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Holiday-Themed Math: 4th Grade Activities to Spread Cheer

November 20, 2022 by Krejci Creations

'Tis the Season for Holiday Fun!

With December right around the corner, it’s time to prepare for a month of holiday festivities! Help spread Christmas cheer by incorporating these holiday-themed math activities into your classroom.

Let’s first acknowledge how CUTE this clipart is…I am obsessed! Your students will also be as they work through these Boom Cards on comparing fractions.

Boom Cards require NO PREP–just send students the link on Google Classroom, Schoology, Boom Learning, or whatever platform you use. Since they are self-checking, students receive immediate feedback after each question. They truly do learn from Boom Cards!

Another option is to use Boom Cards in your whole group lesson or display a few questions for a warm-up activity.

There are more holiday-themed math decks on factor pairs, simplest form, and converting improper fractions and mixed numbers.

Holiday-Themed Math Games

Another way to add a touch of holiday cheer to your classroom is with games. Games work well as a math station or choice board activity. Students love playing them, especially when they are decorated in all things Christmas.

Holiday-Themed Math Crafts

Think Christmas crafts are for primary students only? Think again! These Christmas factor trees reinforce prime and composite numbers and extend into prime factorization.

This festive craft even comes with its very own “O Factor Tree” lyrics! Read this blog post for more info!

Holiday-Themed Math Centers

Finally, incorporate holiday-themed resources into your math centers. Task cards, clip cards, and matching activities are my go-to resources for small group centers.

1. Task cards are extremely versatile, easy to differentiate, and provide meaningful practice for students. Since they only solve one card at a time, task cards don’t feel overwhelming like a worksheet sometimes does.

2. Clip cards are an effective resource because of their self-checking feature. Students can use paper clips, clothes pins, a dry-erase marker, or their fingers to clip and check their answers. They can also be used for quiz-quiz-trade, one of my favorite cooperative learning structures!

3. Matching activities have a game-like feel to them, which students love. This festive activity has students match the fractions on the colored ornaments to their simplest form on the tree.

The level of difficulty varies within the trees (tree #1 is the least difficult and tree #10 is the most challenging), therefore allowing students to work at different levels. For a lower prep activity, use the digital version instead!

Want to know more about these holiday-themed math activities? Shop the Christmas section within my TPT store for detailed descriptions, previews, and teacher testimonials.

Until next time,

Happy Holidays!

P.S. Need holiday party and gift ideas for your upper elementary students? I share all of that and more in Episode 21 of Elementary Math Chat! Episode 21: 10 Holiday Party and Gift Ideas for Upper Elementary Students

1-Digit Multiplication Activities Your Students Will Adore!

October 7, 2022 by Krejci Creations

If you’re a 4th grade teacher, you know how much time and effort teaching 1-digit multiplication requires. The various strategies and difficulty levels consume almost an entire month of the curriculum.

Why not make it fun for YOU and YOUR STUDENTS?

One of my favorite small group activities that incorporates a little bit of fun involves milk, cookies, and multiplication…need I say more?

1-Digit Multiplication Match with Milk 'n' Cookies

I created this activity with three objectives in mind: differentiate to meet the needs of all students, keep students engaged and motivated, and help me assess their understanding.

What I didn’t expect was how MUCH my students would enjoy it!

To play this matching game, spread the milk and cookies around your teacher table. The cookies are labeled with 1-digit multiplication problems, and the milks are labeled with the answers.

The goal is simple: Solve the 1-digit multiplication problem on the cookie and find the correct answer on a milk. I had my students make four matches, so they had to solve four multiplication problems.

How to Differentiate this 1-digit multiplication matching game

To differentiate this activity, combine several sets together. For example, when teaching 2-by-1-digit multiplication, include 3-digit questions to challenge your higher students.

The same goes for when teaching 3-digit multiplication (include 4-digit problems). This will ensure that all students have a difficulty level that is just right for them.

A major perk is being able to use this resource for several days and with any strategy such as area model, partial product, and the standard algorithm. In fact, I used it for an entire week, and my students were engaged and motivated each time they sat down to find their milk and cookie matches. Not having to prep a new activity each day will save you much-needed time!

Take a look at this activity in action from my Instagram Reel!

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A post shared by Krejci Creations | 4th Grade Math (@krejci_creations)

If you want to motivate students even further, consider giving them an actual cookie when they finish! I only did this on the first day, and let me tell you…their eyes were on the prize as they worked through their 1-digit multiplication problems. Because of this small incentive, they will be excited and ready to work hard when they arrive at your teacher table.

1-Digit Multiplication: Assess Student Understanding

Even before students attempt the multiplication problems, you can assess their confidence and understanding by the cards they choose. Those who choose the 2 x 1-digit multiplication problems are most likely feeling unsure about this skill, so you may need to step in and give them additional support.

On the other hand, students who go straight to the 4 x 1-digit multiplication problems are probably feeling pretty confident, so they might not need your support as much as the others.

Now, while I do love watching students solve challenging problems from the start, it’s more meaningful for me to witness a student begin with the 2 x 1-digit problems and eventually make it to the 4 x 1-digit problems. Your teacher heart will nearly burst as you witness them overcome challenges and work their way up to more difficult problems!

What makes this activity even more meaningful is the amount of error analysis required. Students who cannot find a match must look back and find their mistakes. They might find an answer that is close but not exact, so it forces them to analyze every part of their work. Getting students to check their work is a struggle, but this activity motivates them to do so!

So what are you waiting for? Make a trip to your local Dollar Store, pick up a box of chocolate chip cookies, and grab this 1-Digit Multiplication Milk and Cookies Matching Game!

2 by 1-digit multiplication matching game

3 x 1-digit multiplication matching game

4 x 1-digit multiplication matching game

In case you’re interested, I have lots of 2-digit multiplication tips too!

Until next time,
Happy Teaching!

-Annamarie

P.S. If you need additional ideas for small group activities, I share much more in Episode 13 of Elementary Math Chat! EP 13: 6 Small Group Activities for Every Math Teacher

Planning for the First Day of School: 3 Activities to Start the Year Right!

August 9, 2022 by Krejci Creations

Back-to-school season along with the anticipation of the first day of school is unlike any other time of year.

Whether you are setting up your classroom, purchasing materials, creating class lists, making seating charts, or preparing for the first day of school, the work is never finished! As a teacher, you learn to prioritize, and first-day lesson plans are the one thing that just has to wait until it’s absolutely necessary.

When you do sit down to plan out that first day of school, keep in mind your students will be very curious, and many will feel anxious. They want to know more about their classmates, teachers, grade level, and their daily schedule (like when are lunch and recess exactly?) Plan activities around these curiosities and you’ll have an attentive and engaged group of students.

Here are my favorite icebreakers and lessons for the first day of school.

First Day Icebreaker #1

One of my favorite activities to use on the first day of school is called Find A Friend.

This activity is ideal for upper elementary students and allows them to move around while learning about each other.

Students simply sign their initials on a friend’s paper when something is true about themselves (loves to dance, likes country music, has been to another country, has a cat for a pet, etc.)

For timid students, it’s great because they don’t have to do much talking but can still interact. Be sure to grab a paper for yourself and complete the activity right along with your students!

First Day Icebreaker #2

This next activity, Would You Rather, is perfect to use as a time filler or when you feel students need a short break. They are absorbing a ton of information on the first day of school, so breaking it up with this fun question game is always appreciated!

This icebreaker comes in digital and printable formats. I love using it during dismissal to keep them quiet and entertained. You can even let a few student volunteers read the questions!

First Day Activity: Classroom A vs. B

Now, onto actual lessons. On the first full day of school, I teach students a lesson called “Classroom A vs. Classroom B.” The objective is for students to understand how their actions can determine what activities we can do as a class. If you listen to podcasts, this lesson was the first topic I covered on Elementary Math Chat!

EP 1: How to Take Control of Your Classroom on Day 1

First, we begin with Classroom A. If our principal walked into Classroom A, he or she would be amazed and proud! Students in this room are engaged, on task, responsible, kind, productive, and enjoy learning. Classroom A stands for Classroom AWESOME.

Then, we move to Classroom B. If our principal walked into Classroom B, he or she would have major concerns. Students in this room are not paying attention, shouting out during the lesson, not completing their work, are bossy and mean to each other, and are not enjoying school. Classroom B stands for Classroom BAD.

We then discuss how students hold the power and how they can determine which classroom we will be. If they don’t believe me, I simply remind them how outnumbered I am. There’s only 1 teacher and 20+ of them!

Classroom "Bad"

Next, we discuss what our year would look like as Classroom A vs. Classroom B. I do get pretty serious during this section of the lesson. I want them to understand how their behavior is directly related to the classroom we will be.

If we have a classroom full of the behaviors listed on the left, what would that look and feel like? What kinds of activities could we do?

I jot down student responses in the right column: distracting, frustrating, getting in trouble, not learning, not fun, failing, unfinished work, and extra homework are typically mentioned.

By the way, I always point out that homework is never a punishment. But if they can’t get work done in Classroom B, they may have to finish it at home.

I explain to my students that Classroom B won’t play games if I can’t trust them to be responsible and get along. They won’t be able to work around the room, do outdoor activities, or have choices with these behaviors.

We then discuss how it feels to imagine being in Classroom B. The mood drops a bit, and they get very quiet. I pose the question, who wants to be part of Classroom B? Not a single student raises their hand. I remind them of how their behaviors and actions determine which classroom we will be.

Classroom "Amazing"!

Here’s where the lesson takes an exciting turn. Imagine if we had an entire classroom full of students who show the behaviors listed on the left. What would that look like and feel like? What kinds of activities could we do this year?

I jot down student responses in the right column: happy, lots of learning, having choices, making friends, experiments, games, electronics, rewards, and freedom are often mentioned.

I then have them raise their hand if they want to be part of Classroom A. The hands shoot up with excitement!

Wrapping up the lesson

To wrap up the lesson, I reinforce the main idea: In order for students to have Classroom A privileges, they must show me Classroom A behaviors. So, what happens when they don’t?

Unfortunately, this might occur. In the beginning, it’s important to say things like “Classroom A will get to play a math game today for practice. Classroom B will have to work in the workbook instead. Refer back to the chart you made on Day 1.

Finally, make sure you follow through with your expectations. I have ended certain activities because there were too many Classroom B behaviors. Instead of doing a hands-on science experiment, they had to read out of the textbook instead. However, I’m happy to say that I’ve never had to do this twice in the same year! They learn from mistakes and take future warnings and prompts more seriously.

Click HERE or on the image below to grab a FREE copy of this editable PowerPoint lesson, perfect for back-to-school season!

I hope you found these first day of school tips helpful! For more info on the resources mentioned, click below.

Find A Friend

Would You Rather

Enjoy getting to know your students, and have a wonderful school year!

Until next time,

Happy Teaching!
-Annamarie

P.S. If you’re looking for 4th grade math lessons for the first week, read this BLOG POST with helpful tips and resources!

Multiplicative Comparisons – Tips and Resources for Student Success

August 2, 2022 by Krejci Creations

Common Core standards were adopted by the vast majority of states in 2010. For teachers, it was out with the old and in with the new. Change can be hard, and this “new math” created quite a stir among teachers and parents.

One of the new standards added to 4th grade math was multiplicative comparisons, and boy were they a challenge to teach! After many years, I have found what works (and what doesn’t) when teaching multiplicative comparisons.

Multiplicative Comparisons - A shift in thinking

The big shift for 4th graders is to understand multiplication in the reverse order that they learned in previous years. For example, they first learned that 5 x 3 = 15. Now, it’s often written as 15 = 3 x 5, which is much harder to process. Further, students learn to read this equation as “15 is 3 times as many as 5”.

Why the change? It better aligns with the context of real-world scenarios. For instance, Jane is 15 years old. Her sister is 5 years old. This means Jane is 3 times as old as her sister (i.e. 15 = 3 x 5). Therefore, it’s important to implement word problems as you teach this skill.

Multiplicative comparisons - Product Unknown

There are two types of multiplicative comparisons: product unknown and factor unknown. For both types, it’s helpful to use a CPA approach (concrete-pictorial-abstract).

Concrete: Concrete means students are using hands-on materials to build conceptual understanding. I use the blank side of fraction tiles and have students label them with dry-erase markers. Because fraction tiles are already broken into equal-sized pieces, they are the perfect manipulative for this concept.

Click on the play button below to see how I use fraction tiles to find the unknown product.

This video is part of my digital anchor chart resource that plays video tutorials when students click or scan the QR codes!

Pictorial: Once you’ve modeled with fraction tiles, transition to having students use a pictorial model, specifically a bar model.

This visual model helps students understand the relationship between the two quantities.

Abstract: Finally, students are ready to solve problems without a model, which is the abstract approach. They can write an equation (multiplication or division) to solve for the unknown factor.

Multiplicative Comparisons - Factor Unknown

This is the more challenging of the two comparisons. Many students struggle to see the multiplicative relationship when the factor is unknown.

In the example below, students might read the problem and become confused because “3 times something doesn’t equal 32”.

They must work through the CPA approach to discover why the equation would be 4 x n = 32 instead.

Therefore, I use the same strategy as in the first example: fraction tiles, bar models, and writing equations.

This example is part of my Editable Multiplicative Comparison PowerPoint Lesson. What’s unique about my PowerPoint lessons is they include printable and digital resources to use after the lesson for additional practice, such as a Google Form Assessment and small group activity!

Once you’ve taught both types of multiplicative comparisons, plan a day to review both types of problems. This allows students to see the similarities and differences between the two.

Multiplicative comparison resources

You’ll need a variety of activities to get you started. These Boom Cards are my favorite resource because of their self-checking feature. When practicing a new skill, it’s essential students have immediate feedback. This is the wow factor in Boom Cards!

Students can use any electronic device with internet access to complete these digital task cards.

Want to know more about Boom Cards? Read my BLOG POST with details on how to use them in your classroom.

Task cards are my go-to resource for small group instruction. For starters, students can focus on one question at a time. In addition, it’s simple for me to check their work. I normally have students solve 3-5 task cards at my small group table.

If you’re a fan of task cards, check out Episode 14 of Elementary Math Chat! I share 5 of my favorite ways to use and repurpose task cards to help you get the most out of these resources.

I share ideas for choice boards, partner activities to pair them with, and how to use them with cooperative learning structures.

In addition, I explain how to use them in your whole group instruction and within a Google Form assessment.

Okay, back to multiplicative comparisons…I’m going to say something controversial in the teacher world. Giving students a worksheet for extra practice is totally fine! If they have a purpose, then they fit under my umbrella of “purposeful practice”.

These worksheets can be used for small group instruction, intervention time, included in choice boards, or assigned as homework.

Practice makes progress

I wish there was a magic wand I could wave to get students to better understand multiplicative comparisons. In reality, it just takes practice…LOTS of practice.

Furthermore, remember to give yourself grace when things don’t go as planned. I spiral back to this skill all year long, especially right before state testing. A little bit of review goes a long way.

To help get you started, grab this FREE deck of Boom Cards!

Until next time,
Happy Teaching!

-Annamarie

P.S. For more 1-digit multiplication resources, shop my TPT store. You’ll find over 40 resources to choose from, including games, worksheets, task cards, and digital Boom Cards.

Place Value Tips for 4th Grade Teachers

July 26, 2022 by Krejci Creations

Chances are, place value is the very first unit you teach every school year. There’s no doubt that teaching math lessons on top of establishing routines, classroom procedures, and expectations is challenging. Here’s how I break down place value concepts along with a few place value tips to make the first week manageable and successful.

Place value Lesson 1: Reading Large Numbers (Day 1)

Do you really know someone well if you don’t know their name? Likewise, if students are expected to understand place value within 7-digit numbers, they must know how to read their names! While this may not be the first lesson in your scope and sequence, it’s crucial to incorporate reading numbers as early as possible. For me, it is the very first thing I teach!

Students might feel overwhelmed when faced with a 7-digit number. Therefore, it’s important to break it down for them. Color-coding and chunking numbers into periods will help students get a grasp on large numbers.

By doing so, they never have to read more than 3 digits at a time. If students can read a 3-digit number, they can read a 7-digit number, and so on!

Another tip is to use numbers that have meaning behind them. How many people live in your city? How many McDonald’s Happy Meals are sold each day? Students will be more engaged and interested if they understand what the numbers represent.

Place Value Lesson 2: Place Value vs. Value (Day 1)

Next, I move on to value and place value. We continue to read the numbers as we identify value and place value positions. I use the same work mat as shown above for both skills. This lesson is short and sweet, which is why there is time to incorporate reading numbers.

Place Value Lesson 3: Place Value Relationships (Day 2)

This work mat reinforces important skills such as value and expanded form and helps students understand that each place value position has a value ten times greater than the position to its right.

Writing this in a multiplication equation prepares them for multiplicative comparisons, which is not too far down the road. The following video shows a sample of this lesson from start to finish.

slow and Steady Wins the Race

Students are learning so many things the first week back. Because of this, I often remind myself to slow down, relax, and take it one day and one lesson at a time. If I’m feeling overwhelmed, chances are they are too! These skills are the foundation for 4th grade…slow and steady will help them win the race.

4th Grade Place Value PowerPoint Lessons and Activities

All work mats and activities in this blog post are from my Place Value Unit. These lessons were created for the busy teacher who wants their students to be engaged and excited about learning but doesn’t have the time to start from scratch.

All lessons are editable (woohoo!) and come with printable activities to use during and after the lesson. My hope is for these lessons to save you time and relieve you from the stress that back-to-school season can bring. They are teacher-tested and student-approved as I’ve been using them with my 4th graders for years!

Now, if I left you wanting even more place value tips, head to your favorite podcast listening app and check out Episode 8 of Elementary Math Chat. I share tips for planning your place value lessons, strategies to help students overcome the most challenging place value skills, and small group activities your students will love.

Until next time,
Happy Teaching!

P.S. If you’re new to using work mats, THIS BLOG POST is a must-read!