I’ve come to the conclusion that far too many elementary school students see numbers as static, instead of elastic figures. This not only encumbers their ability to understand harder concepts, but also stifles their creativity. For students to excel in elementary mathematics, they need to recognize numbers and units in varied, flexible forms. I invented Deco Trees to help guide this process.

Deco Trees are decomposition activities that synthesize fluency and problem solving skills. Their design and simple to complex sequences stimulate creativity, while guiding students to think more deeply about combining like and unlike units in part/whole relationships.