There’s a lot of reasons to teach math vocabulary in a math class. Below are four free resources for teaching math vocabulary in the middle school math classroom.
1. Math Word Wall Cards for Fractions
Bring fractions to life with these easy-to-use word wall cards. Nuts-and-bolts terms like denominator, numerator, reciprocal, and whole number are illustrated and defined.
2. Interactive Notebook for Coordinate Plane
The foundation of so much middle school math is built. This INB is a good way to preview, review, teach, or re-teach the coordinate plane, its function, and related terms.
3. Interactive Notebook for Operations
This interactive math notebook includes pre-filled-in and blank printable templates, along with concise, kid-friendly definitions and step by step instructions for building the foldables.
4. Geometry Vocabulary Crosswords
Whuh? Crosswords in a math class? Perfect for when you have a sub who is a bit rusty in the maths. I also use ’em in homework packets, and for early finisher work. I assign them more than once a school year, too! The kids have yet to notice!
About math vocabulary, a wise person once said…
Sometimes, when explaining math vocabulary to my class, I feel like a dog chasing its own tail. Perhaps that’s why the mathematician Henri Poincare was fond of saying, “Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.” A few other great minds had deep insights into the language of math.
The power of mathematics is often to change one thing into another, to change geometry into language. – Marcus du Sautoy
Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. – Albert Einstein
Mathematics is the music of reason. – James Joseph Sylvester
A person whose mind has gone astray should study mathematics. – Francis Bacon
Is zero a number, or what?
I thought I knew until I read Math Lingo vs. Plain English by Reuben Hersh.
I would like to purchase the 8th grade math essential vocabulary word wall from a couple of years ago but it looks like it has been updated with less information. I can find it on pinterest but when I click on it, it takes me to a different perhaps newer version on Teachers Pay teachers. Can I just buy the new one and have the teacher share the old PDF with me?
Thanks, Mikki
Hi Mikki. Last summer we simplified the cards to improve the visibility. However the old version is still available. The resource currently on TpT includes a folder called “Previous Versions.” Inside there you’ll find the cards that have the definitions and more detailed illustrations. We made some updates to those through the years, so it’s possible that they aren’t exactly like the ones your colleague has. If that’s the case, you can totally use the other teacher’s PDF.
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