The Robertson Program for Inquiry-based Teaching in Math and Science - OISE

06/09/2025

Interested in Indigenous language revitalization? Our partner, Natural Curiosity, is offering a summer course in Kanyen’keha (Mohawk)! It's a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and support the revitalization of this beautiful language. See post for details!

10/24/2023

🎃 Here's a great way to engage your students in math and celebrate Halloween! When Mr. Tiffin challenges his class to determine which pumpkin contains the most seeds, they learn small things hold big surprises! Explore addition, multiplication, data management, size and capacity.
*Free lesson plan and video read aloud included!

Charlie is the smallest student in his class. But when Mr. Tiffin brings in three pumpkins and challenges the class to determine which contains the most seeds, Charlie and his friends learn that small things can hold big surprises. Students explore addition and/or multiplication, consider the relati...

04/28/2023

For years, Jackman Institute of Child Study Lab School - JICS teacher Zoe Donoahue used her daily calendar activity w primary students to promote rich math talk. Now teaching juniors, Zoe shares a new daily math discussion that explores factors, fractions, prime & composite numbers - and more!
https://bit.ly/3nkxbmu
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

Grade 4/5 Teacher Zoe Donoahue shares the Daily Math Discussion she's developed for junior grades. Her students use the number of days in school to explore factors, prime and composite numbers, fractions, division, multiplication, place value — and more!

02/03/2023

"Rather than assigning KWLs as a preliminary task that may only tap the knowledge of a few students, start with a more open-ended discussion based upon a common experience, such as a read aloud, experiment or exploratory walk."
- Dr. Julie Comay on conceptual organizers

KWL-type models may oversimplify the process of coming to know by highlighting information over thinking, as well as failing to credit the mix of wondering, experiencing, thinking, rethinking, feeling, observing and questioning. PLUS, 8 ideas for working with conceptual organizers.

02/01/2023

Happy ! We’re celebrating all week!
In an earlier blog, Dr. Julie Comay writes about the benefits of integrating stories into math class and what to consider when selecting stories to support math learning.
PLUS, a list of recommended stories to engage children in math: https://bit.ly/3XNj4TI
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto

Much has been written about the benefits of situating math in a variety of contexts ranging from board games to the mundane routines of daily life. Narrative provides another rich context for and powerful entry into mathematical topics of all kinds. Hearing and telling stories is a universal way tha...

01/31/2023

is coming up this Wednesday, Feb 1! We’ve developed FREE lesson plans featuring exceptional books that promote math learning.
PLUS, if you need it, we’ve filmed read alouds to go with them!

A collection of children's stories with accompanying lesson plans that lead to mathematical thinking and skill development.

01/27/2023

Next Wed, Feb. 1 is World Read Aloud Day!
We ♥️ + storytelling = math learning. So, we're re-sharing our blog post with Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto professor Dr. Cathy Marks Krpan looking at how to select an exceptional book for math class.
We also have an ever-growing list of math picture books recommended by practicing teachers!

Deliberately selecting culturally diverse and relevant literature ensures all students have an opportunity see themselves reflected in class material. Plus, 7 self-reflective questions for educators to consider when selecting storybooks to support mathematical learning.

01/26/2023

A favourite in our Online Play Math sessions, this game requires just a deck of cards + can be set up quickly. Students use addition/subtraction to clear cards off the pyramid + into the discard pile, but there’s a twist!

Free in-person + online lesson:

Primary: Number Sense Use the properties of addition and subtraction, and the relationships between addition and multiplication and between subtraction and division, to solve problems and check calculations.

01/25/2023

An egg carton, 2 tokens + 1 die are all that’s needed to create this hands-on adding/subtracting game for young children.

Plenty of shaking, rattling + rolling contributes to the writing of equations.

Free lesson + curriculum connections: https://bit.ly/3jX2Lol

Children shake an egg carton and roll dice to determine whether they will add or subtract. Primary Number Sense.

01/23/2023

In this customizable lesson, students hunt for, identify and illustrate pattern examples from their own classroom. Could use as an assessment or concluding activity to recap learning from the unit.

Free lesson + curriculum connections:

Students go on a pattern hunt to look for naturally occurring patterns in their environment. Early Years Number Sense, Patterning and Algebra.

01/23/2023

01/19/2023

3 paper “snakes” and some “magical pellets” form the basis of this story-based, early years patterning lesson. What theories do children come up with for how many pellets each snake must eat? Can they uncover the patterns you create?

Free lesson + printout:

Through a story about magical snakes, children think about numerical patterns. Early Years, Patterning and Algebra.