Math Books That Will Change Your Teaching Blog Hop

Today I am participating in the Math Books That Will Change Your Teaching Blog Hop organized by Brandi of The Research Based Classroom.  Take this journey with me and 11 other excellent educators as we discuss books that have changed our teaching.  Each blogger will be giving away a copy of the book they reviewed, for FREE!!!  Simply enter the giveaway on each blog.

I am very happy to participate in this blog hop because I have an opportunity to share one of my favorite books.  It was a difficult decision to pick just one book to share because I have a variety of math books that I enjoy.

I would like to introduce........

Why I Selected this Book?

A couple of months ago,  I facilitated a professional development that highlighted the focus math standards for each grade from Kdg. - 5th.  While preparing for the PD, I realized the importance of various standards and how they build upon one another.  Additionally, I thought about how each grade has fluency facts that should be mastered before moving to the next grade. It was like a light bulb went off in my head and I really thought about the importance of teaching addition & subtraction facts utilizing a systematic approach.  This book is an EXCELLENT resource to help orchestrate such a task . In fact, it focuses on helping students understand groups of facts and then building on that understanding with additional sets of facts versus fact memorization. 

AHA MOMENT....

I really connected with this book as I've often thought of ways that I could make teaching addition facts easier and more efficient.  When I came across the suggested teaching sequence below, I was in love.  Teaching in this strategic manner really supports student learning and builds conceptual understanding.  The suggested teaching sequence for addition facts included:

• First, teaching +1 and +2 addition facts  
• Then, teaching +0 addition facts
• Next, teaching +10 addition facts
• Then, teaching the doubles facts
• Lastly, teaching the facts that make 10 (ie. 6 + 4, 7 + 3, etc.)

Interesting Features from the Book

Each chapter contains the following components:

• Big Ideas for the foundational facts
• A literature link-  Yes, this book incorporates literature for each of the foundational facts.
• Games & Activities that align with each of the foundational facts.
• Ways to build automaticity through targeted practice.
• Connections to subtraction

This book also contains a study guide for professional learning communities.  That section of the book has questions that align with each chapter for the book study.

Two of my Favorite Activities from the Book

1) Hop the Line is an activity in which students add 1, add 2, subtract 1 or subtract 2 until they reach the end of the line.  The students use a spinner to determine how many numbers to jump on the line.  If the student spins a number that moves them off the number line, they lose a turn.  The object of the game is to be the first person to get to 20.   The book has a worksheet with a number line but I created my own number line so the game would be interactive.

2) Ladders is a game that provides students with practice on near-doubles facts.  To play, two students take turns spinning the Ladders Spinner and recording the sum on the ladder.  The sum must be recorded in order from the least number (on the bottom of the ladder) to the greatest number (on the top of the ladder). A player will lose a turn, if they spin a sum that doesn't have a place on the ladder.  The object of the game is to be the first player to complete the ladder with the sums in order.

This game is great because it can be played with many addition facts as well as multiplication facts. The students see the importance of being strategic with the placement of the sum.

Final Words

One of the great things about being involved in this wonderful blog hop is an opportunity for you, the reader to win a FREE copy of the book.  Yes, a FREE copy shipped to your house!  You can enter the raffle by completing the Rafflecopter Giveaway.  A winner will be selected on Saturday, August 30th.  The winner will be announced via my blog and Facebook Fan Page.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to hop along our blog hop to the next wonderful mathematician Brandi, (the blog hop sponsor) by clicking on the link below.  Brandi will review the book, Number Sense Routines. Be sure to check out her post!