Replacing Worksheets

Worksheets have become the standard that teachers use to assess students’ understanding and knowledge after a lesson, but they’re not always the most effective way to engage students in meaningful practice. In fact, worksheets may be a hindrance to some students, despite their ability level. In this issue’s Let’s Dig In sessions, Marian goes over ways to engage students and assess their progress without the use of worksheets. Specific examples are provided for each grade band, giving teachers a starting point and some inspiration on incorporating worksheet-free assessments.

Big Ideas in Measurement

In each strand of mathematics curricula, there are important underlying ideas we need to bring to students’ attention to set the foundation for future learning. This is as true of measurement, as Marian discusses in this issue’s Let’s Dig In sessions, as it is of any other strand. We don’t want to gloss over these “big ideas,” but rather break them down into more manageable bits by exploring and discussing them together. For each grade band, Marian provides examples of questions you could present to your students to help them make connections to other concepts and understand the reasoning behind certain mathematical ideas or formulas.