Resources to Help your Elementary Math Student Thrive

 (This post contains Amazon affiliate links, as well as links to other resources that I may earn a commission from)

After 12 years of homeschooling and a couple years of being a math tutor, I have found a few resources to be instrumental to success.

FOUNDATIONS

Kids need a strong foundation to succeed in any subject. For math, that means understanding Place Value and Base 10. Manipulatives, like Base 10 blocks and Place Value Flip charts help kids visualize these concepts. Make 10 and Make 100 for Mental Math by Count on Jess | TPT is a valuable resource for strengthening mental math. 

 

MULTIPLICATION

If struggling with memorizing multiplication facts, purchase a system that uses rhymes or songs to learn the multiplication table. Some options are:

                *Tricky Multiplication Rhymes and Stories Flash cards by Count on Jess

                *Times Tales - https://amzn.to/46d1Rti

                *Good and Beautiful Musical Multiplication

*Area Tiles help students visualize multiplication and teach the concept of area at the same time - https://amzn.to/4036til

 

DIVISION

Graph paper is a must!!!

I teach this using a story about a family and gender roles. I know some families differ from there and you can teach it as there once was a family, even if it doesn’t apply to your family.

*Dad Divides (and he’s first because he’s head of the household)

*Mom Multiplies (and submits to dad – her husband – by going under her)

*Sister Subtracts (she takes some of the workload off of her mom by being a huge helper around the house. Oh, and when it comes to siblings, ladies first)

*Brother brings down or brings out remainders (in our house the boys bring the trash downstairs and out… I’ve also heard of boys being boys and rappelling down house to sneak out.. you can adapt the story as necessary)

Everyone continues doing their jobs in order until the job is done and there is nothing left to bring down or bring out

 

FRACTIONS

*Fraction Towers - https://amzn.to/4czmZ0D

*Fraction Squares - https://amzn.to/4tzb0X4

*Divisibility Rules - Divisibility Rules - A Piece of Cake (cupcake that is) by Count on Jess (print and glue together to make a flip book)

*Understanding Decimals and Fractions with math modeling and game play

 KEEP IT FUN!

*Prime Climb - https://amzn.to/4rYeJMq

                Hands down my favorite math game! Can use to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and factorization. Great for strengthening mental math. 

*9 sided dice - https://amzn.to/4riOdxa

                A simple resource but adds fun to everyday practice. Roll the dice to make your math problems.

 *I love using escape rooms and math jokes to practice new and old skills. All of my escape rooms are included in my Count on Jess Tutoring Bundle (Count on Jess Math Tutoring Resources by Count on Jess | TPT), and I try to add new resources to this bundle each week (that also means the cost goes up each week). Once you buy the bundle, you get any resources that are added for free. If you have a specific topic you are looking for, you can always let me know and I’ll add it to my list of resources to create.