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12 Great Ways to Review Math Vocabulary

math vocabulary assignments

Great Ways to Review Math Vocabulary

Math vocabulary practice is so important for students!  These ideas for activities and games will help you find fun and engaging ways to practice with your students. This vocabulary game for high school geometry is so much fun!

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5 Fun activities for teaching math vocabulary

  • September 20, 2022
  • Rebekah Bergman
  • Education Tips & Tricks

Success in math isn’t only a matter of numbers; math vocabulary plays a huge role too! For students to gain true mastery of math, they need to become fluent in the language of mathematics. Becoming fluent means building a vocabulary that includes words from “addend” to the “y-axis,” understanding those words, and then being able to use them and apply them to new scenarios. Plus, a word can have one meaning inside the math classroom and an entirely different one outside of it, think of “odd” and “plane.” Math vocab also includes words and phrases that are also symbols that students need to learn how to recognize, read, and use (e.g., ℼ and √).

With many skills and standards to master, it can be tricky for math teachers to find time and opportunities to devote to vocabulary instruction . Keep reading to explore five fun ideas to teach math vocabulary.

5 Fun activities and tips for teaching math vocabulary

1. incorporate vocabulary into number talks, do nows, and your other rituals and routines..

Vocabulary instruction doesn’t have to occur in an isolated vacuum; researchers say it shouldn’t be ( File, Kieran & Adams, Rebecca, 2010 )! Exposing students to math words as they are used authentically in context is an effective strategy to build their vocabulary. It can be relatively simple to do this: you can use your existing classroom rituals and routines–like Number Talks or Do Nows–as opportunities to integrate vocabulary learning.

Exposing students to a word will not be enough to grow their vocabulary. Repetition and context are key.  As a word is used, take a moment to examine it with students. How is that vocabulary word being used in this problem or example? If the vocab word is relatively new to your students, you might provide direct instruction about its meaning and usage. If it’s a word students have seen many times already, you might pause for a quick check for understanding to reinforce the meaning and usage.

Here are some specific vocabulary activities you can implement into your classroom routines:

  • Make a game of spotting the vocabulary. Ask students to keep an eye out for their math vocabulary words throughout the class. Consider creating a gesture or other signal that students can make if they see or hear one of the words used in a Number Talk or Do Now. Turn it into a friendly competition and offer prizes. Keep it easy and quick for you to implement, and this game can become its own vocabulary ritual that will foster engagement and keep the learning going and growing. 
  • Use Flocabulary to spot vocabulary words in a song. Flocabulary creates standards-aligned hip-hop infused videos for K-12 subjects. Every Flocabulary lesson includes 3-10 vocabulary words. Pause the video, or have students raise their hand for you to pause the video, whenever a vocab word is used. Look at the lyrics and visuals on the screen that represent the word or phrase, and discuss the vocabulary before you continue playing the song!

2. Have students speak, write, and draw their math vocabulary words.

Math teachers know the importance of manipulatives for gaining first-hand experience with abstract mathematical concepts. Similarly, students need opportunities to practice speaking, writing and drawing new words to fully incorporate those words into their vocabulary and make them their own.

Here are a few activities that provide students with this opportunity:

  • Have students apply the word to a new scenario by writing a sentence or creating their own example problem.
  • Ask students to draw a visual representation of a word.
  • Pair students up or put them in small groups to have conversations using their vocabulary.
  • Use a Frayer model graphic organizer . This typically includes four boxes for each vocabulary word with space for students to create a definition, list examples, list non-examples, and describe features or facts.
  • Assign students Flocabulary’s Vocab Cards. Inspired by the Frayer model, Vocab Cards feature a definition in student-friendly language, words, parts of speech, an image, synonyms, antonyms, and an example sentence. There is room for students to practice writing an example and drawing the word, too. Assign these Vocab Cards and have students share their work, or you can complete them front-of-class together.

3. Have students keep a journal with examples and definitions of their vocabulary words.

In a vocabulary journal, you can have students log any new words they have encountered incidentally while solving word problems, the vocabulary words you introduced, or provided direct instruction around, or a combination of both!

How much and what you have students record for each word is up to you! But again, knowing the importance of exposing students to a word in multiple contexts, you might have students create a running log with space for additional examples of the word used in context as they come across them. Having a journal is especially useful during test prep season because students can refer back to what they’ve learned.

Here’s a breakdown of how students can create a vocabulary journal:

  • Adding words to the journal will help students commit the new vocabulary to memory. For each entry, students can write the word, a predicted definition from context, the real definition they find, and examples.
  • Students can use the journal to self-assess. Have them set up the page with the words on one side and the definitions on the other. When they fold the page in half, they can quiz themselves!
  • Use Read & Respond to record new words in their journal. After students watch a Flocabulary video, have them complete the Read & Respond accompanying activity. Instruct them to write down any additional vocabulary words from the text passages in their journal.
  • Seeing this journal grow can be hugely motivational , especially for students who might struggle in other areas of mathematics. Over time, the vocabulary journal will also serve as a comprehensive and living record of their learning.

4. Gamify vocab instruction for added fun, competition, and collaboration.

Earlier, we discussed ways to create a game for math vocabulary words used throughout class time. You can also play games with students using the math terms in new contexts to test their knowledge.

Gameplay can be one round or many. Educational games can be especially significant when students need to reset their energy level or get up and move a bit before they’re ready to sit still or quietly focus on a different kind of task. It also creates opportunities to build classroom community through friendly competition and student collaboration. These games do not take much time away from the other math learning and practice. They also don’t require many materials or time to set up.

Here are some vocabulary games and activities students can do:

  • Charades: Students can work in partners or teams to act out a vocabulary word and have their teammates guess it correctly.
  • Pictionary: Students can draw a vocabulary word and have their teammates guess it correctly.
  • Fil-in-the-blanks: Students can come up with a fill-in-the-blank sentence for their teammates to compete or race to identify which vocab word is being defined or described.
  • Flocabulary’s Vocab Game : In this game, students complete fill-in-the-blank sentences and match definitions, images, synonyms, and antonyms with the right vocabulary word. Correct answers add new instruments to build a Flocab beat! By the end of the game, students will be able to listen to a beat they’ve created by completing the fill-in-the-blanks. Flocabulary’s Vocab Game is available in every lesson.

5. Allow room for students to get creative!

“Creating” is at the very top of Bloom’s Taxonomy and is considered to require higher-order thinking skills. While most tips on this list won’t take much time to implement, this one can take longer, but we feel the investment can be well worth the time. With that in mind, you can consider a creative vocab assignment.

You can use vocabulary activities to encourage freedom, expression, and creativity. After all, we know that students can do a lot more than write sentences and draw pictures. Often, they crave opportunities to engage more creatively with their learning.

Here are a few ways to get creative with vocab instruction with students:

  • Create a picture book or other visual that could teach younger students about one or more math vocab terms while telling a story.
  • Create and perform a skit that uses math vocab in a real-world context. 
  • Create a poem that uses examples or definitions of math vocabulary words.
  • Use Lyric Lab to have students create their own songs using their vocabulary words. Lyric Lab is a rhyme-writing tool available in every Flocabulary lesson. It includes a rhyming dictionary and beats that students can use to help them write their rap or poem. It also consists of a word bank that keeps track of which vocabulary words they’ve used. You can have students write songs in Lyric Lab and perform them to celebrate the end of a unit!

Start using these tips in your math classroom

Across all subject areas, vocabulary is essential to comprehension. It’s estimated that students need to know more than 90% of words in a text to understand it ( Schmitt et al., 2011 ). In math, this means that students need opportunities to learn the language of math to understand the problems they are solving. Fortunately, there are lots of fun and easy-to-implement ways you can build students’ math vocabulary, and Flocabulary’s videos and lesson activities can help!

Interested in reading more about this topic? Check out this blog post: Tips for math instruction with Flocabulary

  • Welcome to the Flocast: Flocabulary’s Hip-Hop Pedagogy Podcast
  • How to use hip-hop as a teaching tool for vocabulary repetition

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The Complete Guide to Teaching Math Vocabulary

By Mary Montero

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This FREE context clues guide includes a ton of ideas, context clues lessons, essential skills, book list, free activities, and more!

I am a firm believer that students in the upper grades can be expected to use precise math vocabulary. This means they know the difference between conceptual and computational errors, they fluently use words like “sum” and “product,” and they read decimals with tenths and hundreds instead of points. The more we can incorporate this seamlessly into our instruction and conversation, the more automatic it will become for students. Now, I never call out my students for using informal math vocabulary. However, just like we practice reading fluency, it’s important to me that we practice math fluency as well! 

This FREE context clues guide includes a ton of ideas, context clues lessons, essential skills, book list, free activities, and more!

Download Everything You Need– for free!

This free PDF guide will allow you to have all of the math vocabulary resources right at your fingertips.

Why it’s important to use correct, precise math vocabulary:

  • It increases student comprehension and ability to tackle math word problems
  • It improves performance on standardized tests (which almost always use proper, precise math vocabulary)
  • It gives every child a little knowledge boost as they progress through the grade levels
  • It increases conceptual understanding of math concepts

A special note: Please note that I have used these strategies and expectations with all students, but students needing extra support or English Language Learners may need additional scaffolds, support, and accommodations. I never call out a student for using informal math vocabulary.

Important Math Vocabulary Lessons

I infuse proper math vocabulary into all of my lessons, but I do teach three explicit lessons on the skill.

Lesson #1: Expression vs. Equation

We dissect the words expression and equation. You’ll see in the anchor chart below that  “Express” is underlined under Expression and “Equa” is underlined under Equation. Expressions are short, hence the “express” and “equa” is similar to equal. This helps my students remember the difference and infuses a bit of word study as well.

expression vs equation math vocabulary anchor chart

Lesson #2: Conceptual vs. Computational Understanding

I teach this lesson in relation to analyzing errors in your work, but it’s essential. When students have me check a piece of work, and I tell them it’s wrong, I will always tell them whether it’s computational or conceptual, which requires them to understand the difference between the two. If it’s computational, I typically don’t do a lot of reteaching. If it’s a conceptual error, I know I need to help them with the concept. This also makes them highly aware of their gaps in knowledge – there is a big difference between making computational mistakes and not understanding the concept. Don’t skip this lesson!

error analysis math anchor chart

Lesson #3: Formal vs. Informal Math Talk 

The upper grades, we do a fun little lesson about formal vs. informal math talk. We discuss that it’s perfectly fine to occasionally use informal math talk, but the more we use formal math talk, the more automatic it will become (just like informal math talk!). Here are the math topics I focus on the most:

  • Operations: I constantly ask my students what OPERATION they used to solve the problem. When asking them about their answer, I’m always sure to ask “What the sum/difference/product/quotient.”
  • Decimal Points: We read 2.34 as two and thirty-four hundredths , not two point three four
  • Reading Whole numbers: We don’t use and when reading larger numbers, specifically because that’s how we read decimal numbers, and we don’t want to get in that habit early on.
  • Reading Fractions: We refer to the top number as the numerator and the bottom number as the denominator .
  • Greater than and Less Than: As students get older, they should fluently be able to read statements using <,>, and =
  • Regroup and Decompose: It’s really hard to break the habit of saying “borrow,” but they aren’t borrowing numbers, they are regrouping them.
  • Improper Fractions and Fractions Greater than One: This is newer, and one I still accidentally use sometimes! 
  • Reduced and Simplified Fractions: I use both terms interchangeable, BUT I make sure that students understand that we are not reducing the size of a fraction when we simplify. 
  • Geometry Terms: I’m a stickler for this one too – those aren’t corner. Those are vertices! 
  • Dimensions: Make it a point to teach this term and how to read dimensions. This is hugely important as students learn about area and perimeter (other terms you should always use). 
  • Digits vs. Numbers: This is akin to understanding that letters make up words. Digits make up numbers, and it’s important that students understand the difference.

expression vs equation math vocabulary anchor chart

More Math Vocabulary Practice

The free PDF guide includes extra practice for 145 math vocabulary terms!

free math vocabulary practice activities

Excellent Books for Teaching Math Vocabulary and Skills

I created an  Amazon Affiliate List of my favorite math picture books . The free PDF includes activity suggestions to use with some of the books to make teaching math vocabulary lessons easier!

math vocabulary books

Related Blog Posts

  • Teaching Precise Math Vocabulary
  • Analyzing Errors
  • Teaching Domain Specific Vocabulary

Related Resources

  • Math and Literacy Anchor Chart Mega Bundle
  • Error Analysis Bundle
  • Math Projects Bundle
  • 5th Grade Spiral Math Review

Mary Montero

I’m so glad you are here. I’m a current gifted and talented teacher in a small town in Colorado, and I’ve been in education since 2009. My passion (other than my family and cookies) is for making teachers’ lives easier and classrooms more engaging.

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Build Strong Math Vocabulary Skills Using These Simple Strategies

Learning new vocabulary is a fundamental part of understanding math concepts. Use these strategies to build both fluency and engagement.

Illustration of math and writing activities

Math class doesn’t seem like the most obvious choice for word walls, glossary lists, and word of the day games. But a strong understanding of math terms is essential for mastering concepts—meaning strategies for building robust vocabulary are surprisingly useful. 

Recently, fifth-grade math teacher Kathleen Palmieri began to wonder how well her students understood the complex terms used in textbooks and word problems. So she performed some action research by pulling out 10 key terms—including exponent, base, equivalent, and estimate—and asked students to define those terms using words or numbers, she writes in a recent piece for MiddleWeb . About 40 percent of her kids could write a basic definition, exposing significant gaps in conceptual fluency.

“What I discovered in my students’ responses was that learning math terminology is more than studying a list of words,” she said, concluding that regular practice with new math terminology facilitates mathematical discourse and understanding. “It is much more of an architecture of learning where concepts need to be explored and a pathway of understanding needs to be blazed before a mathematical term can be attached to establish true meaning.”

Here are a few of the ways Palmieri and other teachers “immerse students in the language of math”—while keeping student engagement high. 

1. Let students do the defining: Students need to contextualize words before they can understand them, and need repeated exposure to them before they sink in. 

As an alternative to Palmieri’s baseline assessment, have students pull out the key terms they think will be important later. Literacy specialist Rebecca Alber asked her students to skim a chapter from a textbook and identify their own vocabulary list . Students would then rate each term by whether they “know it,” “sort of know it,” or “don't know it at all.” Afterward, they wrote out a definition or took their best guess at the term’s meaning.

“Before they turn in these pre-reading charts, be sure to emphasize this is not about ‘being right,’” she advised. “They are providing you with information to guide next steps in class vocabulary instruction.”

Similarly, Palmieri provides some introductory context and asks students to add to an expanding glossary. Research has largely dispelled the practice of writing out memorized definitions from textbooks, so Palmieri takes a different tack. Students take an active role in coming up with definitions based on their learning. As students learn more about the terms and how they’re used, they update definitions. At the end of the lesson, to consolidate learning, it may prove helpful to review all the terms as a class.

2. Get creative with word walls: Instead of writing terms on a word wall and hanging it up for students to glance at, Palmieri has students write terms on colorful Post-Its and affix them to bulletin boards. She also gets great engagement from letting students use art supplies to creatively show what they’ve learned: “Bubble letters, examples of problems and definitions with graphics are truly fun ‘math’ activities,” she explains. “Students present and explain their term and then proudly display their poster in the classroom.” 

Unlike static word walls, these strategies involve principles of constructivism , an active and social learning theory where learners build on previous knowledge and create new learning themselves. As students learn new concepts, they can define terms in real-time, make adjustments as the concepts deepen, and hang them around the classroom for others to learn from.

3. Make it a game: Math instruction doesn’t have to be drab, says Palmieri. You can introduce familiar word games like Pictionary, where students draw out clues and others try to guess the concept. She also plays a game called “What’s My Term?” where “students verbally give clues as others listen.” 

Likewise, language specialist and Harvard lecturer Rebecca Rolland suggests a game where students show they know what terms mean by listing “non-examples” of things they are studying. For instance, acute angles can look “‘sharp’ but not ‘curvy’ or ‘wavy’ or ‘square,’” she says. Ask students to come up with creative non-examples and explain their thought processes. “That same acute angle might look like a door that’s partly shut, but not like a smile or a cloud.” 

Still others play match games with index cards face down on a table, or encourage students to create definitions that rhyme or fit to music. In these cases, the game itself is perhaps less important than the act of engaging students to commit the terms to memory. 

4. Word(s) of the day: To reinforce specific concepts, Palmieri has the class come up with a word of the day or week, depending on the duration of the lesson. Students count how often the word is used and in which contexts (e.g., in word problems, during class discussion, in small group activities). 

Inspired by research she had done that suggested students need to use a word between six and 30 times to truly learn it, sixth-grade teacher Megan Kelly began picking three words to focus on for a day and reviewing the terms at the start of class. During class, she emphasizes the words herself, and asks students to use the words as many times as they can with a partner. 

“I used the words a ton in my directions and made a big deal whenever I heard a student say one of our goal words,” she says. “Everyone wants to be in on the fun, so each time I praised someone for using the word, there was an increase in others using them too.”

5. Break down word problems: Word problems are notoriously difficult, especially when challenging language obscures the intent of the question. Before students solve word problems numerically, Palmieri has the whole class perform a close read for sense-making. Together they pull out key words and create a written response. Working out word problems as a group is a well-established strategy. Teachers at Concourse Village Elementary School in New York City use a 3-read protocol : First, they read the word problem aloud to the class without numbers, then students read the complete problem on their own and pull out key terms before reading it together as a class. The 3-read protocol clarifies “what they’re reading and helps to build their fluency,” says Blair Pacheco, a teacher who has used the strategy with her students.

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6 Ways to Build Math Vocabulary in the Classroom

6 ways to build math vocabulary

Math vocabulary is often an overlooked, but integral part of developing strong mathematicians. Let’s just take a look at this real interaction with a student toward the end of our lesson on parallel lines:

“Which two lines in this diagram are parallel?” *Head scratch* “What does parallel mean??”

The student couldn’t answer the question because they didn’t know what the word parallel meant even though they knew the concept of parallel. It got me thinking about the importance of building math vocabulary in the classroom. 

Supporting students in building math vocabulary through explicit vocabulary instruction is an important part of growing their math learning. It provides them with a common language to communicate about their mathematical thinking (and we know how important math discourse is!).

Without this shared language, students have difficulty communicating and comprehending what is being asked of them.

You’re probably familiar with previewing vocabulary so you might be wondering if students need to know the math vocabulary before learning the related content. Well, yes and no. While previewing vocabulary is important, we don’t need students to master all the words before discussing math concepts.

Instead, as we are working through math content, I introduce the related vocabulary word and then encourage students to use the word. When students are learning these new words, they are practicing using them in context rather than in isolation and are more likely to learn them.

While vocabulary is clearly important, I’ll share one very important caveat: don’t teach keywords as a strategy for solving word problems. As I shared in a previous post, I used to teach keywords until I learned that they aren’t actually very helpful. *cringe* Lesson learned!

The activities and teacher moves I share below will support all students, but are also incredibly important for multilingual learners. Even multilingual learners who appear fluent in English need continued instruction in academic language. For example, a student may know the word “right” to mean correct or the direction opposite of left, but in math, the word “right” as it relates to angles has a very different meaning! Explicitly teaching vocabulary will greatly support your multilingual learners. Ok, let’s dig in!

Modeling Math Vocabulary

Teaching math vocabulary starts with us, the teachers. It’s important for us to model using the vocabulary words we want kids to be using. It gives students the opportunity to hear the word in context and reinforces the expectation of using math academic vocabulary. 

In addition to just using the words we want students to learn, it’s also important to reinforce words that students are referring to. For example, if a student says “I counted the biggest coin first and then the smallest coin and got 35,” we can rephrase what they said but replace the vague language with the math vocabulary word we want them to use: “So are you saying that you first counted the quarter and then the dime to get 35 cents?” If you use this rephrasing move, you’ll also want to do some prompting to ensure students are also getting the opportunity to use the words themselves. 

Prompting for Math Vocabulary

When students are responding to questions or having partner or small group discussions, they’ll often have to refer to math concepts but they may not always be able to recall the precise words they need to communicate effectively. Whether you do this proactively or reactively, prompting can be an effective strategy.

To be proactive, prompt students to use specific words during partner or group discussions. Say, “In a moment you’ll talk to your partner/group about (topic). When you are discussing, be sure to use the word (vocabulary word) in your explanation.” Prompting students in this way will help keep the vocabulary word at the forefront of their minds as they begin talking.

*Bonus points if you display the word you want them to use just in case they forget!

Sometimes even with the best proactive teaching strategies, students will still not use precise vocabulary. In this case, you can prompt students to rephrase their thought while using the vocabulary word. Let’s go back to my earlier example.

If a student says “I counted the biggest coin and then the smallest coin and got 35,” you might respond by saying, “Can you say that again but use the names of the coins you are talking about so we can really follow your thinking?” Students can then use any reference they have available to them to rephrase using that academic vocabulary. Speaking of references… 

Math Vocabulary Notes

Now, when I say notes, I’m not talking about the kind of notes you took in high school. I just mean all the different ways you can have kids record the vocabulary words they have learned.

For writing, my students keep personal dictionaries. These dictionaries are nothing fancy and are actually just small spiral-bound pages that I assemble myself. In them, students write the words they are learning to spell so that they can reference them as they are writing. Of course, these don’t need to be their own notebooks, but can be index cards on rings, the back of their regular notebooks, or even stapled pages.

Math personal dictionaries are a little different than the ones we use in writing though because we aren’t super concerned with spelling, but with the connection of the word with the meaning. So instead of just writing words, I’ll have kids include a definition in their own words, a picture, an example, or some combination of those. Putting vocabulary into their own words helps students to internalize math vocabulary because in order to use their own words, they have to have a deeper understanding of them.

Math Vocabulary Word Walls

Strengthen Math Vocabulary with a math word wall (small math vocabulary cards)

Similar to vocabulary notes, a word wall contains the words we want students to learn. Unlike word walls we might use for reading or writing, we want to make sure our math word walls also have a student-friendly definition and if appropriate, a picture. That way students do not have to try to recall the meaning of the word when they are trying to use precise language.

Having words up on the wall isn’t enough though! Many students won’t naturally use the word wall so they need to be taught how to use it as a reference. As the teacher, you should refer to it often, prompt students to refer to it when appropriate, and provide positive feedback when students use it, especially independently. When deciding what words to include on your word wall, consider the words required by your state standards as well as any additional words your math program includes.

Don’t worry, I’ve got your back on this one. If you’d like to start math word wall in your classroom, I have them available at each grade level K-6, and a bundle if you teach multiple grades. With visual representations and student-friendly definitions, the cards help students remember key vocabulary. 

Building Math Vocabulary with Math Word walls

Internalize Math Vocabulary with Gestures

Multi-sensory instruction is really impactful! Adding gestures to the mix when teaching math vocabulary can help students to internalize the meaning of the words. In fact, years ago our art teacher had kids put their arms out like an airplane anytime he or someone else said the word “horizontal” and straight up and down when someone said “vertical.” He really needed kids to learn these words because of how often they came up in art class.

Every single year when we got to our geometry unit, the kids already knew what those two words meant and as soon as I began introducing horizontal and vertical lines, their arms started flying. I was so amazed at how well they knew the words and how engaged they were.

So, consider what other gestures you can use when introducing vocabulary words. There are so many ways we can incorporate gestures to help students learn important vocabulary words!

Math Vocabulary Games

Who doesn’t love games? Using games when teaching vocabulary can help to engage students while learning. Some of my favorites are memory, crossword puzzles, and charades. For memory, have kids match up a math vocabulary word and a definition. I’ve even had kids use the index cards they created for their words as cards. They can play independently or with others – it’s fun either way!

Crossword puzzles are easier to create than you might think. There are so many free crossword puzzle creators out there and all you have to do is type in the word and the clue and they create the puzzle for you. Easy!

Finally, remember the gestures we just talked about? Make them into a game of charades! This can be fun in small groups or as a whole class activity.

Do you have other favorite ways of building math vocabulary in the classroom? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

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Teaching Math Vocabulary that Sticks

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For math to be accessible to students, math vocabulary must be taught! Let’s talk about teaching math vocabulary in a way that sticks!

Teaching math vocabulary helps students engage with math concepts at a deeper level. These tips will help you teach vocabulary that sticks! | maneuveringthemiddle.com

Let’s see how important math vocabulary is to understanding and solving this problem. Could you solve this problem? I covered up a vital piece of information needed to solve this problem to emulate what a student might experience without knowing the vocabulary necessary to solve.

Teaching math vocabulary helps students engage with math concepts at a deeper level. These tips will help you teach vocabulary that sticks! | maneuveringthemiddle.com

Model Using the Math Language

If we want students to use the words we are teaching, we need to practice using it ourselves. Vocabulary requires exposure. Using the words as frequently as possible, students will hear  the words as frequently as possible, increasing their comfort with the words.

If a student uses a vocabulary word incorrectly, then make sure to correct it. “Bottom number” is a “denominator.”

As teachers, we can jump ahead to the solving of a problem, but using the STAAR test question above, we should start by asking students – “What does surface area mean?”

Annotating word problems or questions is also a way to practice math vocabulary. Anytime we read the word “percent,” we wrote “/100” to remember that percent meant “out of 100.”Let’s look at another math vocabulary rich problem: 

math vocabulary assignments

Here are some questions you can ask to practice that math vocabulary. 

  • What makes a number an integer?
  • Is -53 an integer?
  • What does absolute value mean?

Get Ahead By Previewing Vocabulary

If you are a Texas teacher, you can use this excellent document that will show you which vocabulary words are new to the grade level as well as words from previous grade levels. This is a great place to start for a word wall. 

  • 6th grade 

Previewing the vocabulary for an upcoming unit is a great place to start when teaching math vocabulary. In my experience, students copying definitions killed the energy in class, but offering students a “kid-friendly” definition that you referenced daily and had them practice (using some of the ideas in this post) was much more successful. 

math vocabulary assignments

Display a Word Wall

Update 7/28/2023: maneuvering the middle now has a middle school math + algebra 1 word wall..

Math Word Wall for Middle School

As you can see in the video below, our Word Wall includes 190 essential math terms, their clear-cut definitions, and their visual representations.

We’ve included Spanish translations for all terms and definitions, ensuring a supportive and accessible learning experience for English Language Learners.

They were designed to be minimal prep and flexible to customize the formatting to suit your students’ unique needs.

Word walls are a vital part of any math classroom. You can learn more about word walls in this post .  If students are taking a brain break and staring off into space, they are likely staring at some math content. To have the most useful word wall, make sure words include a short definition, picture, and can be visible from the furthest spot in the classroom.

Teaching math vocabulary helps students engage with math concepts at a deeper level. These tips will help you teach vocabulary that sticks! | maneuveringthemiddle.com

My word wall was constantly building. The wall started with 3 words in unit 1 and eventually built to just under 100 by the end of the school year. I purchased my sixth grade TEKS word wall here . 

Teaching math vocabulary helps students engage with math concepts at a deeper level. These tips will help you teach vocabulary that sticks! | maneuveringthemiddle.com

Pointing out the addition of new words to the word wall and where students can access help if needed lets students know that the word wall is for their use! It is meant to be used!

Provide Opportunities to Use the Words in Context

When asking students questions, prompt the response to include vocabulary in their answer. This is the lowest lift, but it is so effective! Use a turn and talk and a cold call to get every student responding.

  • Instead of: how do we divide fractions?
  • Try: Using the word reciprocal, explain how we divide fractions.
  • Instead of: What sides of the triangle are congruent?
  • Try: Using the word congruent, describe what you notice about the sides of this triangle.

I read that you need to use a new word about 10 times before you remember it!  Teaching math vocabulary is something that you build into your instruction.

Fun Practice for Spiraling Definitions

To keep vocabulary and definitions fresh, use any of these activities in the last few minutes of class:

  • Flyswatter Games – If you want students to get familiar with your word wall, use the Flyswatter Game.  This is a very engaging review game. If you are like me and don’t bother to cover up anything in your room before a test, this will help remind students where to look when they are stuck.  Two students face off with fly swatters in hand.  You give them a prompt such as “2, 4, 6, 8” are examples of ______” And the first student to swat the word ‘multiples’ earns their team a point.
  • Flashlight Game -This game is great for those last few minutes of class as a sponge activity.  Turn off the lights and use a flashlight to point to a word on the wall.  Students can then shout out an example, the definition, or even a counter-example. 
  • Guess the Word – I played this in a PD, and immediately implemented it in my classroom. One student stands with the white board behind them facing the rest of the classroom. You write (or have a slide deck prepared) a vocabulary word behind the student. Students in the classroom take turns giving the students hints to what vocabulary word is written behind them. You see how many words the student can guess in a given amount of time. 
  • Quizziz or Kahoot – Both have a vast library of vocabulary rich games.

How do you teach math vocabulary to your students?

Teaching math vocabulary helps students engage with math concepts at a deeper level. These tips will help you teach vocabulary that sticks! | maneuveringthemiddle.com

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The Comprehensive Math Vocabulary List for Elementary School

John dabell.

Like many teachers, you’re probably keen to support your students with their math vocabulary but narrowing down the list and keeping track of what students know and what they don’t know can be hard.

We know how important math vocabulary is in elementary school and earlier. As a related article on mathematical language shows, many problem solving questions on tests involve quite a complex and nuanced understanding of math terminology, even before you’ve attempted to answer the question.

Ultimate Math Vocabulary Lists

Download this free math vocabulary list for Kindergarten through to 5th grade

At the start of each of our online one-to-one math tutoring lessons, our math tutors will recap all the keywords for the topic, just to establish what the children know already, and to understand how much support will be needed.

This is similar to what you will do every day in your math lessons or in your knowledge organizers , with the key words on the whiteboard or highlighted clearly.

The challenge sometimes in math can be ‘which key words’ to choose. That’s why we’ve created a starting point for you – a comprehensive list of the math vocabulary words that all elementary school children should know before middle school.

What’s in our Third Space Math Vocabulary List?

How to use your math vocabulary list, why you need a math vocabulary list in your classroom, ideas to improve math vocabulary include:.

The math vocab list is definitely just a starting point for your students’ adventures into the marvels of mathematical language.

We’ve deliberately kept it to the most important words both to focus students’ attention and to give time and space for children to add their own definitions and explanations as well as any additional terms that they need to remember for each grade level.

Children are much more likely to remember the meanings and terms of mathematical words and phrases if they have constructed the pages for themselves. They can choose vocabulary which reflects their age range, and once made, the dictionary can be accessed and used frequently in math lessons.

Math Vocabulary List

math vocabulary assignments

Your students’ A-Z of math terms and their definitions could include:

2D shape, 3D shape, Acute, Addition, Adjacent, Alternate, Angle, Area, Area model, Ascending order, Associative property, Attribute, Average, Axis of symmetry, Baker’s dozen, Base, Base angles, Bisect, Capacity, Cardinal number, Circumference, Commutative property, Composite number, Congruent, Consecutive, Coordinates, Decimal, Decompose, Denominator, Descending order, Diagonal, Difference, Digit, Dimensions, Distributive property, Division, Dodecagon, Dozen, Edge, Equation, Equilateral triangle, Equivalent, Estimate, Even number, Expanded form, Exponent, Expression, Exterior, Face, Face value, Factor, Fraction, Greater than, Heptagon, Hexagon, Horizontal, Improper fraction, Integer, Interior, Intersection, Irregular shapes, Isosceles triangle, Length, Kite, Less than, Line of symmetry, Mean, Median, Mixed number, Mode, Multiple, Multiplication, Numerator, Oblong, Obtuse angle, Octagon, Odd number, Order of operations, Ordinal number, Parallel lines, Parallelogram, Parentheses, Partial product, PEMDAS, Pentagon, Perimeter, Perpendicular line, Place value, Polygon, Polyhedron, Prime number, Product, Quadrant, Quadrilateral, Quotient, Rectangle, Rhombus, Right angle, Rounding, Scalene triangle, Square number, Squared, Standard algorithm, Standard form, Subtraction, Sum, Symmetrical, Trapezoid, Vertex, Vertical line, Whole number, Width, Word form.

To really embed students’ knowledge of new math terminology, we recommend you encourage them to build their own math vocabulary list. You can use our list or parts of our list as a prompt to get them started, build math sentence stems or hand out a vocabulary list in full and encourage them to add to it.

As teachers, however, we need to make sure they’re remembering the correct words and definitions. As you will know from cognitive load theory , practice makes permanent, so we want that practice to be the correct information.

To accompany this list, we’ve also produced a really excellent article on how to embed math terminology in your class. This looks at the confusion that arises around math terms with dual meanings, or ones we use imprecisely.

Your math vocabulary list will be essential to support your work developing students’ knowledge and understanding of math words.

  • A math vocabulary list provides a focal point for your students to use every day with agreed definitions. Having one centralized math vocabulary list that students can become familiar with can prove invaluable as part of their math reasoning work.
  • The math language in your vocabulary list is crucial to prepare students for middle school. The terms and phrases will come up throughout middle school and beyond.
  • It is a great way to keep track of current knowledge levels and gaps in math understanding in your class. Knowledge levels will vary from year to year based on what has been covered previously, but you will soon see if there are any areas that are still a mystery to students and be able to take action to help them achieve.
  • We suggest including space for note taking within the resource to enable students to actively engage in creating their own definitions and ways to remember the words.
  • A math word of the day which teacher and students should aim to use
  • Encourage math journal writing; this math mastery toolkit has more information about math journals.
  • Looking specifically and recording in their math journals math vocabulary that they encounter in everyday life with a different meaning
  • Make learning new words fun through activities such as: making foldable shapes, creating word walls and pictures and publishing student-led videos about shapes.
  • If your class responds well to this kind of stimulus, then find a rap, or song on YouTube to help them remember.
  • Try out some of these math vocabulary games and activities using the math terms on the list.

Set out in an easy to follow A-Z structure, the list covers words and phrases from all elements of the math curriculum, with easy to follow definitions.

With so many mathematical words being used in the classroom, it is important for students to have a place to store all of this information, and that is why we made this comprehensive list of math terms!

More articles to support your math mastery work at school

  • What is Math Mastery?
  • How To Use the Concrete Representational Abstract Approach In Elementary School

Don’t miss our math dictionary for kids either which includes links to fuller definitions, with examples and sample questions on terms like quadrilaterals, right angle, 3D shapes, cuboid, common factor, venn diagram, x-axis and y-axis.

Do you have students who need extra support in math? Give your students more opportunities to consolidate learning and practice skills through personalized math tutoring with their own dedicated online math tutor. Each student receives differentiated instruction designed to close their individual learning gaps, and scaffolded learning ensures every student learns at the right pace. Lessons are aligned with your state’s standards and assessments, plus you’ll receive regular reports every step of the way. Personalized one-on-one math tutoring programs are available for: – 2nd grade tutoring – 3rd grade tutoring – 4th grade tutoring – 5th grade tutoring – 6th grade tutoring – 7th grade tutoring – 8th grade tutoring Why not learn more about how it works ?

The content in this article was originally written by Ofsted inspector and teacher John Dabell and has since been revised and adapted for US schools by elementary math teacher Katie Keeton.

Ultimate Guide to Metacognition [FREE]

Looking for a summary on metacognition in relation to math teaching and learning?

Check out this guide featuring practical examples, tips and strategies to successfully embed metacognition across your school to accelerate math growth.

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10 Ideas for Vocabulary Instruction in Math

math vocabulary assignments

There is a strong correlation between a student’s word knowledge and future academic success. Evidence shows that what students already know about a topic is a reliable predictor of how easy they will learn new information in that topic. Words are the tools students use to access background knowledge, to make necessary connections, to learn about new concepts, and to express those ideas in everyday life. In fact, the more terms you know about a specific subject, the easier it is to understand and learn new information related to that subject. One builds upon the other.

It takes a numeracy-rich environment for authentic vocabulary learning to occur. The power of numeracy lies in the empowerment of students; that is, students are given opportunities to use academic vocabulary in a natural setting and to recognize and appreciate how that term relates to the world both inside and outside the math class.

As teachers, we need to look at developing vocabulary in mathematics. Learning new content vocabulary is critical to deepening mathematical understanding. Without an appreciation of the content vocabulary involved, students are often denied access to mathematics. Understanding math language gives students the proficiency they need to mull around in the math a bit, integrate old knowledge with newly learned vocabulary, and apply that learned knowledge in new situations.

The authors of Bringing Words to Life (Beck, McKeown, Kucan 2002) explain that effective vocabulary instruction does not rely solely on definitions. Writing definitions out of a math dictionary is just not enough. When vocabulary instruction is effective, students learn the words, use the words, remember the words, and can ultimately apply the words fluently in different contexts.

Research indicates that when vocabulary instruction is direct and purposeful, it is effective. One of the most consistent findings related to effective vocabulary instruction is that students need multiple exposures to a word in order to learn it. Essentially, the more times students are exposed to a new vocabulary word, the stronger the understanding becomes. We sometimes forget a child needs to hear and use a word several times before it can be assimilated into daily conversation. Consequently, teachers should consider how to make multiple exposures to the word or concept frequent, novel, meaningful, and engaging. In other words, we need to make vocabulary instruction come alive!

Below you will find 10 ideas for making vocabulary instruction engaging, meaningful, and lasting:

1. An Interactive Word Wall

As students learn new vocabulary words, add them to a Word Wall. You can simply add the words or have students create a poster of each word including a visual, student definition, examples & non-examples. Allow students to move words around on the word wall according to whatever challenges you present. Provide opportunities to categorize the concepts, create hierarchies, and/or identify words that would connect to the learning that day.

You can also play a mystery word game giving hints while students guess the appropriate word. The student who guesses can then take a turn identifying a new mystery vocab. Another great idea is to choose one word and have students create questions that can be answered using the word. Students can play “fact or fib” using a word wall. As you choose one word and read statements about that word, students decide whether that statement is a fact or fib. This can easily be adapted into “sometimes, always, never” statements. Of course, it is important to discuss reasoning behind all activities using an interactive word wall.

The word wall below comes from a Ms. Clark’s fifth grade class at First Philadelphia Charter School. It is magnetized to allow for easy movement of the words.

word wall

As a way to build background knowledge, have students preview the text pages and with a partner identify any vocabulary words that might trip them up during the lesson. Students can keep their own “confusing words” list and use that list to search for answers and clarify misconceptions. Make sure to revisit and revise the list so students can keep track of growth.

3. Inside/Outside Circle

Each student receives a vocabulary word on an index card. Students are to define and draw an example of the word on the back of the card. Students form two concentric circles – inside circle facing out and outside circle facing in so that each student is facing a partner. Students alternate asking partners either definition or term. Teachers move circles to find new partners and repeat steps.

4. Frontload Multiple-Meaning Words

Mathematics often uses words with multiple meanings. This can be very confusing for students. It is helpful to present these words prior to the lesson and ask students to brainstorm various meanings. If need be, simply let students know what the math meaning is. This revelation can be a relief to students with limited background knowledge. Some examples of multiple-meaning words in mathematics are substitute, regular, similar, angle, chord, expression, etc.

5. Word Wizard

Have students become “word wizards” by challenging them to discover their math vocabulary used somewhere outside the school setting. Of course, they will need to bring “proof,” which could be a news article, a quote from a relative, a picture emailed to you with a description, a drawing with a caption, a TV quote, etc. This activity raises awareness of how academic vocabulary is used in everyday life (Allen, 2000).

6. List-Group-Label, Word Sort, or Circle the Category

Classifying and categorizing vocabulary words are important skills for comprehension and application. A closed sort means you provide both terms and the categories. An open sort means you students are given the terms but are not given the category titles. It is up to them to create and justify groups and titles for each group. Circle the category is a kinesthetic way to either do an open or closed sort. Students receive the words and get up to form groups.

7. Double-Dutch Chants

jump rope

8. Concept Circles

Concept circles are circles divided into quarters. You can design this activity differently:

  • Include four terms and challenge students to recognize how they are related. Students can provide an appropriate topic title.
  • Write one word that doesn’t belong. Students recognize and defend their answers. This can be open-ended so all answers can be right as long as the explanation is mathematically sound.
  • Include three words and leave the last quarter blank asking students to find another related term and justify their answer.
  • Leave all quarters blank. Students fill in related terms or sketches with shared explanations.

9. Pre- and Post- Concept Checks

This tool for vocabulary development takes just a minute to prepare, and the payoff is big for both teachers and students. If the objective for your lesson can only be achieved with a clear understanding of certain terms, or if your lesson is heavy on vocabulary, this is a great entry point.

Directions:

  • Ahead of time, pull out the terms that are most important.
  • Have students rate their understanding of the terms before the lesson using the rating scale below.
  • Circulate the room using this as a formative assessment. Adapt lesson accordingly.
  • After the lesson, have student re-rate their understanding and prove this rating by creating representations or writing an explanation (Forget, 2004, p.230).

Ratings:               

+ could teach it

Kind of know it

10. Vocabulary Cartoons

Vocabulary Cartoons work on the principle of mnemonics. A mnemonic device helps with retrieval by associating it with something you already know. Vocabulary cartoons link a rhyming word with a visual in the form of a humorous cartoon.

In the example below, the new math term chord is associated with the word bored . A chord is a line segment connecting two points on a circle’s circumference. By definition, a diameter is a chord, but there are endless other chords that do not pass through the center point of the circle. In this case, the chord is bored because, even though he’s invited into the circle, he’s rarely ever in the center of it all.

Figure 3

Pearse, Margie. Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking . Thousand Oaks: Corwin, 2011.

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Written by Margie Pearse

Margie Pearse has over 30 years of teaching experience with certifications in mathematics, elementary education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Pennsylvania Quality Assurance Systems (Certified Instructor – PQAS 2014). She is presently at Chester Community Charter School as a Math Coach and in graduate education, training pre-service teachers how to create deeper, more numeracy based lessons.

Margie’s passion is to share a love of math with teachers and students! Her goal is to empower every student with the tools and strategies needed to be fluent and flexible with numbers. Margie’s educational philosophy can be summed up as such, “Why NOT reinvent the wheel! Yesterday’s lessons will not suffice for students to succeed in tomorrow’s world. We need to meet students, not just where they are, but where they need to be. There is great potential in every child. It is our job to empower students to discover that potential and possess the tenacity and self-efficacy to reach it.”

Published Books: Teaching Numeracy: 9 Critical Habits to Ignite Mathematical Thinking , released by Corwin in 2011; Learning That Never Ends , released by Rowman & Littlefield in 2013; and Passing the Mathematics Test for Elementary Teachers , by Rowman & Littlefield, February 2015.

Establishing a Shared Language for VISIBLE LEARNING (Part 2)

Great teaching by design, latest comments, pingback: math | pearltrees / january 12, 2019, pingback: vocabulary | pearltrees / august 2, 2018.

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Olivia Bartlett / July 6, 2016

Hello! This post was recommended for The Best of the Math Teacher Blogs 2016: a collection of people’s favorite blog posts of the year. We would like to publish an edited volume of the posts at the end of the year and use the money raised toward a scholarship for TMC. Please let us know by responding via http://goo.gl/forms/LLURZ4GOsQ whether or not you grant us permission to include your post. Thank you, Tina and Lani.

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Math and Special Education Blog

Use these 5 actionable strategies today to grow your students' math vocabulary.

Posted by Colleen Uscianowski · September 10, 2018

strategies to grow students math vocabulary

SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM TO GET YOUR FREE COPY OF OUR MATH VOCABULARY TOOLKIT

Do the bolded words mean the same thing in the following examples?

The third cup was roughly two- thirds full of water. The kids were rough -housing and banged a foot into the table, which knocked over the cup. The water spill was a foot wide.

He placed an even number of spoons on the even surface of the table. If he takes one away, there will be 3 spoons  left on the left side.

teaching math words left vs left

As educators, we know firsthand how tricky math vocabulary can be for our students- especially using exact, precise math words correctly.

Based on your experiences in the classroom, you probably already know that students with math disabilities- especially those who are also English language learners or have language disabilities- will have an especially hard time learning new math words. Using correct math words can seem like learning a new language!

While this is true, you should also know that YOU are an important factor in students’ learning. YOU matter and there are actionable strategies YOU can implement to grow your students’ knowledge of math words.

In this post, you will learn 5 actionable ways to improve your students’ math vocabulary- 5 strategies that you can implement today and that work for students with disabilities.

AND, if you make it down to the bottom of the post, you'll find my FAVORITE resource that I use to help build my math word wall. 

Language in the math classroom

When you think of learning new vocabulary words, English Language Arts class comes to mind first, right? We tend to think of math as all numbers, but there’s actually quite a bit of language learning that goes on in the math class, too.

Students need to learn the two (or more) different meanings for certain math words. Words they thoughts they knew, like face, mean something else once math class starts.

math words have multiple meanings like face

They need to understand and use these hard to say words, like quadrilateral.

They finally understand and remember what those math words mean, like decimal point. But now they learn that we sometimes use different words in different contexts. When we read a number aloud that has a decimal point, we don’t call it “decimal point,” we say “and.”

difficult math language decimal point

Oy vay! You know what else makes teaching math words so difficult? The fact that almost 50% of children with math disabilities ALSO have reading disabilities!

So not only do many of our struggling math students have a hard time understanding the meaning of math words, but they also have a hard time with expressive and receptive language.

A double whammy, but later I’ll show you that all is not lost. Our students with math and reading disabilities CAN learn to understand and use math words correctly, with the right supports. We’ll get into what those supports are later, but first:

Why should we focus on teaching math vocabulary?

Well, for a few reasons:

We use language to communicate.

Let’s say you’re working with Alice and you ask her to explain the steps she took to solve a fraction division problem.

She says, “I took this one and turned it like this, so now it’s the other. Then I timesed the top and the bottom, which gave me the answer.”

Does that sound like something some of your students might say? My struggling students tended to use a lot of vague words- “things” “this one” “like this”- instead of exact math language.

Using more precise language, Alice might have said, “I took the second fraction and turned it upside down, so it became the reciprocal. Then I multiplied the two numerators and the two denominators, which gave me the quotient.”

Sure does sound a lot more mathy, right? But more importantly, I understand what Alice did. Her use of precise language conveyed her understanding of the procedure and helped me get an insight into what she was thinking and doing.

Using the right math language helps us to have a conversation and understand what the other person means.

If math language isn’t explicitly taught, children learn to disregard math words and only pay attention to the numbers.

For example, let’s say you give Alice the following problem: "Nancy has 32 pretzels to share with 8 friends. How many pretzels will each friend get?"

Instead of figuring out what all those words mean, Alice narrows her focus to the numbers. She chooses an operation based on an arbitrary metric, then voilà! She has an answer. Alice might think, “32 is bigger than 8, so maybe I need to subtract. 32 minus 8 is 24.” Is it the right answer to the word problem? No.

But more importantly, did Alice have the chance to engage in critical thinking and flex her problem-solving skills? No.

If math vocabulary is so important, how do we teach it?

5 high impact strategies to teach math vocabulary:

1) Start with what they know and use student-friendly definitions .

Let students use their own informal language to describe math concepts and ideas when you first introduce them. For example, Ms. Williams is introducing parallelograms to her class and calls on Eduardo to share his thinking: 

rhombus is not a diamond

Notice that Ms. Williams acknowledged and repeated back Eduardo’s observations about the rhombus, which reaffirms that he already has some knowledge about shapes. His teacher then builds on this knowledge by rephrasing his everyday language using the correct math words: rhombus instead of diamond and vertex instead of corner .

Teaching tip: Model the correct use of math language. You should be careful to use precise math language as you talk about math ideas with your students and rephrase new math words. For example, "Let's take a look at the area , or inside space , of the shape. We already know the area is 8 square units…"

2)  Explicitly teach new math words and give students multiple exposures to math words.  

When we teach vocabulary in Language Arts class, we don’t expect students to understand the words on their own. We isolate the words, help students sound them out, provide definitions, and give examples. We review new vocabulary words many times before we expect students to know them.

Same goes for the math class.

Math words need to be made explicit to students, defined, and shown in context, with examples. 

Students need to hear novel math words and practice using the words themselves many times before the words become part of the child’s own language. You can increase children’s exposure to math words by: 

  • Pre-teaching: At the beginning of a new unit, tell students the new words they’ll be learning throughout the unit. As you introduce each new word, show an image and explain what it means. 
  • Teaching: Teach math words through explicit instruction. Pull out those images and examples you used when you pre-taught the words. Show how the novel math words fit together with concepts they already know. Add the new math words to your classroom word wall and/or students’ individual word walls. Use the new words in conversations you have with students.
  • Re-teaching and reviewing: When the unit is over, review all the new math words you taught. Celebrate the fact that students learned new words and grew their ability to communicate mathematically. Have students turn and talk with a partner, explaining what each new math word means. Have students draw pictures that show examples and non-examples of each math word.

Teaching tip: Research on word learning has found that teaching vocabulary in context works better than teaching definitions in isolation.

In other words, don’t show a word and its definition and expect students to memorize the meaning of the word. Try to show the meaning in context and have students draw or act out the meaning, as much as possible.

For example, don’t say this: Perimeter is the measure of the boundary of a closed geometric figure. Who can repeat back what perimeter means?

Instead, say this: Perimeter is the distance around the outside of a shape. Think of the fence around the school yard. The fence hugs the perimeter of the yard. Let’s take a walk around the perimeter of our classroom. Where should we start?

3) Set up a classroom math word wall and individual math word banks.

[Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may get paid a commission if you purchase through those links, which comes at no cost to you.]

Math vocabulary words that are relevant to the current unit should be displayed visibly in the classroom. I like to print my math vocabulary cards on thick cardstock, like this one .

Each vocabulary card should include the word in large font along with a meaningful image and simple definition (sometimes I leave out the definition if the image makes it clear what the word means.)

math word wall

Struggling to come up with kid-friendly definitions of a math word? My go-to resource is Mathisfun.com . If you look up the word in their search bar, you'll usually find a kid-friendly definition and image.

Sometimes it can be hard to get good images to use as part of your word wall. You can always draw an image directly on the cardstock. You can also do a google search for “royalty free stock images” or search for images on Teachers Pay Teachers, which has some low-cost clipart.

Once you set up your word wall, don't let it sit there, gathering dust! Make your word wall come alive with these 7 activities:

7 activities to do with your math word wall

Scroll down to the bottom to get a FREE copy of our word wall activities checklist.

I also have my students create their own personal word walls or word banks .

Some years I have students fill out a graphic organizer (like the Frayer Model, which we'll see below) for each new math word. They keep their Frayer Models stored in a math journal or binder and can access their own personal math dictionary whenever they need to.

Other years I've had students create math dictionaries on index cards, which they keep on a ring . They write the math vocabulary word on one side of the index card and the definition or a picture on the other side. 

What I like about personal word banks is that each student in my class had a unique collection of words. No two students are the same and no two students are trying to learn the same math words. This is a great way to differentiate for different levels of learners. 

4) Use graphic organizers.

Use a graphic organizer for students to record and reinforce their understanding of math words. In addition to the Frayer Model shown below, you can use Venn Diagrams, semantic maps, word banks, etc.  

Frayer Model

The Frayer Model is my favorite graphic organizer that I like to use when teaching math vocabulary.

In the Frayer Model, students write the word in the center of the graphic organizer. In the surrounding boxes, they list the definition, characteristics, and provide examples and non-examples.

The examples and non-examples that students draw in the Frayer Model are especially powerful ways to reinforce what a word means and doesn't mean. 

Scroll down to the bottom to get a FREE copy of our place value arrow cards. 

math vocabulary frayer model printable

Journaling is a great way to reinforce the use of math language. At the end of a lesson, have students answer specific prompts in their math journals.

For example:

  • Today in math, I learned...
  • One problem I solved was...
  • Two ways to solve this problem are...

As students write about what they learned in math class and how they solved specific problems, they are reflecting on the newly taught math concepts. They also have practice writing and thinking about new math words they just learned. 

Encourage your students to use the word wall or their own personal graphic organizers to incorporate correct math vocabulary words in their journals.

Wrapping it up:

Think about the special education students in your class.

They might struggle to understand and use correct, precise words when expressing their ideas in all content areas, including math. But they won't absorb new math words automatically just by hearing the words during your lesson.

Instead, the best approach is to introduce new vocabulary directly through explicit instruction, in the context of meaningful math examples, and indirectly through conversation. 

Hopefully, some of the strategies above will help you teach math vocabulary and help your students learn new math words. 

If you want to learn more about vocabulary instruction, two of my favorite books are:

  • Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher's Manual by Marzano and Pickering
  • Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Beck, McKeown, and Lucan

(note that these books aren't specific for math vocabulary instruction, but you can apply the knowledge in the books to teaching math words)

But before we go, I have one last resource to share with you...

MY FAVORITE MATH WORD WALL RESOURCE

Ok, I did promise you earlier in this post that I would share my favorite math word wall resource.

drumroll:: 

Not only do they list the words students should be learning in each grade, but they created cards, with definitions and images, that you can print and post on your word wall. 

Here's an example:

math vocabulary card for your word wall

MATH VOCABULARY TOOLKIT

- Frayer Model 

- Word wall activities checklist

- Place value arrow cards 

- Math homophones infographic

- Word wall card templates 

  • math vocabulary

SplashLearn

Common Core Math Vocabulary: Your Ultimate Math Dictionary with Definitions

  • Absolute Value
  • Acute angle
  • Acute triangle
  • Adding and subtracting decimals
  • Adding Fractions
  • Adding Integers
  • Adding mixed numbers
  • Addition and Subtraction of Fraction
  • Addition Property of Equality
  • Addition Table
  • Additive comparison
  • Additive identity property of 0
  • Additive Identity vs Multiplicative Identity
  • Additive Inverse
  • Adjacent Angles
  • Algebraic Identities
  • Alternate Angles
  • Alternate Exterior Angles
  • Alternate Interior Angles
  • Analog clock
  • Angles in a Quadrilateral
  • Angles of Parallelogram
  • Angle Bisector
  • Angle Bisector Theorem
  • Angle measure
  • Angle Sum Property of a Triangle
  • Area and perimeter
  • Area and perimeter of triangle
  • Area model division
  • Area of an Equilateral Triangle
  • Area of a Circle
  • Area of a Pentagon
  • Area of a quadrilateral
  • Area of a Quarter Circle
  • Area of a Semicircle
  • Area of a square
  • Area of irregular shapes
  • Area of Parallelogram
  • Area of rectangle formula
  • Area of Sector of a Circle
  • Area of shape
  • Area of Trapezium
  • Area of Triangle in Determinant Form
  • Area of 2d shapes
  • Arithmetic patterns
  • Ascending order
  • Associative property
  • Associative property of addition
  • Associative property of multiplication
  • Australian Dollar to USD Calculator
  • Average Speed Formula
  • Axis plural axes
  • A Intersection B Complement
  • Base Area of a Cone
  • Base Area of a Cylinder
  • Base Area of a Triangular Prism
  • Base of an exponent
  • Base-Ten Numeral
  • Benchmark fractions
  • Binary Addition
  • Binary Division
  • Binary Multiplication
  • Cardinality of a Set
  • Cardinal numbers
  • Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion (°C to °F)
  • Center of Circle
  • Centimeter To Feet (cm to ft) Conversion
  • Central Angle
  • Centroid of a Triangle
  • Circle Theorems
  • Circumference of a Circle
  • Circumference to Diameter
  • Circumscribe in Math
  • Classification of Triangles
  • Clock Angle Formula
  • Closed shape
  • Closure Property
  • Common denominator
  • Common Difference
  • Common factor
  • Common multiple
  • Common numerator
  • Commutative property
  • Commutative property of addition
  • Commutative property of multiplication
  • Comparing and Ordering Numbers
  • Comparing Decimals
  • Comparing Ratios
  • Compatible numbers
  • Compensation
  • Complement of a Set
  • Complete Angle
  • Composite number
  • Composite shape
  • Concave Polygon
  • Concentric Circles
  • Concurrent Lines
  • Conditional Statement
  • Congruence of Triangles
  • Consecutive Angles
  • Consecutive numbers
  • Constant Polynomial
  • Construct an Angle Bisector
  • Converting Fractions to Percent
  • Convert Decimal To Binary
  • Convert Decimal to Fraction
  • Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius
  • Convert Hexadecimal To Binary
  • Convert Miles to Meters
  • Convert MM to Inches Formula
  • Convert Ounces to Gallons (oz to gal)
  • Convert Percent to Fraction
  • Convert Pounds to US Dollars
  • Convex Polygon
  • Coordinates
  • Coordinate plane
  • Coordinate system
  • Coprime Numbers
  • Corresponding Angles
  • Corresponding Sides
  • Counterclockwise
  • Cross multiplication
  • Cube Numbers
  • Curved line
  • Curved surface
  • Customary units
  • Cyclic Quadrilateral
  • Decagonal prism
  • Decimal fraction
  • Decimal place value
  • Decimal point
  • Decimal Representation of Rational Numbers
  • Decimal to Hexadecimal Converter
  • Decimal to Octal
  • Decimal to Percentage Conversion
  • Decomposing fractions
  • Degrees to Radians
  • Degree angle measure
  • Degree of a Polynomial
  • Denominator
  • Descending Order
  • Diagonals of Parallelogram
  • Diagonal of a Cube Formula
  • Diagonal of a Rectangle
  • Diagonal of a Square
  • Diameter Formula
  • Difference Between Area and Volume
  • Difference between Cube and Cuboid
  • Difference between Fraction and Rational Number
  • Difference Between Line and Line Segment
  • Difference Between Rectangle and Parallelogram
  • Difference between Rhombus and Square
  • Difference between Square and Rectangle
  • Difference of Sets
  • Dilation in Geometry
  • Direct Proportion
  • Direct Variation
  • Disjoint Sets
  • Distance between Point and Line
  • Distance Between Point and Plane
  • Distance Between Two Points
  • Distributive property
  • Dividing decimals
  • Dividing fractions
  • Dividing Fractions with Whole Numbers
  • Dividing mixed numbers
  • Division by Zero
  • Division property of equality
  • Doubles minus 1
  • Doubles plus 1
  • Elapsed time
  • Equal groups
  • Equal parts
  • Equal shares
  • Equation of a Straight Line
  • Equiangular triangle
  • Equilateral triangle
  • Equivalent decimals
  • Equivalent fractions
  • Equivalent Ratios
  • Even and odd numbers
  • Even number
  • Expanded form
  • Expanded form with decimals
  • Exponent Formulas
  • Exterior Angle Theorem
  • Factors and Multiples
  • Factor in Math
  • Factor pairs
  • Fact family
  • Fahrenheit to Kelvin Conversion
  • Feet to CM (ft to cm) Conversion
  • Feet to Meters Conversion
  • Fibonacci Sequence
  • Finding Slope of Line from Two Points
  • Flat surface
  • Fluid ounce
  • Fraction bar
  • Fraction greater than one
  • Fraction less than one
  • Fraction number line
  • Fraction rules
  • Frequency table
  • Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic
  • Geometric Shapes
  • Geometric solid
  • Geometry in Daily Life
  • Greater than
  • Greater Than Or Equal To
  • Greatest Common Divisor
  • Greatest Common Factor (GCF)
  • Gross Profit Formula
  • Half gallon
  • Hectares to Acres Conversion
  • Height of Equilateral Triangle
  • Hemisphere Shape
  • Heron’s Formula
  • Hexadecimal to Decimal Conversion
  • Hexagonal prism
  • Hexagonal Pyramid
  • Horizontal bar graph
  • How Long Is a Meter
  • How to Calculate Percent Difference
  • How to Convert Binary to Hexadecimal
  • How to Convert Cm to Inches
  • How to Convert Feet to Inches
  • How To Convert 2 Radians to Degrees?
  • How to Find Sample Mean
  • How to Find the Equation of a Line?
  • How to Find Unit Rate Formula
  • Hypotenuse in Right Triangle
  • Hypotenuse Leg Theorem
  • Identity Function
  • Improper fraction
  • Improper Fraction to Mixed Number
  • Inches to Centimeter Conversion
  • Inches to Feet (in to ft) Conversion
  • Intercept Form
  • Interior Angles
  • International Place Value Chart System
  • Intersecting and Non-intersecting Lines
  • Intersecting lines
  • Inverse Function
  • Inverse operations
  • Inverse Relation
  • Irrational Numbers
  • Irregular Polygons
  • Isosceles Obtuse Triangle
  • Isosceles Right Triangle
  • Isosceles Trapezoid
  • Isosceles triangle
  • Is a Square a Rectangle?
  • Kilometers to Miles Conversion (km to mi)
  • km/h to m/s
  • Lateral face
  • Lattice Multiplication
  • Least common denominator
  • Least common multiple
  • Less Than or Equal To
  • Like and Unlike Algebraic Terms
  • Like denominators
  • Like Fractions and Unlike Fractions
  • Like numerators
  • Linear Equations
  • Linear Graph
  • Linear measurement
  • Linear Pair of Angles
  • Lines of Symmetry in a Rectangle
  • Lines of Symmetry in a Rhombus
  • Line of symmetry
  • Line segment
  • Liquid measurement chart
  • Liters to Gallons Conversion
  • Litres To Milliliters
  • Long division
  • Long multiplication
  • Lowest terms
  • Measurement
  • Measuring tape
  • Median of Triangle
  • Meters to Feet (m to ft) Conversion
  • Meters to Yards Conversion
  • Meter stick
  • Meter to Mile (m to mi) Conversion
  • Metric system
  • Midsegment of a Triangle
  • Miles to KM Formula
  • Milliliters to Gallons Conversion
  • Milliliter to Liter (Ml to l)
  • Millimeter mm
  • Minute hand
  • Mixed number
  • Mixed Numbers to Improper Fractions Conversion
  • Mixed Number to Decimal Conversion
  • Multiplication
  • Multiplication chart
  • Multiplication on a Number Line
  • Multiplication property of equality
  • Multiplicative comparison
  • Multiplicative identity property of 1
  • Multiplicative inverse
  • Multiplying decimals
  • Multiplying fractions
  • Multiplying Fractions with Mixed Numbers
  • Multiplying fraction by a whole number
  • Multiplying mixed numbers
  • Multiplying Polynomials
  • Natural Numbers
  • Negative Slope
  • Not Equal Sign
  • Nth Term of AP
  • Number bonds
  • Number line
  • Number patterns
  • Number properties
  • Number Sense in Math
  • Number sentence
  • Number system
  • Number words
  • Numerical expression
  • Obtuse angle
  • Obtuse Scalene Triangle
  • Obtuse triangle
  • Octagonal prism
  • Octagon Formula
  • Octal Number System
  • Octal to Binary Conversion
  • Onto Function
  • Open Interval and Closed Interval
  • Operations on Rational Numbers
  • Ordered pair
  • Ordering Decimals
  • Order of operations
  • Ordinal numbers
  • Parallelepiped
  • Parallelogram
  • Parallel and perpendicular lines
  • Parallel lines
  • Partial product
  • Partial quotient
  • Partitive division
  • Parts of a Circle
  • Pentagonal prism
  • Pentagonal pyramid
  • Pentagram in Math
  • Percent Difference Formula
  • Percent to Decimal
  • Perfect Cube of Numbers
  • Perfect Squares
  • Perfect Square Trinomial
  • Perimeter of a polygon
  • Perimeter of a rectangle
  • Perimeter of a Rhombus
  • Perimeter of a Semicircle
  • Perimeter of a square
  • Perimeter of a triangle
  • Perimeter of Isosceles Triangle
  • Perpendicular
  • Perpendicular Bisector of a Chord
  • Perpendicular Bisector Theorem
  • Picture graph
  • Place value
  • Plane figure
  • Plane Shapes
  • Point of Concurrency
  • Point Slope Form
  • Polynomial in Standard Form
  • Positive Rational Numbers
  • Powers of ten
  • Power of a Power Rule
  • Prime Factorization
  • Prime number
  • Properties of addition
  • Properties of a Kite
  • Properties of Equality
  • Properties of Integers
  • Properties of multiplication
  • Properties of Natural Numbers
  • Properties of Whole Numbers
  • Proper Fraction
  • Pythagorean Triples
  • Quadrilateral
  • Quartercircle
  • Quarter hour
  • Quarter past
  • Quarts to Gallons Conversion
  • Quintillion in Math
  • Quotative division
  • Range in Math
  • Rate Definition in Math
  • Rational Numbers
  • Rational Numbers Between Two Rational Numbers
  • Ratio to Percentage Conversion
  • Reasonableness
  • Reciprocal Formula
  • Reciprocal Identities in Trigonometry
  • Reciprocal of a Fraction
  • Rectangular prism
  • Rectangular Pyramid
  • Rectilinear figure
  • Reflexive Property
  • Reflexive Relation
  • Reflex Angle
  • Regular polygon
  • Related facts
  • Relatively Prime
  • Relative Change Formula
  • Remainder Theorem
  • Repeated addition
  • Repeated subtraction
  • Repeating Decimals
  • Repeating Decimal to Fraction
  • Representation of Irrational Numbers on Number Line
  • Rhomboid Shape
  • RHS Congruence Rule
  • Right angle
  • Right Circular Cone
  • Right rectangular prism
  • Right triangle
  • Roman Numerals
  • Roster Notation
  • Rounding decimals
  • Rounding to the nearest hundredth
  • Round a whole number
  • Round to the nearest tens
  • Round to the Nearest Thousand
  • Rules of Divisibility
  • Same Side Interior Angles
  • SAS (Side Angle Side)
  • Scalene triangle
  • Seconds to Minutes Conversion
  • Sector of a Circle
  • Segment Addition Postulate
  • Segment Bisector
  • Sides of equal length
  • Side of a polygon
  • Significant Figures
  • Simplest form
  • Simple equations and Application
  • Simple Interest
  • Simplifying fractions
  • Simplify mixed numbers
  • Singleton Set
  • Slope Intercept Form
  • Slope of Parallel Line
  • Slope of Perpendicular Lines
  • Solid Shape
  • Solving Multi Step Equations
  • Solving One-step Equations
  • Solving Radical Equations
  • Speed Formula
  • Square and Square Roots
  • Square Numbers
  • Square Prism
  • Square unit
  • SSS (Side Side Side)
  • Standard form
  • Straight angle
  • Subtracting decimals
  • Subtracting fractions
  • Subtracting Integers
  • Subtracting mixed numbers
  • Subtracting Polynomials
  • Subtracting time
  • Subtraction property of equality
  • Subtraction Table
  • Subtraction with regrouping
  • Subtract fractions with unlike denominators
  • Superset in Maths
  • Supplementary Angles
  • Surface Area of a Cube
  • Surface Area of a Hemisphere
  • Surface Area of Pyramid
  • Surface Area of Rectangular Prism
  • Surface Area of Sphere
  • Surface Area of Triangular Pyramid
  • Symmetric Relations
  • Tally chart
  • Tally table
  • Tangent of a Circle
  • Tangrams in Math
  • Terminating Decimals
  • Thousandths
  • Times tables
  • Time interval
  • Transformation geometry
  • Transitive Property
  • Transitive Relations
  • Triangle Proportionality Theorem
  • Twin Primes
  • Two Point Form
  • Two-step Equations
  • Types of angles
  • Types of fractions
  • Types of Polynomials
  • Types of Triangles
  • Unequal parts
  • Union of Sets
  • Unit Circle
  • Unit fraction
  • Unit square
  • Universal Set in Math
  • Unlike denominators
  • Unlike numerators
  • Venn diagram
  • Vertical Angles
  • Vertical bar graph
  • Vertical Line
  • Vertical volume liquid
  • Volume of a Hollow Cylinder
  • Volume of a Pentagonal Prism
  • Volume of a Prism
  • Volume of a Pyramid
  • Volume of a Right Circular Cone
  • Volume of a Sphere
  • Volume of a Square Box
  • Volume of a Triangular Pyramid
  • Volume of Cube
  • Volume of Cuboid
  • Volume of Hemisphere
  • Volume of Rectangular Prism
  • Volume of Rectangular Pyramid
  • What Are Perfect Numbers
  • What Is a Billion?
  • What is a Coefficient in Math
  • What Is a Constant
  • What is a Number Chart?
  • What is a Set in Math
  • What is Estimation in Maths?
  • What is LBS to KG?
  • What is Radius of a Circle?
  • What is the Circumference of the Earth? Calculation, Examples
  • What Is the Midpoint Formula?
  • What is Y Intercept?
  • Whole numbers
  • Xcoordinate
  • X And Y – Axis
  • X Intercept
  • Ycoordinate
  • Zero Product Property
  • Zero property of multiplication
  • (A + B)^3 Formula
  • 180 Degree Angle
  • 2 dimensional
  • 3 dimensional
  • 30 Degree Angle
  • 30 60 90 Triangle
  • 360 Degree Angle
  • 45 degree angle
  • 45°-45°-90° Triangle
  • 60 Degrees to Radians
  • 60-Degree Angle

Find the math terms beginning with the letter:

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  • Math Clip Art
  • Math Read Alouds
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  • Institutes and Events

Math Vocabulary

Math Vocabulary Cards

A common feature in many classrooms, math word walls are often underutilized and serve as little more than a decorative display. When used well a word wall can be a powerful tool that develops math vocabulary, promotes independence, and supports reading and writing in mathematics. Similarly, providing students with a personal math vocabulary book ensures that they have access to the language they need to further develop math writing skills no matter where they are seated in the classroom.  Similar to a personal dictionary, these books allow for differentiation as students can add the words they need to their own book and have them readily available at all times. Upper grade students can also add their own definitio ns of words.

6 Ways to Promote Effective Use of Math Vocabulary Resources 1. Introduce Vocabulary Introduce new math vocabulary, as appropriate, during lessons. Post new vocabulary on the word wall as it is introduced, rather than putting it all up at the beginning of a unit. As each word is placed on the word wall, discuss and agree upon a class definition and have a student write it on a blank card to be displayed alongside the word. Be sure to also discuss where students can find these words in their personal math vocabulary book. 2.  Model, Model, Model Displaying words at the beginning of the year and expecting students to use them without showing them how is setting your word wall up for failure. Refer to the word wall and vocabulary book often so that students get into the habit of doing the same. Model how to use these resources during math writing sessions. The more you use these resources, the more your students will do the same. 3. Make the Word  W all  I nteractive Make your math word wall interactive by posting vocabulary cards in a pocket chart. This allows you to easily remove cards for use in vocabulary games or for students to go to the wall, remove a word, use it at their desk, and return it. It also makes it easier for you to dismantle the wall at the end of each unit which will save you time and make it more likely that you will update it regularly. 4.  Set Clear Expectations Let students know early in the year that you expect to see precise use of vocabulary words in their math writing. To begin with you may have to prompt students to make use of available resources. “Your goal for today is to use at least three words from page 6 of your math vocabulary book in your written explanation."  5 . Less is More To prevent your math word wall from becoming too crowded and difficult to use, display vocabulary for the current unit of study only. Remove words once a unit is completed and retire them to the math center. Students can use cards from previous units to play memory games such as Concentration where they match a word to a definition, Go Fish (“Do you have “a six sided figure?” ”Yes, I have a hexagon.”), or any other games that provide opportunities to review vocabulary. 6. Make  W ord  W all  A ctivities a Regular Routine  When used as a regular, predictable part of classroom routines word wall activities can play an important role in the development of students' math vocabulary. Setting aside ten minutes on a regular, ongoing basis for word wall activities will make students more aware of posted vocabulary and therefore more likely to independently use available resources during math writing activities.  See below for possible activities.

2nd Grade Math Vocabulary Resources

Word Wall Activities

Math Vocabulary Books

a) The Word Wall Game:  The objective of this game is for students to find words on the word wall, or in their vocabulary book, using clues given by the teacher, or another student. Students write the numerals 1-10 in their notebooks or on a dry erase board. The clue giver describes the 10 words and students write down what they think each word is. 

Sample 5th grade clues: "I am thinking of a word that..."

• means the opposite of ..... /means the same as …

• describes the rules for performing operations in expressions with more than one operation.

• describes a mass equivalent to 1,000 grams.

Use this game when you have a spare few minutes between lessons, or as you are walking to and from lunch and have students say the words rather than write them. You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly students begin to incorporate these words into their math writing.

b) Tic-Tac-Toe :  Draw a large grid on chart paper and tape a vocabulary card in each square. Divide students into teams. Teams take turns choosing a word and defining it. If the team defines the word correctly, remove the card and place an X or an O in the square. Leave the card on the board if the team answers incorrectly. Continue play until one team has three in a row.

c) Cloze Activities: Write 2-3 sentences and leave blank spaces for students to fill in with appropriate math vocabulary from the word wall or vocabulary book. Alternatively, call out a math word and have students write a sentence that expresses a relationship or connection between the term and another math term, concept, situation, or real-world application. These are both good warm up activities for the start of a lesson. d) Math Doodles:  Call out a math word and have students sketch or doodle a picture of the word for 15-20 seconds, until the next word is called. Students connect each of their doodles with a line, making a simple link. After you’ve called out 5 words have students label their doodles without looking at the math word wall or their math vocabulary book. Next, ask students to call out the words in their chain and use the math word wall or vocabulary book to check for accuracy.

e) Vocabulary Sort: Choose 10-12 words from the word wall. Students work with a partner to think of different ways they can sort the words into two, or more, groups (e.g. quadrilaterals/not quadrilaterals, shape properties/names of shapes, units of measure/ measuring tools etc.) Students record their word groups and explain their sorting criteria in writing.

f) Vocabulary Story: Students use as many of the current math word wall words as they can to write and illustrate a short story. Word wall words are highlighted or underlined. g) Math Vocabulary Riddle: Students write a riddle based on a math word wall word and trade with a partner. Example:  I am a 3D shape.                  I have 6 identical square faces.                  I have 8 vertices and 12 edges.                  What am I?

h ) Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle: Students create a crossword puzzle using 10-12 words from the current math word wall and trade puzzles with a partner. Students can create puzzles by hand or use an online crossword puzzle maker. i) Math Vocabulary Triangle: Students write a word from the word wall or math vocabulary book on the first line. On the second line they write two words that are synonyms for the chosen word. On the third line they write three words describing the chosen word. On the fourth line they write a fact about the word.

                        hexagon                                                             ruler                        flat shape                                                     measuring tool                    six sided polygon                                     millimeters and centimeters            beehive cells are hexagonal                             used to measure distance

j ) Compare and Contrast: Choose two vocabulary words from the current unit and have students work with a partner to come up with different ways that the words are alike and different. A centimeter and a meter are alike because …. A centimeter and a meter are different because …. A rhombus and a trapezoid are alike because …. A rhombus and a trapezoid are different because …. One-half and one-fourth are alike because …. One-half and one-fourth are different because …. For more ideas on how to develop student's math writing skills see our page on  S trategies to Support Math Writing .

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Granite School District

Math vocabulary.

The vocabulary cards on this website match the math curriculum adopted by the Utah State Board of Education, August 2010, and the Common Core.  The cards are arranged alphabetically and are designed to help all students with math content vocabulary, including ELL, Gifted and Talented, Special Education, and Regular Education students.

Each card consists of three sections.

  • Section 1 is only the word. This is to be used as a visual aid in spelling and pronunciation. It is also used when students are writing their own “kid-friendly” definition and drawing their own graphic.
  • Section 2 has the word and a graphic. This graphic is available to be used as a model by the teacher.
  • Section 3 has the word, a graphic, and a definition. This is to be used for the Word Wall in the classroom.

Steps to Build Initial Understanding

  • Describe . The teacher provides a description, explanation or example of the new term.
  • Restate . Students write and restate in their own words the description, explanation, or example given in class.
  • Draw . Students create a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term.

Steps to Create Multiple Exposures

  • Activities . Students work on activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms.
  • Discuss . Students discuss the terms with one another and share what they are thinking about the term and what it means to them.
  • Games . Students play games that allow them to use the vocabulary terms.

Vocabulary Graphic

Based on the work of Robert J. Marzano, Ph.D., Building Academic Vocabulary , ASCD.

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math vocabulary assignments

Want to create a balanced schedule to fit EVERYTHING into your math block?

Join me for a FREE , Guided Math workshop to discover how to easily incorporate Guided Math into your current schedule! 

math vocabulary assignments

5 Math Vocabulary Activities for Primary Learners

How do you teach math vocabulary in your classroom? When you think of the word vocabulary, ELA is the subject that comes to most people’s minds. However, I want to share my passion with you about also teaching the importance of it during your math instruction! Below, I will share some strategies and activities you can use to focus on the significance of math vocabulary with your students.

How do you teach math vocabulary in your classroom? Click here to see 5 different activities you can use for primary learners!

If you’re not already familiar with Marzano’s Six Step Process , I would highly suggest looking over it for your vocabulary instruction. In this specific blog post , I mention how I use it during my reading block, but it’s also an effective method for math vocabulary!

Before we dive in, one of the big things I want you to take away from vocabulary instruction is the importance of students explaining terms using their OWN definitions. You don’t just want students reciting textbook definitions back to you without fully understanding the concept of it.

“ To effectively teach mathematical vocabulary, consider what foundational knowledge should they already know to understand the terms being taught and how they will be assessed.” (The Art & Science of Teaching, R. Marzano)

There are 3 different types of vocabulary words within mathematical concepts.

  • Ex: how, many, and more.
  • Ex: exact, complete, connect, item
  • Ex: area, array, regrouping

Keep in mind that when looking over your mathematical vocabulary that goes with your lesson, which tier does it fall into…1, 2, or 3? That will help you decide what kind of instruction needs to be used with those words. You might have 2 or 3 words that your kids are already pretty familiar with that you don’t need to review as much, whereas these new terms that students are not as familiar with will need more exposure to.

Below are 5 different activity ideas that you can use to introduce or review vocabulary words with students during your math instruction time!

1. Graphic Organizers

I love using graphic organizers when introducing vocabulary words. The one seen below may look familiar to you. Even though it seems super simple, it truly is an effective way to help students better understand mathematical terminology. You can grab this exact one HERE!

How do you teach math vocabulary in your classroom? Click here to see 5 different activities you can use for primary learners!

You’ve probably seen something like this before used for reading vocabulary and while this one is somewhat similar it does have its differences. While in an ELA block, you might ask for a synonym or antonym, but in math you want students to demonstrate an example and a non-example.

As you are working through this graphic organizer, I just want to remember that you don’t have to complete everything in one day for every word. That could take forever!

math vocabulary assignments

Break it down into chunks for better understanding for your students. For example, on day 1 you could have students draw a picture for each of the vocabulary words. On day 2, you can go over and review definitions and have students write the definitions in their own words.

math vocabulary assignments

Once your students become familiar with these graphic organizers and become familiar with the activity, they could do it as a math station. That way it doesn’t take up too much of your whole group instruction time.

2. Pocket Chart Sorts

Pocket chart sorts can help students distinguish the characteristics that define a concept in a simple way. Something like this that has pictures really benefits your ELL students where they can put an image with a concept. It helps students visualize and see what they are and what they are not!

How do you teach math vocabulary in your classroom? Click here to see 5 different activities you can use for primary learners!

You can use pocket charts with shapes, place value blocks, time, money, and more! Once you do this whole group, you can put an activity like this in a math station. Students will be getting that valuable vocabulary practice without even realizing it.

3. Mile a Minute

This is one of my favorite games to play with students. Here’s how it works:

  • Place students into teams
  • Provide a list of words related to a specific concept
  • Call on a student to come to the front. They must read the words related to the concept.
  • The first team to guess the concepts gets a point.

math vocabulary assignments

I’ve done this several different ways. For example, you can put all the words on the board at one time and have students come up and read them out loud. Another way to play this game is to pull up a blank PowerPoint or have words written on an index card and only show one word at a time. The possibilities are endless with this and it’s such a great way to review those math vocab words!

4. Mathematical Conversations

If you’re a member of Managing Math Stations , you know how much I preach the importance of having mathematical conversations with your students on a daily basis.

You might have a kid who can answer a question correctly on paper, but to have them explain something using their own words is so valuable. You’re not going to know that they fully understand the concept unless you’re having mathematical conversations with them.

Something that I’m constantly using to have these mathematical conversations are these math comprehension question stem cards. I keep them on a ring at my small group station as well as up by my desk so that I have quick access to them whenever needed!

How do you teach math vocabulary in your classroom? Click here to see 5 different activities you can use for primary learners!

As you are having these important math discussions, include targeted vocabulary as part of the question. For example, What does it mean to partition a fraction? Always ask for an explanation and justification , as well. This way you are truly gaining an understanding of where your student is with their learning.

5. Math Word Wall

Last, but not least, have some sort of math word wall for your students to reference. You can do one inside of your classroom or in the hallway like the one below!

If you don’t have enough wall space to do an entire word wall, feel free to use other important graphics such as anchor charts and printable visuals. You can keep them up for long periods of time or switch them out according to what lesson you are teaching.

As you can see, there are SO many different ways to help practice those math vocabulary skills! You can see all of the strategies mentioned here in my Math Vocabulary Facebook Live Video.

Don’t forget to download your FREE math vocabulary graphic organizer to use with your students by filling out the form below!

Feel free to pin the image below to save this post for later!

How do you teach math vocabulary in your classroom? Click here to see 5 different activities you can use for primary learners!

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Number Dyslexia

10 Engaging Math Vocabulary Activities For Middle School Students

The lambda of gamma is equal to the delta of a theta.

Did this sentence sound like gibberish to you? If yes, then chances are this is exactly what math classes sound like to someone who doesn’t understand what the terms being used actually mean.

While there are many math games available in this digital era, however, understanding math vocabulary is also an essential step and part of doing well in math. This blog highlights various class activities that help in learning, practicing, and retaining various mathematical terms, their use, and meanings.

Activities for mastering the math lingo

Math might not be the easiest subject to crack, but it can definitely be made fun with the use of various activities. Hence, similar to vocabulary games that help students become better with vocabulary, here is a list of several activities that can be used in the classroom to make learning about math vocabulary fun.

1. Math Scrabble

Math Scrabble

For this game, the educator will need several regular Scrabble sets. The students can be divided into groups of 4 students and be given one set each.

The goal of the students will be to get the highest points by using different letters and building on other students’ words. But the catch is that they can only make words related to math. The educator can also decide to award extra points for using math words recently learned in the class.

The students will have to keep track of scores, which will use their basic arithmetic skills, and they will be racking their brains for unique math-related words, which will exercise and enhance their math vocabulary.

2. Math Word Find

Math Word Find

For this activity, the educator will have to prepare a word find with various mathematical terms hidden amongst random letters. They can easily prepare this sheet on Microsoft Word, Google Docs or any other writing software. 

The task of the students will be to find as many words as they can under a short and pre-decided amount of time, for example, 15 minutes. To help the students, the educator can also give several hints on the word find sheet. For example, if the hidden word is ‘line segment’, the educator can give a hint as “a line with two fixed endpoints”.

This game will break the monotony of regular lectures and introduce a fun new element to learning. Students will exercise their math vocabulary knowledge to find all the words before the time runs out.

3. Sort it out 

Sort it out 

For this activity, the educator will have to decide on a theme. It could be anything number-related, like prime numbers and composite numbers, odd and even numbers, factors and multiples, etc.

The educator will then present a pouch full of number tiles from 1-100 to a student at random. The task of the student will be to randomly pick a number tile and place it in the correct pile. For example, if the theme is prime and composite numbers and the student picks the number tile 7, they will have to place that in the prime category.

This fun game does not require much preparation. The theme can be customized based on whatever topic is going on in the class, and it can be used to assess students’ actual understanding of the terms and concepts being used and taught.

4. Illustrate it 

Illustrate it 

For this activity, the educator will have to prepare a bowl full of chits with various mathematical terms written on them. The terms should not be simple shapes but instead related to mathematical operations and concepts like factorisation, lowest common multiple, etc.

The class will be divided into two teams with an equal number of students in each. The teams will then take turns sending one student up to pick a chit, read the turn, and illustrate it on the board, either with an example, a figure, or whatever is convenient to the student. The goal of the team member will be to have their team guess the concept on the chit in under 30 seconds. Whichever team correctly guesses the most illustrations will win the game.

This game will allow the students to compete with each other over their knowledge of math vocabulary and showcase it using illustrations. Additionally, while bringing in the LCM, teachers, and educators can also introduce some examples of concepts like LCM to make their understanding of the concept better. 

5. 3 clues 

 3 clues 

For this activity as well, the educator will have to prepare a bowl full of mathematical terms. The terms could range from concepts like congruence to operations like multiplication and division to even shapes like pentagons and triangles.

The class will be divided into two teams with an equal number of students in each. The teams will take turns, sending one person at a time to pick a chit and give three clues to help their team guess the term. For example, if the term is a triangle, the clue could be a closed shape with three sides. The team that can guess the highest number of terms will win.

This game will help students revise their mathematical terms, both when they are guessing it as well as when they are giving hints about it.

6. Find your partner 

For this activity, the educator will have to prepare several pairs of cards. In each pair, one card will have the name of a mathematical concept, operation or term, and the other will have a fact related to it. 

One card will be placed under each student’s seat. The task of the students as soon as they pick up their own cards would be to look at their classmates’ cards and find their pair. For example, if a student gets a card titled Congruence, their pair could be a student who has a card describing the Side-Angle-Side rule of triangle congruence. The first two or three teams to find their pair could be awarded. This activity can also be supplemented with other activities to brush up the concept of triangle congruence.

This game will not only help students brush up their math vocabulary but will also help them revise various concepts they might have learned or are currently learning in class.

7. I object 

 I object

For this activity, the educator will have to prepare slides with various mathematical shapes and concepts written on them, like line segments, congruent triangles, hypotenuses, etc.

The class will be divided into two teams with an equal number of students in each. When it’s the first team’s turn, they’ll be presented with a term, and their task will be to come up with as many real-life examples of that term as possible in under 30 seconds. For example, a real-life example of a line segment could be a straight road, a tube light, a scale or ruler, etc.  

When the 30 seconds are up, the other team will be presented with another term, and their 30 seconds will be started. By the end of the game, whichever team is able to come up with the most real-life objects will be declared the winner.

This activity will help students apply mathematical, conceptual vocabulary to real-life objects, simultaneously aiding their understanding and recall of the same.

8. Finding letters

Finding letters

For this activity, the educator will have to prepare slides with several mathematical terms written on them. The catch will be that those terms will only have the first letter, the last letter and the total number of letters are visible.

The class will be divided into 4-5 teams with an equal number of students in each. The teams will take turns and will be shown a complete word, which they will have to complete either by guessing the letters or racking their brains for all the possible words that could fit. To make it easier for the students, the educator can allow them to guess 5 letters incorrectly or give a hint about the term mentioned.

This game will have students using their mental encyclopedia and dictionary full of mathematical terms throughout.

9. Buzz for it 

Buzz for it 

For this game, the educator will have to prepare slides with various math terms written on them and 3-4 facts related to those terms mentioned below.

The class can be divided into teams of two with an equal number of students in each. Each team will be given a buzzer. The task of the students will be to identify the false statement among the facts related to the mathematical term mentioned at the top of the slide. For example, if the term is a hexagon, the facts mentioned can be 

  • It has 6 sides
  • The sum of its interior angles is 580°
  • It had 6 angles

In this example, the first team to point out that option b is false and also give the correct answer, which is 720°, will get the point. The team with the most points will be declared the winner.

This game will not only test students’ math vocabulary but also help them learn more about various terms and concepts.

10. The Alphabet Game

The Alphabet Game

For this activity, the educator will have to get a ball and have the students stand or sit around in a circle.

The game will start with the alphabet A and progress in alphabetical order. The educator will randomly pass the ball to a student who will have to mention a mathematical term starting from the letter A  and define it as well. The student, once successful in stating and explaining the term, can then randomly pass the ball to another student. Any student who cannot come up with a term under 30 seconds will be out of the circle.

This game will help students revise concepts, come up with mathematical terms on the spot as well as learn and expand their math vocabulary by learning from each other.

Learning math requires the individual to first learn about the terms used while referring to different concepts, operations, etc. Math activities and games are always a fun way of making tough subjects like math easier to understand, recall and remember. Furthermore, when used in the right way, these activities can help students get better with the vocabulary of a daunting subject like Math! So, go on, play, and learn the concepts so that you can retain them for a lifetime! 

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of  Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

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Math Vocabulary Games

Math has its own fascinating language. Kids everywhere need to learn the important math vocabulary words in order to be successful in school. These math vocabulary games are designed to help students everywhere learn the correct math terms and definitions in English.

The games on this webpage are designed to reinforce important math vocabulary terms and definitions for K-8 math content.

1st Grade Math Vocabulary Game 1st grade students can demonstrate their math vocabulary knowledge by playing this game.

2nd Grade Math Vocabulary Game This is an interactive game that elementary students can play to review important math terms.

3rd Grade Math Vocabulary Game Get students excited about math by inviting them to play this fun math vocabulary game.

4th Grade Math Vocabulary Game How many 4th grade math words can you unlock? For each term, you have a time limit of 1 minute.

5th Grade Math Vocabulary Game Test your math vocabulary knowledge by playing this fun 5th grade vocabulary test.

Geometry Vocabulary Game When playing this game, upper elementary and middle school students will identify a variety of geometrical terms based on given properties and/or definitions.

Return from the Math Vocabulary Games page to Math Play homepage.

What is leap day? Is 2024 a leap year? Everything you need to know about Feb. 29

2024 is a leap year , meaning Thursday, Feb. 29 is a once-in-every-four-year event.

Since leap years typically happen every four years (although there are some exceptions ), our last leap days were in 2020 and 2016, and the next leap year will happen in 2028.

And since this is a day that doesn't come around often, people are celebrating in different ways, with businesses offering special deals in commemoration and others finally celebrating their Feb. 29 birthday .

Here's everything you need to know about leap day, including what is it, why it comes every four years and when it was created.

Leap day deals 2024: Get discounts and free food from Wendy's, Chipotle, Krispy Kreme, more

What is leap day?

Leap day is an extra day that gets added to the calendar. During a leap year, which occurs every four years, leap day falls on Feb. 29, giving the shortest month of the year one added day.

Why is leap day every four years?

The reason there are leap days, and years, is because of the Earth's orbit.

The amount of days it takes for the Earth to complete a full revolution around the Sun is not a whole number. The 365 days we experience is actually  365.242190 days , according to the National Air and Space Museum.

Getting rid of those 0.242190 days adds up.

That fraction allows seasons to correctly line up each year. If leap day was left off the calendar, the months during which we normally experience each season would eventually shift. This would impact other aspects of life, such as the growing and harvesting of crops.

When added, four 0.242190 days roughly equal one full day, which is why Feb. 29 is added to the calendar of most years that are divisible by four, including 2024.

When do we skip leap day?

To make up for decimals of time, we'll sometimes skip leap years, but it's rare. Prepare for a little bit of math: years divisible by 100 but not 400 are skipped, meaning we skipped leap years in 1700, 1800 and 1900 but not 2000. The next leap year we'll skip is quite a ways away, in 2100.

How often is leap year? Here's the next leap day after 2024 and when we'll (eventually) skip one

Who created leap day?

The concept of adding leap days is not new and  has been around for millennia , Britannica reports. Some calendars – such as the Hebrew, Chinese and Buddhist calendars – contained leap months, also known as " intercalary or interstitial months ," according to the History Channel.

While Julius Caesar is often credited for originating leap days, he got the idea from the Egyptians. By the  third-century BCE , Egyptians followed a solar calendar that spanned 365 days with a leap year every four years, National Geographic reports.

In ancient Rome, their calendar varied and included a 23-day intercalary month called " Mercedonius ." But it was not a standalone month. Mercedonius was added to February to account for the difference between the Roman year and solar year, according to the History Channel.

When making the Julian calendar, Caesar took inspiration from the Egyptians and decided to add an extra day to the month of February every four years. The Julian calendar officially began  on Jan. 1 in 45 BCE .

This method would continue over several centuries, but not without issue. Caesar's math of 365.25 days was close, but it wasn't the exact 365.242190 days the solar year contains. To be precise, Caesar " overestimated the solar year by 11 minutes ," the History Channel reports. This meant the Julian calendar would be  short a day every 128 years , according to National Geographic.

By the 16th century, time had shifted again and not in a good way. Major dates had changed, including Easter. The holiday is supposed to occur on the first Sunday following the first full moon on or after  the spring equinox . At the time, Easter's date had moved by  about 10 days .

To fix this, Pope Gregory XIII  introduced the Gregorian calendar , which kept a leap day every four years but eliminated it during centurial years not divisible by 400, according to the History Channel. This is why  1700, 1800 and 1900  were not leap years, but 2000 was.

Despite its accuracy, the Gregorian calendar is not flawless. Instead of being off by one day every 128 years like the Julian calendar, the Gregorian calendar  falls short once every 3,030 years , the History Channel reports.

Upcoming leap days

This year, 2024, is a leap year. Leap day will fall on Thursday, Feb. 29.

The next leap years will be in 2028, 2032 and 2036.

Leap day deals: Where to score on food, products and more Feb. 29

Food chains like Wendy's, Chipotle and Krispy Kreme are offering deals and free food in honor of leap day. Here's where to score on discounts .

What happens if you are born on leap day?

Feb. 29 is the  rarest birthday someone could have . Still, at least 5 million people celebrate their birthday on leap day, according to the History Channel. Your odds of being born on Feb. 29 are  one-in-1,461 .

Many "Leaplings" (or those born on leap day) will celebrate their birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1 during a typical 365-day year, even though documents will reflect it is on Feb. 29.

25 never looked so good: Oklahoma woman born on leap day celebrates 100th birthday

Meet Mary Lea Forsythe: She turns 100 on Leap Day, but it's only her 25th birthday.

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From " What is the olive theory? " to " How many dog breeds are there? " to " How many Zodiac signs are there? " − we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our  Just Curious section  to see what else we can answer.

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COMMENTS

  1. 12 Great Ways to Review Math Vocabulary

    Math vocabulary can be a struggle for students, but with adequate practice, it doesn't have to be. I love using activities and games to help students reinforce their vocabulary. The BEST times to review are before a unit test, before end of year state testing, and anytime students seem to need the extra help!

  2. 5 Fun activities for teaching math vocabulary

    4. Gamify vocab instruction for added fun, competition, and collaboration. Earlier, we discussed ways to create a game for math vocabulary words used throughout class time. You can also play games with students using the math terms in new contexts to test their knowledge. Gameplay can be one round or many.

  3. The Complete Guide to Teaching Math Vocabulary

    Lesson #1: Expression vs. Equation. We dissect the words expression and equation. You'll see in the anchor chart below that "Express" is underlined under Expression and "Equa" is underlined under Equation. Expressions are short, hence the "express" and "equa" is similar to equal. This helps my students remember the difference ...

  4. Build Strong Math Vocabulary Skills Using These Simple Strategies

    Here are a few of the ways Palmieri and other teachers "immerse students in the language of math"—while keeping student engagement high. 1. Let students do the defining: Students need to contextualize words before they can understand them, and need repeated exposure to them before they sink in.

  5. 6 Ways to Build Math Vocabulary in the Classroom

    To be proactive, prompt students to use specific words during partner or group discussions. Say, "In a moment you'll talk to your partner/group about (topic). When you are discussing, be sure to use the word (vocabulary word) in your explanation.". Prompting students in this way will help keep the vocabulary word at the forefront of their ...

  6. Teaching Math Vocabulary that Sticks

    Teaching math vocabulary is something that you build into your instruction. Fun Practice for Spiraling Definitions. To keep vocabulary and definitions fresh, use any of these activities in the last few minutes of class: Flyswatter Games - If you want students to get familiar with your word wall, use the Flyswatter Game. This is a very ...

  7. Math Vocabulary Words Are Important: Here's How to Teach Them

    Choose easy-to-remember actions and short, sharp sound effects. Familiarize your students with these gestures by using them during daily math lessons. Whenever you use the words "addition," "subtraction," "multiplication," or "division," encourage your students to make the hand gesture and sound effect.

  8. PDF A Guide to MATHEMATICAL VOCABULARY

    Guide to Mathematical Vocabulary is a free PDF resource by Dr Paul Swan, a renowned mathematics educator and author. It provides an overview of the key terms and concepts that students need to master in mathematics, as well as practical activities and tips to improve their vocabulary skills. The guide is suitable for teachers and parents who want to support their children's mathematical ...

  9. PDF Elementary Mathematics Vocabulary

    A mathematical operation that combines the sizes of two values. This is represented by the symbol + (e.g. 3 + 5 is a quantity of 3 combined with a quantity of 5 to have a quantity of 8). Add/plus/increase. Carrying out the operation of addition. Circle.

  10. The Comprehensive Math Vocabulary List for Elementary School

    John is a trained Ofsted inspector and a teacher with over 20 years experience teaching Maths across all key stages. This free math vocabulary list defines the top 96 math words & phrases that elementary schoolers need to know in a student-friendly booklet.

  11. 10 Ideas for Vocabulary Instruction in Math

    10. Vocabulary Cartoons. Vocabulary Cartoons work on the principle of mnemonics. A mnemonic device helps with retrieval by associating it with something you already know. Vocabulary cartoons link a rhyming word with a visual in the form of a humorous cartoon. In the example below, the new math term chord is associated with the word bored. A ...

  12. Use these 5 practical strategies to grow students' math vocabulary

    2) Explicitly teach new math words and give students multiple exposures to math words. When we teach vocabulary in Language Arts class, we don't expect students to understand the words on their own. We isolate the words, help students sound them out, provide definitions, and give examples.

  13. A-Z Math Vocabulary Words List, Math Dictionary, Math Definitions

    Explore a comprehensive Math Dictionary that's easy for kids! It has clear definitions for important Math words aligned with the CCS. Dive into simple explanations, fun visuals, and practice problems.

  14. Essential Math Vocabulary

    Essential Math Vocabulary. We've got your number! Mastering essential vocabulary is a prime factor in understanding mathematical concepts and processes. This collection covers topics from arithmetic to algebra, making success in any math course as easy as pi! Share. 15 lists 361 words 24,941 learners.

  15. PDF Vocabulary in Math

    Homophones: Math words that have a nonmath word with the same sound cent sent or scent plane plain two to or too sum some sine sign four for or fore whole hole eight ate pi pie one won weigh way ten tin Multiple Terms for Same Idea: Words in math that overlap, or are often used interchangeably

  16. Math Vocabulary

    c) Cloze Activities: Write 2-3 sentences and leave blank spaces for students to fill in with appropriate math vocabulary from the word wall or vocabulary book.Alternatively, call out a math word and have students write a sentence that expresses a relationship or connection between the term and another math term, concept, situation, or real-world application.

  17. Engaging Math Vocabulary Activities for 4th-8th Grade

    Math Vocabulary Routine . When vocabulary is used as a consistent part of the classroom routine, the word wall can play an important role in developing students' math vocabulary. Using vocabulary frequently and referencing the word wall, makes students more aware and more likely to use the vocabulary during writing activities and math talk.

  18. Math Vocabulary

    The cards are arranged alphabetically and are designed to help all students with math content vocabulary, including ELL, Gifted and Talented, Special Education, and Regular Education students. Each card consists of three sections. Section 1 is only the word. This is to be used as a visual aid in spelling and pronunciation.

  19. 5 Math Vocabulary Activities for Primary Learners

    There are 3 different types of vocabulary words within mathematical concepts. Words that are already in students' oral vocabulary that they need to recognize in print. Ex: how, many, and more. Words that are not in students' oral vocabulary, but they are somewhat familiar with them. Ex: exact, complete, connect, item.

  20. 10 Engaging Math Vocabulary Activities For Middle School Students

    The team with the most points will be declared the winner. This game will not only test students' math vocabulary but also help them learn more about various terms and concepts. 10. The Alphabet Game. For this activity, the educator will have to get a ball and have the students stand or sit around in a circle.

  21. math words

    a polygon with four equal sides and four right angles. 1. a geometry shape. 2. to multiply a number by itself. greater in size or amount or extent or degree. i have more than you. addition. addend. a number that is combined with another number. 6 + 3 = 9; 6 and 3 are the addends.

  22. Math Vocabulary Activities Teaching Resources

    This set of 200 kindergarten number concepts and math vocabulary task cards for the numbers 1-100 will keep your little learners engaged and thinking all year! Each card has a three clue riddle, designed for targeted practice of math skills and to develop number sense and mental math.The cards can be used in so many ways! Expand your calendar activities by solving one or more riddles each day ...

  23. Math Vocabulary Games

    For each term, you have a time limit of 1 minute. 5th Grade Math Vocabulary Game. Test your math vocabulary knowledge by playing this fun 5th grade vocabulary test. Geometry Vocabulary Game. When playing this game, upper elementary and middle school students will identify a variety of geometrical terms based on given properties and/or definitions.

  24. Leap day 2024: What is it? When is it? Meaning, origin of Feb. 29 date

    1:17. 2024 is a leap year, meaning Thursday, Feb. 29 is a once-in-every-four-year event. Since leap years typically happen every four years (although there are some exceptions ), our last leap ...