No PREP Math Game Ideas

Hello darlings!  I am so far behind the power curve it isn't funny.  Where did that expression come from anyway?  Am I even saying it right?  Well, kudos to Jamie for blogging a bunch this week.  At least she cares about you!  JK!  I care too!  I have just had NO MOTIVATION whatsoever!  I need someone to light a fire under my tookis!  (urban dictionary:  From the Yiddish meaning someone's buttocks.)  It is the last day of spring break and the sun is FINALLY out, so I am FINALLY doing something!

I wanted to show you how easy it is to come up with a game or activity on the fly.  I find I need to do this when I have time left over or we need a review before a quiz or just because the kiddos need to get up and move around.  Not everything has to be beautiful laminated task cards prepared in advance. (though I do love them!)

This was a simple activity I had kiddos do to do a quick check of their measuring skills.  They had one minute to find an object from around the room that was less than 18 cm.  (Just because that is how long the ruler I gave them is.)  Next, they had to measure it to the nearest cm and record it in their notebook.  Students numbered in their math notebook from 1-25 for each student in the class.  Students then SCOOTED to each other's desks and measured the object on that desk.  They recorded the answer next to the student's number.  (I have student numbers on each kiddos name tag for record keeping purposes.  If you don't do this, have kiddos use a dry erase marker and write their number on their desk or use a sticky note to write it.)  

 You can have them SCOOT however you want.  I usually give them 45 sec- 1 minute and then tell them to SCOOT.   You could also have them walk around to empty desks and just make sure they visit each one before time is up.

At the end, they all go back to their seats and we go around in number order for each student to say his/her answer to the object he/she chose at the beginning.  I have students raise their hands, clap, stand up, chant something, etc to let me know if they got the same answer.  This will be a quick indication if the student measured it wrong to begin with.  I also go around and check quickly to see how many they missed.  Sometimes, I have them close their eyes and raise their hand to tell me how many they missed.  Ex. "Raise your hand if you missed 0.  Raise your hand if you missed 5 or more, etc.  This way it is confidential, but also a great check for understanding without grading papers

Another quick game is to just measure objects around the room.  To make sure students are measuring correctly and not just practicing it wrong each time, assign them a group of 3 students.  They each must measure the same object and report their findings with each other.  If even one of them has a different answer, they must do it over and talk to each other about what happened.  

You can kind of see it in the pic above, but I usually send home a Measure Your Home sheet for HW before we start our Measurement Unit.  Students have to measure objects using their shoe.  This is a great conversation starter.  We discuss things such as... Why don't we use shoes to measure now?  Isn't that the same as feet?  Where did "feet" come from?

Download it free here.

If you are looking for already created cuteness for measurement, Melissa at Inspire Me ASAP has this AWESOME Pet Themed measurement packet!  I am using it at the end of the year after state testing.  I can't wait!

Another fun game that proves I am really late in my posts, is this snowman game.  Don't worry though, you can do this for ANY season of the year or any subject really.  All I did was have kiddos make a QUICK snowman out of construction paper.  In fact, I only gave them 7 minutes with a partner.  Then they had to create a three digit by one digit multiplication problem to put on the front.  They had to solve it and write the answer on the back. 

 Next, they got to tape it anywhere around the room they wanted.  Students then went on a hunt to find the snowman and solve the probelms.  They worked out their problems on a blank sheet of paper.  They had to check the answer on the back before they could move on.  IF they got it wrong, they had to write what they did wrong.

 You could do this same thing with any subject and any object.  Make flowers, hearts, shamrocks, clouds and rain, beach shovels, animals, etc.  How would you use this in your classroom?

Happy Spring!!!