Jennifer Van Blair is a current third grade teacher. She has taught 3 - 5 grade for 13 years, and has experience with combination based classrooms. She has a Master's in Educational Leadership and a background in natural sciences and outdoor education.
Differentiating and providing small group support for ALL learners is challenging. That's why you need time to scaffold ALL learners in your classroom. Whether you meet in small groups or have WHOLE group instruction, these multiplication BUMP GAMES give you the time you need to engage your students in meaningful multiplication practice that is collaborative and fun! Scaffold student learning or meet the needs of your combo students with these differentiated bump games that cover multiplication
Math craftivities are motivating resources to engage third graders in word problem solving. This February themed love monster is perfect for practicing 3.OA.8 (two-step word problems using the four operations)! Students solve, earn body parts, cut, color and assemble their love monster craftivity to show their mastery of the problems. This PRINTABLE resource icludes:8 single-step & multi-step word problems in the four operationsAssembly directionsAnswer key***This is a PDF file. You will need t
Whether you are looking for an engaging way for students to practice after instruction, for guided practice or a center, these snowflake themed winter multiplication game will do the trick. Tic-Tac-Snow offers you various levels of practice. This FREE product includes: 1 x 1 digit 2 x 1 digit 2 x 2 digit 3 x 2 digit Decimals x whole numbers Decimals x decimals Student pairs choose a number as the snowflake factor, then take turns choosing a factor from one the other boxes. If they are correct,
This BOWLING themed center activity is an engaging way to practice multiplying single digit numbers for facts 2 - 10! It can be printed and used as a whole class activity, math center, or for differentiated small group fun. Includes:10 different fixed factor score sheets for facts 2 - 9 and mixed factor practice.Directions and resources to help you support your students, use it as a part of a GLOW DAY classroom transformation, or STEMIFY learning through the use of coding robots like Spheros f
Are you looking for engaging math activities for your fourth graders all year long? This growing bundle of ALL things fourth grade math is just the thing. It includes: Hands on activitiesBuild-a-Math Craft ProjectsRiddlesMystery Reveal PicturesNumberless word problems and so much moreThe amazing thing is, anything and everything related to fourth grade math will be added here, which means you will have growing access to resources for fourth grade at your fingertips for the whole year!
Math craftivities are motivating resources to engage fourth graders in word problem solving. This February themed love monster is perfect for practicing 4 .OA.3 (two-step word problems using the four operations)! Students solve, earn body parts, cut, color and assemble their love monster craftivity to show their mastery of the problems. This PRINTABLE resource icludes:8 multi-step word problems in the four operationsAssembly directionsAnswer key***This is a PDF file. You will need to be able to
Are you looking for a way to help your third graders practice multiplication, division and mixed word problems? Perfect for November and Thanksgiving, this rigorous set of 7 multiplication and division word problems and 6 student authored mixed word problems gives students an engaging way to practice single and multi-step word problems for multiplication, addition, subtraction, and division in third grade. Students will answer 7 multiplication problems, and then write 6 of their own mixed wo
Looking for an engaging way to help your students practice word problems with fractions. This ADDITIVE COMPARISON winter themed edition of fractions with unlike denominators is a great way to practice. With 5 puzzles, as well as a sixth BONUS pixel art mystery picture in Google Sheets, your students will enjoy solving the problems and answering winter themed riddles. You can use the puzzles as individual assignme--nts, or bundle them up and create either an in class or DIGITAL escape room for yo
Are you looking for a way to help your students practice adding and subtracting whole numbers (multi-digit) and multiplication of basic math facts that is engaging, creative, and just plain fun? Perfect for November, or the fall months, this seasonal math craft scarecrow gives students an exciting way to practice adding and subtract multi-digit numbers, as well as multiplying basic math facts (0-9).The task:Third graders solve eight different fall mixed word problem situations that require ei
Math craftivities are motivating resources to engage fourth graders in word problem solving. This February themed love monster is perfect for practicing word problems with fractions, decimals, and whole numbers (5.NBT.7, 5.NF.2, 5.NF.6 )! Students solve problems, earn body parts, cut, color and assemble their love monster craftivity to show their mastery of the problems. This PRINTABLE resource icludes:8 multi-step word problems in the four operationsAssembly directionsAnswer key
Struggling with differentiated math instruction in your third, fourth, or fifth grade classroom? Numberless word problems are the PERFECT way to reach ALL learners at the same time. Numberless word problems allow you and your students to f ocus on word problem structure and context rather than finding the solution to a SPECIFIC problem. You can focus on understanding the situation and context of a word problem, rather than the specifics of how to solve a word problem within a given skill. The
This Google Sheets resource is the perfect resource for 4.NBT.5 (multi digit multiplication using 2 digit factors)! Assigned digitally in Google Classroom! The resource is a SELF CHECKING GAME in Google Sheets that can be played by students either sharing a device, or sharing the sheet. Digital Version Includes:10 problems in an easy-to-assign Google Sheet fileSelf-checking problems through color coded cells and mystery pixel picture revealYou will need:The file is in PDF format and includes a
Looking for a way to introduce or review multiplication strategies with your fourth or fifth grade students? Perhaps parents are confused by the various methods and you want to provide them with a meaningful tool to navigate at home with with their child. This multiplication flip book is great for either purpose. Simply decide if you want to use a completed version or a fillable version for student notes and print double sided. The easy to use directions and visuals will help you and your stude
Teaching prefixes can be exciting and fun. When students understand how the prefixes work, they can easily convert between units of measurement. This FREE foldable page can be used in your math interactive notebooks, or even as a handout to place in student binders. Included is this FREE resource is: Teacher resourcesDirectionsLink to Quizlet card set for daily practice and student engagementTemplate or handout for student use in interactive notebook or student handout
This Google Slides resource is the perfect resource for 3 .NBF.1 (fractions as unit fractions - one part of a whole)! Assigned digitally in Google Classroom, this ENGAGING resource allows students to physically manipulate and build pizza slices for each unique customer order. Young mathematicians will reflect on how the size of the denominator impacts the size of the pieces that make up the whole. Digital Version Includes:7 problems in an easy-to-assign Google Slide fileBIG IDEA slice recognizin
If your third graders are struggling with 3 digit addition and and subtraction, this small group intervention activity is for you. If your students are: 1.) Misaligning the digits when adding and subtracting 2.) Subtracting Up 3.) Not regrouping or ungrouping correctly then...they need to develop their conceptual understanding of PLACE VALUE (3.NBT.1A)This PRINT AND DIGITAL resource supports your students' development of place value, as you work in small group to count out enough ones to reach
Are your students struggling to solve word problems? Then put research based practices to the test in your classroom with these vibrant fall edition task cards. Teaching your students to identify word problems and their associated schematics is MORE effective than teaching them to identify key words. In fact, students that rely solely on keyword identification will more often guess the wrong operation as word problems use misleading language. These 20 problems are presented in two ways - with a
Hey, third-grade teachers. Put down the books! It's time to make math engaging again. This mixed two-step word problem St. Patrick's Day Craft is the perfect way to blend word problem practice for your 3rd graders in an engaging yet high-level thinking classroom learning experience. Your students will practice multi-step word problems involving:multiplicationdivisionadditionsubtractionThe eight-word problem situations include:array word problemsarea word problemsadd to word problemstake from
Reinforcing the concept that multiplying a unit fraction by a whole number is a division problem can be a challenge. This fall, create a festive fall center to give your students the practice that they need. The 20 different cards featuring students of diverse cultures and mixed abilities each has a matching pumpkin. Students must match the child with the pumpkin division problem and then solve. Perfect for task card storage boxes and centers at the upper grade level.
Creating engaging experiences for your fourth graders to find the missing angles of additive angles (4.MD.C.7) can be challenging. But what if they could work on task cards without all the cutting, laminating, and setting up on your part, but still give them hands-on, engaging practice with finding missing angles in additive angles? You can do this with Google Sheets! Solve for missing angles and additive angles: Your students will solve 10 problems on a Google Sheet in task card form that is
Jennifer Van Blair is a current third grade teacher. She has taught 3 - 5 grade for 13 years, and has experience with combination based classrooms. She has a Master's in Educational Leadership and a background in natural sciences and outdoor education.
Teaching style
She enjoys using hands-on learning with regular use of manipulatives, visual learning, models, and student-led exploration. She is inspired by the work of Peter Liljedahl, Jo Boaler, and Carol Dweck.
Awards & shining teacher moments
Contributor to Byrdseed TV creating lessons for GATE classrooms.
My own education history
UC Santa Cruz - Environmental Science and Education
San Jose State - Elementary Education Credential
Upper Iowa University - Masters in Teacher Leadership