Asking students to solve problems mentally, without paper and pencil, is always revealing and often surprising. I thought that asking students to solve 100 ÷ 3 would be sort of a slam dunk. My, was I wrong!
Marilyn BurnsApril 8, 2021
Tic-tac-toe is a game that has some advantages―it’s easy to learn, requires only paper and a pencil, and doesn’t take long to play. But the game has the disadvantage of getting boring pretty fast. Don’t give up on it. Try these variations, all of which give kids (even adults) a chance to think strategically in new ways.
Marilyn BurnsApril 9, 2020
I just learned about Factors and Multiples, a shelter-at-home game that’s engaging as solitaire and can be played as a two-person game either cooperatively or competitively. (I’ve played it both ways.) It’s intriguing for both adults and kids (as long as players know about factors and multiples of numbers up to 100). It’s a keeper.
Marilyn BurnsApril 3, 2020
Looking for an easy-to-play game that requires only the ability to count to 20, but has a real mathematical kick? Here it is. Teach it to your kids at home or to your students online to play with someone at home. Read on for the rules and some tips, including how to tweak the game to keep kids interested and challenged.
Marilyn BurnsMarch 28, 2020
Riddles are usually a hit with kids, and with many at home and sheltering in place (as I am), diversions can be helpful. When rummaging through my book shelves, I found a book that I wrote in 1981―The Hink Pink Book. I wrote it shortly after I first learned about Hink Pink riddles, and also about Hinky Pinky and Hinkety Pinkety riddles. I think these riddles are good for some language play for kids at home, with a little math thrown in.
Marilyn BurnsMarch 24, 2020
Good Questions for Math Teaching is a Math Solutions book that has long been one of my favorites. It’s a resource that I dip into when I feel the need for something fresh. And it speaks directly to our current shelter-in-place coronavirus crisis as many of us look for ways to mathematically engage students online, children at home, or both. Here are samples to get you started. I’ll continue to post more ideas on Twitter (@mburnsmath).
Marilyn BurnsMarch 17, 2020
I’m often surprised by what I learn when I interview students. Watch this 46-second video clip of Jonah solving 100 ÷ 3. Then read how I used the clip in a lesson with a class of fifth graders, and also read the letters the students wrote to Jonah.
Marilyn BurnsFebruary 18, 2020
I’m a huge fan of math games, especially when they involve both strategic thinking and luck. And I’m always on the search for games that work with a span of grade levels. The Two-Dice Sums Game fits both. Learn about the game and read the letters of advice that 7th graders wrote to 2nd graders.
Marilyn BurnsDecember 9, 2019
What am I doing on the floor? Teaching angles to fourth graders. Read about how instruction using Pattern Blocks and hinged mirrors, along with supporting number talks, can help students learn to understand and measure angles. Here I present a (sort of) photo essay to describe what actually occurred over the first three days of instruction. Ideas for continuing the instruction follow.
Marilyn BurnsApril 29, 2019
Fourth graders solve the problem 5 ÷ 4 in the context of sharing cookies, figuring out how to share five cookies equally with four people. The students came up with six different solutions―all of them correct! (Try and think of what they might be before continuing to read.)
Marilyn BurnsFebruary 27, 2019
