Supplemental K–5 math for understanding and creativity

We help every student see the math.

Bar Model Math gives K–5 teachers a simple, visual way to teach students to understand numbers, solve problems and explain their thinking.

Explore free resources Bring it to your school

Can you make a matching word problem?

Pencils and Pens in a Teacher's Desk: a bar of 13 pencils next to a bar of 5 pens, with a question mark for the total
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The Bar Model Math difference

You may have used tape diagrams or bar models in your classroom before, but at Bar Model Math, these are more than a diagram. Bar modeling is an art form. It’s a tool in our tool belt that helps students not only solve, but understand the trickiest problems they’ll see throughout elementary and into middle school.

Bar models take the reading out of word problems.

Makes math visual

Students see the math instead of hunting for key words.

Makes math class more inclusive

Breaks down language barriers, and provides a flexible tool that increases proficiency for advanced and struggling learners.

Structure, with room to create

Clear, step-by-step lessons and examples, with plenty of room for students to express themselves creatively along the way.

Students explain their thinking

We don’t aim for perfection. The real goal: can students explain what they did? Can a friend solve their bar model without reading the word problem?

Works with what you have

Use it alongside any textbook or math program.

Low-prep and easy to teach

Ready-to-teach lessons, activities, and task cards – with quick tips for teachers along the way.

One tool that grows with students, K–5 and beyond.

Each grade has hundreds of bar models in so many formats.

Animation: a dinosaur above a box labeled 1, with the word One, counting up one by one

Numbers and counting

Addition bar model: a part of 6 polar bears and a part of 3 penguins, with a question mark for the total Subtraction bar model: a total of 9 with a part of 6 polar bears and a question mark for the penguins

Addition and subtraction

Bar model: a heart bar split into a part and a question mark, a star bar of 10, and a total of 40 Donuts at a Bakery: 84 chocolate donuts, strawberry bar 28 shorter, with a question mark for the total

When keywords try to “trick” you

More than and less than

Vanilla and Chocolate Cupcakes at a Party: vanilla bar of 5, chocolate bar of three 5s, with a question mark under two of the chocolate boxes The same cupcake bar model with a question mark beside the whole chocolate bar The same cupcake bar model with a question mark for the total of both bars

How many chocolate?

How many more chocolate?

How many total cupcakes?

Multiplication

Students in a Classroom: a bar of 20 split into 4 equal groups, with a question mark in one group

students in each group.

Students in a Classroom: a bar of 12 split into groups of 3, with a question mark for the number of groups

groups of students.

Division

Apples at a Market: a bar of 30 split into 5 equal parts, 3 red and 2 green, with a question mark over the green part

There are 30 total apples.
35 are red, and the rest are green.How many green apples are at the market?

Fractions

And so much more.

“Not only did my students start understanding ‘word’ problems, they started ‘writing’ their own! Our test scores are better, but there’s also a whole lot more talking in math class.”
Stephanie, third grade teacherBar Model Math classroom in New Jersey

Let’s get started!

For teachers

Change the way your students do math

And do it in a way that's fun to learn and easy to teach! Sign up for a free resource, and to learn about the Bar Model Math curriculum for your grade(s). Or, browse our resources to learn more.

For schools and districts

Bring Bar Model Math to your school

Give every K–5 classroom the same visual tool, so students build on it year after year. Our full curriculum comes with dozens of lessons and interactive activities, and thousands of bar models – plus teacher workshops and training.