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Content Literacy in Math
Using Literacy Strategies in
the Math Classroom
TIPS!
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Make Content Literacy a priority!!!
Vocabulary, Writing, Reading
Take it slow—Don’t try to implement everything
at one time!!
Make sure what you choose to do has a purpose
and is meaningful!!
Make vocabulary an everyday part of your
classroom—Not just one special day of the week
or month.
If you want students to write in math, you have
to teach them how to do so!
Vocabulary
 Book–
Teaching Mathematics Vocabulary
in Context by: Miki Murray
 Word Wall/ Personal Word Walls
 Once every two weeks:
Vocabulary Notecards
 Vocabulary Activity

***Use Everyday in Math DISCUSSIONS!***
*** Use in writing!! ***
VOCABULARY NOTECARDS
DEFINITION
EXAMPLE
NON-EXAMPLE
PICTURE
Word Examples
 Prime---
a number with two factors
 Composite–
a number with more than 2
factors
 Distributive
 Rational
Property– a ( b + c) – ab + ac
Number- a number that can be
written as a fraction
Vocabulary Activities
 Crossword
Puzzles
 Word Scrambles (Example)
 Fictional Stories (Guidelines/Differentiate)
Life as a Variable
Write a letter to a holiday character
(**Provide a Rubric**)
 Fibonacci Poem (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1)
 4 Circles (Differentiate)
Fibonacci Poem
DIVISIBILITY
1
1
2
3
5
8
5
3
2
1
1
MATH
HOUSE
DIVIDE
WHOLE NUMBERS
REMAINDER ZERO
WHEN THE LAST DIGIT IS EVEN
THEN DIVIDE BY TWO
THE ANSWER
SHOULD BE
A
WHOLE
Four Circles
 Give
a list of vocabulary words, and four
circles. Students must group the words into
the four circles and give each circle a title!
Words:
Variable
Variable Expression
Rational
Irrational
Opposites
Commutative
Natural
Distributive
Constant
Associative
Sum
Product
Quotient
Difference
Terminating Decimal
Repeating Decimals
Term
Whole
Coefficient
Evaluate
Integers
Absolute Value
Additive Inverse
VOCABULARY GAMES!
 NAME
THAT VOCABULARY WORD
 TABOO–
I
WITH MATH WORDS!
HAVE--- WHO HAS
 BINGO
WRITING IN MATH!!!
TRUE UNDERSTANDING
HAPPENS WHEN ONE
CAN EXPLAIN A
CONCEPT TO
ANOTHER!!!!
Writing Guidelines
(According to Matkovich)
 Start
 It
from Day 1
will be a journey!!!
 Model–
Model– Model (show examples—
good and bad)
 Encourage the use of Vocabulary Words
in writing!!
Writing Activities
 Math
Story (Given as HW Day 1)
 Team
Journal (Interdisciplinary Journal)
 Lesson
Summaries
TEAM JOURNAL
 About
one every 1 ½ to 2 weeks
 They are checked for completion-but not
collected and actually graded
 Have groups read their journals to each
other, and pick the best one to share
 Randomly pick students to read (popsicle
sticks)
 Have group contest—which group uses
the most vocabulary words.
Journal Prompt #1
 Suzy
just moved to our school from
Washington. She needs you to explain
how to complete the following problem.
Do not leave out one step or she will be
lost:
2½÷ ¾
Journal Entry #2
Pretend
you are a division sign.
Tell me about a typical day for a
division sign. Try to include 15
vocabulary words from the word
wall.
Describe the difference between
an expression and an equation.
LESSON SUMMARIES!!
TAKE NOTES
MAKE NOTES
QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE
NOTES!!!
SUMMARY!!
5 SENTENCES ABOUT THE LESSON! ENCOURAGE TO
INCLUDE VOCABULARY WORDS!! CHECK FOR
COMPLETION—CHOOSEN RANDOMLY TO READ!
TEXTBOOK SCAVENGER
HUNT!
Teach students how to
use their Math
textbook!!