of cute and practical storage solutions! Another tips is using clear jars for storing pencils/markers/rulers. I always save the jars that pasta sauce, pickles and peanut better come in and wash them to be reused! If you're looking for larger storage solutions, I usually check out Ikea. Ikea has a ton of cute rolling carts that are great for moving supplies from one area to another.

5. Decorate it! Find a theme that suits you and your students! Remember to not pick anything too busy or distracting for the classroom. Focus on bright colors and interactive and encouraging bulletin boards. 

I hope this helps you to organize your classroom and maybe even your home!

How to throw a PEMDAS party!

As a home school educator, sometimes we need a little math fun... especially in the summer. 

Here is super fun way to practice PEMDAS rules suitable for all grade levels.  For my younger students, I have them use a regular pair of dice to determine the values.  I use my fraction and decimal dice for my older students.  This is a great way for siblings to play together.  If you don’t have any special dice, I found a package of small foam cubes at the dollar store that work great.  Just use a sharpie to write in the numbers.  Check out this entertaining FREE game with complete instructions: here.  

Here is another entertaining game that I created for the classroom. Students are asked to create expressions using petal numbers and PEMDAS rules to equal the center number.  It is a great higher level “thinking outside of the box” game differentiable for all levels.  You can use multiple dice (one should be a different color than the others for the “center”) or just use the game boards found here. 

Happy April Fools!

April Fools Day is just around the corner- Can you believe it's March already?! This is one of my students favorite activities! They love finding mistakes in other people's work:) Let your students have a go at this unique activity and let me know how they love it!

What is a rhombus again?

Many of my geometry students have a difficult time remembering the qualities of a rhombus. I find that the best way to help them learn is by showing them that a rhombus is just a "tilted square." Like a square, a rhombus has four equal sides! Hope this trick helps in your classrooms! If your students need more help with quadrilaterals check out this helpful product!

Don't forget to keep math fun:)

Elizabeth

My New Favorite Teaching Tool!

I went to the TpT conference in Vegas a few weeks ago and I fell in love with a new product- a paddle style dry erase board from KleenSlate!  The best thing about the paddle is that you can easily interchange the background to fit your lesson.  In the past I have always just used sheet protectors, but this is so much better.  I can’t wait to start using them.  I have already created some backgrounds that I plan to use for the upcoming school year.  I recently began working with groups of homeschooled children and I know that they will be very engaged.  The KleenSlate is such a simple way to make interacting in class so much more fun! I’m hopping that this product provides my more shy students with an opportunity to participate effortlessly. I love the flexibility and quality of the product.  I have started my collection of templates here.