Play to Learn: Quick and Fun Games to Spark Learning
International Games Month is the perfect time to celebrate how games can transform learning into an engaging and meaningful experience. Whether you’re looking for a quick classroom activity or a fun family game night, these short, educational games deliver big on fun and skill-building. I recently brought these games to the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State Annual Conference, where they were placed around the room during the opening night cocktail hour. They were a HIT! Here’s a roundup of some fantastic options: 1. Tsuro In this beautiful tile-laying game, players guide their markers along paths, aiming…
The Evolution of Mathematics: What is a Ten Frame?
Continuing our series on The Evolution of Mathematics, let’s dive deeper into understanding why the math we’ve always done—and the algorithms behind it—work the way they do. In our initial post, we explored the idea that while math itself hasn’t changed, our approach to teaching it has shifted to emphasize understanding why algorithms work, rather than just how to perform them. In this post, we’ll focus on some effective strategies teachers are using to help students grasp these concepts on a deeper, more conceptual level. Let’s start by exploring the foundational tool of the ten frame. What is a ten…
Embracing the Fidget: Fidget Deals for the New School Year!
It is great to be back to the blog, after our end of summer break! I hope you all had a wonderful rest of your summer and were able to recharge before the beginning of the school year. The beginning of the school year is all about setting expectations within the school building and classrooms or teaching areas. In my last post, I explored how incorporating fidgets into professional development sessions can help educators better understand the potential of fidgets in the classroom. I also shared some favorite fidgets, offering practical options to enhance focus and engagement for both students…
Play to Learn: Guess Who
Guess Who– one of the games we all grew up playing and that we probably have in our game closets, if we have kids. The classic game is a fun way to practice deduction, observation, and strategic questioning skills. Just a quick review of the simple rules of the game Each player randomly selects one character from a separate pile of cards. The goal is to guess the opponent’s chosen character by asking yes-or-no questions about their character’s features. Players take turns asking yes or no questions. Players eliminate characters on their board who don’t match the given features. The…
Play to Learn: Tenzi and More!
Today in the Play to Learn series, we are deep diving into the TENZI family of games! We will begin with the original TENZI game, that began this collection of games. TENZI is an exciting and quick-paced dice game that promotes fast reactions and is very easy to learn. To play TENZI, you roll your 10 dice as quickly as possible. The game comes with instructions for eight additional variations, including SPLITZI, MEGA TENZI, and TENZI TOWER. Playing TENZI helps children develop rapid and confident number recognition while being highly enjoyable and straightforward to play. It’s ideal for early finishers…
New TPT Store and Resources
Introducing My New Teachers Pay Teachers Store and Resources FREE ITEM : Back to School and Fall Themed Ten Frames! Hello, fellow educators and math enthusiasts! I am thrilled to announce the launch of my brand-new Teachers Pay Teachers store, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my latest resources with you: FREE: Back to School and Fall Themed Ten Frames- Roll and Cover Ten Frame Mats- Roll and Cover (Full School Year) As we gear up for a new school year, it’s essential to have engaging, effective, and versatile teaching tools at our fingertips. That’s why I’ve created…
Book Review: The Infused AI Classroom by Holly Clark
I connected with Holly Clark during an AI training session, and her book, Infused AI Classroom, truly stands out. Unlike many AI books that focus on tools and tricks, Holly emphasizes pedagogy and transformative teaching techniques. This approach equips both students and educators to harness AI's full potential. Discover why Holly's insights are a game-changer for education!
Play to Learn: Dice of Fury
The first three games we have looked at in our Play to Learn series have been games that take longer to play. Settlers of Catan, 60-90 minutes Carcassonne, 30-90 minutes Ticket to Ride, 30-60 minutes There are ways that teachers can be creative with how the games are played, saved, collaboratively played across different classes of the day, but sometimes we need quick games. Quick games can still connect to content in the classroom, but are time savers! Here is one of my FAVORITE short games to use in the classroom! Dice of Fury Think Yahtzee, with more…
Top Teacher Picks: Must-Have Math Manipulatives Amazon Prime Day
Welcome to the ultimate guide to my favorite teacher items and math manipulatives, all available at unbeatable prices during Amazon Prime Day! As a dedicated educator, I know how essential it is to have the right tools to enhance the learning experience for our students. From engaging math manipulatives that make abstract concepts tangible to indispensable classroom supplies that keep us organized and efficient, this list has everything you need. Join me as I share my top picks, all at amazing discounts, to help you make the most of this year’s Prime Day deals. Get ready to stock up on…
Top Teacher Picks: Must-Have Games for Home and Classroom from Amazon Prime Day
Welcome to the ultimate guide to my favorite teacher items and math manipulatives, all available at unbeatable prices during Amazon Prime Day! As a dedicated educator, I know how essential it is to have the right tools to enhance the learning experience for our students. From engaging math manipulatives that make abstract concepts tangible to indispensable classroom supplies that keep us organized and efficient, this list has everything you need. Join me as I share my top picks, all at amazing discounts, to help you make the most of this year’s Prime Day deals. Get ready to stock up on…
