Five Reasons You Need Games in Your Math Block

Think about your math block...Would you like students working together to critically think about math in an exciting and engaging way? Then you need to incorporate math games into your math block. Here are five reasons why I love to use math games in my classroom!

This colorful game will quickly engage students. You can find this Back to School Bingo by clicking on the picture or clicking here. This Bingo is great for the start of the school or all year long.

Just mention the word game; your students will stop in their tracks. From the moment I introduce the new activity or "game" until the moment everything is cleaned up and put away, students are ENGAGED! They are excited about the math concept they are practicing and continue to beg me to play more and more!

You can find this Spring Math Bingo by clicking on the picture or clicking here. Addition and subtraction bingo is great for math center all year long!

This brightly colored sorting game uses different representations of numbers. You can find this Number Representation Sort by clicking on the picture or clicking here.

Using manipulatives is necessary and every teacher should be using them to teach math. Math manipulative can come in many forms; they are not just base ten blocks. Using beans, bears, and other counters allow students to touch and interact with the math concept. Using dice and spinners allow children to see and use math in the "real world." Why not make it a game to excite students more?

Allow students to use manipulative while they are at a math center or playing game. During this game students can use their own set of base ten blocks. You can find this fall math game and more by clicking the picture or by clicking here.

Rolling a die, answering a question or figuring out a problem, and moving their marker, promotes mathematical success. Children are able to feel their success and share it with their classmates all while they are practicing the math concepts you are teaching them.

Students are playing a Valentine's Day Math Game. Picking an addition card, solving it, and moving their bear the spaces designated by the die allows students to show their success and progress with addition. You can find this math game and other Valentine's ay Math Games by clicking the picture or here.

Who doesn't love shouting out "BINGO!" This exclamation allows students to celebrate their success with their addition and subtraction. Find this Fall Bingo and many more in the money saving Addition and Subtraction (within 10) Bingo Bundle. 

Many math tasks incorporate critical thinking which can be difficult to get students excited about. Why not have games that require critical thinking? Using engaging games that require multiple steps, problem solving, or critical thinking will encourage students to use critical thinking skills in everyday life.

This True and False Sort requires students use critical thinking to solve solve two different equations and then deciding if they're equal. This multistep task is hidden by it being a perfect game for a math center or free choice. You can find this game and other Fall Math Centers by clicking on the picture or here.

Students need to interact with one another in every way possible to develop strong social skills they will need later in life. They need to interact during partner work, reading, math, on the playground, in the cafeteria, everywhere! Having math games as part of your math routine will strengthen your students' social skills.

With this activity students need to work together to order the numbers. Using math talk and their social skills, they can successfully work together to solve math problems. You can find this math game and other Valentine's Day Math Games by clicking the picture or here.

During games students can learn to help another student who is struggling, encourage one another, or celebrate their classmates' success. During this Bingo play students are able to practice these social skills. You can fin this Summer Bingo by clicking here. Check out the money saving bundle by clicking on the picture or by clicking here!

What types of math games do you use in your classroom? I would love to hear from you!

Happy Mathing!

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Math Tip Monday--Number Sense

I am linking up with K's Classroom Kreations and Theresa's Teaching Tidbits for Math Tip Monday! This month will be focusing on Number Sense. Be sure to come back the first Monday of the month for new math tips.

Number sense is a building block to develop math skills; without it, you can't grow mathematically. Beginning from toddler years children begin to develop a sense of number. Primary math focuses a lot of time on number sense. As math concepts grow more complex and automaticity is desired, number sense still needs to be taught. What are some ways for primary teachers to teach number sense? Here is a list of 5 ways I teach number sense in my classroom.

1. Multiple Representations

It is important for children to understand that number is a concept and there are many ways to show number. Students often think the numeral is what "number" is, but there is so much more to the idea of number. Using a variety of representations of a number helps students understand the relationships numbers have with one another.

Above are different examples of the number two. Included is the numeral along with different ways you can show the number two. 2 is simply the symbol we use to show the number, but how else can you show that value of the number 2?

You can find this number representation activity here or by clicking on the pictures.

Below are some examples for seventeen.

You can find this multiple representation Fishing for Numbers game in my store by clicking on the pictures or here.

These FREE anchor charts show the number one through ten in different ways. This is a great resource for students to use when working through the year. As students become familiar with different representations of a number, you can have them create their own anchor charts for higher numbers. Click here or on the pictures to grab this freebie!

Grab this freebie here!

2. Addition & Subtraction

Children need time and multiple opportunities to practice and use their number sense. Addition and subtraction allows students to use number sense in a real application. Understanding the meaning of addition and subtraction is important when looking at relationships between numbers.

Above is my fall themed math bingo game. Students are able to independently or with a small group practice their number sense through addition and subtraction. To find the fall activities click on the picture or here!

Below are addition and subtraction cards from my Fishing for Numbers activity focusing on multiple representations. Click here or the picture to find it in my store.

Another opportunity for students to practice their number sense with addition and subtraction is through this Christmas Math Bingo found in my Christmas Math Centers pack. Click here or the
picture to find it in my store!

3. Using Manipulatives.

It is no secret that using manipulatives help students learn all different math concepts. Developing number sense is no different. Allowing students to be able to group together, add, take away, and play with the idea of number allows deeply strengthens their number sense.

There are so many ways to do this. I have used the counting bears or dinosaurs, beans, cereal, and small erasers (you can get seasonal ones too!) When children are able to use their hands and experiment with an idea (we can use math for an example,) they can begin to develop mastery.

4. Problem Solving

I LOVE problem solving! It allows students to experiment with ideas, thunk critically, and develop new strategies. Not only is problem solving great for developing number sense, but it is also a life long skill used across many subject fields. You can find a collection of my math journals by clicking on the pictures or clicking here.

Students need to use their number sense to solve real world problems. A student may be able to use an equation, but do they truly have the number sense to understand what is happening? Using problem solving and math journals will help students see real wold relationships with numbers. You can find a collection of my math journals by clicking on the pictures or clicking here.

You can find a collection of my math journals by clicking on the pictures or clicking here.

5. Number Order

Children with great number sense know the order of numbers and count in a variety of ways. Counting and placing numbers in order in a GREAT way to strengthen number sense in any student. Try counting in different ways such as by 1s, 2s, 5s, or 10s. You can count forward or backward, make a song or a rhyme, use number order cards, or play a counting game. There are many ways to practice the order of number which reinforces the relationships numbers have with one another.

You can find this number order activity in my Valentine's Day Math Center pack in my store. Click here or any of the pictures to find it in my store!

Thanks for stopping by to check out this months Math Tip! Join me back next month for some new math tips to use in your classroom. In the meantime, check out some other great tips from my friends below!

Happy Mathing!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Autumn Math and Literacy Centers

Autumn is my favorite time of the year! I grew up in Chicago, and always welcomed the cool weather, changing colors, and sweaters. I have lived in Phoenix for 8 years, and I'm still not accustomed to the lack autumn here in the desert. That is why I was so excited to make my fall unit! It brought back so many fall memories of when I was growing up in Chicago. 

Inside this bundle are a total of TEN centers for your classroom. There are five math centers and five literacy centers as detailed below. You can check out the bundle in my store here. 

This bundle is packed with everything autumn including: 

-pumpkins

-leaves

-acorns

-scarecrows

-birds

-small animals

-and kids

I love how quick and easy these these centers are. All you have to do is print, cut, and put them in a basket, and you are ready to go!

True or False Acorns - 
Students determine if each equation is true or false with these lifelike acorns. You can have students fix the false ones to make them true on a piece of paper. 

Base Ten Match Up - 

This is memory game where students match the numeral to the base ten representation. Such a fun way to practice place value concepts!

Line Up the Pumpkins - 

This center helps student place number in order either from greatest to least or least to greatest. There is a lot of room for differentiation in this center. You can choose 4 or 5 numbers for students, or they practice 10 or more! Numbers range from 0 to 100.

Addition Bingo
I love the personal Autumn themed bingo boards! These are perfect for a math center. There can between two and six players.

ABC Order

Fall into Order - 

This is such a fin way for students to practice their sequencing skills to help them comprehend better. Being able to retell the events in a story is crucial to understanding the story. Students just grab the sentences that have the same picture and they are ready to go!

Sight Word Memory - 
Each word pair has the same picture to scaffold student learning.

Fall into Story Time - 

This is one of my favorite centers because it allows for student creativity. This is a great narrative writing center. This can also be done whole group because there are 9 different story prompts. There is a story map and writing paper included in this center. 

Check out the whole pack here!

I am so excited to share this bundle with you! Remember that all products in my store are half off for the first forty eight hours!


Happy (early) Autumn!!

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