Strategies in Teaching Math

Dominoes
Dominoes have become a staple in most primary classrooms. They build upon dice patterns and are often used to model decomposition of numbers, building student knowledge of addition facts. They are an excellent manipulative for primary students to use and these are some examples of how students might use dominoes in the math center.

Domino Mat The student needs some dominoes, counters and a domino mat. The student selects a domino and builds that domino on his/her domino mat. Next, the student counts the total number of dots on both sides of the domino and selects the correct number card to represent the total. The student may record this domino on the Domino Recording Sheet before clearing the mat, and choosing another domino. Differentiation: Teachers may easily differentiate this activity by providing differentiated baggies of dominoes that effectively target the varied instructional levels of students in their classes. For example, an easy set may include dominoes with sums less than or equal to 6 while a challenging set may include dominoes with sums greater than 12.

Domino Flash Game Play Domino Flash to help your students master the domino patterns. Each student needs a domino mat and counters. Teachers may use overhead dominoes or Domino Flash Cards (copied on card stock, and cut apart) for this game. The teacher shows a domino for a count of 5-10 seconds, depending on the ability level of the students, then covers it. Students look at the domino as it is shown, then build the domino from memory. The teacher circulates around the room as students work, to observe student performance. After some time, the teacher asks students to describe the domino they saw and how they remembered the patterns to build. Finally, the teacher shows the domino again so that students are able to self-correct. Center Activity: make the Domino Flash Game materials available for students to play as pairs or triads at center time. Students love to rotate playing teacher for this game!

Domino Fact Families Dominoes can be used to introduce students to fact families. Students need a Domino Facts Template inserted in a sheet protector, dry erase marker, and some dominoes for this activity. The student selects a domino and draws it on the template (or uses counters to build the domino). He/she then counts the number of dots on each side of the domino, writing the numbers in the squares above the domino sides. The student figures out the total number of dots and writes this number in the rectangle below the domino. These three numbers are the number family the students will use to write the 4 number sentences for that fact family. Alternately, the teacher may display a Domino Flash Card and have the whole class use the same domino for the introductory activity. In this case, the teacher should use an overhead of the Domino Facts Template. NOTE: inserting the overhead in a sheet protector allows the teacher to use dry erase markers and preserves the life of the overhead. For storage, many teachers elect to keep these often-used overheads in a binder. Differentiation: Vary the complexity of the dominoes students use to accommodate the varied needs of learners in the class. Center Activity: Make the materials available in the math center so that students practice fact families on a regular basis. Do Now! Transition Activity: Many teachers opt to have students keep the Domino Facts Template in their desks so that they can use this activity as a daily part of math class, beginning or ending math class with fact family practice.

Mathwire.com: Math Mats Resources

Active Participation Strategies For Math Class

White Boards:
ask ALL students to write answers to questions in the mental math section of the Everyday Math lesson so that you are able to quickly assess the proficiency of each student. Write on your own white board.

Thumbs up/thumbs down:

use this strategy to encourage students to listen to other students in the class. Students must learn to evaluate both the solutions and the explanations of other students in the class.

Show me the answer:

use a variety of strategies to involve all students Give each student numeral cards and use these with or without a place value mat for place value practice. Make the number twenty-four. Make the number that is one more than 78 Make the number that is one less than 46. If you count by 5s, what number comes after 55? Give students small response cards: Even/odd cards: hold up the correct card as I say a number Shape cards: I have four sides and all right angles. All of my sides are the same size. What shape am I? Hold it up.

Think-Pair-Share:
Ask the question and allow quiet think time. This wait time encourages each student to be actively involved in the question. Ask students to tell their partner the answer or explain or.... This allows students the chance to practice on one person before talking before the whole class. This practice helps reluctant students as they can always use some or all of their partners words. Ask a couple of students to share with the class, especially those you have overheard who have different ways of explaining or different answers or different methods of solving a problem, etc. Let go and let students: Expect students to do some or all of the Math Boxes independently. Quickly spin off students who are capable of independent work. Give students the chalk/marker and ask them to write on board Ask another student to repeat what ____ said rather than repeating or summarizing yourself

What's the number? Kids ask questions like: Is the number greater than/less than....? Is the number between ___ and ___? Is the number in the tens place ____? etc. No two questions in a row can make the same comparison. Or students may ask in number sentences- - Is the number 5+1?
Other helpful math sites: http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/topic_t_1.html http://hanlonmath.com/pdfFiles/244StrategiesforFactsBH.pdf http://www.math-aids.com/ http://www.mathfactcafe.com/