Math Hero Comics

Motivational Cards for Fraction Division

- November 29, 2020November 29, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

I recently stumbled across a great and easy fraction division lesson in the International Journal on Emerging Mathematics Education. In Indonesia, all 6th grade students take a national exam, so these creative teachers printed motivational…

Comic Book Project Updates / Research Studies

A Recipe for Fractions

- February 16, 2020November 8, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

If you cook, you use fractions. So why not use cooking to teach fractions? During the holidays my favorite recipes feed a small army, and when I'm cutting them in half, it always reminds me…

Research Studies

Diversity, Comic Books & Math

- January 20, 2020November 11, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

Thanks to Google's search image that reminded me that this is not just another day off, I was inspired to read about diversity and comic books to celebrate Dr. King's birthday. So with a warm…

Commentary

Teacher Gifts for Fraction Lovers!

- December 11, 2019January 18, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

As I was doing my holiday shopping, I couldn't help but be a little self-indulgent and look around for cool books and classroom tools for teaching fractions. As a former teacher, I would often wish…

Research Studies

Multiplication: Lost in Translation?

- November 17, 2019January 18, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

A recent task I developed utilized visual models of multiplication involving a unit fraction. Can you match the models with the expressions ⅓ x 12, ⅓ of 12 or 12 x ⅓? Who would have…

Research Studies

Superpowers for Math Lessons: Writing

- October 12, 2019January 18, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

Researchers in mathematics education have long hypothesized that requiring students to write about mathematics is extremely powerful. Writing-to-learn can add to a student’s understanding, deepen their ability to justify their answers, and improve metacognition. But…

Research Studies

Keep, Change, Flip: Are Algorithms our Frenemies?

- July 7, 2019January 18, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

In the new era of the Core Curriculum and reformed mathematics teaching, the big goals are to have our children understand mathematics deeply and solve problems creatively, rather than just memorize a bunch of meaningless…

Research Studies

Why is Fraction Arithmetic So Hard AND Important!

- June 5, 2019January 20, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor comment

I recently stumbled upon the work of Robert Siegler, a professor of cognitive psychology at Carnegie Mellon University who is working with several colleagues to determine why fraction arithmetic is so difficult. Of course, all…

Research Studies

A Fraction-Algebra Sandwich

- March 24, 2019January 18, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor 1 Comment

Peck and Matassa (2016) recently published a research paper that reinforced why fraction division and multiplication is such an important topic for children to master. We often hear that understanding fractions is a gateway to…

Comic Book Project Updates

Teaching Fractions with Newton’s Nemesis

- March 9, 2019January 19, 2020 - Cindy Ticknor 1 Comment

Today, I uploaded a new video on YouTube that condenses all the research behind my math mystery comic book series, Newton's Nemesis. It's fast paced and 7-minutes long. Every time I need to learn something…