Piles! My New Favorite Thing…

Sometimes ideas brew in my mind for a long while. They usually begin as this teeny tiny thought when I’m working with students of all ability levels, and I see misconceptions. Then, they grow and grow until I can’t hold the idea in any more. This one might be my favorite thing I’ve done in a while.

This is an equality sorting game in which students have to match cards that they cut out into piles of cards that belong together:

If you follow me, you know I don’t brag…so this isn’t bragging. I’m just going to break down why I want you to try this:

1. Students do NOT understand the Equal Sign.  They think it means “the answer is”. This activity will totally challenge that thinking.
2. Students are way used to having a pair in a matching game/activity.  This mentality won’t work for Piles. They won’t always make a pair, sometimes their pile may have 3 or even 4 cards.
3. For years I’ve watched students thinking that the visual model, number sentence and words are separate things in mathematics. Piles will help connect this for them.
4. This will get them talking! Even your struggling students will start talking about why things fit together, and why they absolutely do not.
5. The activity can be done independently alongside your teaching.  I’m coming out with some other concepts, multiplication is just the first of what I hope will be many. Fractions are next…
6. You will uncover, and squash all KINDS of misconceptions that you didn’t even know existed.

I’m going to do my very best to get these ideas onto digital paper as fast as I can. I’ll always have a free one that is included in the preview of every set, which means as soon as I get enough free ones I’ll put out a whole free set.  If you’re a follower you know that I do my very best to provide free as much as I can.  Download the preview, try the free one and let me know what you think!