I know the “rules” anchor charts are best made with students. It gives context when referring to the charts and provides students with ownership. I get it, but it wasn’t working for me. I didn’t want to sacrifice my students’ attention by breaking the momentum of my lesson to add to my anchor chart.

Plus, if I made them with my students, I’d have to do it twice, since I teach two groups of students. Chart paper gets expensive!

I found myself recreating everything at the end of the day. This was time-consuming and felt wasteful. I knew I had to find a way to simplify.

That’s exactly why I created this set of third and fourth grade math anchor charts—to save time, support instruction, and give students a go-to reference that students actually use. I speak from years of experience-they used these charts.

If you’re looking to upgrade your math visuals without spending hours at the easel, here’s why these anchor charts are about to become your new favorite classroom tool.

✅ 1. Covers Every Standard—Without the Stress

No more wondering if you’ve covered it all. These charts are aligned to every 3rd grade and 4th grade math standard. From operations and algebraic thinking to geometry, fractions, measurement, and base ten, every major topic is clearly laid out with age-appropriate language and visuals.

✅ 2. Print-and-Go Convenience

Forget about the markers and chart paper. These charts are designed to be ready when you are.

You get two size options for every standard:

• Large Posters (18×24) – Great for whole-class lessons. Print on 6 standard pages and tape them together or send them to a low-cost poster printer.

• Small Posters (8.5×11) – Perfect for math folders, stations, or one-on-one support.

✅ 3. Supports Visual Learners & Struggling Students

Let’s face it—math can be abstract. That’s where visuals become your best friend.

These anchor charts are clean, consistent, and easy to read. Students with reading challenges, visual processing issues, or attention difficulties benefit from seeing clear text, bold headers, and structured layouts they can return to over and over again.

✅ 4. Creates a Cohesive, Polished Math Environment

There’s something powerful about a classroom that looks put together. These anchor charts give your room that unified, intentional look—which not only helps you stay organized but also signals to students that math matters.

It’s a small change that makes a big impact.

Ready to Simplify Your Math Instruction?

These math anchor charts are the kind of resource you’ll use every day. And best of all? Once you print them, you’re set for years to come.

Click on what you need to grab your set now and give your students the consistent support they need to succeed in math.

3rd Grade Math Anchor Charts

4th Grade Math Anchor Charts

I had a lot of request for other subjects, so here’s more of what you may need!

Reading Anchor Charts

Social Studies Anchor Charts

Science Anchor Charts

Let’s make math visual, accessible, and a whole lot easier—for everyone.

The post My Math Anchor Chart Hack appeared first on Ashleigh's Education Journey.

This decimal escape activity is a math lesson your students won’t forget. To be over-the-top cheesy, some might say it’s out of this world!

In the decimal escape, students must work together to escape from outer space. To escape, students unlock a series of locks to acquire the extra fuel from the international space station. There are multiple versions of this activity to meet various classroom needs.

• One version is for a physical set-up of the activity that uses locks and boxes.
• The second version is for a hybrid digital version of the activity that does not require boxes or locks. Instead, students will enter the codes on their device through Google Forms. They use a printed version of the actual activities.
• The third version is completely digital where students solve the problems on Google Slides and enter the codes in Google Forms.

Decimal Escape-Clue 1

Students match each rocket with the corresponding astronaut. After they match the rockets with the astronauts, they will line the cards up from least to greatest. After students arrage the cards correctly, they will be able to read the clue that tells them the code to the first lock.

Clue 2

In the second part of the decimal escape activity, students determine which decimal is the largest decimal through a bracket system. They will compare each set of decimals on the bracket and record the largest decimal. Students continue until there is ONE decimal. The digits of that decimal will unlock the 4-digit lock. Your sports enthusiast will love this one!

Decimal Escape-Clue 3

Students use symbols to compare each set of decimals. The record how many of each symbol used on the recording sheet. This will give students the code for the lock. There is definitely an emphasis on comparing decimals in this escape.

Clue 4

Students solve each of the decimal fraction problems. They use the key at the bottom of the page to determine the five colors on the five color lock. This clue will give students the final code, so they can make it home!

As with all my escape room activities, there are detailed teacher directions for easy set-up and prep.

If you’d like to learn more about using escape rooms in the upper elementary classroom, be sure to check out this post. You can find this decimal escape activity here.

The post Decimal Escape Activity appeared first on Ashleigh's Education Journey.

This geometry escape room activity is a perfect way to end your upper elementary geometry unit!

In this activity students work together to escape from a zoo where all the animals are out of their cages. To escape, students use clues and codes to unlock a series of locks to find the key that allows them to escape the zoo.

I have included multiple versions of this geometry escape room activity to meet your classroom needs. One version is for a physical set-up of the activity, and the second version is for a digital version of the activity that does not require boxes or locks. Students enter their codes on their computer or device through Google Forms.

Clue 1

For the first clue, students complete five geometry task cards. The numbers to the correct answers are the colors for the five-color lock. If you are using the physical version (rather than Google Forms), your students will need to use the color decoder to find the colors for the lock. The task cards cover topics such as classifying triangles and the hierarchy of polygons and quadrilaterals.

Geometry Escape Room – Clue 2

In the second clue, students complete a 3-by-3 puzzle where they reconstruct the squares so that all of the images match on every interior side. Once they complete the puzzle, students use the four corner images and the decoder wheel to crack the code!

Clue 3

The next activity in the geometry escape room has students match the description of multiple shapes with the corresponding picture example on the right column. They will draw a straight line from the left dot to the right dot. The letters they do not cross out with the lines are the code for the 5-letter lock.

Geometry Escape Room – Clue 4

In the last clue, students determine how many sets of parallel lines, perpendicular lines, right angles, acute angles, and obtuse angles are in each shape. When students finish, they add the numbers together to discover the next combination.

Each of these activities require problem solving and critical thinking. They’re also FUN for students! If you’d like to learn more about implementing upper elementary escape rooms, be sure to check out this informative post.

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This measurement escape is a culminating activity for the fourth grade measurement standards. In the activity, students must work together to escape from a coral reef. To escape, students must unlock a series of locks to find their way out of the reef.

There are multiple versions of this activity to meet your classroom needs. One version is for a physical set-up of the activity, and the second version is for a digital version of the activity that does not require boxes or locks. Instead, students will enter their codes on their computer or device through Google Forms.

Clue 1

In clue 1, students find the dimensions of two rectangles. For example, one rectangle has an area of 48 square inches and a perimeter of 38 inches. This definitely requires problem solving and strategic thinking. The dimensions from the rectangle provide the code to the 4-digit lock.

Clue 2

In the second clue, students find the measure of 5 angles. In four of the angles, students will need to use a protractor to find the measure of the angle. One one of the angles, students will use their understanding of angles are additive to find the measurement. Once students find the measurements, they add the degrees of each of the angles together, and the sum is the code for the 3-digit lock. This will lead them further away from the reef.

Measurement Escape – Clue 3

In the next clue, students answer questions using a line plot describing the length of fish. After determining the answers, students use the decoder wheel to determine the colors for the 5-color lock.  If you’re using the physical version, this will open the large box for access to the small box.

Measurement Escape – Clue 4

In the last clue, students solve measurement conversions. At the bottom of clue 4, there is a code that can only be solved by using the correct conversions. The message says, “Solve the whale maze.” The whale maze gives students the code to the final lock.

This measurement escape is such a great way to end your measurement unit. If you’re new to using escape room activities and would like a little more information, be sure to check out this post. You can find this unit here.

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I like to start the year off with hands-on place value activities, because place value is the foundation for all other math concepts. It’s important to spend time on place value to ensure students are prepared for more challenging concepts.

These place value activities and practice pages can be printed as a booklet and area a great supplement to any math program or curriculum. You can use them for centers, stations, whole group activities, or really anything!

Activity 1-Rounding Riddles

Students solve six rounding riddles that require critical thinking. In the first problem students write a number that rounds to 20. Then, they share whether they could find a different number that rounds to 20. The questions progressively become more challenging.

Activity 2-Rounding on a Number Line

In another activity students create a number line that showed how to round to the nearest hundred.  This is important, because students better understand the concept of rounding through practice on number lines and hundreds charts.  The visual gives students a much better understanding of WHY a number rounds to a particular place.

Activity 3-Forms of Numbers

In this practice activity, students write numbers in standard form and expanded form. This is a good review for numbers through the thousands place.

Activity 4-Make 1,000

In another activity, students use base-ten blocks to find three different ways to build a thousand. They used a combination of ones, tens, and hundreds to do this, and it helped my students to see how ones,  tens, and hundreds relate to each other.  They first used the base-ten blocks to create the number, and then they recorded how they made the number on a recording sheet.

Activity 5-What’s It Between

This is a rounding practice activity that takes a reverse approach to rounding. Students are given a number and determine the two multiples of ten or hundred that number is between. This is an extremely important concept for students.

Activity 6-Roll and Round

In this game students use two dice that had the digits one through nine on them. Students roll the two dice and create the largest number possible with the digits they rolled, and then they rounded the number to the nearest ten.  To add a little conceptual math, students also find the number on a hundreds chart to help them determine where to round the number.

Activity 7-Rounding Practice

In this activity, students complete very basic rounding problems. They will round two and three digit numbers to the nearest ten and nearest hundred.

Activity 8-Place Value Tower

Activity 9-Place Value Practice

The post Hands-On Place Value appeared first on Ashleigh's Education Journey.

Converting measurements worksheets and activities are often hard to squeeze in to your math instruction. This topic is often taught toward the end of the school year, and we all know how easy it is to run out of time before testing-especially in math. It’s important to get as much out of your converting measurement worksheets and activities as possible. They need to pack a powerful punch. You can find each of the lessons below here.

Converting Measurements Worksheets – Capacity

I like to begin by reviewing the difference between the terms volume and capacity. Volume is the amount of space that an object takes up and capacity is the amount a container will hold. You can show students an example of a Cup, Pint, Quart, and Gallon and have students predict how many of each unit are required to fill the next size unit.

If you have time for exploration, have students using measuring cups to fill a pint container with water and record how many cups it took to fill the pint. Students then use the pint container to fill a quart container and record how many pints it took to fill a quart. Then, students can use the quart container to fill a gallon container and record how many quarts it took to fill a gallon.

I LOVE using the Gallon Kingdom video and pictorial representation of capacity conversions. This is almost always the most challenging units of measurement to memorize, and it gives students a memorization cue in converting capacity measurements. After watching the video, I like to complete the converting measurements worksheet together. Then, for problem solving and measurement application, students complete the Party Punch activity.

Metric Volume

When moving to these metric volume lessons, I again review the difference between the terms volume and capacity. Show students an example of a milliliter and a liter. Have students predict how many milliliters are needed to make a liter. Have students give examples of things that would be measured in milliliters (medicine, ingredients for cooking) and things that would be measured in liters (water in a bath tub, bottles of soft drinks).

If there is time for further exploration, teach students how to find volume using the displacement method. Students should read the volume of a large beaker of water (do not fill to the top). Students should then place a rock or golf ball inside the beaker. The water will rise, and students should record the new measurement of the beaker. Students can find the difference between the two measures to determine the volume of the golf ball or rock.

Once again, I like to complete the liters and milliliters converting measurements worksheet together. This gives students a little practice before moving on to their problem solving lessons. In that lesson, students solve four word problems involving metric volume, including some multi-step problems.

Converting Measurements Worksheets – Weight

When teaching weight conversions, be sure to review the difference between the terms mass and weight. Mass is a measure of how much matter an object has. Weight is a measure of how strongly gravity pulls on that matter. Show students an example of a few different types of scales (digital, spring, balance, etc.) and familiarize students with how to use the scales. Allow students to pass around various weights. Have students predict how many ounces are needed to make a pound. You may also want to give students time to share examples of things that would be measured in ounces and things that would be measured in pounds.

In the exploration portion of this lesson, students use a balance scale to develop familiarity with ounces and pounds. Students hold a pound weight and a one ounce weight and predict how many ounces they think are in one pound. Have students place the pound weight on one side of a balance scale. Then, one at a time, add weights to the balance scale until the scale is balanced.

You can complete the weight converting measurements worksheet together. Then, have students complete the weight word problems. In the activity, students solve five word problems involving customary weight. Some problems will be two step problems that require students to convert pounds to ounces.

Mass Conversions

When teaching mass, review the difference between the terms mass and weight. Show students an example of a few different types of scales (digital, spring, balance, etc.) and familiarize students with how to use the scales. Allow students to pass around a gram weight and a kilogram weight and let students predict how many grams are needed to make a kilogram. Then, have students give examples of things that would be measured in grams and things that would be measured in kilograms.

In the exploration activity, students use a platform scale to order the mass of four different objects from the least mass to the greatest mass. Have students look at each of the four objects.  Ask students which object they think will have the greatest mass and the least mass.  Students should then find the mass of each of the objects and list the four objects in order from least to greatest mass.

Solve the mass converting  measurements worksheet together. Then, students can solve mass word problems centered around the mass of ingredients needed for a baker’s recipes. Some of the problems will be two step problems that require students to convert kilograms to grams and a combination of kilograms and grams to only grams.

Converting Measurements Worksheets – Length

Give students time to share what they know about reading a ruler. At this point, most students should be able to correctly read a ruler to the nearest one-fourth inch. However additional instruction and practice is often needed for fourth graders. You can use this extra practice to squeeze in a few line plot activities.

You can complete the length converting measurements worksheet together. In the problem solving portion of the lesson, students first fill out the missing pieces to a ruler. They should label the half inch, fourth inch, and eighth inch hash marks. In the second portion of the activity, students will read a data table and determine the length in inches of each piece of wood found in a workshop and determine who collected that piece of wood. This is always quite a challenge for my students.

Metric Length

Students are always amazed at how much easier it is to convert metric measurements than standard measurements. In this activity, students determine how far their teacher ran this week. I use teacher as a joke, but you can substitute any name or person for the role. Students convert kilometers to meters and centimeters and will convert meters to centimeters.

Converting Measurements Worksheets – Time

Time is not easy for students. Even in fourth grade, many students have trouble reading a clock. It’s easy to get stuck on this important life skill, but I try to focus instruction on grade level standards. I save reading a clock for small group lessons.

Begin the lesson by reviewing how to determine the elapsed time. Start with finding the elapsed time between hours, move to finding the elapsed time between hour and a half, and then hour and 15 minutes. Once students show proficiency, move to finding the elapsed time to the five minutes and then exact minute.

I like to complete the time converting measurements worksheet together. Then, students solve time conversion problems using a daily schedule. A fun extension to this lesson is having students determine their age in months, weeks, and days.

You can find each of these lessons in this measurement resource. If you’d like to read more about teaching upper elementary math, be sure to check out this post!

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You can really be creative with your measuring angles worksheets and activities. It’s a math concept that lends itself to hands-on and engaging lessons. Of course, reading a protractor can be challenging for students, so they will need practice working with a protractor. In this post, I’ve shared some of my favorite measuring angles worksheets, activities, and lessons. You can find all of the lessons here.

Measuring Angles

By the time students begin measuring angles, they will have likely learned about types of angles through the geometry in second, third, and possibly fourth grade. Hopefully, students will be familiar with the terms acute, right, and obtuse.

Before teaching students how to use a protractor, it is import for students to conceptualize the attribute of the spread of the rays that create the angle. In this lesson students measure angles with a non-standard unit. Give students an index card and have students draw a narrow angle on the index card and cut it out The wedge that is cut out should be used as a unit of angular measure by counting the number of units that will fit in a given angle. Students should use their unit of measure to measure the angles on the Measuring Angles worksheet.

If each student creates his/her own wedge the total units needed will vary. If you use the included triangles, the measurements should be similar. After students have the opportunity to measure, discuss what will happen if the size of the unit increases. Cut a new, larger unit out and measure a few of the angles.

Then, discuss what will happen if the size of the unit decreases. Cut out a new, smaller unit and measure a few of the angles.

Measuring Angles Worksheet – Using a Protractor

When first giving students a protractor, give them the opportunity to make observations about the protractor. You may even want to record those observations for later reference. I like to introduce how to measure angles with the Study Jams slide show on measuring angles. Then, I spend a bit of time explicitly teaching students how to use a protractor to measure angles. You’ll need to give students the opportunity to practice measuring angles with a protractor.

I’ve found that measuring angles worksheets with an included protractor are easier for students than using their own protractor, that this is a good scaffold for students.

Angle Names

Once students show proficiency using a protractor, they will love this angle names activity. Students write their name on grid paper. They can use a ruler to write their name so that they only write straight lines. You may want to demonstrate ways to create a ”s” or an “o” using a ruler, because that can be tricky. Students do not have to write exactly on the lines-diagonal lines are needed for a variety of angles. After students write their name, they use a protractor to find the measure of each angle.

Measuring Angles Worksheets & Activities – Splitting Angles

This lesson demonstrates how angles are additive. Give students a baggie of precut angles found on the following page. Have students find two angles that can be combined to form the following angles: 90 degrees, 108 degrees, 160 degrees, 30 degrees, 100 degrees, and 40 degrees.

After students find the matches explain that this means that when an angle is decomposed into parts. The angle measure of the whole is the sum of the angle measures of all the parts. Draw an angle and split the angle into two parts and give an approximate measure of each angle. Ask students to find the sum of the total angle.

Then, draw an angle and split it into two parts. Give students the total degrees of both angles and the measure of one of the parts of the angles. Have students determine the degree of the missing angle. The can complete this measuring angles worksheet to further show their understanding.

If additional skills practice is needed, I like using worksheets similar to the one below to let students practice finding the missing angle measurement. This is a great way to reinforce the concept of parts-and-wholes.

Pattern Block Angles

This is a fun problem solving activity. Students use pattern blocks as a tool for measuring angles. We begin my discussing an equilateral triangle and its angle measurement. With that information, students can solve the remaining problems without using a protractor.

Angles in Time

Another fun measuring angles worksheet is this angles in time activity. Students find angle measurements using a clock. This includes a little time practice, which my students always need. Once again, students can complete this activity without a protractor. Once they realize there are 360 degrees in a circle, they can divide to find the measurement of 5 minute increments.

Hopefully, you’ve found several useful measuring angles worksheets and activities! If you’d like to learn more about teaching upper elementary math, be sure to check out this post. It’s packed with great ideas!

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Teaching fractions greater than one (mixed numbers to improper fractions) shouldn’t be an isolated part of your fraction unit. Instead, fractions greater than one should be embedded in your fraction instruction. This post includes some of my favorite lessons for teaching mixed numbers to improper fractions (and the reverse).

Fractions Greater Than One

For instance, in the lesson below, students determine how to slice and share pizzas. In some problems there are more children than pizzas (six children and four pizzas), so the fractional amount each child will get is less than one whole. In other problems there are more pizzas then children (three children and four pizzas), so the fractional amount each child will get is greater than one whole. I don’t explicitly teach fractions greater than one prior to this lesson. Instead, I let students discover their own way of solving the problem.

At the conclusion of the activity, I have students share different responses. For the four pizzas and three children problem, some students may say one and one third pizza and other students may say four thirds. I bring that to the class’s attention and let them debate on which response is correct. This lends itself into me introducing the terms mixed numbers and improper fractions.

I use the following lesson to further develop this concept. Students determine if each fractional amount is greater than one. If the fraction is greater than one, students write the fraction as a mixed number and an improper fraction.

I do share that there is considerable debate over the appropriateness of referring to improper fractions as “improper” and let students chime in on the debate.

Mixed Numbers to Improper Fractions

Students tend to have some difficulty converting fractions greater than one to mixed numbers or mixed numbers into improper fractions. I like to give students plenty of practice with visual representations. When this practice, students begin to see they can divide the numerator by the denominator to convert to a mixed number, and they understand WHY it works.

The reverse is also effective. With visual representations, students learn to multiply the whole by the denominator and add the numerator to form an improper fraction. As with most fraction concepts, I try to let students discover them for themselves during their work time and we discuss the strategy during our closing.

As students become more comfortable with converting mixed numbers to improper fractions, I remove the included partitions in the shapes and have students partition the fractions on their own. This adds an additional layer of understanding and challenge.

It’s important to incorporate fractions on a number line frequently, so students can use number lines to convert fractions greater than one.

I recommend reviewing this frequently, because I’ve found that this is the one fraction skill students are most likely to forget. Because of the speed we move through our standards, some students may eventually confuse this with other fraction concepts. You can grab the converting fractions pages above for free here.

When teaching converting mixed numbers to improper fractions, be sure to include problem solving tasks, such as the one below. In this lesson, students determine the value of each pattern block. That’s not quite a challenge when the hexagon represents the whole. But, things change when the whole changes to the trapezoid, rhombus, and the triangle.

You can find all of these mixed number to improper fraction lessons here! If you’re looking for more, or different, ideas for teaching fractions, don’t skip this post! It is packed with great content.

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When teaching upper elementary math, it’s important that geometry worksheets and activities are more than memorizing geometric terms. Of course, these geometry terms are important, but our instruction shouldn’t stop there. Students need time to explore and engage with multiple geometry concepts to develop a strong foundational understanding of geometry.

Geometry Vocabulary

I’ve found that it is a tremendous help to preteach geometry vocabulary before beginning my geometry unit. You can use this resource to teach geometry vocabulary slowly, throughout the year. This will allow your geometry unit to focus on problem solving and application, rather than isolated memorization.

Introduce one word a week, so that by the time you reach your geometry unit, students already have a fairly solid understanding of geometry vocabulary. Each day students complete a brief, but engaging, task.

• Monday-write the definition and draw an example.
• Tuesday-timed drawing-Give students two or three minutes to finish the drawing in that section. Students MUST incorporate the included graphic in their picture.
• Wednesday-same but different-Students explain how to images are alike and how they are different.
• Thursday-Always/Sometimes/Never-Students should write a sometimes statement, always statement, and never statement using the vocabulary word.
• Friday-This day varies between a true or false question, would you rather question, or a which one doesn’t belong question.

Since students are familiar with most geometry terms prior to beginning, I don’t spend a lot of instructional time with direct vocabulary instruction. However, I did add a geometry vocabulary booklet to my 4th Grade Geometry Unit.

For vocabulary review, you can weave in a few vocabulary games to help students remember the many terms. Some of my favorites are Geometry: I Have Who Has and Quizlet Live. If you aren’t familiar with Quizlet, I highly recommend it. You can find a blog post on how I use it here.

Geometry Worksheets & Activities

Once students have familiarity with geometry terms, you can focus on application and problem solving. I start by teaching symmetry and have students use either pattern blocks to create symmetrical figures. After giving students hands-on opportunities, I have students create a Symmetry Monster using dotted paper.

A great follow-up geometry worksheet is this alphabet symmetry sort. Students sort letters into groups of no lines of symmetry, 1 line of symmetry, or 3 lines of symmetry. Not all fonts work well for this activity.

Angles Worksheets

After teaching symmetry, I introduce types of angles. Students are usually familiar with acute, obtuse, and right angles, so I don’t spend too much time on this. I have found that students have much more difficulty when the angles are within polygons, rather than an isolated angle. It’s beneficial to have students sort shapes by the types of angles found within the shape. You can see an example in the geometry worksheet below.

Types of Lines

When teaching types of lines, I focus on lines, line segments, rays, parallel, and perpendicular lines. Students love playing a game called I Spy a Line. In this game, students play with a partner and take turns looking for different types of lines (perpendicular and parallel). When students find a set of lines, they highlight the lines. Students should use one color for perpendicular lines and one color for parallel lines. Once students have highlighted a line, they cannot highlight that line again. Students should see how many of each type of line they can highlight.

It’s always fun finding ways to incorporate art and math, so we also do a little line art activity when learning about types of lines. These look great mounted on black construction paper and displayed in the hallway.

Geometry Worksheets-Types of Triangles

I then introduce types of triangles. At one point, my standards required me to teach equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles. I’m now expected to teach right, obtuse, and acute triangles. Either way, I follow the same approach. Geoboards are a great manipulative to introduce this concept. After hands-on exploration, I like using this Types of Triangles lesson that has students explain concepts about triangles. For example, “Is it possible to make a three sided polygon that is not a triangle?”

For additional triangle practice, these geometry worksheets are helpful. This triangle practice that allows students to practice identifying triangles and types of angles within triangles. It also gives students practice naming triangles.When teaching the properties of polygons, I love incorporating literature and math with Grandfather Tang’s Journey. After reading the book, have students experiment building different shapes with tangrams. Encourage students to embrace the struggle in this activity, because after teaching this lesson many years, I still can’t build all of the shapes. The purpose of the lesson is in the process and the exploration, not an end result.

Polygons

When teaching about polygons, the emphasis is on the properties of quadrilaterals: parallelograms, squares, rectangles, rhombus, and trapezoids. This always requires quite a bit of practice.

Sorts always always find their way into geometry worksheets. In this activity, students determine the criteria of each side of the Venn-Diagram. Then, they sort shapes based on the chosen criteria. This allows the task to be open ended where students may each have different answers.

You can also switch things up a bit. In this activity, the polygons have already been sorted and students label the criteria on the Venn-Diagrams. This is quite challenging for students!

When students learn about irregular polygons, it helps students apply the rules of polygons in unique ways. They are no longer able to simply memorize what a typical rectangle looks like. Instead, students must apply what they know to design shapes that do not follow traditional norms.

Another great review is this agree or disagree activity, which you can download for free here.  Students discuss and analyze each card and decide which column the statement belongs in.
For example, one card states “all rhombus are squares”. Students should conclude that the statement belongs in the disagree column. For every card that is in the disagree column, students should draw a counterexample to prove their disagreement.

In the geometry unit, I’ve also included a few geometry games that can be added to math centers or students’ work time. For example, in Spin a Shape, students use the spinner to spin a shape. They cross out a shape that matches the shape the student landed on. Students take turns spinning until all of the shapes are crossed out.

As a culminating task, I’ve created a Geometry Park activity, which is my favorite activity in the geometry worksheets. In this activity, students use the Geometry Park Guide to design a community park. Students love having the opportunity to get creative, and the finished products look great!

Classifying quadrilaterals is never easy for students, so I’m sharing a free quadrilaterals resouce that you may find useful. You can download it here.

You can find all of the geometry, worksheets, activities, games, and more in my 4th Grade Geometry Unit or find alternative activities from my 3rd Grade Geometry Unit here.

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Rather than titling this post “Teaching Fraction Sense”, I might should have titled it “Teaching FOR Fraction Sense” as it’s not something that is taught in a few fraction lessons. Instead, it has to be developed over time.

Number sense has become a critical topic among elementary math teachers. However, the importance of number sense doesn’t stop after the primary years, and it doesn’t stop with whole numbers. Our students must also extend their existing number sense into fraction sense.

When students build on their current number sense, they relate what they know about whole numbers to fractions. This generalization both helps and hurts students as they work with fractions. For example, students may see the numerator and denominator as separate values, rather than one number. A common challenge is when students view fractions such as 1/3 as smaller than fractions such as 1/8, because three is smaller than eight. Other misconceptions arise as students begin computation with fractions.

Students need time to develop their fraction sense. However, there is never enough time in the year to teach our math standards. While, I don’t see that changing anytime soon, one way to support fraction sense (and number sense) is through math warm-ups. I won’t go into great detail on early numeracy concepts, you can read more about that here. In this post, I’ve shared how I use math warm-ups to develop these same concepts for fractions.

Fraction Sense – Subitizing

Subitizing is the ability to instantly recognize an amount. This is typically done with dots in grades K-2, but students can also subitize fractional amounts. Students should be able to tell what fraction is shaded (and not shaded) without counting.

When completing this activity, show students an image for a few seconds and have students try to determine the quantity shown. After showing the image, have students share the quantity and  record their responses. Once students share their quantities, show the image again for verification.

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