Adding and Subtracting Fractions Game: Mid Week Math Motivation

Hello friends!  I'm back with a little Mid Week Math Motivation, and a game students can play to practice Adding or Subtracting Fractions.

Here are the materials you will need to play:

Fraction bars:  1 whole, halves, thirds, quarters, sixths, eighths, twelfths, and sixteenths.

(You should have enough pieces to create a whole for each)

Fraction dice with the following numbers: 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/12 and 1/16

If you don't have fraction dice you can cut out address labels to fit your dice and write the numbers on, or find circle stickers.  I found these chalkboard dice at the target dollar spot in the fall, and I used a chalkboard paint marker to write what I need on them for centers.

If you don't have fraction bars you could go [HERE] and grab a Free set of them, and have your students color in the pieces different colors (or print out the colored Freebie), or you could have your students create a fraction kit using different colors of construction paper.  I use both when we play this game.  The fraction bars that are the freebie I use when we are in class playing the game in small groups.  I have the cards printed on card stock and I laminate them.  Usually I keep 8 sets so that I can have two groups of four playing at the same time.  Some of my smarties need the addition practice, while others are ready to move on to subtraction.  I also put magnets on the set so  students can use them as manipulatives on our magnetic wall.  

I have my students create the construction paper set in class with me.  The pieces are larger, and don't tend to get lost as easily.  We keep the pieces in a ziploc bag then a pocket in our interactive notebooks because I use them for more than just this game.

It is easiest to begin this game by everyone doing the same thing at the same time.  This way you can guide students who are struggling developmentally with understanding the equivalence of the fractions.  I use a gradual release concept the day that I do this, so my students who gain understanding quickly can get started playing each other.  

Adding Fractions Game: COVER UP

Start with your 1 whole strip.  Your goal is to cover your one whole strip completely, without going over.  Take turns rolling the cube and take the fraction you roll and place it on your whole strip.

For example. if I roll a 1/4, I would take my 1/4 strip and place it over the one whole strip.  Play continues until the first person completely fills up their strip.  Students are allowed to "trade out" their equivalent strips as they go.  So for example, if a student has a 1/4 strip, then a 1/6, if the student rolls a 1/3 he/she could trade out the 1/3 strip for 2-- 1/6 pieces.  Then they could also see that 3 1/6 pieces can are as large as 1/2, so they can trade up again.  Here are a few picks of my students trading.  One rolled 3 1/12 pieces during his turn.  Once he put them together, he realized he could trade up the 3 1/12 pieces for a 1/4 piece. 

The whole purpose is getting really good at understanding equivalent fractions.  This is a hands on way for students to find a common denominator.  Once students are comfortable with equivalent fraction trading, have them begin to use a dry erase board to write a numeric equivalent fraction, and then eventually an addition equation. If a student rolls the die and cannot go, he/she loses their turn, and must wait for their turn to roll again.

The winner is the first person to completely cover their fraction strip exactly. 

Subtracting Fractions Game

To practice subtraction, begin with your whole fraction strip covered with two halve pieces.  Take turns rolling the cube, and taking off (subtracting) that fraction.  You will have to exchange the pieces first, so it is a perfect formative way to make sure your students are understanding equivalent fractions (or finding a common denominator).  For example, if I roll a 1/8 on my cube.  I would need to exchange one of my 1/2 pieces for 4/8s in order to subtract one 1/8.  Again, if a student rolls the die and cannot make an exchange, he/she loses their turn, and must wait for another turn to roll again. The winner is the first player to uncover his/her whole piece exactly.

Need to Enrich or Extend?  

1) Have students play in pairs and combine their kits so that have to begin with an improper fraction.

2) See who can create the largest covered fraction within 4 turns, or who can uncover the most pieces.

My class really loved playing this game and it was a great way for my learners to get a hands on experience with equal fractions, and gain a deeper understanding.

Have a great rest of the week my friends!

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Numbers Battle- A Math Card Game {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

For Mid-Week Math Motivation this week I wanted to share a game my students really love to play. It is perfect to keep them working on order of operations,  positive and negative integers, and mental math skills.

Numbers Battle:
Materials:
Deck of Cards
Dry erase boards and markers
Calculator

Object:
Create the highest (or lowest number) with a set of 4 cards
Face Cards:  Kings = 20, Queens = 15, Jacks = 10, Aces = 1 
Of course you can make these whatever value you would like, or eliminate them.  I use these numbers because I want my students to practice mental math skills when we play, and these numbers are easy to work with.

How to Play:
When we play this game black cards are positive integers and red cards are negative.  Students shuffle the deck and split the cards evenly in the group.  The game is best served with 2-4 players.
Each student deals four cards from the deck.  They use any set of operations they choose to create the highest or lowest number possible.  I allow my students the use of a dry erase board and marker. They have to write the equation they created to prove they have the highest (or lowest) number.  We use a calculator to check answers as needed.

The winner takes all of the cards from the round.  The game winner is the person with the most cards.

I really love that even younger students can play this game.  It can easily be modified for younger grade levels by limiting the integers to only positive and/or limiting operations.  Students can also get help by using a positive and negative number line. They could be allowed to move the cards or limit them by keeping the cards in order. Even as I'm creating this post I'm thinking of how I can incorporate new skills next year by having my students physically walk the number line in my classroom.  It would be a great way to have a class math battle, and an easy five or 10 minute filler or brain break.

How do you keep your students motivated about math?  I would love to hear from you!
Have a great day!

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Making 2D Street Art {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

My students only are scheduled to go to Art class twice a month. So whenever possible I like to add some sort of art work to my lessons in my core areas.  I first saw this fabulous idea for completing 2D street art from Jen Runde who blogs at Runde's Room.  When I read her post, I knew I had to try this with my students! It is sort of like directed drawing for Big Kids!

We started out using our rulers to create a diamond with our papers in landscape mode.

Then we drew vertical lines in the center to create the street corner.  Follow the slant of lines (slanting to the right on the right side of the street, slanting to the left on the left side) we created rooftops, windows and sidewalks for our street.  We erase the top line of the diamond as we create the rooftops.  Once all of the buildings were drawn, we filled in titles of our favorite shops, and colored all the space.  Some of my students chose daytime street scenes, while others chose a night drawing.

I'll be honest, this was NOT a one day and done project.  It took my serious students about 3-30 minute class periods to complete the piece.  But I believe the project was WELL worth the time.  If you save this project for after your state testing it is a great brain break!

I especially love this project.  My student knows how much I love drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee. She made her street corner a huge Dunkin Donuts store.  She also told me I could have unlimited coffee <hee hee>.

Thanks for stopping by for a little Mid-Week Math Motivation!  I would love to hear what you are up to with your students!

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Interactive Geometry and Three Dimensional Shapes {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

My geometry standards include getting my students familiar with finding the surface area of rectangular prisms and pyramids.  Thankfully, hard working teacher in lower grades spend a lot of time getting students to recognize three dimensional shapes and their attributes.  After having several years of Common Core Standards under their belts, I'm finally seeing the benefits of this with my class.

One idea that I believe has really benefited my students is their understanding of how a three-dimensional shape can be turned into a 2-dimensional net.  My students really need to have a strong visual of this purpose in order to find surface area.  In sixth grade we don't teach formulas for surface area, we teach finding the surface area through net drawing.  When I get to this unit in my curriculum, I have a series of shapes that we cut out and glue into our notebooks.  These look like 2-dimensional nets when laying flat, but students also have the ability to fold them up into three-dimensional rectangular prisms and pyramids.

When I complete this activity we usually use a day or two on rectangular prisms, and a day or two on different pyramids. After students cut out the shapes,  I have them find the faces, edges and vertices of each.  Their ability to fold the nets into 3-dimensional shapes REALLY helps my struggling students with these concepts.  We also draw a net and practice a three-dimensional shape example.
On another face we write the formulas we need to solve the problem and an explanation of HOW to solve for the surface area.  This one practice in my opinion is the KEY to the entire concept, getting students to WRITE and EXPLAIN the mathematical process.

When we finish with the basics, I either give students dimensions and have them solve in their notebooks, or have them measure the shapes using a ruler (both inches-- for fraction work, and centimeters for decimals).  For kicks, they also color their shapes.  I mean, we all love a little math--art fun don't you agree?

To find the shapes to complete this lab, you can go {HERE} and scroll through the geometry unit to find what you are looking for.  The link is to an Engage NY student packet.

Thanks for stopping by for a little Mid-Week Math Motivation.  Make it a great day!

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Data Displays.. Desk Drawing Style {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

Hello friends!  My class is doing some testing review and we have to know about data displays.  I always find that the space they give you on worksheets IS.. SO...SMALL!!  We need a half page at least to draw out our histograms or box plots!  My loose-leaf paper supply is getting a little low, and I needed a new way to keep my Smarties motivated, so I decided to bring out the dry erase markers and let them write on their desks <GASP>.  They almost died when I told them it was ok!  I always think that is the funniest part of letting them write on the desk.  I don't do it very often, and usually save it for towards the end of the year, just so that it is something new and fun for them!

Anyway, we drew our line plots, histograms and box plots on the desks this past week.  I could definitely tell that allowing my students an opportunity to do something different kept them motivated and willing to work.  The dry erase markers are easy to clean off of our desks using some tissue and hand sanitizer.  I have found that the green dry erase markers are a little more tough to get off, but nothing a little elbow grease and a Clorox wipe couldn't handle.

Using the motivation of writing on the desks, we managed to cover the basics of a box plot and how to use our upper and lower quartiles pretty quickly which I was happy about because testing is coming up.  After our state assessments I'll go back through these points again, and we'll do a STEM lab involving data that we gather from paper airplane flying to create our data displays.  I'll be writing about that in the next few weeks, but if you happen to be looking for a fun interactive math lab, you can go {HERE} to check it out.

Have a great week!  Thanks for stopping by for a little Mid-Week Math Motivation!

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Ratios and Rates Videos {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

Ratios, Rates and Proportional Reasoning is a pretty big unit for sixth grades.  It is one of the largest shifts in the Common Core Curriculum as students make a change from a dominant Place Value math standard to learning about the comparison of numbers with reasoning.  Today I wanted to share a few video resources that I use in the classroom to help make this unit more engaging.

Have you seen this video my Math Antics?  One of the things I LOVE about this video is the explanation of how ratios are a comparison of numbers.  It explains to students how we often think that a comparison is a greater than or less than relationship, but ratios is a relationship of numbers with division.  Great guidance!!

This video is a great way to review the concepts of ratios before getting into more of the specifics of rates.

When I teach about Unit Rates and Unit pricing, I show my students this video from Consumer Reports.  It gives them a great overview, and they can go to the grocery store and see it in action!

It's interesting within the video to see that not all grocery stores and companies compare unit prices the same.  For example, some share their product in ounces, while others share the unit rate in pounds.  It was a great way to add in some ELA standards as we briefly discussed the need for universal unit pricing!  Anytime you can add in a cross-curriculum concept that makes the top even more REAL WORLD applicable!!

I always tell me kids to try and save their parents at least $5.00 in the grocery store using unit rates, and maybe their payback will be a treat or candy bar with the savings!

Finally, my kids LOVE Ratey the Math Cat from Math Snacks:

I like this goofy video because I can pause it at different times while my students figure out what the unit rates would be, or what several different equivalent rates are within the real world scenarios.

Thanks for stopping by for a little Mid- Week Math Motivation!  I'd love to hear about videos that you use in your math units!

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Graphing on the Coordinate Grid-- Interactive Candy Style {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

My students and I had the best time practicing quadrants and ordered pairs with this candy graphing game!  It was easy to set up, my students LOVED playing-- giving up their break time for extra chances, and I had almost 100% mastery on this section of my assessment!  I'd call that a Win-Win in any situation!

The Set Up:
Find a space in your school or classroom where you can set up a grid.  I used a wall in our cafeteria because the blocks were already marked, but you could use a classroom wall, playground or sidewalk.  I was originally planning to draw a grid outside, but we've been experiencing some cold weather, so I had to make a change in plans.  Using the cafeteria actually worked out well.  Other classes were really intrigued by what we were doing.  I had a lot of students wish they were sixth graders!  Our custodian even gave me the roll of painters tape!

The goal is to make the grid 6x6.  You could use a single quadrant, or make all four quadrants.  You need to use a 6x6 grid because students will roll dice to find their ordered pair.  Once I had the grid set up, I taped candy bags to coordinates.  I wanted to make the game pretty enticing so I put several candies in a bag, and used a lot of them.  But you could tape individual pieces up if you wanted.  I would do this if I was setting the grid up on my classroom wall.  It would be perfect in a math centers rotation.  Use small candies like lollipops, or fruit snacks etc.  If your school doesn't allow candy treats as prizes, try pencils, homework passess, extra book raffle tickets, etc.  

I also use four giant dice.  Two of them are designated as negative and the other two for positive numbers.  Here is an example from Amazon: (Link is the picture)

(These are listed at 5.99 and you get a set of 2)

 

Playing the Game:
The basic purpose of the game is to get students to practice finding ordered pairs and identifying quadrants on the coordinate grid.  Students decide which candy bag they would like to go for.  They must identify the ordered pair where it lies, and then I had the rest of the class tell the quadrant.  My students then rolled the die.  If the first number wasn't correct, they got to decide the chance they have of getting candy on another ordered pair with the same x- integer.. bringing in statistics and ratios!  WOOT WOOT!

This lesson was also great for error analysis.  I put a couple of candy bags directly onto the y-axis. The ordered pair would be something like (3,0).  This would be an impossible roll for my students to make because of course there is no zero on the die.  But I didn't tell them this!  I waited for someone to figure it out, or chose a candy bag on the y-axis.  Of course it happens, and it was an AMAZING way to discuss how and why this could not be a choice!

I gave my students who didn't win a few other chances, but not everyone walked away a winner.  That is another great life lesson!  This was a perfect way to work through so many different sections of our integers unit.  It was interactive, engaging, and fun.. I mean who doesn't love candy prizes!
Thanks for joining me for a little Mid-Week Math Motivation!

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Ideas for Graphing on the Coordinate Grid and Rene Descarte-- {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

We've been working hard on graphing integers and rationale numbers on the coordinate grid.  I always find this part of the unit to be so much fun.  There are tons of great ideas out there for students to practice graphing and reading ordered pairs.  I wanted to share a few with you today including a way that I incorporate a little history into my math lessons.

BEGIN WITH THE BASICS
I love to begin with this video:  Basic Coordinate Plane-- A Space Odyssey.  It's about 1 minute 20 seconds, and just reviews basic vocabulary, but there is just something about the Space Odyssey music that makes it inspiring.  My students sit up a little straighter, they are ready to become ACTIVE LEARNERS when they hear this type of music.

Here is just the link if you need to copy and paste:  http://bit.ly/1TiYPYp

I start out with some vocabulary basics of the pieces of the coordinate system.  We make a finger foldable for our interactive notebooks, and then a four door foldable for the quadrants.  As always, I want them thinking right away about using vocabulary correctly as we practice.

ADD A LITTLE HISTORY

Do you ever teach your students history in your math lessons?  I try as much as possible to incorporate a cross curriculum approach to learning, so when I can incorporate reading, writing or social studies into math I do it!  During our unit on Coordinate Graphing I teach my students about Renee Descartes.. I THINK.. THEREFORE I AM....  He was a french philosopher who is credited for first quoting the above statement.  He is ALSO a mathematician who created the Cartesian graphing system.. all because of a fly on his ceiling! History says that Descartes was a sickly child, and spent hours laying in bed staring at the ceiling.  Because his mind was always thinking, he wanted to develop a system that would map the movements of the fly, thus the idea of a coordinate grid became reality.  I like to show my students a picture of Descartes and share the story.

You can also read this easy reader with them (link will send you to Amazon)

GET YOUR STUDENTS UP AND MOVING

One great way I've found to practice coordinate grid associations is with Coordinate Grid puzzle pieces and squares.  I know there are a TON of graphing pictures products out there.  They are great, but sometimes I need something that is quick and easy.  The puzzle pieces or squares give me a variety of tools that I can use to reinforce concepts or formatively assess FAST.  I give each student a puzzle piece section.  There are four individual pieces that make a puzzle.  One shows the answer on the coordinate grid, a second section shows the ordered pair, the third a word problem that corresponds with the plotted point, and the fourth contains the correct quadrant.  Student must find each other and complete the puzzle in the room.  They love this type of activity, it gets them up and moving, and gives me a chance to listen to conversations and complete some error analysis with the groups.

I also use this activity printed just as squares... it's easier on me to not have to cut our all the puzzle pieces!!  Students can play this during my math workshop time with a partner, or  I can pull a group to my table.  Students place four corresponding cards together to complete the puzzle.

Sometimes I give them laminated cards that do not have the point plotted, and students will plot the ordered pair on the coordinate plane.  It gives me the ability to differentiate based on what a particular group needs at the time.

You can print the squares multiple to a page and have students cut out one four-squared grid.  Have them mix them up with three other partners and each put a square back together.  We glue these into our interactive notebooks as further examples and practice for graphing and recognizing points.

You can check these puzzle grids out {HERE} if you are interested.

How do you teach the Coordinate Grid in your classroom?  I would love to hear additional ideas!
Thanks for stopping by for a little Mid-Week Math Motivation!

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Integer Word Problems: Real World Questions {Mid-Week Math Motivation}

Hello friends!  Thanks for stopping by for a little Mid-Week Math Motivation.  Today I want to share a math lab that I worked on with my students when we were studying integers.  This is a great way to really assess your student's understanding, plus it keeps them up and moving.  You can really listen to their math conversations, and they get to socialize in groups too!
                                             

I spend the first few days of my Integers unit working with students on recoginzing integer phrases and graphing them on a number line.  I set up a number line in my classroom from -10 to +10 and then use phrase cards.  My students each get a phrase card and they have to find where their number would be represented on the number line.  We also practice opposite integers and my students get to pick a partner to be their opposite on the number line.  They have to explain the phrase, and their partner has to explain why they are the opposite.  I am specifically looking for understanding that they are equal distances from zero, not that one is a positive and the other a negative number.  I use the task cards and number line from this bundled set for the activity.  We also use foldables for vocabulary, and I come back to the set again for cooridnate grid.

The next day I split my students into groups, and the real fun begins.  I try to keep my students in groups of 4-5.  This way everyone is involved in the writing process, and no one can completely take over the group.  Everyone needs to contribute.  The task for this integer unit was to create a real-world problem involving  two integer phrases.  Students have to graph the integer on a number line and then compare the integers.  

I give my students about 20 minutes to create the problem and put the information down on chart paper.  I use chart paper that is gridded.  If you teach math and don't have gridded chart paper, run, don't walk to order some.  It is perfect for graphing inequalities, integers, creating number lines, coordinate grid, geometry.. you name it.  And it sure beats just using a plain old ruler and trying to keep the number line straight!!  

Here is an example of a problem my sixth graders created:

Next we complete a gallery walk of the problems.  I use a sheet with five number lines.  So if I have more than 5 groups of problems, the students are spread out and still get practice.  Yes, it is ok for students to not do ALL the problems!  With at least five you can still listen to them think, monitor their math comprehension, and complete a formative assessment for the benchmark.  I give students about 3-4 minutes at each poster.  On their recording sheets they have to draw the number line using the scale provided, graph each integer and make a comparison of them.  

This activity is a perfect example of a math lab that gets students up and moving and keeps them on task.  Worried about time?  Draw the number lines on the graph paper ahead of time or have students create the problems one day in class, and then complete the gallery walk as a lesson warm-up the following day.

I follow up throughout the week with warm up multiple choice questions from THIS packet.  They are quick and easy and involve rational numbers too.  We put them in our interactive notebooks and I have students color the questions they want me to formatively assess.

Have a great week!  If you need a way to spark conversations about math in your classroom, feel free to download this FREE card.  I have my students glue it into their interactive notebooks and use it as a reference tool throughout the year.

I would love to know the activities you use to keep integers REAL in math!  

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