Take Time to Enjoy Them!

Teaching can be crazy busy! 

In fact, it's easy to get discouraged by all the extra meetings and expectations for teachers these days.

 

Here's my best advice:

If you're anything like me, the kids are the reason you went into teaching to begin with. It wasn't to go to meetings. It wasn't to analyze test data. It wasn't to impress the administration. It was the kids.

It's always been about the kids.

Once in a while, I have a "game day." 

 

I kind of sneak it in, pretending it's a reward for being good, but it's really giving them a way to appreciate the skills they have learned and my way of enjoying the kiddos. 

As I'm sure you're aware, most board games practice many academic skills and social skills the children need to work on: counting, reading, taking turns, listening to directions, showing kindness, and plenty more! I have a few favorites I'd like to share with you. 

 

On a typical game day, I'll have a number of stations for the children, including a "work with teacher" station. That's when I pull out "Apples to Apples." (Explore image to see game at Amazon. It's an affiliate link. Don't worry, it doesn't cost you a thing. Promise!) 

 

Apples to Apples brings in important skills such as reading, categorizing, and respecting another's opinion. (If you know the game, the "judge's" opinion is law!)

 

Another reason I love this? It always includes loads of giggles! (I'll never forget the time one of my little guys put down the "my teacher" card for the category, "ugly." I knew something was up when he couldn't stop laughing as he put down the card... he promised me it wasn't really true!) We all had a good laugh over that one!

Here are a few more recommendations: (These images also affiliate links to Amazon, I promise it doesn't cost you a thing!)

A couple of games are great for practicing specific math skills. Yahtzee is a classic, plus it's addicting, so they'll play it again and again!

There are a gazillion games that can be played with a regular deck of playing cards! I often give the children a deck of their own as a gift, or I'll buy a bunch for the whole class to share.

I'm sure you know plenty of card games to teach the kiddos, and you don't, make some up! Even just putting the cards in order is great for those little minds developing Number sense!

Here's a game I absolutely LOVE. I didn't make it up, I found it on Shelley Gray's blog. It's called Salute. (That's NOT an affiliate link, it's just a link to Shelley's blog.)

The children work in groups of three. Two of the children place a card on their forehead, facing out so that everyone can see it but them. (The move is almost like a "salute," hence the name.)

The third person, whom I call the captain, tells the other two the sum of their 2 cards. Then they figure out what their own card is. (It's like missing addends, isn't it?)

Salute can also be played to practice multiplication skills. The "captain" tells the product of the two cards, otherwise, it works the same way!

What things do you do to enjoy them?

Even or Odd? A Game for Two Students

I played a game with my students this week, since we were studying even and odd numbers. 

I remember doing this activity as a child.

I don't remember what we called it.

I don't remember much about it at all, so I shared with my students what I remembered, and made up the rest.

 

 

It worked.

Here's how we did it.

1 .Children chose partners.

2. The partners decided who would represent even, and who would represent odd.

3. Players stood facing each other with one hand behind their back.

4. One partner said, "One, two, three, shoot!"

5. On "shoot," each player shoots out 0, 1, or 2 fingers. 

6. Both players determine if the total fingers is even or odd, and that player gets a point for that round.

7. Play continues until time runs out, with players keeping track of how many points for "even" or "odd."

A more advanced version: use up to 5 fingers for each draw.

Another way: use dice, add them, odd or even gets a point. They can keep tallies on a whiteboard to keep score.  Playing cards would work, too!

All my games end with a handshake and the words, "good game!"

I had all my students playing with partners at the same time. Of course, I had to join in the fun since I have an odd number of students. We now play this game often as part of our Morning Meeting or as a Math warm up!

Bullwinkle

I love when I get something from a workshop that I can bring back to my classroom the next day!

Today we had a Staff Development Day about Math. It had some good stuff about subitizing, Rekenreks (we used to call them abacuses) and different activities we can do with the kiddos  to help build that all important Number Sense.  

 

One fun activity was called "Bullwinkle".  (Do others remember the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon?)  Well, it's called that because you need to put your hands on your head so you look sort of like a moose.  (One could say you look like a reindeer this time of year!)

The teacher tells the kids to hold up a number of fingers. 

There are several variations:  making the number alone, making the number differently from a partner, making the number by working with your partner, making the number with your partner without actually talking.  

I'll bet you can think of even more variations, maybe even for practicing multiplication!

I really wanted to take a picture of a whole room of teachers (and administrators) playing Bullwinkle, but my hands were 

busy making the number 15.

Count to 1,000 Booklet

Some of my students have been struggling with counting once they get over 100. 

I decided to give them a hand and have them make some booklets where they can count to 1,000 with little help. 

The kids started working on their booklets on Friday and they were totally into it!  You couldn't hear a peep in the whole room!

To make this booklet, click the image above or click here: Count to 1,000 booklet.

I have a few games and activities I play with the children with these booklets. 

• First, I have them trace the numbers, each hundred in a different color. 
• Then, we play "find the number". With a small group, I'll name a 3-digit number and have a race to see who can find that number the quickest.  (I'll give a token to the first few to find that number.)
• Then I'll let individuals call out 3-digit numbers for classmates to find in the booklets.
• Then we call out numbers for them to name the number before or after.
• I'll bet you can think of other ways to get the children to search their "Count to 1,000" booklets to help them get to know Number sense!

Feel free to find more differentiation options by exploring the image below or see here: Count to 1,000 booklet.

This resource gives the option of making booklets with the numbers already there, having the children fill in most of the numbers, or having the children write ALL the numbers.  I had my second graders fill in the numbers, one page at a time. The first hundred were easy for them, but when they got to the second hundred, many of the children needed assistance.  Going through this process will really help the little ones understand our number system and its patterns, and help them develop their number sense!

 

Build Number Sense With Daily Routine

There are some important number concepts that can be practiced just through our daily routine. 

Here are a couple of examples:

All my students have a class number. I think it's a great way to keep things in order, plus, it plays a big role in developing counting skills!

Often, when I call on the children to line up, or to go to their next activity, I'll call the odd numbers first, then the even numbers. (Or even, then odd.)

Sometimes I'll go beyond the number of kids I have in the class so they can really hear the pattern. After a while, they anticipate the pattern I'm calling and are super ready when I get to their number.

Sometimes I'll count by 5s, then go 5s +1, then 5s +2, etc, while pointing the pattern out on our class number grid. (5, 10, 15, 20, 6, 11, 16, 21, 7, 12, etc.)

Other times I'll call a pattern like... 1, 11, 2, 12, 3, 13, and so on.  They always watch when I point these out on the number grid as I call out the numbers.

Then there are days I just call out the numbers in order, or in backward order. Sometimes I start with 1, and other times I'll just start with a child who is behaving properly (as opposed to rolling around on the floor, which second graders often see at the end of a lesson!). Then, I've been known to start with a random number off the top of my head for no reason. I like to keep them on their toes!

Another way I keep them thinking about numbers during their daily routine is by consistently writing odd numbers in red and even numbers in green. Why? Because red means stop!  Why do we stop for odd numbers? Because someone or something doesn't have a partner! Since the even/ odd concept is in the common core for second grade, I mention it often, and constantly bring up that odd numbers are odd because they can't be paired off. They know what it's like to be without a partner, and that personal connection helps them remember why even numbers are different from odd numbers!  (Brain research tells us this.)

Here's another thing I do that helps the children internalize number concepts: I change my jobs after each set of ten! Most teachers change their classroom jobs weekly. I used to do that, but I realized how changing after 10 days will help internalize that concept of ten for these kids, especially since sets of ten is huge in our number system!

Do you have any routines that help secure number concepts? 

How about reading concepts?

Number Sense with Cuisenaire Rods

Although I teach second grade, I still have some kids who really need some basic number sense! These are the kids who still don't automatically "count on" when adding two numbers together, or determining the sum of two dice. They still count the dots!

These kids need more "hands-on" opportunities to get to know these numbers inside out!

I absolutely LOVE Cuisenaire Rods for helping children develop their number sense. I posted about them a while ago with THIS POST about using Cuisenaire Rods to practice math facts and fact families. I've got some kids who need to back up even further and really need to get to know the individual numbers by using these manipulatives.

It's a good idea to give the children a couple of sessions for free explorations with the Cuisenaire Rods. They'll catch on that the smallest cubes are always white, and that the longest ones are orange. Sooner or later, they'll figure out the "staircase". From the staircase, they'll figure out the value of each color, so it's a good idea to start them off by building a staircase from this point on.

I've put together a few exercises with the Cuisenaire Rods to help build number sense. Click HERE or click the image to the right for a sample on the number 5 (the yellow rod).

If you're interested in more activities for the other colored rods, see the image below or see the full set here: Number Sense With Cuisenaire Rods

 

I have also developed a resource for Cuisenaire Rods to help the little ones learn Math Facts with fact families.

And yes... there's another set. This is the most popular with the kiddos: Once they develop number sense and know fact families, they can build with the rods and practice adding multiple addends!  See it here: Cuisenaire Rods Build it and Add!

Looking for more hands-on resources for using Cuisenaire Rods? Try these:

• Hands-On Fact Families Practice Cards for Building Fact Fluency
• Hands-On Place Value Level One: Tens and Ones
• Hands-on Place Value Level Two: Make a Ten
• Hands-On Place Value Level Three: Rearrange to Make a Ten

These sets are also in Bundles! 

• Hands-On with Manipulatives Bundle
• Cuisenaire Rods Hands-On Place Value Fun Bundle
• Making Mathematicians Hands-On Big Bundle 7 Resources!

If you don't already have a tub of Cuisenaire Rods sitting in the back of your closet, here are a couple of options: (These are Amazon affiliate links, which means I'll get a couple of cents if you buy them, but it won't cost you anything extra!)

• hand2mind Wood Cuisenaire Rods Introductory Set with Tray (Set of 74)
• hand2mind Cuisenaire Rods - Classroom Kit 

But here's something exciting: although kids love the feel of the wooden or plastic rods, they also come in foam! That means they'll be QUIETER!

• hand2mind Cuisenaire Rods - Classroom Kit (foam)

How do you use these popular manipulatives?

Ten Things to do With 1000 Numbers

Understanding the concept of 1,000 is a tough one for some children.  

To help them out, I give each child a color-coded copy of the numbers 0 - 1,000.  (Download HERE.) I also have a couple of these posted on the wall. 

I find laminating them gives them more durability, and gives them the opportunity to write on them with their dry-erase markers.  This really helps them keep track of their counting!

I thought I'd share some of the things the little ones can do with this number grid.  

1. Talk about the patterns  

Understanding the patterns of numbers really helps them understand how numbers work.  Brain research tells us that talking about those patterns internalizes those understandings.

2.  Find any number 

The more the children find random numbers on the 1,000 chart, the better they get at understanding the patterns and the way it all works. I'll use cards or dice to find a random number. If the children draw 3 one-digit cards, they can make a 3-digit number to find. So if they draw 3, then 9, then 5, they should find the number 395 on the grid. This is something children can do in a math center.

3. Add or subtract hundreds  

I keep an overhead of the same number chart in order to model how to use the number grid. With some modeling, the children can learn how to jump 100 numbers at a time. For example, if they start at 245, in order to jump 100, the tens and ones will stay the same, and the hundreds digit will increase by 1, bringing them to 345. Modeling this with the base ten blocks really help!

4. Call a number 

Have the children find it on their grids, then tell the number that is 100 less or 100 more. After some practice, they won't need the grids anymore!

5. Follow the leader  

Call a number, then have them add or subtract hundreds, tens, and ones until you're done. Hopefully, they'll land on the right number! For example, "Start on 384, add 200, subtract 30, add 100, subtract 50. What number are you on now?" (This is great for following directions as well as practicing the numbers on the 1,000 grid!)

6. Practice adding ones and tens through those tough transitions   

Transitioning from the 90s to the next set of 100 is always tough. With guidance, they can work their way counting from one hundred to the next.

7.  Modeling random numbers with the base ten blocks  

One child can randomly point to a number on the grid. The other child can act out that number with the base ten blocks. For example, if one child points to 582, the other child puts out 5 hundreds, 8 tens, and two ones. These blocks really internalize the understanding of place value, I use them all the time!

8. Make a game of it  

Children can race from 0 to 1,000. They can place their markers at 0, then with a roll of a couple of dice (making a 2-digit number), they can add that many tens and ones to make their way across the grid to work up to 1,000.  Again, the more they use the grid, the more they become more familiar with the numbers.  If they are having conversations about the numbers, it will help them understand them. (I'm already at 832, less than 200 to go!) Those conversations are important, kids need to talk in order to learn!

9. Another game  

A variation of the above game. Children can use cards to make a 2-digit number. This gives the possibility of numbers higher than 66, which is the highest they can make with 2 dice. The game could move faster. Again, this game encourages conversations about the numbers, which is exactly what we want!

10.  Number grid puzzles  

Give the children any 3-digit number. Have them fill in the numbers above, below, and beside that number as they would see it on the 1,000 grid.

As you use the grid, you'll think of plenty more things to do with this grid.  I'm sure the kids will, too!

For a "Count to 1,000" booklet, see here: 
Count to 1,000 Booklet

How do you help your students understand the concept of 1,000?