Not only are functions fun, they are the basis of all of Algebra 1 - linear, quadratic, and exponential. Out of 49 Texas standards in Algebra 1, 20 involve functions -- that is over 40%! It is important that students have a firm grasp on understanding how to identify, evaluate, and graph a function to prepare them for more complex problems. Teaching Functions in Algebra ...
Are Digital Interactive Notebooks Right for You?
Let’s talk about interactive notebooks - both physical notebooks and digital notebooks! Do you use them with your students? I tried an interactive notebook one year while teaching math, and I couldn’t handle the glue consumption. Now that I am seeing so much talk about digital interactive notebooks online, I want to ask the question -- are they right for you? Are Digital Interactive ...
Free Back to School Digital Activities
The first days of school are upon us! (If you haven’t already started teaching, make sure to check out our post on remote learning routines and procedures to teach your middle schoolers.) This post will answer the question: “What is a fun activity to start the year off with my students online this year?” Here are our top picks for back to school math digital activities Desmos Four ...
15 Remote Teaching Videos to Get You Started
The school year has either started or is about to start. No time to waste! Here are 15 remote teaching videos that will hopefully help you make some of this technology transition a little bit easier. Note: We receive questions about "how to do _____?" so frequently. Below are our most popular. We also have a video library for any other FAQs related to using our resources that you ...
Turn Worksheets into Easy Math Activities
The thing about teaching is that every day is a new lesson, a new topic, and in general a large amount of prep work. Some days, class consists of a matching activity that has been differentiated and laminated! #winning There are other days when I need something quick and easy to implement. Today’s post is all about how to turn any worksheet into an engaging easy math activity with ...
Planning and Teaching During COVID
The beginning of the school year can be stressful. The beginning of THIS school year is stressful for many more reasons than usual! The good news is that you aren’t the only one in this boat. Teaching during COVID will require us to address some of these challenges together, and what you can do to make this year the best one yet! TEACHING & PLANNING During a Pandemic Challenge ...
Organizing a Substitute Binder
Update 8/01/2020: This post was originally written many years before a pandemic changed everything about being a teacher. Many of the same concepts for substitute preparation still remain. However, for clarity, I am going to do my best to be a thought-partner as we navigate this trying time. You can find that information by scrolling down to #5. I will never forget the first time I ...
Technology Routines and Procedures
When teachers were tasked with the huge responsibility of teaching students remotely, it was like the rug had been pulled out from under our feet. Many teachers had never taught remotely, and even the most tech savvy teachers experienced the pains of trying to hold the attention of an 11-year-old through a screen. Well, teachers and students (and parents!) came out on the other side, ...
Tips for Teaching from a Cart
Back in February, a new teacher asked me for ideas for teaching from a cart. She would be rotating rooms and needed to figure out a way to do this. We used our best resource -- the teachers in our FB group -- to think tank a solution. Little did we know that many teachers would be going back to the classroom this fall with plans to work from a cart. TIPS for Teaching FROM A ...
The Flipped Classroom and Hybrid Learning
Hybrid learning - I had never heard this term until about a month ago, and now, it seems to be the type of learning environment that thousands, if not millions of teachers (and their students), are trying to navigate. The hybrid model functions both online and in the physical classroom. Students will be expected to complete some of their learning at home, some of their learning at ...