Making Math Marvelous!

My classroom is a combination class of 3rd and 4th graders. I teach math to both grade levels, which is often a challenge.

Our state has adopted a new math curriculum this year. There are many new concepts that my students have not been exposed to before. Many of the materials I would like to use to help teach these new topics I do not currently have in my classroom. I am asking for math manipulatives to help improve students' understanding of these new topics. Math manipulatives are things such as: Ones, tens, and hundreds blocks used for representing numbers and demonstrating addition and subtraction problems Containers that show gallons, quarts, pints, and cups Equivalence cards that represent decimals, fractions, and percents These math manipulatives, along with some new math literature will help my students be able to experience math concepts hands-on and relate those concepts to the world around them.

I love to introduce math topics with literature. It grabs the students' attention and gets them excited immediately. Some of the resources I have requested are books I am familiar with and will be able to incorporate into my curriculum right away. The other materials I have asked for will help me develop math manipulative kits in my classroom. These kits will include beans, dice, blocks, and similar supplies that allow students to "manipulate" the objects and understand more clearly how numbers are used and connected. I use hands-on activities for all my math lessons and I am lacking enough materials for all students to use them at the same time.

Your generosity will help make it possible for me to teach my students math more effectively. I hope to help students develop a love of numbers and mathematics and help them realize that math is fun! Working with manipulatives helps students solidify concepts that are otherwise difficult to understand. These materials will not only benefit my students this year, but every year in my teaching career.