Today's mathematics is hands-on. This approach to teaching math puts math in context, makes it relevant, promotes problem-solving, creativity, co-operartion, analytical skills, and so much more.
It's wonderful to see such a dynamcic approach to mathematics, but to a student who is struggling specific skills, concepts, and processes, it can be overwhelming to be working on an activity that draws upon so many skills simultaneously. Sometimes, focussed practice and practical application is what is needed.
If as student does not have a handle on a specific skill, it can make tackling other more encompassing projects frustrating and overwhelming. Unfortunately, finding quality resources to practice these skills can be difficult.
Some teachers rely on worksheets found as a result of a google search of the concept or skill, but they are often poorly designed. The space to complete the work can be insufficient, they tend to be visually unappealing, and rarely include any application questions.
I have created many of my own resources and worksheets to practice specific skills, but I also use the Spectrum Math Series. It's well-organized making it easy for teachers to pick out pages that cover the specific skills they would like to see a student practice, and builds on that practice with application questions that tie-in very well to the practice pages; there are no surprises for the student when they tackle the application questions.
The Spectrum Math Series covers all elementary grades from K to grade 8, and includes practice on skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, percent, geometry, volume, statistics and probability, and more. Each topic has a pretest followed by progressive excersizes with ample practice, and problem-solving/application questions.
It's a great resource to have on hand to use as needed when extra practice is needed, reinforcement, or review.
Grade 3
Grade 6
