Posts Tagged: Concrete-Representational-Abstract

Super Secondary Manipulatives: Anglegs!

When I showed a set of Anglegs to a high school math department and everyone said, “What are those?” I knew I needed to blog about these amazing manipulatives! Anglegs come in six lengths of plastic that easily snap together to explore plane geometry. When you snap two Anglegs, of any length together, you can snap a special 4” protractor to explore angles.…

Geometry–Out of the Box!

I received an email this morning from a Geometry Instructor/Assistant Athletic Director who has been using the Tabor Rotation Framework at the Secondary Level for the past two years. Attached to it was a real-world assessment of the geometrical concept of transformations. I was engaged just by reading it!…

FREE GAME for Learning Algebraic Expressions in Guided Math

I don’t remember Algebra being fun in school. I don’t remember any hands-on experiences for anything in Algebra–including expressions. So, when I began teaching Algebra I was determined to make it concrete-to-pictorial-to-abstract and, above all else, it was going to be FUN! One of the ways I do this is by incorporating roaches, flies, and ladybugs into my Algebra guided math lessons and into my Tabor Rotation math stations.…

The Extreme Value of Teacher-Guided Math/Teacher Time

In a recent conversation, dynamic math instructional coach, Chrystena Talamantez, shared the overwhelmingly positive response her teachers had to additional support in guided, small-group work with students at the Teacher Time Station. Since having this station was the primary reason why I created the Tabor Rotation Framework, I asked Chrystena to share her personal testimony to the extreme value of Teacher-Guided Math Instruction/Teacher Time.…

Powerful Math Stations, MCC4.NBT.2 & MCC4.OA.4

What makes a powerful, rigorous, and relevant math station activity? 1. Identify the content standard. One of the activities that uses building blocks to concretely explore a concept is the Math Common Core State Standard from fourth grade, MCC4.OA.1a: Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems.…

Hands-On Expanded Form

  What is expanded form and how do we make the practice of expanded form hands on and engaging? Let’s start with the first question. Expanded Form is… …the writing of a number to show the value of each digit. …the sum of each digit multiplied by its place value.…

Increasing Scores via Financial Literacy

How can you increase scores on a state test by teaching financial literacy? That was one of the questions asked by several teachers who were recently trained in M-Cubed: Meaningful Math Management. This resource is used nationwide to teach accountability and personal financial literacy at the same time.…

Questions about Tabor Rotation

Questions, questions, questions…I LOVE them! Why? I love questions from administrators and teachers, because if no one asks a question, then it’s highly unlikely that they will use the information. Tony Robbins says, “Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.”…

Math Apps Students (and their Teachers) LOVE!

“Do you use IPads in the Technology/Application Station of Tabor Rotation?” “What apps do you recommend?” “Could I write a grant to get more technology in my classroom?” These questions are frequently asked by Tabor Rotation teachers in math and science, since one of the Tabor Rotation Stations is the Technology/Application Station.…

Texas Drought Benefits Math Concepts

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”     -George Bernard Shaw The Texas drought may have dried up our pond, but it offered our two youngest children the opportunity to play in the biggest mud puddle they’d ever seen.…