Play Ball!

With opening day last week, I tried to spice up my after-school tutoring with a little baseball fun! We have been reviewing double digit addition with regrouping for a couple of weeks. The students are moving away from the base ten blocks towards the standard algorithm. I am really pleased with the progress they have been making! 

I have been using games to help make the addition practice a little bit more fun and meaningful. The latest game we played was baseball themed. It was a big hit!

Students play in teams. They are given a double digit addition problem to solve. Students must solve the problem correctly in order to move a base on the baseball diamond. You can give students points for each base or stay true to baseball and score only homeruns. My students were not familiar with the scoring in baseball, so I just gave them a point for each base.

Students had a score sheet to record their points on. They also had a hundreds chart to help check each other's work. We had a great time practicing trading! (If you would like a copy of the game, you can buy one at my TPT store!)

Some other activities we have been doing to keep double digit addition fresh and fun are...

1. Roll-a-Problem!

Students take turns rolling dice to create double digit addition problems.

2. Relay Race

In teams, students use dry erase boards to race to solve double digit addition problems with regrouping.

How do you keep things fun and interesting when you are reviewing the same skill repeatedly?

Addition and Subtraction Work Mats

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the new year, and that you are getting back into the swing of things. The break is always very much needed and well appreciated, but it can be tricky making up for any holiday regression!

The Common Core places a lot of emphasis on using models in mathematics. In fact, it is listed as one of the mathematical practice standards for all grade levels. 

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP4 Model with mathematics.

Some of the mathematical models I am focusing on with my second graders are the number line, ten frames, and the hundreds chart. Many of my students are still struggling with their addition and subtraction facts. The models provide them with the extra support they need.

When introducing the mats, I have my students solve a variety of different addition and subtraction problems using all of the model types. As time goes on, I allow my students to use the model that best meets their particular needs. Different models appeal to different students. I believe that it is my job to expose students to all of the types of models and make sure they understand how to use each model. Once students are familiar with each model, they are able to choose whichever one appeals to them. They need to be able to make choices and take ownership. Also, different types of addition and subtraction problems will work well with different models. Students need to be able to recognize this on their own in time.

For the mats, I printed a copy for each student and laminated the copy. Students then write on the mats with dry erase markers. There is something about dry erase markers that students love. The same activity with paper and pencil just wouldn't be the same. 

If you would like a copy of the work mat, click here, or on the image above.

How do you teach your students to use models in mathematics?

Missing Addends with QR Codes

Missing addends can be a tricky concept for students. It is so hard to break them of the habit of just putting the answer in the missing addend box! I thought that lovely "mystery box" space would be perfect for a QR code!

To begin, I made several missing addend problems for students to solve. I replaced the "mystery box" with a QR code that led to the correct answer. I used this great website to create the QR codes. Students moved around the room to find the different problems to solve. 

Students solved their mystery box problems and recorded their answers on their recording sheet. Then, students went to the iPad and checked their answer using the QR reader. Students then had to circle whether they got the answer correct or incorrect. If the answer was incorrect, they had to correct their answer.

The students had a lot of fun using the iPad and the QR codes. The activity also helped students take ownership of their own learning by having them check their own work and correct their mistakes. This activity can be done with minimal teacher support. If you would like a copy, head on over to my TPT store! 

How do you use QR codes in your teaching?

Double the Fun!

In my after-school tutoring, we are continuing to work on addition and subtraction strategies. This past week, we began to work on doubles facts. Some of the best ways to memorize addition and subtraction facts are through games. So, games we played!

To start, we used manipulatives. I made several copies of the Part-Part-Whole mat above and laminated them. I gave students an amount for the "part." They made this amount using manipulatives. We made the same amount again with manipulatives in the other "part" section. Then, students put both of the "parts" together and moved them to the "whole" section. Students counted the total. We wrote a number sentence for the doubles fact and recorded the sum. For a copy of the Part-Part-Whole mat, click here.

Now for the fun part - the games! First, students played a version of Bingo. Students took turns drawing doubles facts. Students solved the problem and then put a marker on the sum. The first player to get five in a row won. 

Next, students played a game called "Who Has More?" Using the same doubles fact cards from the last game, students took turns drawing facts and recording their sums. The player with the greatest sum won the round. The player that won the most rounds, won the game.

Then, students used the doubles fact cards to play memory. I made a set of the sums for doubles facts 0-10. Students had to match the addition fact to the correct sum. 

To see if students grasped the concept, students solved problems about a fictional farm. To solve the problem, students had to double the given amount, write a number sentence, and draw a picture to represent their problem. I am a firm believer in moving from the concrete, to the pictorial, to the abstract. With this lesson, students worked with manipulatives in the concrete stage. Students then moved to pictorial by drawing a picture to represent their work. We will continue to practice doubles facts and move towards the abstract stage.

How do you help students learn their basic facts?

Let's Make Ten!

We survived another week! I cannot believe that it will be November next week! As if running intervention groups was not enough, I am also tutoring after-school in second grade for both reading and math. So far, I really like having the chance to work with students, uninterrupted, for an entire hour. I never get that kind of time with my reading groups! Anyways, my second graders and I started right at the beginning, with addition and subtraction strategies. Currently we are working on making ten.

To begin the lesson, we started with a simple addition problem about apples. There were ten apples total. Some of the apples were red and some of the apples were yellow. Students had to use manipulatives and ten frames to find out all of the different combinations to make ten.

(I didn't quite have enough green cubes, so a blue one snuck in!)

I love using manipulatives with my students. I think they are so helpful in establishing student's conceptual understandings.  Often times I think teachers take the manipulatives away too soon. I know my struggling students benefit greatly from using the manipulatives.

After working through the apple addition problem together, we did a similar problem using subtraction. I really wanted my students to understand that addition and subtraction are inverse operations. Once again, students used the ten frame and manipulatives to find the different combinations to make ten, but this time using subtraction sentences.

Then, students had a chance to practice making ten on their own using problems similar to the apple problems, but about cupcakes. They continued to use manipulatives and the ten frame. For a copy of the cupcake and apple problems click here.

I believe games make for very meaningful practice in math. To continue working on making ten, students played a game similar to Go Fish. This game is called Make Ten. Students have five cards to begin with. Then, students take turns asking each other for cards to make a match, and make ten. When the student makes ten with two cards (ex. 8 and 2), he or she can lay down her match. The first player to match all of their cards wins!

For the last activity, students played Fill Ten. In this game, students draw number cards, (or you can use playing cards). Students fill in the number they drew on their ten frame. Then, students take turns drawing cards. The goal is to make matches and fill all of the ten frames first. (Note: It is best to have a small deck, or else kids will be drawing cards all day!)

What sort of games do you play to work on addition and subtraction strategies?