Tutoring with Zearn Math? Access Program Guide, On-Demand Webinar, and Getting Started Checklist Learn more

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Zearn Math provides teachers with all of the materials they need to plan and lead instruction that ensures students deeply learn the math content of their grade. These materials are available in both English and Spanish, and include Whole Group Word Problems, Whole Group Fluency, and materials for Collaborative Concept Exploration. Downloadable and printable teacher lesson materials are available on each Mission Page.

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Whole Group Fluency
Whole-Group Fluency materials include oral fluencies and whiteboard fluencies. Each day, teachers choose one fluency to complete as a class as a fun warm-up. This whole-group warm-up engages the community of learners and builds number sense.  Each student should have an individual whiteboard so each student has an opportunity to show their pictorial and abstract representations. Fluency activities are opening activities with two instructional purposes – one is fun practice of previously learned ideas to develop procedural fluency and retain content and the other is a warm-up for upcoming content.  

Whole Group Word Problems
Whole Group Word Problems include word problems connected to the Mission that can be solved using a variety of approaches. Each day, teachers choose one word problem to complete as a class. While teaching the word problem, teachers can help students visualize what’s happening, encourage multiple representations, and have students talk about their strategies.

Collaborative Concept Exploration
Collaborative Concept Exploration is built around a series of scaffolded math problems that move students towards the overall goal of the lesson. Teachers facilitate thoughtful mathematical discussions between students, allowing them to refer to and build on each others’ ideas using sample vignettes provided by Zearn that illustrate how each problem should unfold and what rich discourse should look like during the learning. Students will share their own thinking aloud and discuss classmates’ problem-solving strategies. Teachers can also assess individual students’ understanding as students model their math thinking using concrete manipulatives, share their reasoning aloud, and problem solve. These moments of feedback also provide all students with valuable, in-the-moment support so they can correct their misconceptions and continue learning.

Materials include space to annotate each lesson based on students’ needs, required concrete materials, and debrief questions to prompt discussion. There are also recommended optional problems for remediation and enrichment. 

Concrete Materials
As students learn new concepts with Zearn Math, they progress from using concrete materials to pictures to abstract symbols, and they are able to move back and forth between each stage to make sure that they understand what they are learning. This gives all learners the chance to construct physical models of abstract math ideas and test and confirm their thinking. You can find a list of recommended concrete materials by grade below. You can also purchase grade-level manipulative kits here.
  • Kindergarten
    • Teddy Bear Counters

    • Dot Dice

    • 3D Attribute Solids

    • Place Value Cards, 12 Basic Student Sets

    • Place Value Cards, Demonstration Set

    • 5-Group Cards, Demonstration Set

    • Sponge Dice, Dots

    • Rocker Scales

    • 100 Bead Demonstration Rekenrek

    • Unifix Cubes

  • 1st Grade

    • 5-Group Cards, Demonstration Set

    • Centimeter Cubes

    • Two Color Counters

    • Dot Dice

    • Geometric Solids

    • Pattern Blocks

    • Place Value Cards, Demonstration Set

    • Place Value Cards, 12 Basic Student Sets

    • 100 Bead Demonstration Rekenrek

    • Unifix Cubes (UniLink Linking cubes)

  • 2nd Grade

    • Centimeter Cubes

    • 12-Hour Student Clock

    • Color Tiles, Plastic

    • Two Color Counters

    • Meter/Yardsticks

    • Classroom Money Kit

    • Whole Number Place Value Cards

    • Place Value Disks

    • 100 Bead Demonstration Rekenrek

    • Wood Ruler, Inch and Metric

    • Unifix Cubes

  • 3rd Grade

    • 500 Centimeter Cubes

    • Demonstration Clock

    • 12 Plastic Droppers

    • 3 Sets of Foam Pattern Blocks (250 pieces each)

    • Place Value Strips Whole Numbers, Set of 40

    • 6 Sets of Place Value Disks, 4 Values (200 pieces each)

    • 4 Classroom Compact Scales

    • 6 Dual-Dial Platform Scales

    • 6 Digital Timer Count Down/Up

    • Metric Weight Set, Plastic, Set of 58

    • Square inch tiles

    • Beakers (mL and L)

    • Rulers

    • Ten-frame

    • Linking cubes

  • 4th Grade

    • Graduated Cylinder 1000-ml

    • Gallon Measurement Set Whole Number Place Value Cards

    • Place Value Disks

    • Decimal Place Value Cards

    • 4" Protractors

    • Platform Scale

    • Customary Weight Set

    • 360 Circle Protractors

    • Decimal Disks

    • Rulers

    • Square inch tiles

    • Meter sticks

    • Yardsticks

  • 5th Grade

    • Centimeter Cubes

    • Two Color Counters

    • Graduated Cylinders 100 ml

    • Patty Paper

    • Whole Number Place Value Cards 

    • Place Value Disks

    • Decimal Place Value Cards

    • Tape Measures

    • Decimal Disks

    • Rulers

    • 180 Protractors