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Ed Summit

Shelley Gray — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:52:08 +0000

Thank you for attending this year’s Ed Summit! Here are some helpful links from the session:

More information on the CRA Model

12 Steps to Teaching Multiplication for True Understanding

Free Number Talk Training

Free Area Model Activities

Model Drawing Video Series on YouTube

Here’s a resource to teach the distributive property, as I spoke about in the video.

This was not included in the session, but if you’re interested in math games to get your students excited about math class, I have an email series you may be interested in! Each week for 10 weeks, a free math game will be delivered to your inbox! Games are all low to no-prep and highly engaging! See more information here.

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Revitalize Your Math Classroom with These 10 Fun and Free Math Games

Shelley Gray — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:03:05 +0000

Math can be a challenging subject for many students. However, it doesn’t have to be all textbooks and equations. Incorporating math games into your classroom can transform the learning experience, making it engaging, interactive, and fun! I love math games because they are another way to reinforce basic skills, but in a way that keeps engagement high and students engaged.

Over the years, I’ve published many posts about math games, but recently took ten of my favorites and compiled them into a ten-week email series. Each week for 10 weeks, you’ll receive a free, no-prep math game direct to your inbox. By the end of the ten weeks, you’ll have a booklet of math games that is a great reference to use throughout the year! Use them as math warm-ups, at the end of class, as a Friday fun activity, or even to leave for a substitute teacher.

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Five Engaging Classroom Routines to Energize Your Back-to-School Math Experience

Shelley Gray — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 00:27:05 +0000

As you gear up for the exciting back-to-school season, it’s the perfect time to plan the math routines that will keep your students interested and engaged in learning, as well as foster a predictable environment where students know what to do and when to do it. Let’s explore five different math routines – Number Talks, Mystery Numbers, Number of the Day, Dot Talks, and Math Games – that will provide opportunity for flexible, strategic thinking and can kickstart the new school year with a bang!

Math Routine #1: Number Talks: Fostering Mathematical Discourse and Flexible, Strategic Thinking

Number Talks are short, 5-15 minute whole-class discussions with the goal of building number sense. The focus of the discussion is on all the many ways to solve the problem, rather than on the answer itself. During a number talk, the teacher poses a problem and students share strategies, reflect on others’ strategies, and learn to see math in different ways. Number Talks are a fantastic way to promote mathematical discourse among students. These discussions encourage learners to articulate their thought processes and strategies for solving math problems. Students develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts through open-ended questions and peer interactions. Number Talks also help them realize there isn’t just one right way to solve a problem. This routine not only enhances students’ problem-solving skills but also builds their confidence in sharing ideas.

If you’re ready to implement this effective math routine, I’ve written a complete, comprehensive guide to beginning number talks in your classroom here.

Math Routine #2: Mystery Numbers

I hear from many teachers who use mystery number activities as their math routine at the beginning of math class or even when they enter the classroom in the morning. Mystery Numbers keep students challenged as they work through the clues, eliminating numbers as they go. Eventually, they are left with only one number remaining – the mystery number. One of the greatest advantages to using Mystery Numbers as a math routine in your classroom is that your students are building place value skills and math vocabulary without even realizing it.

If you’re interested in kicking off the school year with mystery number activities as your morning math routine, here’s a blog post where you can find more information.

Math Routine #3: Dot Talks

Let me ask you a question. How many do you see?

Now I want you to think about how you saw them. Chances are good that you didn’t count them one by one. Did you see 4 groups of 3? 2 groups of 6? Are there any other ways you can see them?

Introducing Dot Talks to your math class routine can be a game-changer when it comes to building a solid foundation in number sense. Subitizing, the ability to recognize the number of objects in a group without counting, is a crucial skill for early mathematical development. Dot Talks utilize visual representations of dots arranged in various patterns, challenging students to quickly perceive and identify the quantity without needing to count individually. By incorporating Dot Talks into your daily routine, particularly at the beginning of the year as you assess number sense, you’ll be providing students with an engaging opportunity to enhance their subitizing skills, fostering a deeper understanding of numbers and paving the way for more complex mathematical concepts.

Dot talks are also a fantastic precursor to number talks.

Interested in learning more about dot talks and subitizing for number sense? Here’s a blog post to help you get started.

Math Routine #4: Number of the Day

The Number of the Day routine allows students to explore a single number in-depth. Each day, a new number is chosen, and students engage in various activities related to that number. They might break it down into its parts (decompose), create equations that equal the number, explore its place value, and even represent it using different models. This routine helps students understand the versatility of numbers and appreciate the interconnectedness of math concepts.

Here are 10 ideas to include in your number of the day routine.

Math Routine #5: Math Games

I love math games for several reasons. First of all, they are an effective way to reinforce skills, particularly when it comes to fact fluency. Second, they can often be played with little to no prep and are a great way to break up a longer lesson. But the reason that I love math games the most is that they energize students and help them realize that math is fun! Although I love math games for the end of class, I also often like to begin a math class with a game. It gets students’ minds working right away, and puts them in a more energetic state before the lesson or independent work time begins.

If you’d like to start collecting a solid repertoire of math games to play with your Grades 2-7 students this year, here’s a weekly email series that you’ll love!

I hope these five math routines are useful to you! What are your favorite routines for math class? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

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5 Minute Classroom Time Fillers: Fun Activities for Short Periods of Time

Shelley Gray — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 17:59:18 +0000

As a teacher, it’s essential to have some quick classroom time fillers on hand. Do you ever have an awkward few minutes of time in your classroom until the bell rings for recess? Or a few minutes at the end of the day that needs to be filled before chaos ensues? It’s not enough time to really get in to any deep learning or catch up on assignments, but you also want to keep this time productive. Having a “grab bag” of ideas that you can do in short periods of time will help you keep these transition times manageable and ensure that learning is still taking place.

The Um Game: Practice Public Speaking Skills

To play the Um Game, one students stands in front of the class (not all students will be comfortable with this, so make sure students are volunteering to come to the front). The teacher or another student gives students a topic. Keep the topics general, like pets, sports, or a trip to the zoo. The student tries to talk about the topic for one minute without saying “um” or any variation of it.

If the student says, “um,” their turn is over. Everyone applauds the student for their effort no matter how long they were able to speak. Some students may only last a few seconds, while others may be able to speak for the entire minute.

The Tens Game: Taking Turns and Listening Skills

Everyone stands in a circle shoulder-to-shoulder. Students count from 1-10, and the person who says 10 must sit down. Each student may choose to count one or two numbers on their turn.

Here’s how this might look in your classroom.

Student 1: “1”

Student 2: “2, 3”

Student 3: “4,5”

Student 4: “6”

Student 5: “7,8”

Student 6: “9”

Student 7: “10.”

Now student 7 must sit down, and student 8 begins the next round starting at 1.

Play continues until there is only one person left standing – the winner!

Going on a Picnic: Spelling and Grammar Skills

Before beginning, the teacher thinks of a secret spelling or grammar rule, for example, the long o sound. The teacher begins by announcing, “I’m going on a picnic! I will bring {coconuts]. Who would like to join me?”

Students raise hands to volunteer an answer. They respond with, “Can I come on the picnic? I’d like to bring _______________.” If the item matches the secret spelling or grammar rule, the student gets invited to the picnic. If the item doesn’t follow the rule, they cannot come.

For example, if a student asks to bring a fishing pole for this particular example, the teacher would say, “Yes you can come to my picnic!” because ‘pole’ has a long o sound. If the student asks to bring popcorn, the teacher would say, “I’m sorry – you cannot come,” because there is no long o in popcorn.

After several students have guessed items to bring that fit the rule, students may know the secret rule. The teacher can ask students to reveal it if they think they know it.

I Spy - Geometry Skills

You’ve likely played I Spy before, but how about putting a geometry spin on it? Instead of choosing a color to look for, spy shapes or angles in your classroom instead. For example, say, “I spy with my little eye, something circular.” Or “I spy with my little eye, something that has parallel lines.” Other ideas include 3-dimensional shapes such as cubes or spheres, acute/obtuse/right angles, or even lengths of objects.

High-Low: Place Value and General Number Sense

Create a table on the board. Write “too low” on one side and “too high” on the other.

Choose a number (without telling anyone what it is) and write it on a piece of paper so you don’t forget.

Have students raise their hands to guess a number. If the number is lower than the number you wrote down, write it on the “too low” side. If it is too high, write it on the “too high” side./

Students continue guessing numbers until the target number is guessed.

Here’s a blog post with even more details about this game.

ABC Adventure - Writing and Speaking Skills

Go on an imaginary adventure with your students as you work your way through the alphabet. Start with a location for your adventure, such as outer space, the beach, a day in the life of an ant, or whatever your students come up with.

Students take turns adding sentences to the story. The first word of the sentence must begin with the letter A. The next sentence must begin with the letter B, and so on. How far through the alphabet can your students get?

Snowman - Spelling and Vocabulary Skills

Play this alternative to traditional Hangman with your class using words from your spelling or vocabulary lists. Add one part of the snowman for each wrong guess. This is a great way to introduce new vocabulary words too, and works with any subject! Another alternative is Blast Off. Draw a part of a rocketship for each wrong guess.

Space Game - Movement and Body Awareness

Classroom time fillers can include physical activity too! Sometimes kids just need a break and can benefit from a few minutes to get up and move around. Allowing them to do this in a more structured way helps students with body awareness while recognizing and respecting others’ personal space.

The rules of this game are simple – feet stay on the ground, no noise, no touching anyone or anything. Once students are standing and chairs are tucked in, the rules go into effect. At first, students just walk around the room. If they accidentally bump into someone or something, they must freeze until the next round. If they talk or make noise, they freeze.

Round 2 is where things get interesting! In this round, you’ll give students different ways to walk around the room. Tell them to walk like a specific animal, walk without bending their knees, walk sideways, or anything else you can think of.

Students who have to freeze during one round can join in on the second round.

Guess Who? Build Classroom Community

Guess who cards are a fun way to build classroom community and learn about each other. Have students fill out fact cards about themselves (find a free download for these cards here).

When you have a few minutes left in class, choose a card and read one of the facts. Then give two or three students a chance to guess who the person is. If no one guesses, then read one more fact and continue in this way until the person is guessed. Not only is this a productive classroom time filler, but it also helps students feel special and important!

Use these Classroom Time Fillers for Other Purposes!

This list of 5-minute time fillers will come in handy for your day-to-day classroom routine. But they are useful for other situations as well! Here are a few ideas:

Leave a list for substitute teachers. Students will like doing something familiar when you are away, and your sub will appreciate a simple list of ideas.

Use them as motivation. Once you find a couple ideas that your students respond well to, use them as motivation to clean up or transition quickly. Let your students know that if they clean up quickly, you’ll have more time to play!

Use them as Brain Breaks. Sometimes a lesson doesn’t go as planned, or you notice students losing steam. Taking a quick break can help improve your students’ focus and stamina. Because these games reinforce curriculum-based skills, you won’t have to feel guilty for taking a break when your students need it!

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This Division Golf Game Makes it FUN to Practice Division!

Shelley Gray — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 16:49:47 +0000

We know how important it is that students are able to show flexibility with numbers and manipulate them mentally, rather than relying on the standard algorithm. Just like a chef uses what she knows about flavors and pairings to create a meal without a scripted recipe, we want students to be able to naturally choose strategies that work for the situation.

But how do we get here? How do we get students to a place where they are able to use numbers and operations flexibly and naturally? Besides modelling for students, we can give them purposeful opportunities to use numbers in flexible ways. For example, instead of giving students a problem to work through. give them an answer and allow them to brainstorm the problem for that answer.

Another way we can help students build this flexibility is through strategic games.

Here is a division game that students love as they learn more complex division skills such as remainders. The game involves strategy and number sense, keeping students engaged and eager to play.

Division Golf: A Strategic Division Game

To play Division golf, your students will work in partners. Each pair of students will need a deck of cards with the J, Q, K, and Aces removed (keep only the numbers 2-9). To keep score, students will need a piece of paper and a pencil or a mini whiteboard.

Like real golf, the goal of Division Golf is to be the player with the lowest score (this score will be made up of the remainders you have when you divide).

First, shuffle the cards and place them face down. Player #1 draws three cards and uses them to create two numbers (one 1-digit number and one 2-digit number). The goal is the have the fewest remainders when you divide.

For example, suppose you draw a 9, 4, and 8. Here are a few of the different division expressions you could build: 94÷8, 98÷4, 48÷9, 49÷8, etc.

94÷8 would leave you with a remainder of 6. 98÷4 would leave you with a remainder of 2. 48÷9 would leave you with a remainder of 3. 49÷8 would leave you with a remainder of 1. Of the four expressions listed here, 49÷8 would be the best one to choose because it has the lowest remainder. This becomes Player #1’s score.

Remember, this is a golf game so the goal is to get the lowest score.

Players alternate turns. This game can be played for a specific amount of time, or it can be played like traditional golf where each player gets nine turns, and the player with the lowest score at the end is the winner.

Game Modifications and Adaptations

When playing any game in the classroom, it is essential that your students feel successful. If the game is too difficult, your students will “check out” and resist even trying. This is when classroom management issues arise, and learning is not optimal. To get the most out of this game, ensure that it is a “just right” challenge for your students – not too easy, but also not too difficult. I recommend always starting a bit too easy, and then moving up from there until you find the sweet spot. Here are some ways that you can adapt this game to ensure that it is perfect for your unique classroom.

To make this division game easier:

Decrease the number of rounds to 5.
Give your students counting pieces that they can use to model the division problem. You might use counters, beans, base ten blocks, or even simply a personal whiteboard to draw a model. Manipulatives will make the remainders easier to see.
Allow the students to use only 2 of the cards if they wish. For example, if a 9, 4, and 8 are drawn, students could choose to use only the 4 and 8 to make the expression 8÷4. This would give them no remainders, so their score for that round is 0!
If having to choose between the three cards is too challenging right now, have them draw only 2 cards.
If you have not yet introduced the word, “remainder,” you might call it “leftovers” for now. For example, 7 divided by 3 is 2 with 1 leftover. This can be shown with counters so students can see it in real life.

To make this division game more challenging:

Add an extra card! Students can then make a 3-digit by 1-digit expression.
Play “18 holes” (or rounds) rather than 9.
Change it up! Make the goal to be the highest score (or most remainders) instead of the lowest!

As students play this division golf game, they will likely develop strategies that help them keep their scores low. Have them put their mathematical reasoning into words and share these with the class.

The more opportunities students are given to explore and work with numbers, the more flexible their thinking will become. This game is just another way to help make that happen.

Looking for more fun math games to add to your collection? Try Salute (always a class favorite) to reinforce addition/subtraction or multiplication/division relationships. Find the instructions here.

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Free Halloween Number Talks to Build Number Sense This October

Shelley Gray — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 17:20:22 +0000

Regardless of whether or not you currently have a number talks routine in place in your classroom, your students are sure to love these free Halloween themed number talk activities. Number Talks are a fantastic way to help your students build number sense in an engaging way.

First of all, here are 5 great reasons to implement a number talk routine in your classroom as soon as possible:

Number talks teach students that math is flexible.
Students are introduced to new strategies and new ways of thinking.
Math confidence soars!
Conceptual understanding is built.
Number talks level the playing field between students. We are all equals!

Free Halloween Number Talks

If you are already using the full year Math Conversations number talk slides, you’ll recognize the familiar layout of these Halloween-themed slides. Students will be encouraged to think deeply about a variety of math concepts. They will share their thinking with the class, and reflect on other students’ thinking.

I’ve included ten different Halloween number talks in all. Choose the ones that best fit your goals for your students! Additionally, some come in differentiated versions so you can choose the version that best suits your classroom.

Get your set of free Halloween Number Talks here.

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5 Great Reasons to Use Number Talks in Your Math Classroom

Shelley Gray — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 03:18:39 +0000

Number talks can be one of the most powerful additions to your math routine. Why? Because your students will explore math in a way that they may have never done before. During a number talk, students think about problems in flexible ways and then reflect on classmate’s strategies. The most exciting part for the teacher is often listening to all of the unique, creative problem-solving strategies that their students use.

If you’re not already familiar with how to do number talks, don’t be intimidated! It’s actually really simple to get started. Here’s a post where I guide you step-by-step through the process.

Here are 5 great reasons to begin using number talks in your classroom ASAP!

For the purposes of this article, when I say “number talks,” I not only refer to the traditional number talks where you present an expression and solve it, but also to other types of math talks like the ones you’ll find inside Math Conversations.

Number talks teach students that math is flexible.

Math often seems like a black or white, right or wrong subject. This is a common misconception by both adults and kids. But there is SO much more to math than correct answers, and when your students realize that it can be life-changing. The emphasis must be on the THINKING, not the ANSWER, and number talks are the perfect opportunity to reinforce this.

Consider the difference it could make when you ask your students to solve 15+25 in as many ways as possible, rather than to simply tell you the answer. Here are just a few of the ways your students might share after getting comfortable with number talks.

Students are introduced to new strategies…by each other!

As a teacher, you know how important it is to introduce students to new mental math strategies. But sometimes the most valuable strategies can come directly from your students! Kids often see things differently than we do, and it can be fascinating to listen to how they solve problems when they are given the chance to share. Too often classrooms don’t allow for this time – time for students to share their thinking and learn from each other rather than from the teacher or from a worksheet. Listening, sharing, and reflecting on classmate’s strategies is one of the most important aspects of a number talk.

Math confidence soars.

There are students who never speak up in math class because they have math anxiety or because they are scared of saying the wrong answer – I bet you can think of a few right now. The beauty of math talks is that the emphasis is taken off of this correct answer, and put onto the thinking. Some types of math talks literally have no right answer. When students realize this it can be empowering. They finally are comfortable to speak up because as long as they can justify their answer, it’s not possible to get it wrong!

Conceptual understanding is built.

We know how important conceptual understanding is, but it can be hard to set aside the time to build and reinforce it. The wonderful thing about number talks is that this is built right in. When you focus on the many ways that a problem can be solved, it forces students to think in strategic and flexible ways. This helps them build that conceptual understanding that will become the foundation for their number sense. When students truly UNDERSTAND math, rather than simply memorize it, it empowers them to be able to solve anything.

Number talks level the playing field.

In a number talk, all the students and teacher are equals. No one is “teaching” and no one is better than others. It is a time for sharing, for listening, and for reflecting. You might hear students saying things like, “Oh, I see how ______ is thinking! He added instead of subtracted! I like that strategy!” or “________’s strategy doesn’t make sense to me yet. Can you explain it again?” In a number talk, everyone learns – even the teacher. It can be empowering for students once they realize that number talk time is a safe place where answers are not judged as right or wrong, but respected and reflected on instead.

Ready to try number talks in your classroom?

Get 20 free slides here to get you started!

Yes, please!

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Six Activities to Use at Home to Help Prevent the Summer Slide

Shelley Gray — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 23:42:57 +0000

Congratulations! You made it to summer break! Summer is not only the time for rest and relaxation but also for reflecting on the previous school year. Your students have worked hard all year long to grow their math skills, and in order to prevent summer slide it is helpful for them to continue to work with basic operations and other skills they’ve learned.

Students need a break too, and many don’t touch a math problem or activity over the summer. But if we can give families ways to incorporate relevant and fun math, there is a better chance that we can prevent the summer slide.

Here are some fun math activities and resources to try over the summer:

Baking and Cooking

Baking or cooking are wonderful ways to incorporate fractions into real life and help kids understand how they are used in the real world. When baking with children, be sure to include discussions such as:

What if we were doubling this recipe? How much {insert ingredient} would we need then?
What if we had no full cup/half-cup/quarter cup? What is another way that we could make this amount? (for example, if the recipe calls for one-half cup of flour, we could make that same amount using two one-fourth cups.)

Human Clock

This is a fun outside activity to do with students at school, but can also be done at home with families. The focus on physical movement makes it a favorite for kids!

You will need:

Concrete area (larger area)
Sidewalk Chalk
Two children

Instructions:

Gather materials and find ample concrete space outside.
Draw a large clock on the sidewalk with chalk. It needs to be large enough to fit two children in it. Label the clock like a regular analog clock with each hour number 1-12.
Tell two children that one will represent the hour hand and one will represent the minute hand of the clock.
Give the children a specific time to make on the clock. Example: 1:15
Have the students lay down on the sidewalk and make the correct time.

Crayon Resist Math Mystery

If your child/student loves art, this might be the activity for them to try! You will need blank white paper, watercolor paints, paintbrushes, and white crayons.

First, write some math equations on paper with a white crayon.
Have kids use watercolor paint to reveal the first part of the equation slowly.
The child then says the answer, and self-checks by painting over it to reveal the answer.
Once finished, they can hang their pieces up to display their beautiful math art!

Rounding Chalk Number Line

Like the Human Clock, you will need a large concrete area and sidewalk chalk. Students will draw a number line from 0-100, or they can draw a number line counting by 100’s from 0-1,000 (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, etc.)

Instructions

Draw a number line on the concrete area.
Have students label the number line. They can mark it by tens or hundreds.
State a number and have the child identify what number it will round to. Example: 67, rounded to the nearest ten is 70.
The child can explain why they rounded that number to the specific ten or hundred.
Give the child more examples so they can practice rounding and have them explain how they found the number.

Working with Money

If you are traveling this summer, or even going out for a meal, involve your children in money decisions. Some examples include:

If you go out for ice cream, have your child estimate the total cost using the prices on the menu.
If going on a road trip, have your child calculate an estimated cost of fuel using current fuel costs and the distance being travelled.
When traveling, rather than buying your child a certain number of items, give them a specific amount of spending money to use as they wish. This will help them learn the value of money and how to budget.

Math Games

Games are a wonderful way to review math facts in an engaging way that feels fun, and many can be played with just dice or a deck of cards.

Some fun games that lend themselves well to family play are Salute, Knock off the Clock, Target Number, High Low, and Bump.

Summer is all about having fun in the sun, but it is also a great time to review math skills and concepts so your child can avoid the summer slide when they begin school in the fall!

Would you like all of these ideas in printable form to hand out to your families before the end of the school year? Download and print here!

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How to Teach the Doubles Facts So Your Students Actually Understand

Shelley Gray — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 17:23:45 +0000

What are the doubles facts in math? How do you teach them? Why are the doubles addition facts important? By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have an excellent understanding of all things “doubles” and also leave with some free resources and fun games to get you started teaching this important math concept in your classroom!

WHAT ARE THE DOUBLES FACTS?

Doubles refers to adding the same number twice, for example 5+5. Generally when we refer to the doubles addition facts in elementary math, we are referring to facts from 1+1 to about 12+12.

The doubles are not so much a math strategy as a set of facts that students should know. When kids know the doubles, they are able to use them as a building block for other mental math strategies such as near doubles. But that’s another article.

THE DOUBLES FACTS IN REAL LIFE

Doubles are generally an easy set of facts for students to remember because they are all around us in real life. Think of the wheels on a car (2+2), the legs on a spider (4+4), fingers and toes (5+5), or the eggs in a carton (6+6).

REMEMBERING THE DOUBLES FACTS

Your students will have an easier time with more advanced mental math strategies and even with multiplication by 2 if they just know the doubles math facts. But that doesn’t mean you have to resort to memorization only.

It is important for students to work with math facts in a hands-on way as they build their understanding.

One of the best ways to work with the doubles facts is with ten frames. Have your students build the fact on the ten frames with different colors.

You can also have students build doubles using a rekenrek, or even simple colored cubes.

FREE Doubles Fact Booklets

to help your students master the doubles addition facts

Get it for free here.

LOOKING BEYOND THE DOUBLES FACTS

To understand why the doubles math facts are important, it helps to have a vision for where you are headed. Here are some other concepts that rely on the doubles.

NEAR DOUBLES

Near doubles are facts like 5+6, 10+11, or 3+4. For these facts, we can use what we know about doubles to solve a new fact. For example, for 3+4, we can think, “I know that 3+3=6, so 3+4 is just one more!”

MULTIPLICATION BY 2

In third grade when students learn to multiply, the 2 times table is generally the first set of multiplication facts they learn. We teach these facts by making a connection to the addition doubles. For example, to solve 2×3, we can think, “2 groups of 3” or 3+3.

DOUBLES FACT PRACTICE

There are lots of simple ways to practice the addition doubles, but some of my favorite involve games.

The first one is called Dice Doubles. This takes 1 minute and is something I used to do with my classes all the time to increase automaticity. My favorite part of this game is that each student is only competing against themselves, trying to increase their own score each time.

See how to play Dice Doubles HERE.

The second game is another dice game called Doubles Race to 100. It’s a fun partner game that is sure to raise the energy level in your classroom!

See how to play Doubles Race to 100 HERE.

FREE DOUBLES FACT BOOKLETS

These booklets will be fun for your students to complete. Not only do they focus on the addition doubles, but also on how we can make different connections using 1 more, 1 less, 10 more, and repeated doubling!

Get this free booklet here.

Not Sure How To Teach Rounding Numbers? Make it hands-on! (Try This!)

“Four or less, let it rest. Five or more, add one more.” Right? Wrong!! Do you find that rounding is confusing for your students? Do

Teaching the Counting On Addition Strategy? Don’t Forget to Do This.

Counting On is a beginning mental math addition strategy. It is generally taught as an introductory mental math strategy and is usually simple for students

Effective Mental Math Addition Strategies to Master the Addition Facts

So you’re ready to implement mental math addition strategies this year, but aren’t sure where to start! All the different ways to teach addition facts

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The Best Way to Teach Multiplication Facts: 12 Steps to True Understanding

Shelley Gray — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 20:46:47 +0000

Teaching multiplication is no easy task! Encouraging students to memorize the facts only allows a small percentage of them to be successful. Even then, those good memorizers may not truly understand what multiplication means. Rather than teaching multiplication for memorization, we want to teach it for understanding. Once understanding is built, it’s easier to become automatic with the facts!

If you are teaching multiplication for the first time, or if you’ve taught it before but have students who don’t seem to be grasping it, here are 12 simple steps to teaching multiplication for true understanding.

STEP 1: SUBITIZE TO ENCOURAGE MULTIPLICATIVE REASONING

We can help our students develop multiplicative reasoning long before multiplication is even introduced. Subitizing with ten frames, tally marks, dot patterns, or base ten blocks can help students get a sense of what equal groups looks like. For example, the dice pattern below shows 8 equal groups of 3. We can figure out the total number of dots by adding 3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3 but this is also an opportunity to introduce language such as 8 groups of 3.

See more about subitizing for multiplication HERE or get these Multiplication Subitizing Cards HERE.

STEP 2: CONNECT MULTIPLICATION TO REPEATED ADDITION

Multiplication is a shortcut for addition, and we want our students to be able to see that connection. When we first teach multiplication, students must know that this is not a brand new foreign concept. It is simply an extension of what they already know. This will help multiplication seem less intimidating.

A problem-solving context is an effective way to help students see these connections. The problem below can be solved using addition, but we can also introduce multiplication as a potential method to solve it. Rather than introduce the times symbol immediately, we’ll start with equal groups.

Multiplication should be connected to repeated addition in a way that makes sense for students.

STEP 3: EQUAL GROUPS

Students must understand multiplication as equal groups. If your students have already built some multiplicative reasoning (See Step 1), this will be easier to understand. Provide lots of opportunity for students to work with equal groups in a problem-solving context. This will ensure that these equal groups are a more concrete concept, rather than too abstract.

FREE MULTIPLICATION ACTIVITIES

to help your students master the multiplication facts

Grab them here!

STEP 4: SKIP COUNT

Skip counting is one of the beginning strategies for multiplication. We can skip count using equal groups and then transition to skip counting on a number line.

STEP 5: USE MANIPULATIVES

This step should be used through all of your multiplication teaching, but is so often missed when teachers go directly to multiplication worksheets involving pencils and paper only. Manipulatives provide rich experiences for your students to build their understanding of multiplication, and will ultimately allow more of your students to be successful. Any object can be used for students to create equal groups, such as coins, unifix cubes, base ten blocks, or any other counters you may have in your classroom.

One of my absolute favorite ways to have students represent multiplication is using a rekenrek, which you can read more about HERE.

STEP 6: USE ARRAYS

Arrays are one of the most under-utilized tools for teaching multiplication.

We can use arrays to show students how different facts are connected. For example, the image below shows how 3×4 and 4×4 are connected. 4×4 is simply one more group of 4! Arrays can be built with physical objects (concrete) and then also drawn to represent that physical formation (representational).

STEP 7: TEACH THE COMMUTATIVE PROPERTY

The number of multiplication facts students need to learn can be overwhelming, but it helps to understand the commutative property! When students understand that the product of 3×4 is the same as 4×3, it considerably decreases the number of facts we need to remember! Arrays are one of the best ways to show students the commutative property. Here we can see that when this 3 by 4 array is rotated, it becomes a 4 by 3 array!

STEP 8: MAKE MULTIPLICATION RELEVANT

Multiplication is not one of those concepts that students are never going to use – rather, multiplication will be used all the time in real life. By incorporating real-life scenarios, we can make multiplication relevant and more interesting to students. Real-world problem solving also helps students develop a more conceptual understanding because they can visualize what the multiplication problem really means. How can we do this? We can introduce problems, rather than simple expressions. We can talk about what the problem means. We can also use project-based learning that helps students make those real-life connections.

STEP 9: HELP STUDENTS MAKE CONNECTIONS

Learning multiplication is so much easier when students realize the facts are connected and related to one another. 4×6 and 8×6 do not have to be understood as completely unrelated facts. Rather, 8×6 is simply the double of 4×6! This becomes apparent when we use pictures or visual models. Look at the arrays below. This makes it clear that if we double 4 groups of 6 (24) then we get 8 groups of 6 (48).

These connections are EMPOWERING for students, because it means that they can literally solve anything!

STEP 10: TEACH THE FACTS IN A STRATEGIC ORDER

When I first started teaching multiplication, I taught the facts in regular numerical order. Little did I know, this was completely WRONG! I was making multiplication more difficult than it had to be for my students. When you teach in a strategic order that makes practical sense, it helps students make connections between sets of facts. I recommend the following order of teaching:

x10

square facts (ex. 3×3, 4×4, 5×5, etc)

STEP 11: TALK ABOUT MULTIPLICATION!

It’s important for students to see that there are many different ways to think about and solve problems. Often math is thought of as a black or white, right or wrong subject. But it can be fascinating to see that it’s actually a flexible subject that allows us to think in different ways! One of the best ways to give your students the opportunity to practice flexibility is by having them participate in number talks or math talks.

Through listening and sharing, students are exposed to different ways of thinking, strategizing, and reasoning. This is powerful.

Number talks can feel intimidating for teachers because can feel like you are not prepared enough. But that’s the beauty of it. The role of the teacher is to listen – listen to how students think, listen to how they explain, and listen to how they strategize.

We can learn so much by simply listening.

Here’s an example of a math talk you might have with your students. Think of all the opportunities for rich discussion with this slide. We can see how we double and then double again. We can see how 10×4 is half of 20×4. We can see how 20×4 is 4 times greater than 5×4. We can see that 20×4 has the same product as 10×8.

To get started with a math talk, simply draw a multiplication picture on the board and see where the conversation takes you! Or find out more about these Math Conversations slides, ready-made for the entire year HERE.

STEP 12: REINFORCE MULTIPLICATION ALL YEAR LONG

Multiplication is not just a “unit” that you teach and then move on to other things. Multiplication is an essential operation that is important to your students’ success in future grades. It is highly relevant to their real life and will be used in any job they have. Because of its importance to your students’ future success, multiplication (and the other basic operations) must be reinforced all year long.

This can be done by having a Math Facts center during your daily station time where students work on math fact understanding and fluency.

Here are some free math activities for your math facts center to get you started.

Regular reinforcement can also be done by playing games to practice math fact recall and by spiralling the curriculum and returning to those key concepts repeatedly.

I hope this article helps to empower you to teach multiplication for true understanding, rather than for memorization only. Although it may seem complex, you make a life-changing difference for your students by making small changes and beginning to implement the suggestions above.

If you’d like a completely done-for-you system for teaching multiplication, check out The Multiplication Station, used by tens of thousands of teachers. Or grab a free sample of it here!

Fun Multiplication Games for 3rd and 4th Grade (help them master the facts)

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The post The Best Way to Teach Multiplication Facts: 12 Steps to True Understanding appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Fun Multiplication Games for 3rd and 4th Grade (help them master the facts)

Shelley Gray — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:27:29 +0000

How can you make learning multiplication fun while also allowing your students to master the multiplication facts? WITH GAMES! Multiplication games are an effective way to reinforce the times tables and build automaticity in an engaging, high-energy way. Better yet, many math games can be played with minimal materials, such as dice or a deck of cards, making games the ideal low-prep activity.

How Can You Incorporate Multiplication Games Into Your Classroom?

Games have a time and a place in the classroom and there are things to think through as you make your “game plan.” For example, although some may work well as early finisher activities, you don’t want your early finishers playing very high-energy games, as it may distract the students who are still working on the assignment. Here are a few ideas for how you can incorporate games into your classroom.

Play math games as a math warm-up to get kids ready to learn. This can be effective especially if you notice that your students are low on energy from the previous classes. A quick, high-energy math game can be the perfect antidote, getting your students into a more energetic state and ready to learn new information.
Use them in the last 10 minutes of class. Math games are a fun way to end the class on a high note, and reinforce those essentials such as basic math facts without kids realizing it!
Implement “Math Game Friday” or a similar idea. Some teachers like to have a full period on Fridays where kids play math games of their choice. My only caution with this is that sometimes a full period is too long and classroom management may become an issue near the middle to end. Sometimes shorter bursts of time work better than long periods, and you can end the game with your students begging you to keep going (which is what you want)!
Add games to your math centers. If you run a station or center-based classroom, one of your stations is probably Math Facts. A Math Facts station lends it well to math games, as long as they do not disturb the students at other centers. If you do decide to have students play games at a math center, you’ll want to ensure that it’s a game with minimal noise and movement.
Use them as time fillers. Often you will have an awkward time before recess, lunch, or the end of the day, where you just need a little something to fill the time. Make this time productive by playing a quick math game! Although some games may require a few minutes to set up and therefore not work for these 5-minute time fillers, there are some such as High Low that you can play with zero prep time.

Top 3 Multiplication Games to Practice Facts

Personally, I like games that get kids super engaged, and that practice a lot of facts in a short period of time. My goal is always to make it seem like we’re not even doing math! Here are my top games to practice multiplication facts.

Salute

Salute is a crowd-pleaser EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Make sure you close your classroom door, because this one can get a bit noisy, but it is the noise of learning, fun, and super high engagement! If you have not played this game, add it to your collection!! Although I love Salute for practicing multiplication and division facts, it is also amazing for practicing addition and subtraction facts! It is also great for a wide variety of grade levels, and can easily be played with students in 5th, 6th, or 7th grade as well. You’re never too old to practice the multiplication facts!

Here’s a post where I go over all of the rules for Salute, as well as provide free printable instructions for you.

Multiplication Fact Flip

Similar to Multiplication War, this game is great because you can isolate a specific set of facts. For example, if you want your students to practice the 3 times tables, you will tell them to multiply the flipped cards by 3. If you want them to practice the 6 times tables, you will tell them to multiply the flipped cards by 6. This also makes differentiation possible. You may have some students who need practice with the x2 facts, while others are practicing the x8 facts.

Here’s how to play:

Begin by removing all of the face cards, Jokers, and Aces so that only the numbered cards 2-10 are left. Next, divide the deck evenly among all players. Choose a target number and write it on a piece of paper nearby or whiteboard. This target number is the number that will be multiplied by each card that students flip.

For example, let’s suppose the target number is 6. Each student will flip over one card from their own personal deck. They will flip a card and multiply that number by 6. Whoever has the largest product takes all the cards. If a player says the wrong product, the other player can make the correction and take the cards.

You could easily set a round limit on this game and whoever has the most cards after a specific number of rounds, wins. Or the game can end when one player runs out of cards.

FREE MULTIPLICATION ACTIVITES

to help your students master the multiplication facts

Grab them here!

Multiplication Bump

Bump is always a class favorite and can be played to practice a wide variety of different math skills. It is low-prep for teachers, and can be played in a relatively short amount of time, making it a great option for shorter time periods. Bump can be played with two regular dice or a ten-sided die. Students will multiply a target number by the number represented by the dice, and then cover their space on the game board. If the other player gets this same product, they may ‘bump’ the first player’s game piece off the board. The object is to be the first player to use up all the game pieces.

Here’s a post where I discuss Multiplication Bump in detail.

I hope these multiplication games come in handy in your classroom! Next, head over to THIS POST where I go over another fun, high-energy math game called Knock off the Clock.

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STEP 1: SUBITIZE TO ENCOURAGE MULTIPLICATIVE REASONING

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FREE MULTIPLICATION ACTIVITIES

STEP 4: SKIP COUNT

STEP 5: USE MANIPULATIVES

STEP 6: USE ARRAYS

STEP 8: MAKE MULTIPLICATION RELEVANT

STEP 9: HELP STUDENTS MAKE CONNECTIONS

STEP 10: TEACH THE FACTS IN A STRATEGIC ORDER

STEP 11: TALK ABOUT MULTIPLICATION!

STEP 12: REINFORCE MULTIPLICATION ALL YEAR LONG

Fun Multiplication Games for 3rd and 4th Grade (help them master the facts)

Table of Contents

How Can You Incorporate Multiplication Games Into Your Classroom?

Top 3 Multiplication Games to Practice Facts

Salute

Multiplication Fact Flip

Here’s how to play:

FREE MULTIPLICATION ACTIVITES

Multiplication Bump