DECIMAL SQUARES TEACHER'S GUIDE

2. Each STEP addresses a specific decimal concept. These steps consist of a two-page lesson on facing pages.

3. Materials necessary to teach all the activities in each step are listed at the top of each lesson.

4. More than 30 games designed to expand and reinforce the activities are found in the teacher's guide following the seven main sections. These games also provide an excellent opportunity for students to discuss the concepts presented in the activities and for students to discuss strategies and design their own versions of the games.

5. Supplemental Materials are used in the INDEPENDENT PRACTICE section of the lesson. Worksheets and tests are in the Teacher Resource Package. Computer games are available on decimalsquares.com/ .

6. TEACHER MODELING/STUDENT RESPONSE This part of the lesson provides basic instruction for student involvement Each activity reinforces the Purpose stated at the top of the page. Students can work in pairs or small groups of three or four to share sets of Decimal Squares Decimal Playing Cards or activity mats necessary for the lesson.

7. Specific materials necessary for each activity are listed at point-of-use. Decimal Squares "Transps" indicates you may want to demonstrate the activity with Decimal Squares transparencies as your students work with their corresponding plastic squares.

8. EXPANDING THE CONCEPTS This provides additional experiences for students to develop their understanding of the concepts in the lesson. Games activities relating decimal and fractions problem solving and writing about decimals are contained in this section.

9. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE Worksheets are referenced from the Teacher Resource Package and interactive computer games are referenced from the website.

10. EVALUATION The last step of each of the seven major sections includes a Performance Test from the Teacher Resource Package that evaluates all concepts presented in the section. The worksheets in each lesson also provide excellent opportunities for informal evaluation. At the end of the worksheets there is a Decimal Squares Achievement Test that evaluates the topics in all seven sections. This test may be used as a pretest to determine student placement in the program or as a posttest.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT The games in the teacher's guide provide an excellent way for students to share experiences with their families. Some teachers have students teach their parents a game and then write a journal article on parent understanding and participation. Through family participation students can explain and reinforce their understanding of math concepts developed in the Decimal Squares program.