Tips for Teaching Math in the Upper Elementary Classroom

Teaching math in the upper elementary classroom does not have to be scary! 

No matter which program or approach you use, being consistent and having high expectations go a long way to creating students who are mathematicians who practice critical thinking each day. 

Whether you are just starting the school year, or knee-deep in teaching students important problem-solving strategies, the tips in this post will help you grow your students as mathematicians. These tried and true tips for math instruction have helped me over the last 18 years turn timid students afraid to tackle multiple-step word problems into confident mathematicians. 

Math Activities to Get to Know Your Students

This quick-read blog post has ideas, tips, and activities to get to know your students as mathematicians and promote critical thinking in your classroom.

4 Math Bulletin Boards to Leave Up All Year Long to Support Students

Let math concepts and strategies shine in your classroom with these math-focused bulletin boards that are easy to hang, informative for students, and perfect to leave up all year long!

Growth Mindset Strategies for Your Upper Elementary Classroom

Help your students persevere, persist, and develop a life-changing growth mindset that will not only help them during math but in so many aspects of their lives.

4 Simple Ways to Engage Students in Meaningful Math Discourse

Help your students get over the fear of being wrong during math and encourage meaningful conversations in your classroom.

5 Ways to Instill a Love of Problem Solving

Encourage a positive attitude and math a time of the day that both you and your students look forward to with these easy tips!

How to Incorporate Open-Ended Math Questions

Weave in open-ended problems in your classroom to help show students that there is more than one way to attack a problem that will engage students of all levels.

5 Quick Tips for Teaching Multiple Step Word Problems 

Engage and and motivate your students with these techniques that target multiple-step word problems.

4 Reasons Why You Need to Use Error Analysis 

Error analysis is a game changer in the classroom. It truly brings critical thinking and math discourse into the classroom. Read this post to understand how you can help your students grow as deep thinkers as they defend their math thinking in your classroom.

A Closer Look at Error Analysis Math

Read about my story of bringing error analysis into my fifth-grade classroom in this quick-read blog post.

Make this the school year, month, or day that you enjoy teaching math with these tips and ideas. Not sure where to start? Feeling overwhelmed? Just pick one post and try one idea to help you get started. Remember, teaching math in the upper elementary classroom does not have to be scary!

Looking for critical thinking math activities? Click HERE.

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Error Analysis Math Activities for the Classroom

Have you ever wanted to provide your students with rigorous math activities that would require them to do all of the thinking instead of guessing or waiting for someone else to share the answer?  Yes, me too!

That is why I designed these rigorous and highly engaging math error analysis activities that kids LOVE! My own fifth grader students would ask for these tasks every single day! 

I experienced firsthand how these error analysis activities have turned my math classroom into a critical thinking hub where students independently figure out problems and defend their math thinking. 

Your students will solve rigorous, standards-aligned problems and decide if they agree or disagree with the solution presented to them. These problems reinforce more than math...they strengthen reading, writing, and debating skills, too! 

And with the super fun agree and disagree cards included, you will see a big increase in participation.

These activities were designed to help you save time planning and provide quality activities to your students at the same time:

• morning work or bell ringer
• whole-class math talk/discussion
• math centers or stations
• exit tickets
• small group targeted instruction
• math partner tasks, independent practice, and reinforcement
• formal or informal assessments
• homework, classwork, or test prep

Which grade level do you need?

GRADE 2 Error Analysis

GRADE 3 Error Analysis

GRADE 4 Error Analayis 

GRADE 5 Error Analysis

See what teachers like you are saying below! 

"My students love this and ask for more and more! The whole group discussions were amazing and engaging for all level of students. The deep understanding is great to see and I can't wait to see how far my students will grow."

-Angie

"The students loved these, and they were so good for developing my students critical thinking and reasoning skills! I will definitely continue using these in the future."

-Stephanie

"This is a great resource to use in small groups at the kidney table, or as a whole class projecting it on the screen, or by breaking the whole class into small groups and having them work as teams. I am glad I bought the bundle. I am looking forward to using this in our measurement unit." - Robin

"Well thought of resource to review all math standards. This can be easily done after teaching each standard or as an end of year review. I am currently using this to review different concepts the last few weeks of schools and students love working together to agree or disagree." - Yolanda

Not sure how to get started? I can help!

Click below to read about why and how to use error analysis in your classroom to grow your students' critical thinking and analysis skills.

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