Brain Ninjas

Let us help you teach like a ninja!

Interactive Notebooks

How to Make Patterns and Algebra Stick With Interactive Notebooks

by

Using this patterns and algebra interactive notebooks unit changed how I teach math as much as how students learned and understood it.

You’ve taught patterns before. You know the routine. You explain repeating patterns, growing patterns, equations with variables, and your students nod along. But then you ask them to work independently, and something’s missing. They don’t remember what you just showed them. They can’t visualize the concept when it’s on paper. And when you ask them to explain their thinking, they’re stuck.

Here’s the thing about patterns and algebra in elementary: it’s abstract. Variables are abstract. Pattern rules are abstract. Equations are abstract. Our students struggle with abstract. What they need is something concrete, something visual, something they can hold onto and reference whenever they’re confused.

But we figured out the game-changer.

[Read more…] about How to Make Patterns and Algebra Stick With Interactive Notebooks

How to Teach Decimals Place Value

by

Are you looking for ways to help your students master decimal place value? We put together our best activities to help teach, review, practice and assess decimals place value in your upper elementary math class.

For some students, place value comes second nature, but for others, it can be very challenging. Once you add decimals into the mix, it can become downright confusing. Come check out some of the strategies we use to help students master decimals place value.

[Read more…] about How to Teach Decimals Place Value

Plotting on the Cartesian Plane During Math Class

by

If you are looking for ways to teach the Cartesian plane, ordered pairs or coordinates in your elementary math class, come check out this post full of practical ideas.

The Cartesian plane was named after the mathematician René Descartes. This is now an outcome in the Alberta Mathematics Curriculum and somehow we made it through all our university math classes without needing that information.

The plane is a fundamental tool that can represent relationships between two variables. Most of that goes right over the heads of elementary students, but if you talk to them about the game Battleship, most realize they’ve already been using the Cartesian plane. Come learn how we teach the quadrants and coordinates.

[Read more…] about Plotting on the Cartesian Plane During Math Class

How to Teach Integers With Positive and Negative Numbers

by

Are you looking for ways to teach positive and negative numbers as part of your integers lessons? We spent time finding activities that can be used to teach, reinforce, practice, review and assess integers in your upper elementary classroom.

In upper elementary, we’re asked to teach positive and negative numbers. This is when we start to refer to numbers as integers, which means reframing math vocabulary for our students. Come learn how we teach integers in our upper elementary math class.

[Read more…] about How to Teach Integers With Positive and Negative Numbers

Ways to Teach Classifying Triangles

by

Are you looking for some innovative ways to help students understand classifying triangles? We've put together lessons to teach, review, practice and assess triangles in your upper elementary math class. Come check it out!

Triangles are fundamental shapes in your geometry lessons. Understanding their properties lays a strong foundation for further mathematical learning. Students need to understand measurements of side lengths and angles to classify triangles. Come learn some of the ways to teach classifying triangles in your upper elementary classroom.

[Read more…] about Ways to Teach Classifying Triangles

7 Ways to Upgrade Your Fraction Strategies

by

Apples used to show students fractions as parts of a whole, one of our visual fraction strategies.

Fractions can be a struggle for many students, but it really comes down to understanding them visually. Before we ever teach students the numerals or symbols, we try to show them the meaning of fractions visually in a variety of ways so they can truly understand parts, sets, and wholes. If you’ve ever struggled to teach fractions to your students, this is probably the post for you. Come try these fraction strategies that work for a wide range of learners.

[Read more…] about 7 Ways to Upgrade Your Fraction Strategies

How to Make Teaching Patterns Painless

by

Patterns are everywhere! Use this set of activities and lessons to show your students where they can find patterns in nature, in math class and how patterns and math are connected. Come have a read and get your upper elementary patterns unit planned in minutes.

For younger grades, teaching patterns seems easier because the use of pattern blocks and colour makes it more fun and interesting. But older grades benefit from finding patterns, too. How do patterns help build math brains? They help teach number sense, develop numerical thinking, and help students make predictions based on what they know. Come learn some of the activities we use to make teaching patterns painless.

[Read more…] about How to Make Teaching Patterns Painless

How to Differentiate Math Lessons

by

What is a teacher to do when there are such vast differences in skill levels during math class? How do you differentiate math lessons? Come learn some of the ways we streamlin differentiation in our upper elementary classroom.

Differentiated instruction is expected of most classroom teachers these days. Long gone are the times when one worksheet could be given to every member of the class and they would all work on that page until every question was done correctly. Since the pandemic began, the once manageable (pause for laughter here) learning gaps between students have gotten even worse. So what is a teacher to do when there are such vast differences in skill levels during math class? How do you differentiate math lessons?

[Read more…] about How to Differentiate Math Lessons

How to Teach Successful Long Division Strategies

by

Do your upper elementary students struggle with long division? We've collected all our best tools for helping students master long division and you can have them all. Come read this post and see how we can help your students feel better about math.

Long division has long been one of the most challenging concepts for students in Grade 4 and Grade 5 to master. There are a few reasons students struggle with long division, so we’ve tried to break down some of the ways we set our students up for success.

[Read more…] about How to Teach Successful Long Division Strategies

How to Help Your Students Master Decimal Operations

by

We find that many students struggle with decimal operations because their understanding of decimal number sense has a few holes in it. Come learn some of the ways we support our grade four and grade five students before, during and after learning to add and subtract decimals. And come grab a free set of decimals place value task cards to get you started.

Some students have difficulty working with decimals. Others misunderstand how place value helps when working with decimals operations. And other students struggle with number operations in general. Read on to find out the ways we support the different math learners in our classroom before working with decimal operations.

[Read more…] about How to Help Your Students Master Decimal Operations

How to Use Interactive Notebooks to Teach Number Sense

by

Interactive math notebooks are one way we teach number sense in our upper elementary classroom. Math class hasn't been the same since we started using interactive notebooks. Yes, they are work, but the benefits are HUGE! Come see what we do to make it work and get some ideas for yourself.

We use interactive notebooks in our math class as part of a unit on number sense. We have found creating a reference book of concepts and procedures that students can refer to when working in math helps them build confidence and develop independence.

We’re not going to lie. They are a lot of work, but the working is meaningful. We found on average our math grades improved and students were able to retain more of their learning year over year. Read more to find out how we use them in our classroom as one way to develop number sense.

[Read more…] about How to Use Interactive Notebooks to Teach Number Sense

How to Change Math With Interactive Notebooks

by

Are you avoiding interactive math notebooks because they seem like too much work? Are you struggling to teach math because you worry about your own knowledge base? Never fear! We have the solutions! Let's get you teaching math today!

When a colleague told us we should try interactive notebooks in math, we agreed and then went on our merry ways and did math the same old way for another year.

At the end of that school year, she approached us again and DEMANDED we buy an Interactive Math Journal lesson plan set. We took a look, bought it and then went on summer vacation, never to think about math for a whole two months.

Near the end of the summer, we opened it up and it CHANGED OUR WORLD. We will never teach math the same way again. That being said, there are a few things we learned about the process and we wanted to share these tips with you so you don’t have to spend so much time figuring things out yourself.

[Read more…] about How to Change Math With Interactive Notebooks