Are you tired of the same old math drills? Phonics worksheets got you down? Your students can’t figure out how to tell time because they can’t sit still long enough to do it?
Try some of these ideas to spice up the school day!
It can be a fun thing to add something to your school day with games. It doesn’t always make it easy, but it can add some diversion in a mundane school day. Another thing that it can do, is teach lessons to reluctant learners without them realizing they are actually doing school.
There are many ideas on the links as well as several of my own.
Math Fact Race
Materials Needed[shopmaterials]
- chart paper
- markers or crayons
Lesson Plan
Before the Lesson
Create on the board or on chart paper a grid numbered across 1 to 9 and down 1 to 9. The grid’s squares should be large enough for students to write a readable number in.
The Race
Arrange the class into two or more teams and provide each team with a grid sheet. Decide whether you want students to practice addition, subtraction, or multiplication facts in this game of speed. When the chart is set, say “Go!” One person on each team races to the board and fills in any square on the math facts grid. For example, if you are reinforcing addition facts, the student writes the number 6 in the square at which the 4 column and the 2 row meet (4 + 2 = 6).
Emphasize that it is important for all members of a team to watch what their teammates write. If any student on either team sees a mistake made by a teammate during the game, he or she can use his/her turn to correct that error.
If you make this a “quiet game,” it will hold down the “ooooo’s” that are sure to signal an error, and also further emphasize the importance of team members paying close attention to one another.
The first team to fill in all the squares on their grid is the winning team if all the answers on their chart are correct.
Extend the Lesson
Use the completed charts to reinforce the concepts being taught. For example, if you use this game to reinforce multiplication facts, you might emphasize how the charts show the pattern made by the 5 tables or 7 tables.
Assessment
The first team to fill in all the squares on their grid wins — if every answer on their chart is correct.
Lesson Plan Source
Education World
Submitted By
Gary Hopkins
Multiplication Bingo
Brief Description
Adapt the BINGO game to reinforce multiplication table skills.
Objectives
Students will
- play a game of BINGO that requires them to accurately compute math facts.
Keywords
multiplication, multiplication tables, times tables, BINGO, game
Materials Needed[shopmaterials]
- Multiplication BINGO card
- a set of flash cards for the times tables you will reinforce using the game
Lesson Plan
Provide each student with a Multiplication BINGO card. Provide students with the answers to the multiplication fact cards you will show them and let them arrange those numbers randomly on their BINGO cards.
Alternate Idea: Involve Some Critical Thinking
If your students have a fair grasp of the multiplication tables, tell them which times tables the game will be based on and let them write on their cards the numbers that might be called out in the game. For example, if you tell them that the Multiplication BINGO game will be based on the 4, 5, and 6 tables, then they will have to figure out which numbers they should not write on their cards — numbers such as 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19 since those are not solutions to any of the math facts that comprise the 4, 5, or 6 tables.
As you can see, the game gets more interesting as students learn more math facts. Eventually, you might plan a Multiplication BINGO game in which the entire range of math fact families — from the 2 tables to the 12 tables — is included.
Prepare a set of cards containing the math facts you’ve based this game on. Write one math fact problem on each card. Shuffle the cards. Draw and read or show the cards to students, one card at a time. As you show a card, students must do the math and put an X through the number that represents the answer if it appears on their Multiplication BINGO card.
Who will be first to call out BINGO? Verify that student’s victory by checking the math facts called out against his or her card.
After a player calls out BINGO, you might keep the game going until you learn which player will be the first to fill up his or her entire Multiplication BINGO card.
http://www.positive-parenting-ally.com/fun-math-games-for-kids.html
http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/fire-hose-fact-practice-game/
http://www.mathfilefoldergames.com/middle-school-math-games/
File Folder Math Games for Middle School
Grab a deck of flash cards. For every answer they get right, they get to shoot a basket in the basketball hoop.
Ask questions and have the answers in chalk on the fence, have them use a water gun to shoot the answers off the fence.
Draw a big clock on the driveway, use sand tools to make hands. Count by fives by jumping from number to number. Have the children manipulate the hands and set the time for you as you read them to them.
Multiplication Hopscotch can be a fun way to practice facts when they need to move and learn. Do skip counting. 6, 12, 18, 24 etc.
http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/24927/cool-math-games-3
Tape the skip counting numbers for multiplication on pieces of paper with a hand print on them, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and so on. Then tape them going up on stair steps so they can place their hands on them as they walk up the stairs.
You can learn on the trampoline as well. You can use it as a clock, or write on it with sidewalk chalk the letters of the alphabet. Spell words and have them jump to the correct ones that spell the word. No trampoline? You can use tape with the letters on them or pieces of paper in the living room.
http://www.blessedlearners.com/100-free-board-games-for-learning/
You can fill plastic cups and mark it with fractions, 1/3. ¼, ½, and the like. Make enough of each to equal a whole of each fraction and have them match them up.
Lego Games for Kids
http://jdaniel4smom.com/2015/02/lego-fraction-games-kids.html#_a5y_p=3324808
Math Game Stations
http://www.teachingwithsimplicity.com/2015/03/family-math-night-for-big-kids.html
Fraction Game similar to Spoons
http://games4gains.com/blogs/teaching-ideas/41499524-equivalent-fractions-game-of-spoons
Equivalent Fraction board Game
http://deceptivelyeducational.blogspot.com/2015/04/equivalent-fractions-missing-numerator.html
Skip Count with Legos
What you need is two different color Lego’s, about 10 of each color. If you have more of one color than the other that’s fine. Take your Lego’s and place than in two piles separated by color. For our lesson, we used green and white. You can substitute for what color you want.
Take your Lego’s and stack them green/white/green/white/green/white. First count to six while pointing at your individual blocks. Then count again but only pointing to the Green utilizing the skip count method. Explain to your child the white blocks are still there but since we are counting the green, we are counting faster. We know the blocks are there but because of that we can count twice as fast!
Parts of Speech bag game. Make two paper sacks with Nouns, Verbs etc. on the outside and then write nouns and verbs on cards and sort them in the bags.
Card Game flip- Use any pack of cards and flip over two. You can add or multiply them times each other. You can have a competition over how many they can get with a timer.
I suggest to make a Math tub, Reading tub, and others for the age groups you need. I had one for preschool, K-2 and one for 2-6th grade etc. Then when you need games to add to your learning, you pull out those tubs with your supplies ready to go and it requires less brain power from you.
Supplies:
Decks of cards – Dollar store
Dice
Timers
Yahzee pads
Game markers can all be found at the Imagintion Station
Laminator from Amazon or Paper Chase laminates large file folders for game boards.
Laminator for $25- http://amzn.to/2czR6VM
Laminating pouches- $12.50 for 100 http://amzn.to/2c6fn4q
Games you can buy:
Great States Scramble
Junior Boggle
Scrabble Junior
Sum Swamp Game- For K-1
Rory’s Story Cubes
Money Bags Game 5+
For Spelling:
Scrabble- Ages 7 + http://amzn.to/2bWBnQL
Yahzee – 5+ http://amzn.to/2bWC78o
Busy Bag Ideas for K-2 Math and Reading
These were like the ones I had in the large box that I brought to class. Remember that the easiest way to collect a bunch of these is to do an exchange. You can use these plans to set up your own. There are hundreds of ideas for busy bags, boxes and file folder games online though.
http://unsolicitedadvice-n-such.blogspot.com/2011/09/math-and-reading-activity-swap-sign-up.html
http://unsolicitedadvice-n-such.blogspot.com/2011/07/k-2nd-gr-busy-bag-swap.html
Pinterest Board with Game ideas:
https://www.pinterest.com/mattie89/homeschool/
I have many other boards with lots of homeschool ideas as well to browse.
Organizing – Life as a Mom Planner
http://fishmama.com/product/organizing-life-as-mom-2016-2017/
The top one for $9 is the regular organizing planner and the second one is the Homeschool add on pack.
http://fishmama.com/product/olam-homeschool-pack-2016-2017/
Educational Apps
If you would like them on Apple devices, go to the app store and look them up by name and you can find them as well. This is only the tip of the iceberg, all you have to do is put in math learning, or phonics and hundreds pop up.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-best-educational-apps-android/
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-educational-apps/
http://www.familyeducation.com/fun/mobile-apps/21-free-educational-apps-kids
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/best-apps-for-kids-ages-5-8
Stack the States
Math Apps
Reading Eggs
Monopoly on Kindle
Blank foam dice
Minecraft Math Coloring book
Those are just a few of the things we discussed in our class on games for learning! I hope this inspires you to go home and make or utilize some of the games you have to teach your children.
Here is a link to some more technology based resources as well.
