Tuesday, November 12, 2019

10 Ways to Practice Math Facts

If you are anything like most teachers, your students come to you NOT knowing their math facts.  When students don't have fluency with their math facts, it makes teaching higher level mathematical concepts even more difficult!  I have put together some of my favorite ways to have students practice math facts.  The best part?  Students LOVE them too!



Math Fact Relay Race



Math Facts made fun! Students practice their math facts with this fun relay game.  Could be easily adapted to other skills as well!

Directions:
1. Cut out 2 circle with a circle cut out inside of it (like a doughnut shape).
2. Write factors around the circle.
3. Put one factor in the middle of the circle.
4. Have students race to multiply the factor in the middle with one of the factors on the ring. (Could also be used for addition, subtraction, division, and vocabulary words)


Color By Number


My students beg to let them color during the school day - and while I am happy to give them a brain break from time to time, I feel much better about letting them color when they are also practicing their math facts!

I am currently working on a growing bundle of math facts color by number sets for both multiplication and addition (you can also buy each set separately at my TpT store).  You can get a great deal by buying the set now, because the price goes up as I add each set, but you can get them all for today's price!





Math Facts Game Capture

My students absolutely LOVE this game for practicing their math facts!  You can watch the video below to see how we use it for practicing multiplication, but it can be easily adapted for other skills as well (including sight word or vocabulary words)!  You can find the complete directions for the Capture Math Facts Game here.


Math Facts Erase


Write math fact problems on the board.  One student calls out the answer to one of the problems, and the other erases the problem that matches their answer.  If the student erasing the problems is stumped, they switch places.

Kicking It Math



I have my student practice math facts every day with my Kicking It Math Fact program.  If we miss a day, they complain! The program allows them to work at their own pace, practice just a few targeted facts at a time, and best of all win math facts belts that they love!  You can read about the whole Kicking It Math Fact program here.



Subitizing Cards for Multiplication



Subitizing cards are a great way to help your students practice their math facts.  You can find the complete directions as well as a link to the freebie for these cards here.

Rock Paper Scissors Math


What's better than Rock, Paper, Scissors, Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math of course!  Students hold up zero to ten fingers each.  They find the product of the two numbers they are showing.  The first person to respond wins the round.



Kaboom Math Facts Game 


Kaboom Type Games are a fun way to practice math facts.  Place a set of math facts in a container along with several cards that say Kaboom.  You can hand write the facts on index cards or buy a set such as my Cookies for Santa Kaboom game or my Water Fight Game.



Students take turn pulling the cards from the container and answering the math facts on them.  If they get the answer correct, they get to keep their card.  If they answer incorrectly, they put the card back in.  If a student pulls the dreaded Kaboom card out, they have to put back all of their cards.  The winner is the student with the most cards at the end of the game.


Math Facts Flyswatter


Write some products on index cards.  Give students each a flyswatter.  Call out a math fact such as 7 X 8.  Students will race to swat the correct answer, 56.


Math Facts Who Am I


Write various products on index cards and paper clip them to your students' backs so they can't see them.  The other student gives them a math fact that would have the answer of the number on the back so the student can guess their number.  This is easily differentiated by your students' ability as you can see in the video.






3 comments:

  1. So many fun ways and ideas to practice math skills!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love all of your ideas. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love all these hands-on ways of practicing math!

    ReplyDelete