How to do a simple multisensory subtraction drill

 None of us want our child to struggle with math facts. We hope that skills like subtraction will come easily to them, or plan to drill at home to help give them an advantage in the classroom.

 

If your child doesn’t learn through traditional means, it can be disappointing, and a little scary.  You might scan the app store hoping to find a clever solution, or order some flash cards to drill with. What is really going to help them?

How to set up a patriotic math craft for elementary kids

My dad would always take is out to the flag pole on all the national holidays like Memorial Day or Independence Day. He let us help raise the star spangled banner then we recited the pledge of allegiance. As we prepared for July 4 this year, we spent some time talking about the flag and what it means. I came up with this patriotic craft for my daughter who just completed kindergarten, and we talked about what the stars I the field of blue represent. It just so happens that it was perfect math practice as well.

Fun Spring Equation Writing Practice

We're enjoying spring break with a little camp out in the yard tonight. Next week it's back to school though, so I have a spring themed math equation practice for your kindergartner. If your kindergartners are like mine, they are in need of some number writing practice, but more interested in doing "real" equations. If so, I have the perfect math activity for your kindergartner.

Christmas Ornament Subtraction Craft

These DIY ornaments turn out so pretty that children might like to do them at home for fun or as gifts. However, you could easily use them for subtraction practice. They even satisfy the algebraic component called for in Common Core. Who says you can't have Christmas fun and do math at the same time?

Bead Snowflake Addition and Subtraction Practice

The dishes were piled high, creating a mess that matched the rest of the house, and I needed to eat the lunch I had missed with the rest of the family, but some how I found myself offering to pull out the math craft I'd been promising my daughter.

I explained that we needed to make four snowflakes, and her eyes lit up. "You make two and I'll make two." So we did.

Adding Doubles Christmas Tree Math Puzzle for Kindergarten

As my first fall in the classroom drew to a close, it dawned on me that I wasn't going to make it through my curriculum.  With mandated exit tests looming (as in, fail the test, and you don't graduate), I knew I needed to at least get the planned content in front of my students.  I also knew that they expected to have a party the last day before Christmas break. In a move of desperation, I wrote an entire unit's worth of material into a Christmas theme and taught the whole thing the last day before break.  They moaned and groaned, but most of them decided to play along, and when we reviewed months later they remembered our reindeer games!

How to Encourage Critical Thinking with Fun Size Statistics

We all know that critical thinking skills are extremely important in the modern world.  Math is more than just being able to move the numbers around.  In order for the math to be useful, you have to be able to understand the meaning behind the numbers.  This summer I wanted to give my children a project that was a little more interesting than our normal habit of using candy to drill arithmetic.  This project is an introduction to the concept of statistics.  The only prerequisite is being able to count, and it would be a great way to help students practice the analytical skills that they will need for their science investigations. 

Egg Carton Skip Counting with Printables

This activity addresses several different skills.   For kindergarten purposes, it most directly addresses the Common Core objective CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4 ,  Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities;connect counting to cardinality.   However, it is also preparation for multiplication, and a fine motor exercise.

How to teach skip counting

Skip counting serves as a basis for multiplication. Make math concrete with this fun activity.

Within the next two months, we are planning to move (again! but just a couple of miles this time) and welcome a new family member. Obviously, I am on the look out for ways to make learning fun and easy for all of us as we jump back into kindergarten home school today.

Decomposing numbers into pairs, Duplo activity

This week, we're working on decomposing numbers into their pairs.  For example, three and seven make ten. 

Our materials are pretty simple.  We are using the same box of magnetic numbers that I showed you in my post, Addition at the Fridge, a metal board that allowed us to have our lesson on the front porch rather than in the kitchen, and several Duplos.

Low stress math fact review for kids who hate to write

"Mom, I hate this!" Writing is a chore for my child, and I've always been worried that his hate of writing might bleed over into his feelings about math. Review math facts is one of those dry areas. He needs automaticity. He needs to identify the correct written numeral, but I was afraid the frustration of writing it would cause a hatred of math at this impressionable stage.

  

This has been my son's favorite kindergarten activity so far.   I think this particular method works well for us because it uses manipulatives, and requires little writing.  It's an easy set up, that he can do independently.

The Change Game:Level 1

Our family is currently residing in a hotel.  Every week or so I go to the desk ask for alot of quarters and ones: quarters for the laundry, dollar for the nice lady who cleans for us.  My kids are fascinated by the coins and just love to handle change, so I decided to make a money math game for them.