One of my favorite parts of my classroom is the math manipulative shelf.  I try to keep it stocked with a variety of materials that can help students build concrete models of all sorts of math problems.  

We have a rule in my class: if you can’t solve a math problem on your own you must build it before asking for help.  So much of third-grade math is abstract: the perimeter of imaginary places, the area of imaginary floors and walls, fractions of abstract objects, imaginary money being exchanged between two people, etc.  These can all be tricky concepts to visualize mentally.

Our school has never provided any math manipulatives, but I have slowly gathered a set of must-have manipulatives for third grade.  Check them out!

Bears

My students love counting bears.  They are easy to grasp and can help to model addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These come in especially handy as students are learning to multiply and divide.  

Bingo Dots

These are a particularly inexpensive manipulative.  Along with our bears we use bingo dots to make physical representations of most addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems.  One of my favorite ways to use bingo dots is during our first multiplication lesson of the year. We build arrays with bingo dots.  It's a quick and easy lesson that is super hands-on!  

Fraction Pieces and Magnets

I always introduce fractions with manipulatives.  Having students build fractions really helps them to develop a concrete understanding of how you can have a fraction of an item. Although there are many cut-and-glue fraction sets, I prefer to use store-bought ones. I just find that when students cut them out their pieces are not always exact, and this leads to confusion when trying to compare fractions.

Money

Play money is a great manipulative to add.  In third grade, we spend a lot of time counting counts and subtracting money.  I have a handful of students who prefer to count physical money and this is great for them!  When doing word problems about ‘buying something at a store’ my students know how to role-play this in pairs and use play money to find their answer.

Clocks

Teaching time (especially quarter-to, quarter-past, and half-past) is such a tricky part of third-grade math.  I always teach the first time lessons with each student holding a clock.  Then, as they get to these questions in their homework and independent practice they are able to return to those clocks to physically create each time (or elapsed time) that is needed.  I love how using a clock really helps to cement this concept for most students!

Drawing Paper

This is the least expensive of all my manipulatives!  I keep a stack of scrap paper in my math manipulative area. I find that it is super helpful when students are able to draw out a problem - particularly when it involves distance (i.e. “A car travels 250 miles…”) or area/perimeter.  Some of my students are super successful when they are able to make a quick sketch and add in dimensions to visualize the ‘whole picture’.

I’m always looking to add to my math manipulative collection.  What works best in your class? Send me an e-mail or sound off in the comments below! 

Looking for Low-Prep Third Grade Math?

I can help with that! I have 9 digital and printable math units that are ready to print (or upload) and go! These engaging and rigorous units align with third-grade standards and are just so fun.

grab the math lessons

This year, my teaching career looks very different from the past few.  After university, I was super lucky to land a third-grade teaching contract, and I stayed there until this past June.  After moving to a new city over the summer,  I am trying something different.  While we get settled somewhere into our new house and community,  I am taking the year to be a substitute teacher in our local public district (or, as we call it up here in BC, a TTOC, Teacher Teaching On Call). 

It's been fun to pop into many different grade levels for the day and see how different teachers and schools choose to run their classrooms.  Most often, teachers leave me wonderful day plans with exactly what I need to teach each day.  (However, I have been very thankful for emergency plans on days that there has been nothing left!)  

In looking through many, many different 'sub plans' I've noticed that most are missing a few key pieces of information that would make my day, as a substitute teacher, so much easier.  Here are the things I wish all sub plans would include:

Your Usual Attention-Getter

How do you usually get the attention of the students in your room? Are you a clapper?  Do you do a call-and-answer?  Do you ring a bell?  Does someone turn the lights off?  As a sub, it can be almost impossible to establish a new attention-grabbing routine in a day or two, and kids respond best to what they are familiar with.  When a teacher leaves this key piece of information in his/her plans, it helps to set me up for success! 

Extra Class Lists

So often, substitute teachers are only given one class list for attendance, and then it is required to go back to the office first thing in the morning.  The rest of the day, I am without a complete class list.  I love when the teacher has left a few easy-to-find copies of the class list somewhere readily accessible.  

Important Routines

I have found that students thrive on routines, so when a substitute teacher arrives, they can be very thrown off by familiar routines that are not 'done right'.  If you have an important routine in your classroom - morning meeting, end-of-day dismissal, birthday songs, line up, how centers are chosen, etc.  write down the procedure to help different substitute teachers maintain the routines while you are away.  

Off Limits Items

Regardless of how 'on' I am as a teacher, there will always be one or two students who try to get away with things that the classroom teacher would not normally allow.  If there are things in your classroom that the students can't use, touch, or do - jot them down in your sub notes.  

Student Notes

As a classroom teacher, you have days (and weeks, and months) to try and 'figure out' some of the tougher students.  Substitute teachers have only minutes.  If you have a student with special needs, or a student who may need some behavior help, write down some of the strategies that have been successful.  As a sub, we want to help your students be successful, but the best way to do this is to partner alongside the work that you are already doing daily in the classroom.  

Have I missed anything?  Is there anything that you include in your sub plans that is a lifesaver for your students?  Let me know in the comments below!

- Rachel

In British Columbia we head back to school tomorrow morning.  

Where has the time gone?

Although this summer was full of ups and downs, and not all that restful, it is time to hit the ground running tomorrow morning.    I snuck into my class one more time this morning (on a holiday... gasp!)  to tie up any loose ends and make sure I was fully prepared to welcome my 24 brand new kiddos into my room tomorrow morning.

I think that even after four years of teaching in my 'own room' I still get the nervous butterflies before the first day of school.  A part of me misses the group that inhabited the room the year before, and another part of me is nervous about what is coming next.

I have to keep reminding myself of Philippians 4:6-7:  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, and with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  

So I'm giving this year up to the One who holds forever in His hands.  I know that there will be more 'bumps' ahead, but I'm not in it alone.

Thank goodness!

Take a look at my classroom for the 2016/2017 school year:

Above: My teacher desk - love this new print from Hobby Lobby! 

I do all of my read-alouds from my IKEA chair, and we start each carpet time with a reminder how to do  Whole Body Listening (from Especially Education)

Reading Corner - the book bins and storage may not match, but I love how many play-based learning option I have! 

Hand-In Buckets - I separate hand-in and classroom work storage by subject and project.  

View from the back of the classroom - check out my new crate seats!

Permanent whiteboard set-up.  I write my schedule up on the board so it can be specific, and kids help to assign a weekly classroom job rotation.  I love accountability in a primary classroom! 

I'm starting to feel ready for the year ahead.  How about you, is your classroom ready ? Or if you've been back for a while, how are you settling in?

This has been an up-and-down week for me as a teacher. I have been away for most of it... sick... ugh! Man do I miss my kiddos. I had some amazing Valentines activities planned for them, but had to leave them in the hands of a very capable substitute teacher. Thank goodness for wonderful subs, I don't know what I would do without her!

Does anyone else feel like being away sick is more work than being at school?  I know I need to take the time to rest and heal, but planning for a substitute is just so much work.  There are so many good grab-and-go sub plans out there, but sometimes I just want things to continue my way, and I know that's not always possible.

In this season of colds and flus, it never hurts to be over-prepared with sub plans!  I try to have a binder of writing assignments, math projects, and classroom routines all prepped and ready to go just in case I can't be in the next day.

Am I alone in this anxiety over leaving my class with a sub?  How do you plan for your inevitable days off?  Let me know in the comments below!

- Rachel