teaching tips Archives - Cognitive Cardio Math

Math Wheels for Note-taking?

$Using Math Mistakes as a Teaching Tool Without Crushing Confidence.$

How to Use Math Mistakes as a Teaching Tool Without Crushing Student Confidence

Mistakes in math can feel like big, flashing neon signs to our students, but they don’t have to. In fact, some of the best learning

Practical Strategies for Translating Algebraic Expressions From Tables

When your students first start translating algebraic expressions from tables, it can sometimes feel like they’re solving a mystery. They need to find the pattern

Strategies for Teaching Evaluating Expressions in 6th Grade Math

When your students first start evaluating expressions, it can feel overwhelming. They’re juggling substitution, order of operations, and understanding what variables and constants actually represent.

Building Strong Math Vocab Skills for Algebraic Expressions

When your students first start working with algebraic expressions, one of the biggest challenges isn’t solving the problems. It’s understanding the math vocab they need

Practical Tips for Teaching Properties of Operations

If you’re about to introduce the properties of operations to your students, you might be wondering how to make these concepts clear and memorable. While

Low-Stress Ways to Boost Student Motivation in Math Class

It can be tough to watch a student stare blankly at a math worksheet, arms folded, refusing to even pick up a pencil. As educators,

Math Vocabulary Strategies That Help It Stick!

When your students understand math vocabulary, everything else starts to click into place. Suddenly, word problems feel less confusing, directions are easier to follow, and

14 Teacher Self Care Tips for the End of the Year

The end of the school year can feel like a whirlwind of assessments, classroom clean-up, field trips, and last-minute paperwork. It’s the kind of schedule

Activities to Increase Student Engagement at the End of the School Year.

End of the Year Activities to Increase Student Engagement

As summer break gets closer, it’s no secret that your students start checking out mentally, emotionally, and sometimes even physically. The combination of warmer weather,

Need helping getting your students to understand the order of operations. This step by step guide will have them rocking PEMDAS in no time!

A Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Order of Operations

If you’ve ever had students confidently tell you that multiplication always comes before division or that PEMDAS means they have to add before they subtract,

Help your students move between math words and phrases and expressions effortlessly with the tips in this blog post and video.

How to Make Translating Phrases and Expressions Easier for Students

When your students first begin translating phrases and expressions, it’s common for them to feel unsure about what the words really mean. Phrases like “less

How to Teach Estimating With Whole Numbers

If you’re looking for a simple, effective way to introduce estimating with whole numbers, you’re in the right place. Many of our students struggle with

Welcome to Cognitive Cardio Math! I’m Ellie, a wife, mom, grandma, and dog ‘mom,’ and I’ve spent just about my whole life in school! With nearly 30 years in education, I’ve taught:

All subject areas in 4^th and 5^th grades
Math, ELA, and science in 6th grade (middle school)

I’ve been creating resources for teachers since 2012 and have worked in the elearning industry for about five years as well!

If you’re looking for ideas and resources to help you teach math (and a little ELA), I can help you out!