https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog daily 0.75 2024-11-23 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/the-magic-of-movement monthly 0.5 2024-11-23 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/unprepared-how-to-outwit-that-frantic-feeling monthly 0.5 2024-11-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/fa5d4a7a-1a7b-44c0-ab5a-71cf014fc733/IMG_7937.jpeg Blog - Unprepared? An Easy Way To Outwit That Frantic Feeling! - When I’m really feeling stretched, without a well-prepared lesson plan, my favorite, fool-proof, fall-back lesson plan is a game almost everyone knows and loves — Bingo! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/465b7522-2559-4119-982e-4673c6b812b5/IMG_7932.jpg Blog - Unprepared? An Easy Way To Outwit That Frantic Feeling! - I recently needed an activity for my third grade math skills class. It was Friday afternoon. The children were tired and a bit edgy. I knew keeping their attention would be challenging, so I pulled out my Bingo cards. After cheering their approval, the room quieted and their focus was deep and concentrated as they scanned their cards for the numbers I called. Third graders can capably recognize two-digit numbers, so I kept the pace brisk, without long pauses between the numbers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/b76a9d1a-a8e4-4479-985b-860cacf7e16b/IMG_7952.jpeg Blog - Unprepared? An Easy Way To Outwit That Frantic Feeling! - Years ago I created a set of my own Bingo cards (in the Waldorf tradition . . . by hand, using colored pencils, a ruler and scissors). There was something very satisfying about creating these cards for my students. This set has lasted me for over two complete class cycles (16 years), and I’m using it now once again with my third cycle of students. I like having a personalized set that I’ve made myself because I could craft these cards with the specific numbers I wanted my students to practice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/c5e89bd3-62fe-46d7-8e47-224da270e864/IMG_7955.jpeg Blog - Unprepared? An Easy Way To Outwit That Frantic Feeling! - Glass gems are a math-manipulative staple I use constantly in the classroom, and they make the perfect markers for Bingo. It’s handy to have a basketful of these on your shelf, but any kind of marker will work. Even little pieces of cut up paper could work for Bingo markers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/0d86dfba-95a5-4100-a1ef-de0ad63adb81/IMG_7938.jpg Blog - Unprepared? An Easy Way To Outwit That Frantic Feeling! - And finally, as I worked out the kinks of leading an effective Bingo game, I discovered that I needed a system to keep track of the numbers I called. I found it worked well to organize the numbers according to the 10s families. This makes it easy to see which numbers I’ve already called, and if I’m inadvertently leaving any out. I also tend to roam the classroom during a game, and if I notice a child has not had any numbers called yet, I will choose a number off of their card so they feel included. https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/multiplication-the-queen-of-facts monthly 0.5 2024-11-14 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/is-my-teaching-effective monthly 0.5 2024-11-03 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/beyond-memorization-using-ten-frames-to-build-number-sense monthly 0.5 2024-10-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/361b0e32-b6f0-4620-a98b-2be9cc2c0bf5/IMG_7165+%281%29.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - A ten-frame is a grid of 10 boxes, five in a row, doubled on top of each other. The boxes that are filled in represent the number. This ten-frame illustrates the number 10. A ten-frame can help a child see what an abstract number symbol means. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/406bbaf0-ad07-4469-8e9f-a45544fbcd54/1.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Some options for using ten-frames include providing ready-made images that the students must evaluate, such as this one here. You could find these by exploring sources online. I prefer, however, to provide each child with a blank grid and objects for them to fill in the grid according to the concepts we’re exploring in class. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/adbdb19d-e202-4b4d-a727-0de102ad542c/IMG_7167+%281%29.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Starting with a single ten-frame and working with numbers within 10, the children can start with understanding what 5 looks like and then what 10 looks like. From here they can begin to form number relationships in comparison to 5 or 10. This example shows that 6 is just one more than 5, and 7 is 2 more than 5. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/5d77f872-47cc-4546-b295-191f05a8d5b0/IMG_7897.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense One way to illustrate addition bonds is to use two separate colors of gems. The students can see the total number of gems, in this case, 10. The two parts are easily identified by color. From there they can independently write the number sentence: 6 + 4 = 10, or 10 = 6 + 4. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/75fbffc0-1702-4b1d-94a9-3acf6d0dc9bf/IMG_7895.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Subtraction is a concept my students have found more challenging than addition when facing it purely in number form. Somehow, 10-3 is harder for them than 3+7. The ten-frame offers the perfect visual representation for them to see the inter-relatedness of addition and subtraction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/3a74081e-979a-4770-9c34-c395d5517085/IMG_7896.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Starting with a frame filled with 10, the students can pull outside of the frame the number being subtracted. This leaves a very easy visual picture for the remaining amount. Of course, the next step is to write the number sentence: 10 - 3 =7. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/1e71527a-7679-41ec-93e9-747d65caee7a/IMG_7175+%281%29.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Once first graders are confident with numbers within 10, they are ready for two ten-frames, and now can gain a deeper understanding of the teens. The teens do not convey the place value of 10 in their name, as the rest of the two-digit numbers do. So it is important for children to see that each of the teens is a full 10 with the ones value added on in the next frame. Here students can experience 12 as 10 and 2. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/7b819a46-4d62-4c8a-8117-0cb37ac5e3ee/IMG_7192+%281%29.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Two-digit Numbers Ten-frames are also a wonderful tool for place-value concepts and counting by 10s. When I dictate a large number (below 100), the children enthusiastically fill many frames in with gems, allowing any leftovers to be in a separate frame to compose the ones value. They then write the number, linking the abstract symbol to their ten-frame count. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/ee0b1bc3-2e14-44bc-8784-edfb9f036278/IMG_6246.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense Adding two double-digit numbers also works well with ten-frames in a partner activity. I assign each child a different number to compose, and then they must combine them using addition, sometimes requiring them to “carry” 10 extra gems into a completely new ten-frame. This is a great precursor for vertical addition, which I wait to introduce as an algorithm until third grade. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/16c5a145-0d00-4594-8ff3-a066e58ee4f3/IMG_7899.jpg Blog - Beyond Memorization: Using Ten-Frames to Build Number Sense - Ten-frames offer the visual and hands-on experience of the groupings, which multiplication represents. Here they can see that we have 3 in a group 8 times (8 x 3). If they have been practicing their skip counting for the 3s family, they can easily count up to the total number of gems. https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/number-sense-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important monthly 0.5 2024-10-20 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/five-tips-for-powerful-math-stories monthly 0.5 2024-10-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/64f614bf-6e57-4314-ad44-339faf34c7f8/IMG_7733.jpg Blog - Five Tips for Powerful Math Stories - Farmer Macintosh thought this was another excellent idea. They discovered that they could fit 10 sacks of apples into one wooden crate. When they had one crate filled with 10 sacks, they put it in the Crate Room, to the left of the Sack Room. First Story Variation: One day, Farmer Macintosh picked 143 apples before lunch and put them in rooms on the first floor of his barn. After lunch he picked 256 apples and put them on the second floor of his barn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/b48d44b3-957f-4cec-935c-e7952c25142c/IMG_7734+%281%29.jpeg Blog - Five Tips for Powerful Math Stories - Granny Smith showed Farmer Macintosh how to keep track of all the apples by writing the numbers down on a big chalkboard with sections to show the crate number, the sack number, and the loose apple number. She showed Farmer Macintosh how to add together the loose apples (the ones column) from the morning and afternoon and write that number down below. She showed him how to add together the sacks from the morning and afternoon and write it down below. And finally, she showed him how to add up the number of crates filled from the morning and afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/7cce2097-9e68-4428-a053-776a37b9b309/IMG_7735.jpeg Blog - Five Tips for Powerful Math Stories - Second Story Variation: One day when Farmer Macintosh was counting by ones and adding up the loose apples, he had more than 10 . . . enough to fill an extra sack with one left over. He carefully counted out 10 apples, put them in a sack, and carried them up to the attic above the Sack Room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/04e97969-6482-4c74-9e06-3ca848d418cf/IMG_7736.jpeg Blog - Five Tips for Powerful Math Stories - After he filled up a new sack and carried it to the attic, he could add it on as he counted all the sacks of apples for the day. There was now just one apple left over. He carefully wrote the numbers on his chalkboard so he could remember how many he had picked that day. https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/blog/masterful-planning-for-magical-math-lessons monthly 0.5 2024-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/ee0c9d10-e793-41a7-9580-20ae0df9b5dc/IMG_6277.jpeg Blog - Three Simple Steps to Strengthen Your Math Lessons - Maybe it’s second grade and place value. You’ve been really creative. You’ve provided lots of sensory experiences. You’ve supported the learning with meaningful stories. You’ve guided your students through beautiful drawings in the main lesson book to support the learning. And then the block ends and you move on to a new topic. Now what? What do you do with all that math you just introduced in your recent math block? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/451acf8e-1494-4edc-b233-0cdee0be301b/IMG_6282.jpeg Blog - Three Simple Steps to Strengthen Your Math Lessons - For example, this year I’m teaching second grade. My broad goals for my students are: Understand and become familiar with the concept of place value up to the 1000s Learn the multiplication “families” up to 12 (Skip-counting) Know the addition and subtraction facts up through 20 from memory Continue to build “number sense" That’s it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/feea9c5d-c209-4fbe-b1a6-d7b8223591cf/IMG_6283.jpeg Blog - Three Simple Steps to Strengthen Your Math Lessons - It takes hard work and a lot of practice to move students from the imaginative number stories of first and second grade to having math facts memorized. In Waldorf schools, we’re good at practicing these math facts orally. But, students also need to see these isolated facts and be able to write the answer down. They need to have a visual experience of the abstract numbers after using manipulatives or pictures and be able to quickly know the answer—from memory! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/4134f29f-930f-4727-b4f0-189ff6477f6a/rope+jumping+photo.jpg Blog - Three Simple Steps to Strengthen Your Math Lessons - Movement is another great way to reinforce math facts. Depending on the grade level, I include math movement into my morning circle time on a daily basis. Whether it’s jumping rope, or a hand-clapping game, movement engages full-body learning, and the children experience the joy without feeling any anxiety or frustration about learning math that might come from doing a paper-pencil worksheet. https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/about-us daily 0.75 2026-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/86aa83c7-5d3f-4956-ab05-42501d356354/IMG_6237.jpeg https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/our-services daily 0.75 2026-07-14 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/home daily 1.0 2026-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/64da94a3-aa05-4007-8a89-7d5aee77245d/10.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/b8564415-a870-496b-96a8-01aa5e67be54/Copy+of+Images+for+website.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/dfa36ce2-71e1-4078-b511-427df3f69081/child+photo.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/59e88dc0-c709-4804-8694-0dccf2df87e8/4d3e0fcb-5de8-480b-94eb-5e5facb9944c.png https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2024-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/655e4e1ec168495ef1805381/5db6b4ac-137c-454d-bfde-1cc6730abd7d/2.png https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/terms-and-conditions daily 0.75 2026-07-13 https://www.pellegrinopathways.com/disclaimer daily 0.75 2026-07-13