Let's Talk Math

Hello bloggy friends!! 

Today I am talking math with ya! 

At my school the name of the game is NO WORKSHEETS! And, yes, recording sheets are considered work sheets! I don't even try to argue...it's not worth it! 

Really though it's not all that bad. I rarely used sheets in math anyway so there weren't many tears shed on this one! 

So, you ask...what DO you do for math centers??

Here are a few of my math centers (please ignore the fact that some are winter...I've been a slacker taking pics this year. You'll still get the idea...)

Let me start by saying that I do the SAME centers over & over...gasp!! 

No, really...I just change the difficulty, theme, standard, whatever to keep the centers feeling like they are fresh and new. This is a huge WIN for me because I never have to reteach how to do a center after they have learned the game. I do 4/5 centers a week & the kiddos know how to play 10 different centers. This is how I can keep things feeling new but the kiddos know how to play them! 

 This is a roll & ___ game. It may be roll & add 1, add 10, take away 1, take away 2...the list goes on. BUT, because they already know the premise of the game I can change it to whatever I see that they need & they automatically know how to play it.(I think that this game was actually a "Mittens PLUS 10" game...can you say typo?)

 I am a huge fan of getting the kiddos moving so I usually have a "____ the Room" center. It may be add the room, count the room, subtract the room, solve the room....again, the possibilities are endless. I can change it to whatever my kiddos need. Below you can see a "Measure the Room" center. I teach them how to record their work in their math journals so NO WORKSHEETS! Win!!

How easy is it to throw out some 10 frames, manips, & flash cards? Again, the possibilities...

Holy cow...domino centers can last forever! This time I had them doing commutative property of addition. You can do addition, subtraction, +10, -10, +1, -1, ...I could go on & on & on.... ha! Go to the dollar store & grab some cheapie dominoes & you will be set! 

Well, I hope that you found some of this to be helpful!

If you hung on this long I have a cutie freebie for ya! 

It one of my Roll & Add games with the apple theme. So fun for the fall! There are 2 versions so you can differentiate. 

PLEASE leave some comment love if you snag it! 

A SUPER Fun Game!!

Hello Bloggy Friends! 

In my last post I mentioned that I LOVE for my kiddos to learn through games. I thought I would introduce you to a game that I play with my kiddos that is really versatile & can be played with any subject. My aunt, who used to be a teacher, taught me this game. She used it in 4th grade & I have used it in Kindergarten & First Grade. It is really simple to play & seriously fun for the kiddos! 

Have I built the suspense enough?!? Ha!

I have always called the game "Up Down". I'm sure that it goes by many others & I want you to know that I DID NOT invent this game. If you know who did, please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due! :)

Up Down

To play students will need a white board, marker, & eraser. 

They will need to be seated at their desk/table.

Like I said, this can be played with ANY subject. For the sake of understanding the directions I'm going to use letter ID in the example.

The teacher will call out a letter. Students will write the letter on their white boards. After 5 seconds (you can decide it you need more or less time) the teacher says "Boards Up" & the students have to hold their boards facing the teacher above their heads. The teacher will then quickly scan the boards & tell each student "Up" or "Down" according to the answer on the board. 

 (OK, so he didn't hold it above his head, but in a room full of kids that's the only way to quickly see all the boards.)

If the answer is correct the students move UP. 

Yes, moving UP means that the students are now sitting on top of their desk **GASP** Can we really do that! Yes, you can!! 


If the answer is incorrect the students move DOWN. 

 Moving down means that the student moves down to the floor. 

Throughout the course of the game students will be moving UP & DOWN. The student that is on the floor will move back to the chair when he gets a correct answer. The student sitting on the desk will move down to the chair with an incorrect answer. A second incorrect answer will get that student to the floor. 

**You will want to sprinkle in questions that are very easy so that your low students will not stay on the floor! It is a great confidence builder when they get to sit on top of the desk. Likewise, you will want to have some difficult questions for your high flyers to knock them off the desks. 

This game can be played whole group or small group. I have done it both ways & it was great fun either way. I have played it by calling out spelling words, math facts, land forms, shapes, numbers, letters, blends, digraphs, showing time on a clock, calling out rules & they write yes/no if what I say is or isn't following a rule...I mean, the possibilities are ENDLESS! 

Try the game! I promise that your kiddos will love it! 

Let me know if I need to explain anything to make it a little clearer!