I love using games in my math centers. I have to admit it wasn't always successful. In the early days of teaching, I didn't consider things like how to set up successful centers, or even the best way to use games during center time.Now, with nearly thirty years of teaching experience behind me, those things are second nature.I've learned that if I want students to get the most from a game, not only should I teach them how to play it but ... read more
Have your Students Master the Doubles Facts
Once first grade students master counting on addition, the next step is learning their doubles facts.The doubles facts are addition facts in which a number is added to itself.1 + 1 and 2 + 2 are both doubles facts.When students know these facts, it's easy for them to use them to solve their near doubles (doubles + 1 such as 7 + 8 and doubles + 2 such as 6 + 8).Unlike the count on facts which have a thinking strategy, the ... read more
Motivating Math Crafts for April Fun
Math crafts are a great way to make your math centers fun and engaging. You can bet that every child in your class will be eager for this math activity.With fifteen different options for each craft, your kids can practice addition, subtraction or multiplication number facts, plus multi-digit addition and subtraction. All while being creative and having fun.No more boring math sheets!Math crafts use a variety of skillsMath ... read more
Editable Spelling Lists make Planning Simple
Editable spelling lists are perfect for differentiated spelling centers. Organizing spelling activities for all your groups can take a long time but it's easy to reduce your planning time with editable templates.This pack of editable spelling lists and forty-nine spelling activities teaches students how to learn their spelling with the look, say, cover, write, check method.By using the included spelling visual, students ... read more
Fun ways to Teach Vowel Teams
While there's no right or wrong order to teach vowel teams ai and ay seems to be a good place to start. They are common, have a clear spelling generalization and a predictable pattern of use.Using posters to introduce your vowel teamUnderstanding the position of a vowel team within a word can help students determine which spelling to use. The ay spelling pattern for the /a/ sound most often occurs at the end of a word or first ... read more
Math Crafts make math so much fun
If you're looking for a crafty, hands-on way to make math engaging for your students, try math crafts. It's the perfect way to practice addition, subtraction or multiplication number facts. Because there are fifteen different options for each craft, you can even give your kids the opportunity to practice multi-digit addition and subtraction.They do the work and you get a colorful bulletin board or hallway display with student work samples - ... read more
49 Motivating Spelling Activities to teach spelling
How do you choose the spelling words you want to use in your weekly spelling activities?Search for spelling lists on the internet and you're presented with a few choices. One is lists of random words with no connection. They might be high-frequency words. Another choice is words from a specific theme.Or you might find spelling lists where words have a similar phonetic make up. That is; a word with a similar pattern like word ... read more
Thinking Strategies make learning Multiplication Easy
I was working with a child recently on her multiplication facts and asked her 6 X 6."Just a minute," she said and she broke into rap. "I only know them when I sing them," she explained.You see, last year her class learned their facts by listening to times table songs.Mixing music and math is fun and can help children memorize the multiplication basic facts. But it doesn't lead to fluency.We teach thinking strategies for addition and ... read more
How to make Two Digit Subtraction with regrouping fun
If your class had the choice between completing a whole page of two digit subtraction with regrouping equations OR playing a math game that required you to write equations, which would they choose?The writing math equations part probably has you thinking, neither.But what if they could work with classmates. Talk about strategies or ask for help if needed. And there was fun involved plus if they're a little competitive, they might win.Now, ... read more
Multiplication games for mastery over the facts
Games for multiplication facts practice are always a winner in the classroom. Give a child the option of: A. practicing their multiplication facts with a worksheet - columns of times tables to answer or; B. using games to practice their multiplication facts. What did they choose? It's a rhetorical question really. We both know the answer. And while they may not know it, multiplication games are also a perfect choice for developing fact ... read more
