Number and Operations Archives - MARILYN BURNS MATH

Fractions General Interest Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

Representing 4/5 and 5/4: A Fraction Lesson

I took the photo of the board at the end of a fraction lesson I taught to fourth graders. The lesson engaged the students with representations of 4/5 and 5/4, using drawings the students had made. Read about how the lesson unfolded and what I learned about the students.

Marilyn BurnsJune 20, 2023

General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

What’s the Difference Between a Number Talk and a Lesson?

This is a question that I’ve thought about for a while. It seems that I embrace the same pedagogical approach with both, but I know there are differences. I think I have some clarity now. Read on.

Marilyn BurnsJune 5, 2023

Addition Assessment General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Mental Math Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

What Were Meeyah & Rocco Thinking?

During a Listening to Learn interview, when asked to figure out mentally the missing number in the problem 90 – ___ = 75, Meeyah and Rocco explained their reasoning in different ways. Listen to how they thought and how I used these two videos for a class lesson.

adminMarch 12, 2023

Addition Assessment General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning Subtraction Videos

What Was Rebecca Thinking?

Rebecca solved 7 – 3 by adding, demonstrating the important numerical reasoning strategy of applying the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction. Read about what happened when I used the video clip of Rebecca in a class lesson.

Marilyn BurnsApril 10, 2022

General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Mental Math Multiplication Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning Silent Math

What Was Nathan Thinking?

In a Listening to Learn interview, Nathan knew from memory that 6 x 5 equals 30. He explained to Rusty Bresser, "So, 6 divided by 2 equals 3, and you just add a zero behind it." Here's a suggestion for using that video clip in a lesson and what happened in two different classes.

Marilyn BurnsFebruary 22, 2022

General Interest Mental Math Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

Answers Are Only the Starting Point

I woke up early this morning, scanned Twitter, and was pulled in (as I always am) by Pam Harris’s Share Your Thinking problem. (Thanks, @pwharris!) Here’s how I responded and what I learned.

Marilyn BurnsNovember 18, 2021

Addition Do The Math General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Math and Literature Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning Place Value

A Children’s Book, Differentiating Math Instruction, and More

I love incorporating children’s books into math lessons. Since most of my teaching focuses on math, it’s a treat for me to read a book aloud to a class. After the students have a chance to enjoy the story and respond to the illustrations, then I use the book as a springboard for a math lesson.

Marilyn BurnsAugust 31, 2021

General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

How We Begin the School Year Is More Important Than Ever

Over the years, I’ve collaborated with Lynne Zolli and Patty Clark on a variety of math education projects. For this blog, we worked together to share our thinking about how Listening to Learn math interviews can serve teachers and students.

Marilyn BurnsAugust 16, 2021

Estimation General Interest Interviews One-on-One Listening to Learn Mental Math Multiplication Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

Two Students . . . Two Different Ways of Reasoning

On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, I posted the sixth in my Wednesday Twitter series of video clips from Listening to Learn math interviews. The response to this Tweet amazed me―it received over 100,000 impressions! I was appreciative of the many supportive and insightful replies. Read more.

Marilyn BurnsMay 11, 2021

Division General Interest Interviews One-on-One Mental Math Number and Operations Numerical Reasoning

What is 100 ÷ 3? Why We Ask and What We Learn

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

Number and Operations