Decimal Place Value

August is already here! Lazy mornings of summer holidays are just flying by and a new school year is starting soon. I will miss the summer fun, but I am more than ready to start another thrilling academic year with new goals, new challenges, and a hope to make this the best school year ever!

While thinking of upper elementary math, the first topic that comes to my mind is a refresher on the number place value system. These young minds already know the whole number place value, but it’s good to refresh the same and introduce the decimal place value too.

The origin of the Arabic number system that we use today can be traced back to the Hindu Scholars in India. This system was adopted and modified by Middle Eastern Scholars and later introduced in Europe. Without going into too much history, let's look at the place value system.

The set of 10 symbols namely 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 represent the numbers.

In the place value system, the position of the number defines the value of the number.

For example, if I write the number 786 then:

• 6 in 786 means 6 ones or 6
• 8 in 786 means 8 tens or 80
• 7 in 786 means 7 hundreds or 700

Now for decimals, the place value system extends to the right of ones place to represent the fractions.

For example, if I write the number 786.432 then:

• 4 in 786.432 means 4 tenths or 0.4
• 3 in 786.432 means 3 hundredths or .03
• 2 in 786.432 means 2 thousandths or .002

Check out what’s included in my Decimal Place Value Worksheets and Task Card bundle pack to learn and practice the concept of Place Value for decimals: tenths, hundredths, and thousandths.

Worksheets:

1. Identifying decimals
2. Standard, Expanded and Word Form
3. Decimals on Number Line
4. Comparing decimals
5. Relate Decimals and Fractions
6. Review Sheet

A total of 18 worksheets.

Task Cards:

Task-cards to practice the concept of place-value for decimals: tenths, hundredths, and thousandths.

A total of 24 cards along with recording and answer key.

You can grab this Decimal Place Value resource from my store HERE.

Happy to be back in action!

Shimps

Area and Perimeter

Two weeks back I wrapped up my Area and Perimeter unit. Around this time of the year, many schools are working on their Geometry and Measurement topics too!

Area and Perimeter is an interesting topic for kids. I love it when they can relate to the real-world situations like putting a fence around the garden or laying grass in it.

This packet is already available in my store but I'm a little behind on updating it on my blog. I have been a busy bee of late 😊.

The topic begins with introducing Area and Perimeter. You may start with either of the two, but I prefer introducing Perimeter first and then Area. Later, I mix it up for them to practice.

Perimeter:

Perimeter is the distance Around outside of a figure.

Area:
Area is the number of square units needed to Cover the region inside the figure.

Check out what’s included in my beginner’s worksheets and activities pack to learn and practice the concept of Area and Perimeter.

1. Measuring Perimeter
2. Measuring Area
3. Area Estimation
4. Area using Distributive Property
5. Perimeter Word Problems
6. Area Word Problems
7. Area and Perimeter Review
8. School Carnival activity for real-world application
9. Town Planning activity for a project

You can grab this area and perimeter resource from my store HERE.

Happy Teaching!

Shimps

STAAR Math Grade 3 Practice Test

STAAR is almost here. Relieve the feeling of stress by having your students do a round of practice with this full-length 3rd Grade Math STAAR Practice Test. This mock test is aligned to the current TEKS and includes a total of 46 questions.

Student answer document/Bubble sheet and the Answer Key is also included. You can grab this practice test from HERE.

As the STAAR testing is a new experience for the 3rd graders, it is always helpful to administer a dry run for them to know what to expect in the real exam setting.

Best of luck to the little ROCK STAARS!

This post was originally written on 30th April 2017 

Shimps

Fractions

The fractions topic begins with teaching how to partition shapes into equal parts. We generally start with halves and fourth and then move to thirds, fifths, sixth and so on. At this stage, kids are also introduced to the concept of numerator and denominator. Before this, they were only working with the whole numbers, and now they are presented with rational numbers.  Quite confusing for them…..hmm, not really.

Children are visual learners, they learn the best by seeing it. Teaching fraction involves drawing pictures and hand on activities. So, try to incorporate a lot of visuals to make the fraction concept more thorough.

Pizza is the most commonly used manipulative to explain the idea of fractions. Students can easily correlate the part of a whole concept with a pizza and its slice. This serves as a real-life example to develop mental images of fraction model as a part of a circle.

My favorite read aloud book on this topic is Gator Pie by Louise Mathews. Kids enjoy making predictions as the story is being read.

This is a cute story about two gators, Alvin and Alice, who find a pie and decide to share it equally with each other. Just as they are about to eat it, two more gators emerge from the forest. Then they must divide the pie among four of them. Then, more and more alligators arrive, and they must share the pie among 100 gators! Finally, Alvin and Alice sneak away with the pie.

This is a classic book and may be out of print now.  Check if this happens to be in your school or local library or you may get a used one here on Amazon.

My Fractions packet includes:

1. Fractions Vocabulary Word Cards
2. Equal and Unequal Parts cut and paste fraction activity
3. Color the shapes with Equal and Unequal Parts
4. Color the shapes with 2/3/4 Equal Parts
5. Fractions: Worksheet on writing fraction
6. Fractions: Halves, Thirds and Fourths
7. Understanding Fractions: Halves
8. Understanding Fractions: Thirds
9. Understanding Fractions: Fourths
10. Write the Fractions - Worksheet
11. Fraction wall - cut and paste activity
12. Fraction wall poster
13. Spin and color the fractions activity
14. 24 Fractions flash cards

You can grab this fractions resource from my store HERE.

Happy Teaching!

This post was originally published on February 16, 2017

Shimps

Valentine's Day Creative Writing Template

Red and Pink is the color of the month,

Love and Friendship is the theme of the month.

February is here and the valentine's day is just a week away, teachers are busy in decorating the classroom, kids are geared up for the party. Have some heart inspired craft to keep up the valentine mood.

Here are three adorable crafts to celebrate the day of love and friendship! Use these for creative writing prompts and decorate your bulletin boards. You may also send these home to give it to a friend or family.

3 Valentine's Day Projects: Owl, Butterfly and Chicken

This Valentine's Day creative writing template pack includes:

1. Template for printing onto colored paper or use it as traceable templates for construction paper. 
2. Printing instructions.
3. Pictures to help in assembly.
4. Prompt template with wide rule lines to go with the craft.

You can give the appropriate prompts based on student’s level. I have included 10 sample prompt ideas. You can grab this pack from HERE.

Happy Craftivity!

Shimps
This post was originally published on February 6, 2017