We know that a district focus and emphasis has been directed towards math, most pointedly in problem solving and measurement. I want to give you several options today that I have once discovered from my PLN on Twitter. (8Amber8).
Not feeling successful with the extra computer in your room? iPlay has a collection of printable math games for all our Luna levels of learners. You can search games by concept, skill and grade. Group your students by ability level and let them, play in groups. You know, grouping students with similar learner needs is HUGELY beneficial. It allows students to practice in a zone where they are aren’t intimidated. Become math maniacs and spend the last 15 minutes of class focusing on isolated skills. The iXl site can also be utilized for some “down time” math playing.
Are you the competitive type? Arcademic Skill builders is a collection of fun arcade-like games that help students practice their math facts. Students can play games for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fraction, and ratios. The games are research based and standard aligned. Games can be played with partners (think high low grouping) or by themselves. If you have even an extra five minutes, pull this up on your projector and let a student who needs a kick of motivation be the one that gets to play with help from their classmates. Make it even trickier by letting them use their classpads.
Last, a gem of mathtabulous…I think if you’ve read this far down you deserve a treat! 🙂 As a classroom teacher, I loved the Math Playground site. In fact, I use to email regularly with the young lady who developed it, telling her JUST what I thought it needed, or what we needed extra practice on, etc etc etc, I am sure she enjoyed that. (heh.) Well, since leaving the classroom, she has added some math story problem VIDEOS. Each math problem comes with step by step video solution, follow up problems, an online calculator, and a sketch pad. Explore this site, there are so many differentiating ways to make it work in your classroom. From a whole group lesson where your students are calling out answers, to tutorials where you are working in a small group, to individual at home practice….it can ft your needs!
I know that many of are still struggling with the what and how of integrating that extra computer in your classroom. Losing Monday as a staff development days put a kink my grandiose plans of PLN’ing some ideas for integration. I’m thinking a series of blog entries on tips and tricks…stay tuned! 🙂
mathmatically,
Amber
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