Ok I couldn't help myself. I just logged on and saw that we have our own forum :woot: . So I thought I would try to take it a little further and try to get subject specific so we can share some ideas. This will be my second year teaching and I have gotten some really good ideas about how to introduce some first six week topics, hopefully I can find more . I'll start. I had the students draw a picture on the coordinate plane, all four quadrants, 25 points. List the points with directions on how to connect them on a seperate sheet. They turned in the picture to me and I collected and randomly passed out their instruction sheets and the students had to re-create the picture from the directions. They really enjoyed this (I had some really good drawers in my class). Anyone have something for fractions....
Fractions Bingo is fun. List 20 or more various fractions on the board for the kids to choose 16 from. They make their own 4x4 boards on paper or white boards. You call out fractions, they cover the equivalents. They will have to reduce or rename. Easier, and good for breaking the ice, is to hand out fraction cards which include equivalents. Let them find their equivalent partners. Then have small groups arrange themselves in order.
Don't forget that some 5th graders master fractions by the end of the year, but others really need the 6th grade curriculum to master all operations with fractions. Some teachers really don't expect mastery in 5th - which is a mistake these days. Another fun game would be to give out cards with angles on them and have them find their complements and supplements. A set of angles flash cards would work. You could also do this with actual geometric plane figures.
I really like your idea about the points & directions for students to follow. I may borrow that idea When I was student teaching, I was in a 6th grade classroom and made up an entire fractions packet that students had to complete with the use of a Hershey's bar. There were questions about reducting fractions, and also questions asking about "which peice is larger". I tried to make it as 'fun' and informal as possible. Of course at the end of the packet, they all got to eat their chocolate. I don't think one kiddo complained about the work since the reward was in sight from the beginning!!
That's sounds like a great idea, I may steal that one! So how about decimals anyone have any good activities to use with decimals.
Thanks for the great ideas!! Mommee03, when I taught only English, the math teacher at my school did something very similar to your idea. I will probably use it! This is the first time I will be teaching math, so I'm a little nervous about it.
This is the printable to my idea for a place value activity that was printed in Mailbox last August: http://www.theeducationcenter.com/c...@@@@&BV_EngineID=haddkhkmkiimbfekcglcfmcgmg.0 It could easily be adapted to practice decimals by taking out the decimal point printed on the board and having the students place a decimal card on one of their turns. You can also make it a mystery as to whether the winner will have the greatest or least number. Here are the instructions: Each student cuts apart a copy of the cards and strip. He glues the strip together and stacks the cards upside down. Player 1 rolls a die to determine the game's objective. If an even number is rolled, each player tries to create the largest possible number. Players simultaneously turn over one card at a time and place it on their place-value strips in the desired positions. Once a card has been placed, it can't be moved. When all positions on the place-value strips are filled, each player reads his number aloud. Have students compare their numbers to see who has the greatest or least, and the two students who are runners-up.
Upsadaisy, that is a really cool idea...I wish I could come and observe you for a day...it seems like you really do some cool stuff in class. Well for me...decimals....I can't think of anything cool I did with decimals... any info I get on here will be helpful... I did have the students create a 'Headline', which was like a newpaper article. In the headline they had to write a paragraph about a real-life situation where they would use fractions, decimals, or percents (it did not have to be a true story), the only guideline I set was, the situation could not involve money. They had fun with it, some even drew pictures, those who wanted, shared their stories.
Now that's interesting. I teach 5th grade usually, plus one middle school math class a day. Several of us who teach other things have to do this. But I really enjoy it. This year I'll be teaching 3rd plus the low level MS math class - to try and help them catch up. I have taught 6th through algebra as my 'extra' class. My kids love to play this game - and it can be for practice of any topic at all. Split into small groups. Make up an index card for each group with 5 problems. Across the top, list 5 (or more to make it harder) numbers. All the answers to the problems must come from that list. Example for decimals: 1. 3.15 is how much greater than 3.025? 2. The product of 21.5 and .05 is ____ and so on. Each group gets different questions. Just make sure that the questions for each group are of comparable difficulty. Kids work as a group with one member who goes to the board to list their answers after they get each one. First group to get all correct is the winner. If they get one wrong, they go back to correct it before you check it again.
Trend sells a fraction bingo game - it's colorful and great for visualizing fractions and their equivalents.
The Sub is coming Ok, does anyone have any good sub activities :unsure: ? I really don't want to leave the kids with a bunch of 'busy' work, but I want them to be occupied while I'm out. I am thinking 'Math in the Movies', where I will get some old cartoons...ie...A Bug's Life, Toy Story...etc and make up some math questions related to certain parts of the movie. I'm thinking I could try to clip the tape so it could stop for the sub and have the pause time included and everything. I would probably have to try to do it on powerpoint or something...problem is..if it works well..kids may always want me gone to watch a movie...:lol:
Decimal fun I like the fraction ideas a lot! One decimal game I play I call Guess the Decimal. I draw a line down the center of the board. I draw a > sign on the right of this line and a < sign on the other. The students take turns trying to "read" my mind. I have a decimal in my head;e.g., 5.3. I record each guess, writing the number closer to the line. I write it on the right side if it is greater than what I am thinking, and left for less than. The placement of the number in relation to the line indicates how close each guess is to the right number. Eventually, the class gets closer and closer and finally gets it right. This is my first suggestion . . . am I making any sense?
PJS, I understand exactly what you mean. I like that!! I will add that one to my to do list also. I can really see the kids having fun with it. I love playing games (when they fit), one game I play is Equation Relay. I make up 5 one-variable equations (A-E), the students are in teams of five. They sit in rows, the person in the first seat solves the first equation(a), the second person has to plug the value of 'a' into their equation to solve for 'b'...so on and so forth...they have to pass the answer back on a sheet of paper, and the first team with the correct 'f' answer gets the point. They have fun with it, some of my students will try to make up their own equations. Any other games or activities? Please feel free to share, we Math teachers have to stick together
