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Sharing ideas and best practices to promote effective instruction in elementary math Inspired by educators around the world and the work we do at HappyNumbers.com

K-2 Students Be Shoppin’!!!!

K-2 Students Be Shoppin’!!!!

Shopping is an authentic, mathematical activity that calls on a wide range of skills. It’s also fun! This post will give you ideas about how to scaffold shopping exercises to meet students’ needs at various levels.
Happy Numbers team· 02 Nov
Your K-1 Students Can Do Algebra!

Your K-1 Students Can Do Algebra!

Although your primary students may be just learning to add and subtract small numbers, they can begin to develop algebraic thinking with this fun exercise. We’ve combined simple, familiar equations with helpful graphics to make algebra accessible to even the youngest mathematicians.
Happy Numbers team· 02 Nov
How to Teach Early Numeracy Using the Number Line

How to Teach Early Numeracy Using the Number Line

While cubes and other manipulatives support learning by representing numbers, the number line actually develops learning by giving students another look at number relationships...
Happy Numbers team· 02 Nov
How to Teach a Sense of Larger Numbers through Estimation

How to Teach a Sense of Larger Numbers through Estimation

A Guessing Jar is one of my favorite activities for promoting number sense and an awareness of how large a number is. I love that it can be filled with anything small or large and right away we have a number activity that is unique every time.
Happy Numbers team· 02 Nov
Hitting Math Benchmarks in K-2 (Case Study)

Hitting Math Benchmarks in K-2 (Case Study)

After mind-growing lessons that focus on conceptual understanding, can students succeed on such abstract tests that only measure procedural fluency? Will the tests cause trauma or anxiety in our youngest students (as it often does in teachers!)? At Slackwood Elementary School in New Jersey, math specialist George Regan set out to answer these questions with some research of his own.
Happy Numbers team· 02 Nov