Math Block Series: Center Games

One of my favorite ways to help students practice math skills is through the use of games. Games are not only fun, but they are also incredibly powerful in solidifying skills linked to math standards.

Gamify Your Math Rotations

Why not throw a little fun into your math block? I teach three 1/2 hour classes of math and I try to have my students go to four different math rotations for 15 minutes each when they are not at my teacher table. That means that they are practicing math skills in many different ways, in short bursts to keep optimal focus. Math games are of course a classroom favorite. Anytime you can turn learning into a game, students will WANT to practice, instead of having to. 

Where to Get Math Games

Create Math Games

I love to create games for my students. Creating games is a bit of a hobby for me. I like to use simple printable games that are easy to learn and quick to play. I have built a base of games that I can easily create in multiple math skills. I have been slowly creating those. My most recent set was one that focused on place value, with seven different games for students to practice with. 

Math Curriculum Games

Another place I often find games is in my math book. At the back of every chapter, my math curriculum includes a game. It is easy to tear the page out of the student workbook and have an instant game focused on what we have been learning in our math block. At our school, we are currently using Big Ideas as our curriculum. I have recently discovered there are also about 3-4 other games that are explained in the unit. I plan on using some of those as well. 

Purchase Math Games

I enjoy checking thrift stores, or even Amazon for math games. My idea is to have math games for each and every math skill that I teach...I have not gotten there yet, but that's the goal. One thing I want to point out is that you can use many regular games and change them to create math games. For instance, I could turn Candyland, Sorry, Chutes and Ladders, or Tic Tac Toe into quick and easy math games by including flashcards. If we are studying addition, I can add in addition fact cards and students have to draw and solve one card before they can take a turn. It's an easy way to turn a regular game into a math spin. Also, it is easier to find these types of games at thrift stores than it is to find actual math skills games. 

Another fun game to add in is a pop-it game board. I found a few different styles on Amazon and they are a hit in my class. You can use dice or even flashcards for different math skills and the students press down the pop-it buttons as they solve an equation correctly.  

Some of the math games I have added or suggest are: 

Math Game Suggestions

Don't get me wrong, math games can be a ton of fun, however students will tire of this rotation if they have the same game constantly or if they are left to play games for too long of a time. That is why I try to change the game with the standards and try to keep the time down to just 15 minutes. 

If you are looking for some quick and easy printable games, check out my Teachers Pay Teacher's storefront. 

Remember that I mentioned that it is a hobby of mine to create math games? Well, I have a ton, especially for multiplication. However, I also have been slowly building a game collection for other skills as well. You can click the pictures to be taken to the games.

I have other games for these topics. Be sure to click the links to get the games.

Place Value

Rounding

Multiplication

And a few more topics too. To browse all games, click this link. 

Math Games

Happy gaming!

Math Block Series: Math Picture Books

Last year, I ran into problems during my math block. The problem stemmed from students doing the same activities too often and getting bored. I knew I had to do something and for me, the answer was expanding my math rotations and shortening them. Here's how I got my students out of a boredom rut and keep them practicing all math block long. I did some research to see what other teachers were doing and what I could add in and here's the list I came up with. Students would go to six different rotations when not with me. 

1. Independent Work

2. Around the Room

3. Facts

4. Math Games

5. Grow

6. Read About Math

And to help the students keep their volume down to an acceptable level, that would allow me to meet with a small group of students, I have my students work not as a small group, but with a partner or if there is an odd number, a group of three. I try to make the pairs myself based on what I see the students doing in math class. I put students at similar levels of understanding together. 

Let's dive in and hear a bit more about the "read about math" station. 

Read About Math

Using story books in math class may sound surprising, but it's actually a great way to help students make connections to math concepts. The added bonus is that students will also be able to practice their reading skills at the same time. I like that there are so many different books you can purchase that can teach math skills of any topic. Let me show you some of my collection. 

Where can I find math storybooks for my class without breaking the bank?

Here's some ideas for getting books at a great price. 

. Garage Sales

. Goodwill & Other Thrift Stores

. Amazon Used Books

. Ask Parents for Old Books they Don't Use

You may already have some math themed books in your classroom or school library that you could add in. I pick as many books as I can with that theme and place them in a book box. Then students can choose the books they want to read during the math rotation. It's pretty simple to change these out and keep students learning. 

If you are interested in getting classroom ideas and freebies, be sure to sign up for my email list by clicking the picture below. 

Math Block Series: Around the Room

A new math station that I started using this year is called "around the room." I was looking for a few new stations to add, and this one checked all my boxes. Here's how I set it up.

Math Around the Room

Set up

Online, you can find task card that go with just about any standard, including those for math. This is super easy and highly engaging for the students. I simply looked for free task cards for the topic I want to have my students practice. Then I print off the task cards and a recording sheet...you could even use regular notebook paper that students number and write their answers by. Then, to differentiate the levels in my classroom, I placed a red dot, yellow dot, or green dot in the corner of each task card. The red dot ones are the lowest level, and the green is the highest level. I do this by grade level because I teach 3 grade levels, but if I have a higher or lower level student of the same grade level, I could have them practice with a lower set of cards or even have my high students get extra enrichment by doing the green-dotted cards.

Highly Engaging

I found the task cards t be highly engaging. Students were able to get up and move too, which was an added bonus for them. I did train them about the expectations of being up and moving around the classroom. And, I will continue to remind them of the expectations as often as needed. Students can and should work quietly if you are working with a small group. 

Organization

One great way to organize these cards is by paper clipping them together and placing them in a case with small boxes. Each box can hold one math strand such as place value, addition, or even fractions. If you take time to set this up in an organized way, it will make your life even easier. 

 This is the organizer that I have. You can purchase these on Amazon. Sometimes they go on sale for 40% off at Michaels. That is when I purchased them. There are 16 boxes to store different math standards in.

Using Math Task Cards for Around the Room

If you are interested in snatching some place value task cards, you can go here, just click the picture. 

To use this set of task cards, cover the bottom with a sticky note. It can also be used as a whole group game with clues to the number. 

If you are interested in getting tips and tricks for your classroom delivered right to your email along with FREEBIES please click below to sign up for my email list. 

Math Block Series: Setting up Rotations

I am still trying to figure out why place value is such a challenge for students. It just is. Learning the vocabulary and the ins and outs of our number system can be difficult. That's why I try to find ways to make it more engaging and help build student understanding through a series of activities.

I have been working to put together math activities and rotations that my students will be doing to help them learn and solidify their understanding of place value. Let's dive in and I will show you what I have planned for math rotations.

Why Math Rotations

Math rotations allow me to have time to pull small groups. In my classroom, I have three grade levels, and I have a ninety minute math block. That means that I can pull each group for 30 minutes, but I need to keep the others busy with not just busy work, but meaningful activities that will push their learning forward and help them master the math standards. My students will be with me for a half-hour and then will rotate through 4 stations for 15 minutes each. 

How I am Setting up my Math Rotations this Year

I watched several videos on YouTube that gave me some ideas. Last year I had just two rotations for 30 minutes each and I found that students began to get bored and cause problems, so I knew this year I needed some more activities. Here's a look at the seven rotations I will be using when I am working with one of the math groups. 

1. Online Math

I am required to have students work on an online math program, provided for us, called Dream Box. Students are supposed to complete one lesson per day, or five total for the week, so this is perfect to use in one of the rotations.

2. Independent Math Work

Another rotation I use involves independent work. This includes a spiral review. I think it is important to constantly bring students back to work on previously learned skills so they do not lose traction on them. 

Along with the spiral review, I am including other math activities that students can do independently such as color-by-number sheets that go along with skills we have been working on or have just completed (for reinforcement). I will also include other things such as math mysteries. I find that the spiral review may or may not take the entire 15 minute time period, so I will keep some other activities attatched to use if time allows.

3. Grow Your Math Skills

I am fortunate to have an aide during this time. I am going to have her be one of my rotations. It will be perfect because I can quickly see (at my teacher rotation) which students need reinforcement and which are ready for enrichment. I will split my students into those two groups and have each go to my aid for 15 minutes to work on growing their skills. Our math curriculum comes with reteach and enrichment sheets for each lesson. 

4. Math Games

These games will target current or recently learned skills to help students practice and master their skills in that standard. For instance, just after we have learned about place value, I can put out my place value games. I do not want to put them out too early, unless it is already a review skill from a previous year. 

5. Math Facts

Students need to practice math facts to solidify them. This rotation will include not only flash cards and similar activities to reinforce facts, but I like to use regular board games such as Connect Four, Chutes and Ladders, Tic Tac Toe, Candyland, and a few others. When students play these familiar games, they must first draw and solve a math fact card before continuing to move like in the regular game. Another way to play is with dice instead of cards. They can roll the two dice and, depending on the math facts that you are focusing on, add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

6. Math Around the Room

Students will take a clipboard and a recording sheet and go around the room to solve task card that are hanging up. Since I have three levels in my class, I color code the task cards with a dot so students know which of the task cards are for them. For example, my 2nd grade will solve cards with a red dot. The third grade will use cards with a yellow dot, while the 4th graders will go to the cards with green dots. 

7. Read About Math

For this rotation, I scoured my own classroom library and personal books to see what math themed books I already had. I also requested some books from the public library. I decided to work on building a math library that I could use for years to come. I found several books on Amazon, it was helpful to look at the used books there, and it also saved some money. We are also very fortunate to have a Goodwill bookstore in our town, so I spent some time there on a Sunday (when children's books are also 25% off). I was able to find many math themed picture books to add to my collection. 

 

How we Rotate in our Math Rotations

Because each student will be required to do certain rotations everyday and some are not everyday, here's how I am handling my rotations. Students will go to most rotations with just one other person (two if there's an odd number). 

Every day, students will rotate to these stations:

1. Independent Math

2. Online Math

3. Grow Your Math Skills

This will leave students with one additional math rotation for the day and they will alternate between these rotations, one per day. 

1. Math Games (1x per week)

2. Math Facts (1x per week)

3. Math Around the Room (1x per week)

4. Read About Math (1x per week)

On Friday, we have a shortened math block, so students will not have time to go to these last four rotations during that day. 

That's a quick look at how I am setting up my math stations this year. 

If you are interested in more ideas and freebies, be sure to sign up for my email list by clicking the link below. 

If you are looking for the cards or games mentioned in this post, you can find them by clicking on the words below.

Math Games for Place Value

Scoot Cards for Place Value

Stay tuned for part two of my Math Block Series

Getting the Classroom Ready: Day 1

Today was my first day back to school for the year. It was a teacher work day and although my principal told us we could hold off until Monday, I knew that for my own sanity I needed to still go in. We usually report back August 1 and our students return August 11 this year. 

My first order of business was to tackle the bulletin boards. I wanted to hang some new paper on them. Meanwhile, we are getting new flooring in other parts of the school but not in my room. Lots of things interrupted my plans, including the entire fire alarm system being set off by the flooring crew who were stripping off the carpet glue. The fire department ended up coming out and the alarm kept ringing and nothing seemed to be getting done, so I did what any good teacher, who was unexpectedly given one extra day of summer would do, I called it a day. All that can wait for another day.

Fortunately for me, I am not changing my decor, so I just have to put items away, replace a few pieces of decor that has fallen, and get the lesson plans situated. 

Hopefully Monday will be a more productive day. 

Summer Series: Classroom Transformation Freebie

Are you ready to take your year to the next level by getting started with classroom transformations? Then you are in the right place. I have a special freebie just for you to help you get started. Get my 11 page Classroom Transformation Guide that will give you all the tips for getting this rolling in your own class this year. I will give you 50 ideas to inspire you and get those creative juices going, AND you will receive a sample activity that could be used in a classroom transformation. 

Summer Series Classroom Transformations Bonus: 5 Books to Inspire

Just popping onto the blog today to share some of my favorite books for classroom transformations. If you are looking for more inspiration, check these out. 

The Wild Card by Hope and Wade King

So much inspiration. I will always think back fondly to seeing Hope King at work in her classroom in the middle of a Toy Story classroom transformation. LOVED it then. LOVE it now. This book gives lots of ideas for bringing that magic to your own classroom. 

Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess

In his book, Dave shares a lot of innovative ideas for engaging your class. 

    Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire by Rafe Esquith

Another book filled with innovative ideas for the classroom. 

The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark

Ron Clark is one of my biggest heroes in teaching when it comes to classroom engagement. He has so many ideas that can be immediately put into practice. He sparked something with his magical school, The Ron Clark Academy.

Crash Course by Kim Bearden

Kim Bearden, the cofounder of the Ron Clark Academy, is another gem among teachers. Her innovative ideas and transformations bring engagement to every classroom. I have tried, and LOVE her ideas. Some have become a staple in my classroom.