Making Number Sense Make Sense: A Math Podcast for Early Elementary Teachers
Episodes
Ep 57: 5 Low-Floor High-Ceiling Math Tasks: Second Grade Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you looking for Building Thinking Classrooms Style Math Tasks that are perfect for 2nd garde? In this episode, I talk about the best of the best, ...
Ep 56: 5 Low-Floor High-Ceiling Math Tasks: 1st Grade Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you looking for Building Thinking Classrooms Style Math Tasks that are perfect for first grade? In this episode, I talk about the best of the best...
Ep 55: 5 Low-Floor High-Ceiling Math Tasks: Kindergarten Grade Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you looking for Building Thinking Classrooms Style Math Tasks that are perfect for Kindergarten? In this episode, I talk about the best of the bes...
Ep 54: 3 Number Sense Routines for Elementary Math
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s discuss three easy warm-ups to develop number sense in early elementary math!Have a topic you want me to discuss? Fill out the Google Form! He...
Ep 54: Setting Up A Math Block With No Curriculum
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So you want to set up your math time to maximize success, but you don't have a curriculum. In this episode, we discuss components you can add to your ...
Ep 53: The First Week of Math in Early Elementary: Setting Up Your Math Workshop for Success
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we'll talk about how to set up your math class for success starting from the first week! Have a topic you want me to discuss? Fill ou...
Ep 52: 5 Games to Maximize Your Child’s Number Sense and Math Skills in 5 Minutes or Less!
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Parents and teachers! Are you looking for ideas to help with math at home?Sometimes all it takes is 5 minutes daily to have a huge impact on your chil...
Ep 51: 5 Minute Math Games For Parents to Prevent the Summer Slide for Kindergarten and First Grade!
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The summer slide is real! If you are a parent, caregiver, or teacher looking for games to play or suggest to your families, this episode is for you! T...
Ep 50: 4 Easy At-Home Ideas to Help Your Child With Number Writing
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, we’re diving into simple, hands-on ways to help your child practice writing numbers — without the boredom or frustration! Wh...
Ep 49: Beads as Math Tools
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore how simple materials—like beads—can transform your math centers. Beads aren’t just colorful and fun; they’re power...
Ep 48: 3 Unexpected Ways to Increase Engagement In Math
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this quick episode, we are diving into 3 unconventional ways to increase engagement in math class!Have a topic you want me to discuss? Fill out the...
Ep 47: Increasing Buy-In From Your Team to Start Building Thinking Classrooms
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode comes from a listener email about getting buy-in from other teachers to give BTC a try!Have a topic you want me to discuss? Fill out t...
Ep 46: Consolidation and Reflection For K-2 after Math Tasks and Problem Solving Sessions
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Transforming your classroom into a Building Thinking Classroom is an exciting journey—but when it comes to consolidating learning and reflecting on ...
Ep 45: Using AI to Help You Design Math Tasks!
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into how AI tools like ChatGPT can support teachers in crafting creative and engaging math tasks for Kindergarten, 1st-grade,...
Ep 44: 2nd Grade Tasks for Building a Thinking Classroom!
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Looking for ways to make 2nd-grade math engaging and fun? In this episode, we’re sharing creative, story-based tasks that get your students excited ...
Ep 43: 1st Grade Tasks for Building a Thinking Classroom!
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we’re diving into something that every early elementary teacher has faced: coming up with the perfect math task—especially for those curiou...
Ep 42: Kindergarten Building Thinking Classrooms Math Tasks
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes coming up with a task for Kindergarten is the hardest part! In this episode, I share 7 tasks perfect for your kindergarten classroom in a bu...
Ep 41: How to Plan a Building Thinking Classroom Style Math Task
27 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The hardest part about Building Thinking Classrooms is finding the tasks when you want to spice it up a bit! In this episode, I'm walking you through ...
Ep 40: Closing Circle For A Strong Math Community!
20 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Since you seemed to enjoy Math Games for Morning Meeting, this is a companion episode, not a math specific episode but helpful to create a respectful ...
Ep 39: Introducing the Addition and Subtraction Symbols
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Truth. Kids don't need addition and subtraction symbols to do addition and subtraction symbols. But when they do, give them a little…spice.Today we’...
Ep 38: Quick and Easy Subtraction Games up to 12
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Subtraction games can be tricker than addition because we don’t want students working with negative numbers in Kindergarten or First grade! This epi...
Ep 37: Print-and-Play Addition Games for Numbers to 12
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I love a good game to have kids learning and practicing math! The applause my students give when in math center time is music to my ears!These additio...
Ep 36: 6 Tips to Help Struggling Mathematicians
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you have the perfect lesson and crickets. Or… most of your students get it, but there are a handful who don’t. What do you do for them?I...
Ep 35: Things I Learned From My Kindergarten Students About Life
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As teachers, it's our job to be the ones doing the “teaching” but there is a lot we can learn from our students too! Far beyond the most recent sl...
Ep 34: 4 Easy Ways to Differentiate Your Math Centers
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We know that differentiation is good for kids…but who has the time? These differentiation methods are quick and easy to implement in the classroom! ...
Ep 33: Array Math Centers and Multiplication Task
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share some hands-on array math centers and a Building Thinking Classrooms Math Task involving arrays and unknown factors!Big kids l...
Ep 32: 10+ Ten Frame Activities
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do your 10 Frame centers need a refresh? In this episode, I share 10 plus warm-ups, math stations, and print-and-go activities involving 10 frames! If...
Ep 31: All About 10 Frames
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week we are talking all about 10 frames! Ten frames are a math tool that can help students develop anchors to 5 and 10 which are important pre-pl...
Ep 30: 5 Math Games for Morning Meeting or Circle Time
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Morning meeting is a great way to connect with your students and build a classroom community. There are times when you just play to play, but if you w...
Ep 29: Worked Examples in the Elementary Math Classroom
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find your students are making the same mistakes over and over again? Using a worked-out example is a great way to have your students discuss di...
Ep: 28 Math Activities for the 100th Day of School
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you looking for some math ideas for the 100th day of school? In this episode, I break down my favorite STEAM activities for the 100th day that you...
Ep 27: The 100’s Chart Games, Centers, and Missing Number Activities
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a 100’s chart collecting dust up on your wall? I did too but it was a mistake! The 100s chart is a great tool for developing number sens...
Ep: 26 Book Recommendations to Learn How Kids Learn Math
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you are looking for some recommendations of places to look to increase your knowledge of math pedagogy, center ideas, and more this episode is for ...
Ep 25: Getting Students to Engage in Math Class
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We all have off days, but sometimes your students are just not participating the way you would like in math and problem-solving. In this episode, I am...
Ep 19.5 Games for Counting On
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode comes from this YouTube video so you can see the games in action! Though some prefer to listen than watch!Your students may know their nu...
Ep 24: Mindfulness in Math Class
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If your students aren't available for learning, it doesn't matter how perfect your lesson is. In today's episode, I’m talking about Trauma Informed ...
Ep 23: Making Math Moments Virtual Summit Top Picks!
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!In this episode, I am giving you a sneak peek into the sessions I have my eye on in the Making Mat...
Ep 22: Facile Number Sequence the Final Counting Series Episode Part 6
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Register for the FREE Making Math Moments Virtual Summit 2023!Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!In this week's episode, we’ll look...
Ep 21: Intermediate Number Sequence Stages of Counting Series Part 5
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Register for the FREE Making Math Moments Virtual Summit 2023!Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!In this week's episode, we’ll look...
Ep 20: Initial Number Sequence: Stages of Counting Series Part 4
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Register for the FREE Making Math Moments Virtual Summit 2023!Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!In this week's episode, we’ll look...
Ep 19: Figurative Counters: Stages of Counting Series Part 3
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Register for the FREE Making Math Moments Virtual Summit 2023!Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!Any podcast episodes you want me to ...
Ep 18: Perceptual Counters: Stages of Counting Series Part 2
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Register for the FREE Making Math Moments Virtual Summit 2023!Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!In this week's episode, we are conti...
Ep: 17 Emergent Counters: Stages of Counters Series Part 1
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Register for the FREE Making Math Moments Virtual Summit 2023!Get my complete counting stages presentation slides!Do you have students who are having ...
Ep 16: Building Culturally Responsive Thinking Classroom: BTC Meets Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
While getting a refresher on Culturally Responsive Education, I realized how much the strategies in Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain match...
Ep 15: Choral Counting: Number Sense Routines Series
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rounding out our number sense routine series is Choral Counting. This routine is great for focusing on specific number sequences that may be tricky fo...
Ep 14: 8+ Rote Counting Ideas: Number Sense Routines Series
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of my least favorite standards to work on is counting to 100. 🧮 It takes a long time and it's abstract and the students who need to practice th...
Ep 13: Quick Images: Number Sense Routines Series
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing with our number sense routines series, is a tried and true routine students will love!I talk about what Quick Images is, how to implement i...
Ep 12: Which One Doesn’t Belong: Number Sense Routines Series
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode starts a series on the Podcast about Number Sense Routine you can implement in your classroom today! If you’ve seen Sesame Street, you ...
Ep 11: Hands on Morning Work For Early Elementary
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you over worksheets for morning work?I share some ideas for hands one morning work your students will love!Get the Full Bundle!Get the Morning Wor...
Ep 10: Should There Be Homework in Kindergarten?
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you feel about homework in kindergarten? If you don’t love kindergarten homework I have a solution for you that your students will love!Helpf...
Ep 9: Thinking for Starting Building Thinking Classrooms? Start Here!
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you ready to try? Try this Free Task!You may have read the Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics book and are pumped to start, but are not s...
Ep. 8 All About Rekenreks
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Would you like to try some of these activities for free?Do you have rekenreks sitting around your classroom and are wondering what to do with them? I ...
Ep. 7 Building Thinking Classrooms in Results Kindergarten- One Year Later
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After a year of using the Building Thinking Classrooms framework, how did it work in Kindergarten? In this podcast, I talk about my results with these...
Ep. 6 Counting, Progress Monitoring and Visual Goal Setting
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's episode, I talk all about a quick assessment and data-tracking resource to support you and your students in creating counting and numbe...
Ep 5. What is Subitizing? Why do I need to know that?!
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Learn more about subitizing, and get your kids excited about math! Subitizing is a useful skill for young mathematicians to learn and will help them d...
Ep 4: One to One Correspondence Strategies and Activities
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One-to-one correspondence isn't as easy as it sounds! There is so much involved in learning to count that we don't even think about as adults! In this...
Ep 3: 5 Amazon Must Haves for the Math Classroom!
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ep 4: 5 Amazon Must Haves for the ClassroomTeacher appreciation is right around the corner, and I don’t know about you but I have had parents ask me...
Ep 2: 5 Steps to Setting Up Math Workshop for Success!
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you been wanting to do math center time in your classroom but are unsure where to start and how to make it run like clockwork? This episode is fo...
Ep 1: Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics in Kindergarten
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Try a task for free! ✨ Building Thinking Classrooms FREE TaskHave you heard of the Book “Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics” by PeterIn...
Ep 0. A Math Origin Story
09 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hi! I'm Lara and I didn't used to be a math person. Through a winding series of events, I have developed a passion for early elementary mathematics! L...