During the spring of the 2012-2013 school year Kara Imm and I were working with my 5th graders to help…
The Power of Strings
I’m embarrassed to say this, I have a vivid memory of around my fourth year of teaching 5th grade and…
Closed to Open Array
After looking over beginning-of-the-year assessments, a new 4th grade teacher was concerned that half of her students were still unsure…
Multiplying fractions: Why context matters
Our fifth grade team was trying to encourage students to use a visual model to represent their thinking when they…
How to extend a string
We are often asked about how we can “stretch” strings beyond their place as a short mental math activity in…
Making Thinking Visible
I recently worked with a 6th grade teacher, Miss T, as she led a string for the very first time. …
Photo number strings for multiplication
Here are two photos I snapped as I walked by a 99 cent store in LA. Beautiful arrays, no? I…
Go-to questions for teaching number strings
My four-year-old son likes to walk over to the magnetic rekenrek (math rack) I keep on the fridge, move some…
New strings for Measurement + Unit Conversion
Our 5th grade team was trying to address several challenges with implementing Common Core 5th grade standards of multiplying and…
A Dilemma with Models
A 5th grade teaching team I work with recently raised the issue of how to model the problem 1/2 x…
a series of sorting fractions number strings
Sorting Fractions, money, percentages or decimals Which would you rather have? 45/100 or ½ ¾ or 8/10 8/20 or 2/5…
Fractions as operators on money (Early fractions)
Fractions as operators, Money What is ½ of $1.00? What is 1/4 of $1.00? What is 2/4 of $1.00? What…
Doubling with early fractions
Number String: Doubling 4 x 2 1/4 x 2 1/10 x 2 1/5 x 2 2/5 x 2 4/5 x…
Halving with early fractions
Minilesson: Halving (Rachel Lambert) What is ½ of 1? What is ½ of ½? What is ½ of 1/4? What…
Number Strings 