One of the third grade standards is to focus on fact fluency and that is just one that needs to be practiced all year long... we all know that! I've been meaning to share a few of the activities that I use to practice math facts and how we check out progress each week! I'm going to drop in really fast to share! We have cinnamon rolls in the oven this morning!! :)
This is a game called, multiplication dual - you can read more about this here.
We also play multiplication Top-it where you students place cards in a pile. Each student pulls two cards from the pile, multiplies them together & then the student with the highest product gets to keep everyone's cards. When the pile it gone, the game is over. The student with the highest number of cards wins the game!
This is another simple, easy prep game that we play. You just need 3 circles on a paper as seen in the picture. Write the desired x? factor in the circle. Then, students roll a dice and place that many manipultives inside each circle. Afterwards, students write down their multiplication problem and solve.
This activity is from a multiplication unit that is still in progress and will be posted as soon as it's finished! But, you could always use envelopes and wrote multiplication facts on note cards. I folded two file folders inward so it opens like a door. Then, glued the back of the file folder together. The pockets keep the multiplication facts. When students finish math work early, they grab this and practice whichever fact they need to master by Friday!
I'm sure you've seen this one floating around on Pinterest and that's exactly where this idea came from. Students grab a cup, solve the multiplication problem, look at the inside of the cup to check and then they can use it to build their tower. It's a popular one!!
Each Friday, students are 'tested' on their ability to master their fact for the week. Students keep track of their progress in their math journals on a simple chart (that I forgot to take a picture of). During the week they know which fact to practice so they can master their 1 minute fact fluency test on Friday.
After we take the test, I have students get with the same people who also took the same test, they check answers - I walk around and check too. If they master that fact they get to write their name in the factor on the wall (see picture below). If they do not master the fact, they know that they need to practice again next week!
To read more multiplication posts by me you can click one of the links below:
I am going to try to be back tomorrow with my Visual Plans for the week!!!! :) You'll want to come back!
Could you share more about your multiplication process? I'm a first year teacher and we are starting multiplication this week. Did you send home a letter to the parents to inform them and did you tell them of the weekly "master" test? Could you share how you prepare them for their weekly test and what you use. We do the AMSTI kit and we are not allow enough time for memorization but I believe students need to be fluent in their facts. Any information would help!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI prepare them for their weekly test using the activities shown in this post. We all started with the same factor and then it begins to be differentiated from there. I just wrote a letter home to parents telling them that we will have a test each Friday on our fact fluency and to ask their students which facts they are practicing. Students practice their facts at the end of our math block or if they finish work early throughout the day. Refer to my introducing multiplication post for more ideas - it is linked on this post! :) Good luck!!
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