daily math routines Archives - Shelley Gray

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!

The post Five Engaging Classroom Routines to Energize Your Back-to-School Math Experience appeared first on Shelley Gray.

Ten Important Things to Include in Your Number of the Day Routine

Shelley Gray — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 18:19:31 +0000

There’s no doubt that students thrive on routine. Using a Number of the Day routine starts your math class off with a predictable activity that gives students a chance to make connections, problem-solve and apply what they already know to what they’re learning. It also gives students the chance to continue working with important number concepts even after you’ve moved on to other concepts in your lessons. Number of the Day gives kids opportunities to work with numbers in many different ways. Here are ten concepts to include in your routine to build strong number sense skills and boost your students’ confidence in math.

NUMBER OF THE DAY ROUTINES

Routine #1: Word Form

We assume that as students learn to count, recognize, and quantify numbers, they also learn to read and spell number words. This is often not the case! In order to be able to write numbers in word form, children need exposure and practice. Including word form in your daily number routine also gives opportunities to connect the words with the numerals they represent.

Routine #2: Place Value

Many mathematical concepts build on place value. Truly understanding place value provides students with a solid base for many future concepts including regrouping, multi-digit multiplication, decimals, and percentages. Place value practice gives students the opportunity to truly understand what the digits in each number mean.

Routine #3: Representing Numbers

A number is not just the numeral we print on a page. A number can be represented in so many different ways! Exposing students to multiple representations allows them to make connections and “see” how numbers can have the same value but be represented differently. Some of the representations that can be used in your Number of the Day practice include ten frames, number lines, base ten blocks, equations, arrays, dots, tally marks, pictures, words, money, fingers, dice, rekenreks and hundred charts. We can connect these representations to real, concrete materials as well as abstract representations (CRA Model) to help students build their understanding even more.

Routine #4: Skip Counting

Skip counting is a fundamental skill used in many other math practices. We use skip counting in real life to solve problems where multiplication and division are needed, count money, tell time, and keep score in a basketball or football game. Skip counting also makes counting larger quantities quicker and more efficient. It’s also important to remember that we don’t have to start at zero when skip counting. For example, we can practice counting by 10’s starting at 13, or practice counting by $0.25 starting at $1.50.

Routine #5: Odd and Even

The concept of odd and even goes hand-in-hand with skip counting. Identifying odd and even numbers help children make sense of the number system and identify mathematical patterns. Once students learn that some numbers can be divided into two equal groups (even) and some cannot (odd), they can extend their understanding to multiplication, division, prime numbers, factors, and multiples.

Routine #6: Expanded Form

Writing numbers in expanded form is an important way to reinforce place value. By breaking a number apart, or decomposing it, students can see the value of the number they’re working with. As numbers get larger, they become more abstract. Expanded form makes large or more complicated numbers easier to work with.

Routine #7: Money

Recognizing, counting, and calculating values with coins and bills is not just an important math skill, but a life skill. With daily practice, children become more fluent and confident when dealing with money. Adding money to your daily routine prepares children for financial literacy throughout life.

Routine #8: Greater Than/Less Than/Equal To

When comparing two numbers, your students may be able to draw the correct symbol, but do they really know what it means? “Alligator mouth” is a common trick used to remember which symbol to use, but we want to encourage real understanding rather than tricks. With regular practice, students learn that the relationships between numbers are more than just a symbol between them. Comparing numbers builds skills that we use in the real world.

Routine #9: Number Lines

A number line presents numbers in relation to each other and provides a visual representation that students can see. It is a versatile tool that can represent all types of numbers – positive and negative whole numbers, proper, improper and mixed fractions, decimals, and percentages. A number line encourages children to see the relationship between numbers and, as a result, develop a deeper understanding of number.

Routine #10: Equations

Incorporating equations into your Number of the Day routine can help students see patterns and connections. This practice also allows them to continuously reinforce addition/subtraction/multiplication/division skills. Equations can give you a chance to differentiate your instruction as well. For example, one student might incorporate fractions into her equations, while another focuses on whole numbers only.

Number routines build foundational skills by giving students the practice they need to build their mathematical thinking. Number of the Day is a simple but effective activity that you can do without any pre-made materials. Just write the activities on the board in the morning, and have students complete them in a notebook! However, if you are looking to simplify your prep, here are some ready-made packages that might come in handy for you. {Find links below.}

Number of the Day activities for numbers 1-50 (50 activities)

Number of the Day activities for numbers 51-100 (50 activities)

Number of the Day activities for numbers between 10 and 1,000 (75 activities)

Fraction and Decimal of the Day

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