This game is from Mr. Bailey, one of my mentor teachers from my credential days. I still remember him teaching it to me during one of our lunch breaks, with his hand full of dice. I was skeptical at first, because I had never really played “math games,” but then I started to really get into it! Like, I spent the rest of my lunch break trying to make math expressions. Just for fun. Yeah, really.
It was in this sixth grade classroom that I first saw what a great tool a good math game could be to help kids have an enjoyable time practicing math! I love this game because it really pushes kids to think mathematically in different ways. I suppose it can be used for kids who only have addition and subtraction under their belts, but it is probably most challenging and fun for kids who have learned the order of operations: PEMDAS, anyone?
I have yet to find a kid that does not love writing on a whiteboard.
Heck, even most adults find it kind of cool. At least, I do… even after nearly a decade of writing on them for my day job.
Ask kids to do a math problem on a sheet of paper with a pencil, and it may feel like a chore. Have them copy the exact same problem on their whiteboard, and suddenly there is an air of excitement and motivation. Maybe it’s the safety of not having to commit their thoughts to something as permanent as paper. Maybe it’s the excitement of writing on a whiteboard the way the teacher does in the classroom. Maybe it feels more like drawing than working. Maybe they just like the smell of the marker… who knows.
What I do know is that whenever I said, “Take out your whiteboards,” there was a collective sprinkle of “YES!” echoing around the room. Day after day, no matter what subject. And it’s not like I rarely used them… we used them all the time: daily for math, frequently for spelling, and oftentimes for other subjects. Still, whenever I said those magic words, the kids were raring to go, ready to write in a way that would make paper and pencil envious.
My dad is an amazing cook. He’s the kind of cook who bikes to the farmer’s market, picks out what looks fresh, and picks up quality meats to go with his food. Organic, wild, etc. He rarely uses recipes, and is the legit kind of cook who just does what looks right and feels right. This is great for him, but not so great for me, because when I try to get recipes from him, his measurements are approximate and instructions general. It’s a rare feat that I actually have a recipe from the man with numbers and measurements so I can attempt it on my own.
But I have at least one. And it’s a really good one. Tasty, simple, and little prep. One of those perfect recipes that you’ll find yourself going back to whenever you feel like eating something tender and meaty but don’t want to do much cooking.
This recipe is for my dad’s baby back ribs. They are so, so good, and I would have never guessed the secret ingredient in a million years, so it’s a good thing I now have this one written down for posterity!
This is a fun and simple game that lends itself to a variety of math topics, including 1- and 2-digit addition, place value, absolute value, and negative numbers. It’s great for practicing mental math and combinations to make 10. It also provides many great opportunities to have math talks to discuss strategy. My students love this game. It’s easy to learn, there’s no time pressure, and it’s not as directly competitive as other games can be, which helps some students thrive more.
>>>CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION WITH THE SCORING TEMPLATE AND INSTRUCTIONS.<<<
There’s not much of a story on this one. I saw a recipe, tried it, liked it, and make it all the time now. So I’m keeping it simple today.
Five reasons you want to try this iced tea:
1) It’s sweetened with APPLE JUICE! What a great idea!
2) It’s CAFFEINE-FREE.
If you’re trying to kick the caffeine habit like me, this is a major plus!
I am very pleased to present the game of Tic-Tac-Toe Products:
This is a really fun game which also happens to review multiplication facts! It’s one of my favorite math games to teach and play with my students. It’s super simple, and kids can play several rounds of this without noticing the time passing! Like most of the games I will share, it’s also very portable. If your child has learned their multiplication facts, you should really give it a go! Fun for the whole family.
It’s summertime! Time for the kids to read books, swim, play outside, and learn how to deal with boredom. I think a healthy dose of boredom is good for kids. It can be a stepping stone to creativity and imagination. Some of my best memories from childhood stemmed from boredom, and I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything!
Still, summer can get pretty… boring.
(Sound familiar?)
I filled my elementary summer days with hundreds of books, lots of sunshine, and probably a little too much TV. One thing I wish I had were the math games I’m about to share with you! They are simple, fun, and great ways to practice math facts and concepts. In my classroom, my students would cheer every time I announced that we were learning a new math game. They loved these games so much that they even chose to play them during their free time!
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