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Welcome to Kate's Math Lessons!My mission is to make life easier for secondary math teachers.
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Thank you to those of you who were able to join the webinar on resources for teaching math remotely! The presentation part of the webinar is now posted below for those of you who missed it. Boom Learning will upload a video that includes the Q&A portion soon and I will link to that once it's available.
Links and free products mentioned in the webinar are posted below, as well as a few additional resources I think you might also be interested in. Math Instruction Ideas
1) Kate's Math Lessons: Free math lessons with videos and practice quizzes. These lessons are always free and available for you to use with your students.
2) EdPuzzle: Make a video interactive by adding in your own questions or notes. This is a great way to add in pauses to a video where students have to stop and answer questions before continuing. Their Getting Started page has lots of helpful information if you want to learn more about using existing EdPuzzles or making your own. They have an entire library you can search to see exactly how to create and assign video lessons, see student reports, export grades, and more. Their free version allows you to store up to 20 videos in your account. If you refer another teacher, they increase the number of videos you can store. There's also a Pro version available for schools to purchase that includes unlimited uploads. Digital Math Activities
1) Google Forms: You can turn a Google Form into a quiz that's graded automatically! You can use this Free Activity for Google Drive that I've created as a template and edit to fit your needs. Or read How to Create Self-Grading Quizzes with Google Drive for step-by-step directions on making your own.
2) Go Formative: You can use this website to turn a paper worksheet into a digital activity. You can upload a worksheet from your computer or take a picture and upload as an image, then add interactive questions! There's also a great "Show Your Work" option, which inserts a whiteboard for students to draw on or they can upload a picture of their work. Make sure to check out their Quick Start guide if you're new to Go Formative. If you learn best by watching video tutorials, they have helpful videos here. They also have a pretty extensive help center to learn how to Create/Manage Classes, how to Create a Formative, how to Assign a Formative, and more.
You can search the Boom Learning Store for decks that have already been created or can make your own decks of Boom Cards. If your school is closed due to Covid-19, you may be eligible for a free Ultimate account, which includes premium features like student reports and the ability to create an unlimited number of your own decks of Boom Cards. The links below are a good place to get started if you're new to Boom Cards: What are Boom Cards? How to Get Started with Boom Cards Helpful Video Tutorials How to Make and Sell Your Own Boom Cards 4) Additional Resources Here are a few more resources that I think are also helpful for teaching math remotely. Kahoot: a game-based learning platform that can be used in the classroom or remotely. Here's a helpful article to learn how to use Kahoot in a Google Classroom. Quizziz: Use free existing quizzes or create your own. Flip Grid: Record and share videos to connect with your students. Desmos: Much more than just an online calculator! They have lots of activities you can use remotely with students. Check out how to use a Desmos Card Sorts. Pear Deck: A Google Slides Add-on. Allows you to add interactive questions and formative assessments to your Google Slides. If you have digital activities or resources you think should be added to the list, please let me know in the comments below!
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1) Free Math Lessons, Videos, & Practice Quizzes
As always, my Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry online math lessons are all free. The lessons include practice quizzes with instant feedback and helpful videos with examples. Many of the lessons have printable study guides that would be helpful for students going through the lesson on their own at home (grab a free study guide). 2) Self-Checking Google Activities It's easy to make Google quizzes that are graded automatically. They're a great way to assess learning and give feedback while teaching remotely. You can quickly learn how to make your own Google quizzes or try out this free activity for Google drive. 
4) Use Zoom for Online Meetings
Don't have access to Google Hangouts? Zoom is another great option to host an online meeting with your students. Their free plan allows you to have up to 100 people in a meeting at once. Zoom can also record your meetings so you can easily upload the video online for students to access. 5) Kahoot & Quizizz Have you tried making Kahoots? Kahoot is currently offering free premium features for schools facing closures. Students love being able to play live against each other or you can have them complete the quizzes at their own pace. You can also search Quizizz for free gamified quizzes or create your own. 6) Additional Online Tools Many companies are starting to offer discounted or free subscriptions for schools affected by the virus. Stay up to date with more useful online tools by following this Wakelet by Erin Flanagan. Update: Make sure to check out my Tools for Teaching Math at a Distance post for even more resources! 
I've rounded up some simple and affordable ideas for teachers and parents to use to encourage logical reasoning skills! They're all quiet activities that are great for students to work on individually at a desk, or parents can throw them in the car, take to a restaurant or even on a plane for some tech-free entertainment.
Here are my favorite screen-free activities (affiliate links included) to strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills: 1) Puzzle Squares: These were always first to go off the shelf! Students love rearranging the squares to try to get them all to fit together. They are harder than they look! They stack up nicely and easily fit in a ziplock bag. So easy to throw on a shelf or stick in a purse.
2) Izzi Cards: These little black and white cards are so fun! You have to arrange them up so the colors match up and see if you can fit them all together. The box comes with enough cards to divide up into multiple ziplock bags so several students can play at their desk at a time or use them all together to make a larger pattern.   3) 24 Game Cards: Kids love this game! If you have not played it, you need to give it a try. You must use all 4 numbers on the card only once and can add, subtract, multiply, or divide to make 24. Such a great way to help improve mental math skills. You can play it individually or as a group and see who can come up with an answer the fastest. I always kept a stack of cards available for my students that wanted to practice - they got pretty competitive!  
4) The Triangle Game: Such a classic. So simple, but kids love it! I keep mine in a ziplock bag for easy transfer and storage.
  5) A Tangram Set: I have a few different tangram sets that I put in ziplock bags. Great for developing spatial awareness and problem solving skills!   6) KenKen and Sudoku Puzzles: Many of my students loved to do KenKen or Sudoku puzzles so I would tear some out of a book to have available or find some free ones online to print. For those of you who haven't tried KenKen puzzles before, they're like sudoku puzzles but use basic math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division).
7) Kanoodle: This puzzle kit has 12 different colored pieces that you must fit together to match the diagram. It comes with a little book of 200 different puzzles that start pretty simple but work up to deceptively hard 3-D puzzles! So great for improving critical thinking and problem-solving skills. My first-grader can do the puzzles at the beginning, but the 3-D ones are hard even for me! It comes with a little carrying case that's small and easily fits in my purse. My daughter likes to do these on long car trips.   8) Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles: I used to have a whole stack of books with fun brain teasers and logic puzzles. I would tear out a few pages and make copies to have available for students. Sarah Carter has a whole slew of free printable ideas over at her blog, Math Equals Love, that you should check out if you need some ideas! I would recommend laminating them so you can reuse them! What about you? Any activities you think I should add to the list? Let me know in the comments! There's no question that cell phones can be a huge distraction for students. It's an issue that's impossible to ignore. Cell phone addiction is a real thing. I've had students who would rather be expelled than be separated from their phones. So what's a teacher to do? Embrace technology and try to have students use them in productive ways? Or find ways to keep phones out of sight? I've found that a combination of both strategies is helpful. Smartphones can be an amazing learning tool, but they can also be extremely distracting. We all know that there are students who will bring their phones to class even if they're banned. So how can teachers use them to enhance learning and also make sure they're put away at the appropriate times? Here are a few ideas: 1) Pocket Points AppHave you heard of this app?? Pocket Points is an amazing way to reward students for staying off their phones in your class. Not an affiliate link, I just really like the app! It's free for teachers and you can set up your own rewards (think extra credit, snack rewards, tardy passes, deadline exemptions, etc.) You can set a goal for how long you want them to be off their phones and the app keeps track of their phone use. Not only can students earn the rewards you set up, but they can also earn local and online deals. They've got free Chic-fil-A sandwiches, discounts at Papa Johns, and more! Using Pocket Points is an easy, non-punitive way to track phone use and reward students for using their phones at appropriate times. 2) Use QR CodesOne easy and fairly low-tech way to use smartphones in a productive way is to use them to scan QR codes! Use a free QR code generator like this one to create your own. You can create QR codes that link to an answer key, an image, a website, and more! All students need to do is download a free QR reader. You can even create scavenger hunts using QR codes. Check out my Algebra 1 Review Task Cards or my Multi-Step Equations Scavenger Hunt with QR codes to see some examples of how you could use QR codes in your math classroom.
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| Boom Cards are digital task cards. Students are shown one question at a time and get instant feedback on their answers! They work best on a larger screen, but cell phones will do if you don't have access to tablets or desktops. Grab a free set of Boom Cards or check out the Top 7 Reasons to Love Boom Cards for more details. |  |
6) Create a Cell Phone Hotel
Yes, cell phones can be a great learning tool. But there are times when we just need them to be put away and make sure they don't come back out. Anyone else have students who will write with one hand while secretly texting with the other?! You might consider creating a storage system for cell phones. If you search Pinterest for ideas, you'll find anything from simple pocket charts to expensive lockers with individual keys. I've even seen teachers buy large camera cases to lock all the phones up together during class (Check your school's policy before implementing!).
My current favorite simple solution is to give each student a manila folder with Velcro. Students can keep the phones at their desk (cuts down on the separation anxiety), but it's very obvious if they try to get their phone out. It's an affordable solution that doesn't involve taking phones from students, but makes it easy for teachers to ensure the phones are not being used.
What do you do in your classroom? Do you ban cell phones all together, embrace them, or use a combination of strategies? If you have solutions, I'd love to hear them! Let me know in the comments below.
My current favorite simple solution is to give each student a manila folder with Velcro. Students can keep the phones at their desk (cuts down on the separation anxiety), but it's very obvious if they try to get their phone out. It's an affordable solution that doesn't involve taking phones from students, but makes it easy for teachers to ensure the phones are not being used.
What do you do in your classroom? Do you ban cell phones all together, embrace them, or use a combination of strategies? If you have solutions, I'd love to hear them! Let me know in the comments below.
Is it really almost time to go back to school? I have always had a love-hate relationship with this time of year. I hate the thought of summer being almost over, but there is just something about the back-to-school aisle that makes me excited for a new year!
| For those of you teaching Algebra 1 this coming school, I've rounded up some free resources for you! (free as of 7/19/19) Grab the activities below: 1) Multi-Step Equations Relay Race by All Things Algebra 2) Combining Like Terms Task Cards by Gotta Luv It Creations 3) Slope Graphic Organizer and Guided Notes by Jenna Jackson 4) Properties of Equality and Real Numbers Poster by The Enlightened Elephant 5) Algebraic Expressions Math Flips Game by Misty Miller 6) Slope Poster by Scaffolded Math and Science 7) Last, but not least, I just updated my free set of Order of Operations Boom Cards. If you haven't tried Boom Cards yet, I highly recommend giving them a try this school year. The instant reports for teachers and feedback for students are amazing. Your students will beg to play these digital task cards! |  |
I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and can start the new school year refreshed and excited! Do you know of more Algebra 1 freebies I should be aware of? Let me know in the comments!
- Sarah
| I am so late to the Desmos party! I used to think Desmos was just an online graphing calculator, but it is so much more! The team at Desmos has developed so many great activities and I recently discovered the card sort feature that is AMAZING. In a nutshell, a card sort is a digital matching activity. You can use it for about any activity where you want students to categorize or sort things. I created a Graphing Linear Equations Card Sort to show you how it works! |  |
| In the activity I created, students have to match up the linear equations with their corresponding graphs. I made 7 cards with equations and then used the Desmos graph tool to add the 7 matching graphs. When students open up the activity, Desmos will randomly mix up the cards so they'll see a screen like this: |  |
All the cards are moveable, so students drag the equations and graphs around to match them up. When they pair them up, they'll show up like this:
They keep moving the cards around until they get all the cards matched up.
But the best part (in my opinion) is the teacher view while they're working! I am kicking myself for taking so long to discover this. Teachers can see student progress as they're working! It will highlight correct matches in green and incorrect matches in red. Such an easy way to see which students need help as they're working!
But the best part (in my opinion) is the teacher view while they're working! I am kicking myself for taking so long to discover this. Teachers can see student progress as they're working! It will highlight correct matches in green and incorrect matches in red. Such an easy way to see which students need help as they're working!
You can even hit the "Anonymize" button if you want to display this up front for the whole class to see. Desmos also lets you see an overview of which cards students are getting wrong so it's easy for you to address some common misconceptions students are having.
It's so easy to share the activity with students when you're ready for them to try it. You hit the "Create Class Code" button (you'll want to create separate codes for each class period).
After you create the code, you'll get a screen like the one below that you can display for students or share the link with them in Google Classroom, Moodle, etc. They can create their own Desmos accounts if you want or they can do the activity without signing in (it just has them type in their name before they start).
Just an FYI, you can use the code you see above to test it out but the results will show up in my Desmos account, not yours. You'll want to grab the link below and make a copy of the activity in your own Desmos account so you can see your student results.
Click the button below to try the activity for yourself!
| Want to make your own Boom Cards and aren't sure where to start? (What are Boom Cards?) Have you already tried creating your own decks and need a little help with all the details? There's always a learning curve with new technology - let me help you! |  |
I've created an online course that will walk you through the basics of Boom Learning and help save you time and confusion about how the process works. In the email course, I walk you through the process of creating and publishing your own decks and break it down into manageable steps.
The Course Includes:
- 5 Days of Instruction: After signing up, you'll receive an email each day with a link to that day's activities. The links will be good any time, so there's no pressure to finish within 5 days if you're busy. You'll have access to all the material at the beginning, so you can finish early if you want!
- 18 Video Tutorials: The videos are short and sweet so you can complete one small task at a time. Each activity also includes written instructions with detailed diagrams.
- Step-By-Step Instructions: I'll show you how to create Multiple Choice, Fill-in-the-Blank, Drag & Drop Questions, and more! I'll also show you how to customize the look of each card.
- 100+ Background Images: I'll send you more than 100 different images you can use to create your cards. Includes a wide variety of borders, clip art, banners, and more to create professional looking cards. Don't worry secondary teachers, I've got plenty of simpler images you can use that will appeal to older students.
By the end of the course, you'll have all you need to create your own customized decks, publish them to the Boom Learning Store, and start earning some extra money for all your hard work! Click the button below to learn how to sign up.
Kate's Math Lessons is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Boom Learning.
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*This post contains affiliate links.
Have you discovered Boom Cards and want to start using them in your classroom? Here's an overview of the set up process to help you get started. Just be careful - Boom Cards are addicting! (Did you land here and have no idea what Boom Cards are? Check out the Top 7 Reasons to Use Boom Cards!)
1) Go to Boom Learning and click on the green Sign up button. 2) Join with your email, Facebook, or Google account. 3) Once you've created a username and password, click on the Library tab. 
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4) Scroll down to the bottom and click on the green "Show me free stuff!" button. You can type in a specific topic in the search bar or refine the results by subject and grade level.
5) Click on the deck of cards that you would like to use and click on the Add to Library green button. Don't forget you can preview the first 4 cards of any deck - make sure to click on full-size preview to see how they work. Check out my free Order of Operations deck to see an example.
6) Next, click on Classes. You can now enter your name and picture (if you want).
You may notice here that the membership information says you only have 5 students. Don't worry! You can always use the FastPlay option for free! I'll go into detail later on in the post, but there's a way for students to use the cards without needing to log in. The free plan includes unlimited FastPlay for as many students as you need, but it doesn't record their scores. If you want to be able to see reports for students or create your own decks, you can upgrade your membership plan (and currently at $15 a year for 50 students, that's not a bad deal if you ask me).
7) Create a classroom. Click on the blue "New Classroom" button at the bottom. It will automatically create a name based on what you entered in your profile. You can click on it and change it to Mrs. Smith's class, 1st period, Algebra 1, or whatever you would like to call the class. You can also change the username and password for your class.
7) Create a classroom. Click on the blue "New Classroom" button at the bottom. It will automatically create a name based on what you entered in your profile. You can click on it and change it to Mrs. Smith's class, 1st period, Algebra 1, or whatever you would like to call the class. You can also change the username and password for your class.
8) Add students to your classroom.
Option A: Add the students yourself. This is probably the best option if you have young students or only a few students. You can do this by clicking on "Add 1 Student" if you want to enter one at a time, or on "Add Many Students" if you want to add several at once. If you choose the second option, you just enter the names separated by commas and create a default password. Students can change this password when they log in (don't worry, you can reset it for those that forget their password!).
Option B: Let students create their own accounts! I would recommend this option if you have older students. It's especially nice if you have a lot of students and don't want to type in all their names! You just share the classroom username and password with your students (write it on the board, post it in your Google classroom, etc.). Students go to Boom Learning just like you did, but they go to where it says Students and choose "Create Student" to make their own account.
After they've entered the classroom username and password, they type in their name and create their own password.
9) Assign decks to students. So easy to do! Go to your library and find a deck that you want students to complete. If you click on the blue "Action" button by the deck, it will give you several options to choose from. (My Rounding Decimals deck is also free if you're interested.)
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Assign: Click this to assign the deck to students. You can assign it to one class or multiple classes (or to individual students). If you choose this option, it will record student scores.
Fast Pin: Use this option if you want students to practice and don't want to record their scores. It will give you a link that students can use without needing to log in. Once students have this link, they click on the FastPlay option at the top and type in the pin to start. Hyperplay Link: This gives you a link that will prompt students to log in and then play will begin. Grab this link if you want to post it in Moodle, Google Classroom, etc. Print: Click this if you want to print a hard copy of the cards. Hide Cards: Use this if there are any cards in the deck you don't want students to see. Great option if the deck is too long or if there are cards that aren't quite what you were looking for and you don't want to assign them to students. Custom Play Settings: You can adjust the number of cards that students see here. Note that this option does not work with FastPins. You'll need student accounts for this option. Hope that helps you get started! -Sarah P.S. Want to learn how to create your own decks of Boom Cards? Check out my Boom Cards Bootcamp! It includes 18 short video tutorials and 100+ images you can use in your own decks! |
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If there's anything teachers need more of, it's TIME! After spending far too many weekends grading, I am always on the lookout for anything that can help teachers save time. Google makes it easy to create an activity or assessment that's graded automatically. You can set it up to let students see their scores and correct answers after they've submitted it (or not, it's very easy to change these settings). You can create multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank, and more! Check out the steps below to see how to automatically grade a Google Form!
Step 1: Create a Google Form
Open up your Google Drive and click the New button.
Next, click on the Google Forms option (you may have to click on the More button to show the option). You can choose a template or start a blank one.
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Step 2: Create Your Questions
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Type your questions or upload images to use for your questions. You have several options for the type of answer you'd like students to submit: short answer, paragraph, multiple choice, etc. If this is your first Google quiz, you might want to start with the following options:
Multiple-Choice: Students click on the one right answer. Short Answer: Great for one-word or numeral answers. Checkboxes: Similar to multiple-choice. Great if you want students to choose more than one option. Once you get the hang of it, you might want to try the other answer types. Keep in mind that Google won't be able to grade paragraph answers, you'll have to go back and grade those manually. You could even just type in the problem numbers from an assignment you've given from a book, worksheet, or printed assessment you've already made. Click on the plus sign on the right to add another question. You can move questions around if you want them in a different order. 
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I always make the first question ask for the student name and the second question ask for their email address. This makes it easy to identify the responses later.
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Want to see an example of a Google Form that's already made? Check out this FREE Translating Algebraic Expressions Activity. |
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Step 3: Make it a Quiz
If you want to have Google grade the form automatically, you need to change the settings to make it a quiz. To do this, click on Settings (the gear icon).
Next, click on Quizzes. Then slide the button over to the ON position where it says "Make this a quiz."
Next, decide when you want students to see their scores and if you'd like them to be able to see the missed questions, correct answers, or the point values for each question. Click on the question marks for more details on each option.
Step 4: Create an Answer Key
Google needs to know the correct answers in order to grade the form you created. Go back to the questions you created in your form. First, decide if you want the question to be required. I usually make most questions required so students don't skip one on accident. Then click on the blue Answer Key link to set the correct answer to your question.
Once you've clicked on Answer Key, you can add the correct answer(s), change the number of points if you want, and can even add feedback for students if you'd like. Click on the Mark all other answers incorrect box if applicable. Here's what it looks like for a short answer question:
Step 5: Send the Quiz to your Students
When your quiz is ready to go, click on the SEND button at the top right of the page. You can enter student email addresses, get a link to share with students, or grab an embed code. I usually send it to myself first and take it as a student would to make sure everything is set up how I want!
Step 6: Check the Responses
After your students have taken the assessment, click on RESPONSES to see their scores. You can create a spreadsheet with their scores or click on the 3 dots to download the scores. If you click on the 3 dots, you'll also see more options like email notifications or turning the quiz off if you no longer want to accept responses.
Step 7: Enjoy your free time instead of grading!
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Now you can sit back and let Google grade it for you! Which assessment will you convert to a Google quiz first?
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Don't have time to make your own Google quizzes? I've got a whole bunch of Google Drive Activities you may be interested in. They're all set up to be graded automatically. They're easy to edit if you want, and then just hit SEND! If you're looking to save some money, make sure to check out my Algebra 1 Google Drive Activities Bundle.
Never tried Boom Cards? Your students will LOVE them! In a nutshell, Boom Cards are digital, self-checking, interactive activities. Students are shown one question at a time and get instant feedback on their answers! Check out the short video below to see a few examples, then keep reading to see my top 7 reasons to love them.
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These digital, self-checking task cards are my new favorite way to help students practice a skill. Here are the top 7 reasons I'm a fan: 1) They're DIGITAL. No printing, laminating, or cutting out sets of paper task cards. Less prep = more time for teachers. 2) They're SELF-CHECKING. Students type in their answer and get instant feedback! If they get a question wrong, they can submit a new answer or "give up" the card and go to a different question if they get stuck. 3) You can use Boom Cards for free. There are lots of free decks available (here's an example). You can always use Boom Cards for free by using the Fast Play option (see my post on getting started with Boom Cards for more details). This option allows you to create a link to send to students. Important Note: The Fast Play option doesn't record their answers, but you can upgrade your account for a reasonable fee if you want to track student progress! Right now they're offering a free trial period when you sign up if you want to test it out. You'll always be able to use the Fast Play option for free even after your trial period ends, you just won't get student reports.
4) You can preview 4 cards from any deck for free. Try it before you buy it! Check out this preview to see an example. Make sure to click on Full-Size preview to get the full effect. 5) It's super easy to differentiate instruction with Boom Cards. Once you have a deck of cards in your library, you can assign them to individual students or to the entire class. 6) Not 1-1? Use them on a Smart Board or use a projector to work on them with the whole class. 7) Did you know you can use Boom Cards with your Google Classroom? Check out this video to see how. You can assign Boom Cards with a link, so they can be assigned using about any learning management system. So yes, you can use them with Google Classroom, Schoology, SeeSaw, Canvas, Moodle, PowerSchool, Class Dojo, Microsoft Teams, and more! The link above is specifically for Google Classroom, but the same idea works for about any LMS. Update: Boom Learning just added a new feature that makes me love them even more! You can now hide any card in a deck that you don't want students to see. Simply go to your library and open a deck. You can go through the deck of cards and click the "Hide Cards" button on any you don't want to be assigned. 
Update #2: You can also now customize a deck even more! When you click on the Action button on a deck in your library, the last option is now "Custom Play Settings." You can now choose if you want students to see the correct answer after giving up a card, if you want them to be allowed to play a deck multiple times, and you can also adjust how many cards from the deck you want them to see per play. These are great options to customize the deck to meet your students' needs. Just note that these options don't work for Fast Pins, students need to be logged in for these settings to take place.
Download a FREE set of Boom CardsWant to test out a set of Boom Cards? Grab my free set of Order of Operations Boom Cards. I also have a whole bundle of Algebra 1 Boom Cards if you want to see some more examples. I hope you give them a try - your students will LOVE them!
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Interested in using Boom Cards, but need help getting started? Check out my Complete Guide to Getting Started with Boom Cards to learn how to set up your classroom, create student accounts, and assign decks of cards.
Want to learn how to create your own decks? You'll want to sign up for my Boom Cards Bootcamp! It includes 18 short video tutorials, 100+ images you can use to create your own decks of Boom Cards, and more!
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