Water Fight - Or How to Get Students to Practice Their Math Facts the Last Few Weeks of School

If I had to pick one thing that almost all of my students need to practice more it would be math facts!  They do not want to take the time to memorize them, so I get sneaky and make it fun - a game really.  I try to have a Kaboom type center available for my students at all times to practice their facts.  I change up the theme throughout the year to keep it fresh and exciting.  My latest game centers around water balloons - because what kid doesn't LOVE water balloons this time of year?

I took some pictures of my students playing the game and I had to share a ton of them because the expressions on their faces are priceless!  You can tell they are having a great time... but did they realize how hard they were working?

They pick a card and answer the fact on it.  If they get it correct, they get to keep the card.  They try to have the most cards by the time the timer goes off  (or I say the game is over).

I try to put the cards into containers that match the theme for extra fun ... I used a pail and shovel for this one.  (We had quite the discussion about the words bucket and pail being synonyms).

Oh no!  The dreaded splash balloon means they lose all of their cards!

If you would like to try this fun game with your class you can find them at the links below:

Addition

Subtraction

Multiplication

Division

Five For Friday May 2, 2014

I have survived the week AFTER Spring Break.  One of my co-workers made an off-hand comment about the Tuesday after Spring Break being the most exhausting day of the year.  Thinking back to all of those first days of school exhaustion - I disagreed - and that night it hit me.  SHEER EXHAUSTION.  Seriously, every night this week I came home and collapsed - which explains my lack of blogging and my three half finished TpT products.  Oh well, the week is over - and it is time for Five For Friday with Doodle Bugs Teaching! Here are a few things that tuckered me out this week.

I started my week with a pick me up treat from Starbuck's and a little shameless begging asking for some stir sticks for these poke cards.

The students convert measurements (this little guy is using our conversion "cheat cards" which I had planned about blogging about last Tuesday, but since I was exhausted, stay tuned to next Tuesday's post to read more about them), and then look for the answer on the card.

They poke the Starbuck's stirrer through and see if they got the correct answer (if it is circled).

They collect as many cards as they can.  This one likes keeping her correct cards on her stirrer. 

These poke cards will be in my Cinco de Mayo packet (if I ever finish it!) hopefully this weekend.

Tuesday after school I had the last rehearsal with my drama club before their performance on Wednesday of their Spring play - The Lost Treasure.

I teach drama club to 5th and 6th graders at the school next door.  Here is a cast shot.

And a selfie fail!

Here is a picture of Cody before Wednesday's performance.  He is with the girl who was the main pirate  - he was her sidekick in the play.  She had to hit him several times in the play and I think she secretly loved it.  She MAY have gotten a little too into character! LOL!

Here is Tyler in his costume.  He had to fill in at the last minute for a sick student (what a trooper!).

We made sombreros to decorate for our upcoming Cinco de Mayo Fiesta on Monday!  We are so looking forward to it!  We have been using Cinco de Mayo centers, researching Mexico, and creating Mexican inspired art.

And the final products

And we wrapped up the week with a fun new version of Scoot I made up on the fly this afternoon.  Musical Chairs Scoot!  

We used these cards (area model multiplication).  I placed them around the room on the tables, but the catch was that I had more students than cards!

So... I played some music.  When the music stopped, they found a card as fast as they could.

If they didn't find a card, they checked their work or finished unfinished problems.

If they found a card, they solved the problem.

And I would love to say that I am off to rest, but... I am off to the Spring Carnival at Cody's school tonight!  Wish me luck!  Have a great weekend!

Easter Egg Showdown - Reviewing Division Game

This week I got a newsletter from Laura Candler which reminded me of an activity that I hadn't done in quite awhile.  Showdown!  I didn't even realize how long it had been until I pulled out my eggs...

Yep - that was from 7th grade math.  I haven't taught 7th grade in almost 2 years!

Well luckily Laura has division  problems in her Easter Egg Showdown which was a perfect review for my 4th graders.

When they came in from lunch, this is what they saw.

They were so excited to see Easter Eggs on their desks.  The best part?  They weren't even disappointed when they found out they were filled with math problems!

Each table had a team captain who opened the egg and pulled out the problem.  They read it out loud (a great way to practice since they like to reverse the divisor and the dividend when reading them) and placed them on the table for all to see.  Each team member answered the problem on their board and placed them face down when finished.  The captain called, "Showdown" and they shared their answers.  When they finished all of their eggs, they traded eggs with another team (which saved me copies!).

They had a blast!