Beach Ball Math

Who doesn't love math games? Students do that's for sure! They are always more engaged in a math game than doing a worksheet. Here's an easy DIY math game for you.

◈ Materials to Create: beach balls or other type of medium size ball (1 for each small group), permanent marker, math problems for skill you want to practice or review

◈ Materials for Students to Have: scrap paper & pencil or white board & marker, answer key per group if you wish

◈ Before You Play:

☑ If you have beach balls, blow each one up. 

☑ Write the math problems in various places on the ball.

◈ Rules:

☑ Students are divided up into small groups and seated on the floor.

☑ Ball should be rolled (or gently tossed) to someone that hasn't had a turn. **Be sure to go over ground rules when things are rolled or tossed in class.**

☑ Student solves the problem closest to their right thumb (or whichever hand/finger you choose). The problem should be checked by neighbor on their right or left.

☑ Student with the ball should then roll the ball to another student in the group that hasn't had a turn yet.

☑ Play until desired time is up.

So easy to create! Easy to play! 

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Tips to Help Students in Math

Some students need some accommodations in math to be successful. Here are a few tips that might benefit your students.

⓵ Different types of paper are useful.
   ☑Use a box paper to contain math problems. This is especially helpful for students who might do problems all over the page instead of in an orderly manner.

   ☑If it's a struggle to line up problems and keep them aligned during the solving process, have the student turn their lined paper sideways to line up math problems.

   ☑Another option for lining up struggles would be to have the student use graph paper for their math problems using one number or sign per box.

⟹Click here for a free download of box paper
that can be used in your classroom. ⟸

⓶ Highlighters can be helpful. Be sure to teach the highlighting strategy so students aren't just highlighting the whole page. 

   ☑Teach students to use a highlighter to highlight important numbers and the question in word problems. 

   ☑You can also use a highlighter to highlight a certain type of problem within a mixed problem worksheet. For example, they can highlight all of the adding integers problems on a page of adding and subtracting integers.

Products shown: Division Math Lab and Summer Math July Weird and Wacky Holidays

⓷ Do you have manipulatives that students can use in math? Things like number lines, 2 color discs (integers), fraction tiles, etc are great for students to use.

⓸ For students who have anxiety or “get worked up” over too many problems on a page, cut the worksheets up for student so they only have a part at a time.

Product shown: Math Activity Pack 4

These are just a few ideas that might help some of your students. Comment below any accommodations that you have found helpful in math!

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What Do You Do with Sticky Notes?

Sticky notes were my favorite thing when teaching. I actually still LOVE them! I sort of have an obsession with them especially the colored ones. So what can you do with sticky notes in the classroom besides all those random notes stuck on your desk and computer?

1) Use sticky notes for a review. Pass a sticky note out to each student. Have students write a math problem on the note they have without the answer. You can be specific about the skill such as write a problem with adding mixed numbers or write a problem that involves finding the area of a triangle. You can also use this as an end of year review or back to school review using skills from the previous year. Collect the notes, and randomly pass them back out to the students for them to solve. OR You can also have students get up, mix around, give their note to someone, and sit back down to solve their new problem. (I'm all about letting students get up and move!) Check answers to see how everyone did.

2) Use sticky notes to create number lines. Give students a small sticky note. Have them write a number from a category (think ordering decimals, integers, fractions, or rational numbers). Divide the students into 2-5 groups depending on your numbers and have them create human number lines. Again students are up and moving in math - BONUS!

3) Give students a sticky note to explain their thinking. Some students get very anxious if they have a whole page to write on. Keeping the explanation space smaller can relieve that anxiety a bit.

4) Do you have students that shut down if they see too many problems on a page? Use sticky notes to cover up some problems on the page. They can remove the sticky notes as they work through the problems.

5) Exit Tickets. No need to print anything off. Pass out a sticky note to each student and have them solve the problem that you put on the board. They can then stick them to a certain board, cabinet door, or wall space as they leave.

Sticky notes just add a little something extra to math. So get yourself a stash of sticky notes and let your students use them! Your students will be excited about math!

Tell me below your favorite thing to do with sticky notes!

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Repurpose Old Games - Poker Chips

It's time for another round of Repurposing Old Games! If you haven't seen Part 1 - Shrek Board Game to Integer Adventure, you can find it here. Part 2 - Connect Four to Decimal 4 in a Row, you can find it here.

Repurposing games saves you money and are really easy to do. Your students will also enjoy a twist on an old game.

Today I have a set of poker chips & cards that I picked up for $3 like new. There are so many things you can do with this set! One idea is to create a matching game.

Materials Needed:

◈ poker chips (you can also use water bottle caps)

◈ address labels, paper circles, or write directly on the pieces

◈ scissors or circle punch if you are cutting

◈ marker

The skill I chose was converting fractions, decimals, and percents. I wrote 2 pieces of the match per address label, cut them out, and stuck them on the poker chips.

Once you have the matches set up, your students are ready to play. You can easily use different colored poker chips to differentiate for your students. This game is perfect for your math stations or math centers.

Are you interested in other fraction, decimal, percent games? You can grab 2 free games below by joining my newsletter. Already receiving my newsletter? That's okay! Just submit your email below.

Best of 2017

It's time to count down 2017 and prepare for 2018. Here are my hopes and wishes for 2018.

For 2018:

2017 was a long year full of doctor's appointments after a second diagnosis of Melanoma. Hopefully I will finish my treatments in May 2018. I do hope things go well with the treatment. I hope for health and happiness for my family as well.

For all of you, I wish you a healthy and joyful year. May you enjoy happiness throughout 2018!

From 2017, I wanted to share some of my top resources that teachers have used in their classrooms this year. They will be 20% off through the end of 2017. You can find them all here. 

10: Fraction Operations Color with Math

9: Trashketball Game Bundle

8: Math Tag Relay Bundle

7: One-Step Equations Trashketball

6: Multiply Fractions Trashketball

5: Decimal Operations Color with Math

4: End of Year Math Activities

3: Fraction, Decimal, Percent Stations

2: Fraction, Decimal, Percent Bingo

1: Multiply & Divide Decimals Trashketball