Active Participation Strategies
Using Whiteboards and Math Templates to Assess Student Understanding
Math templates and whiteboards encourage students to write in math class. Students may be asked to write the answer, show their solution method, define and illustrate a math vocabulary term, extend a pattern, etc. The use of whiteboards and templates in sheet protectors allows students to quickly respond to questions, work out problems, etc. Students who are actively involved throughout a math lesson are also actively constructing understanding of important math concepts and demonstrating that understanding using words, numbers and/or pictures.
Teachers who regularly use these assessment tools are able to easily assess student understanding throughout the lesson and adjust instruction, as needed, to meet identified student needs. Teachers easily identify students who would benefit from small group instruction to clarify instruction or provide guided practice so that students master target math skills.
Organizational suggestions:
- Have students keep frequently used templates in their desks for easy retrieval.
- File template copies in milk crate and distribute as needed or have assigned students retrieve copies for their group/table.
- Organize binders of grade-level templates and number pages. Students may fold back the cover to use a template. This method also works well when students use templates on the rug as the binder provides a firm writing/erasing surface.
Check out these Mathwire.com resources for some new routines to add to your repertoire of effective strategies.
- See
Active Participation Using Math Templates for suggested strategies and resources.
- See Template Library for math templates in PDF format that are designed to be placed in sheet protectors so that students can use dry erase markers to record answers.
- Read about additional Instructional Strategies for increasing active student participation.
Back-to-School Activities
This new Mathwire.com collection includes back-to-school glyphs, math-literature connections, problem solving activities and morning routines. Find some new activities for those first weeks of school.
- Check out Back-to-School Activities.
Teacher Planning Resources on Mathwire.com
Teachers wrap up one school year only to begin planning the next. Whether you will be teaching the same grade, or moving to a new position, planning ahead is a common summer activity for many teachers. Mathwire is also on vacation during these summer months, so take the time to search out some of the many resources available on this site as you plan for the coming school year. Here are some suggested starting points:
- View the Mathwire A-Z List to quickly locate specific topics. You'll find activities to meet the differentiated needs for additional practice or challenging enrichment suggestions.
- Check out the Mathwire Mathematical Games Resources to add to your classroom math game collection or to add to your math center for independent play.
- View the Mathwire Morning Math Routines to read about and see pictures of these important daily routines that help develop math concepts in real world applications. Then visit the Morning Math Routines: Photo Gallery to see how different teachers organize these resources in their classrooms.
- Scan the Mathwire Intervention Strategies for differentiated activities to help struggling learners with counting, teen numbers, money, basic facts, etc.
- Search through the Mathwire Template Library for templates designed to be inserted into sheet protectors and used with dry erase markers to increase active student participation in math lessons. The Mathwire Math Mat Resources offer mats for place value, seasonal, fact families, and dominoes.
- Check out the Mathwire Math Manipulatives Resources for additional activities to add to your classroom repertoire as whole class activities, small group exploration or center activities. Current topics include dominoes, hundred board, money, morning math and tangram activities.
- Revisit Math Activity Themes and Seasonal Math Activities to spice up math class using these coordinated themes.
- The Mathwire Math-Literature Connections and Writing in Math Class provide suggested activities for using literature titles and writing to help students develop conceptual understanding and link math concepts to real world applications.
Recent Additions to Mathwire.com
Check the 
New on Mathwire.com webpage to see what's new on the site this month.
Check the Recent Additions to Mathwire.com webpage to see the most recent additions to the site this month.
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Mathwire Search Options
New to Mathwire.com? There are several ways to search the site for activities by Math Standard, Math Topic, or using an alphabetical search.
- See Searching the Mathwire.com Site for a thorough explanation of these search options.
About Mathwire.com
Mathwire.com is designed to provide activities and appropriate worksheets for teachers to use in their classrooms. All activities and worksheets support the constructivist approach to learning mathematics and the NCTM Standards.
Activities: The activities on this site were developed by Terry Kawas and the teachers in districts where she has worked as a math consultant and coach or with students she has taught in college math-methods courses. The activities are classroom-tested by teachers and appropriate modifications have been made to reflect this field-testing. These activities are posted online in an effort to share quality activities and routines within the mathematics community.
Terms of Use: Teachers are welcome to download any of the activities for free use in their classrooms. No activities may be copied for use on other websites or included in commercial products without permission in writing from Terry Kawas, webmaster. Contact Terry Kawas