Do you find that your middle school students still become confused with decimals? Not unusual! The resources here offer support in explaining the concepts underpinning addition and subtraction of decimals, in particular, place value. They also include demonstrations of addition and subtraction and opportunities for practice. The goal for students, as stated in NCTM’s Focal […]

These resources offer practice in operating on decimals and, moreover, opportunities to think about the processes of multiplication and division. As stated in the NCTM Focal Points, students should make sense of these procedures, become fluent in performing them, and be able to apply them in solving problems. I believe these sites, as a whole, offer […]

Is there anything more difficult to explain at 5th and 6th grade level than the rules for multiplying and dividing fractions? These resources offer support in explaining the concepts that underlie the rules. Visual, interactive models are provided where possible. You will also find opportunities for your students to practice their skills in this area […]

As teachers, we all want our students to understand those concepts underpinning addition and subtraction of fractions— the concept of equivalent fractions, in particular. These resources offer teaching ideas on both the concepts and the skills, including demonstrations of addition and subtraction as well as problems for practice. I looked hard for material that would […]

Understanding ratio and proportion, one of NCTM’s Focal Points for grade 7, presents a real challenge for all levels of middle school. Here are classroom-friendly ways to explore the topic from several angles. Each involves visuals or hands-on activities that bring students into close contact with the abstract concept of ratio. Let other teachers hear your ideas […]

Middle school students often need to practice basic facts. The web sites listed below get the students thinking about the operations in a problem-solving way. In the first resource, the problem can have more than one solution, challenging students to practice their skills in reasoning and proof. A possible follow-up would be to have the […]

Math games open an arena for strategic planning and reasoning, one of the NCTM Process Standards. Many games also provide practice in basic operations or problem solving, and all motivate the active participation we hope for in the classroom.
The Maths File Game Show
A collection of 12 interactive games that deal with basic concepts of […]

In the springtime, some middle school students enjoy outdoor sports much more than they enjoy their math classes. Why not use two of these popular sports to our advantage in the classroom? The following problems with baseball and track themes challenge students to exercise some of the skills they learn in the middle school curriculum. […]