Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School: Activity Diary
Name: Brittany Maiden
Number and Number Sense:
Name and
Location/Source
of Activity
Roll A Number
TEDU 522 Class
Arrow Math
Numbers
TEDU 522 Class
Materials Needed
Brief Description of Activity
Relevant
SOL
Number cards
Dice
Recording Sheet
Students will work with a partner and take
turns rolling a ten-sided die (with the
digits 0-9). After each roll, the student
will write the rolled digit on the recording
sheet in one of the spaces. (NOTE: it does
not have to be in order – this keeps it
interesting for how the entire number
turns out!) After six rolls each, the student
will compare their two numbers and write
the appropriate symbol ( < , > , = )
between the two numbers to show that the
understand the greater than, less than, and
equal to concepts. The students will
repeat the activity four times.
2.1 (c)
Hundreds chart
Dice
Worksheet
White board
2 decks of cards
Students will be handed two decks
(stacks) of cards; one with different
directions of arrows and one with
numbers 1-100 in random order. In a
group of 4 or 5, students will draw one
arrow card each, and the person that goes
first will flip over a 0-100 card from the
other deck. Students will automatically
2.2 (a)
Relevant NCTM
Process
Standards
Representation –
While the students
play the game,
they are recording
their numbers on
the worksheet,
ultimately
supplying
themselves with a
representation that
shows the
concepts of
numbers greater
than, equal to, or
less than one
another.
Reasoning and
Proof – students
compare answers
and explain why
the answers are
what they are.
Evaluation/Suggested
Modifications
Students could
compare their
worksheets with
another group of two to
make the game more
challenging!
Students who are
struggling could think
of identifying numbers
with clues. For
instance, if the student
flipped over the
number 36 and had two
arrows pointing to the
Base Ten Pictures Base 10 blocks
Base Ten
worksheet
TEDU 522 Class
Compare
Fractions Card
Game
http://www.educa
tion.com/activity/
article/capturethat-fraction/
Deck of cards
(with the face
cards removed)
Scratch paper
Pencils
flip over their arrow direction cards and
place them side-by-side. Everyone will
figure out what the end number is by
looking at their hundreds charts and
writing down the answer on their white
board. Once everyone is finished, they
will show each other their boards and
compare their answers and explain their
reasoning and proof by counting on the
hundreds chart. They will record their
final answer on the Arrow Math
worksheet.
Create a picture from base ten blocks.
Record your picture and the number of
hundreds, tens, and ones used. Calculate
the total value of your picture. Make sure
to show your work. Create a second
picture and repeat the steps.
This two-player math game allows the
students to work together to determine
who has created the largest fraction.
To begin playing, have players turn over
two cards from their respective decks and
place them in front of themselves.
Players then decide which card they want
to be the numerator and which card they
want to be the denominator. Calculate
who has the largest fraction. The player
left, he or she would
say “35 – 1” in order to
better direct the group
members. Then in the
results discussion, they
could figure out how
they came up with “351.”
2.4 (a)
4.2 (a)
RepresentationStudents are able
to use base ten
blocks to form a
picture or
representation.
From there, they
are able to count
the hundreds,
tens, and ones
used!
Problem Solving
–
This game allows
the students to
apply and adapt a
variety of
appropriate
strategies to solve
a problem. The
students are
As a extra challenge,
the students could
calculate the difference
between the values of
the two pictures.
Have more players to
make the game more
fun and challenging!
Students can take in
new strategies and
understand each
other’s reasoning.
However, a hint for
this might be to use
two decks of cards –
who has the largest fraction wins all of the
cards played in the round. If there's a tie,
split the cards evenly among the players.
The game is over when one player has
accumulated all of the cards or time is up.
Lego Skip
Counting
Legos
http://www.learni
ngliftoff.com/10fun-lego-mathideas/#.VSQ_cZT
F9OI
Use LEGO bricks to practice skip
counting by 2s. Start with a brick with 2
studs, then find one with 4, and so on.
When you run out of bricks with enough
studs, make your own by adding the studs
on several bricks together.
2.4 (a)
figuring out
multiple ways to
solve whose
fraction is greater.
These strategies
should be
discussed and
noted by the
teacher when the
students are
talking. These
strategies can then
be discussed in a
whole-class
discussion as a
means for other
students to
possibly try out
these strategies.
Representation –
Students are using
legos as
manipulatives in
order to show
their knowledge
in counting by 2s.
with only one deck,
they may not be able to
play very many rounds
before the cards run
out.
Students could make
this into a game where
each student has a
partner and has a
faceoff where they see
which student can get
to 30 the fastest. This
works with any even
number!
Computation and Estimation:
Name and
Location/Source
Materials Needed
Brief Description of
Activity
Relevant
Standard(s) of
Relevant NCTM
Process Standards
Evaluation/Suggested
Modifications
of Activity
Domino Math!
Practicum
Classroom
Final Countdown
Practicum
Classroom
Dominoes
Laminated domino
worksheet
Dry Erase marker
Scratch paper
Pencils
2 Dice
1 Sheet of paper for
score keeping
Have students lay out
5 random dominoes
from the complete
pile. Students will
write each side of the
domino into the
expression “_ + _”
and use their addition
counting skills to fill
out the “= _” portion
of the problem. Once
the students are done,
allow time for them
to check their work
and repeat with 5
different dominoes
from the pile.
Ask each of the two
players to write the
number "99" at the
top of their scratch
paper.
Have the first player
roll both dice, and
add them together to
find the sum. Then,
have them subtract
the sum from their
starting number of
99. After figuring out
their result, they
record the number
Learning (SOL)
1.5
2.7 (b)
Problem solving –
students are applying
and adapting to a
different strategy to
solve an addition
problem.
Modification: Have half
of the class use two dice
instead! Have them
experience with two
different kinds of objects
in order to understand
that the dice and the
dominoes have the same
amount of maximum
dots.
Communication –
students can
communicate their
process of
computation
strategies together as
they move further on
the countdown! This
is fun because they
can teach one another
different ways of
getting to the
difference.
To make this more
challenging, a
modification may be to
use three dice. This is
also beneficial if time
for the activity is limited
so they can get through
it faster.
remaining on their
scratch paper. For
example: if they roll a
4 and 5, 4 + 5 = 9, 99
- 9 = 90. They would
write 90.)
Have each player take
a turn rolling the dice
and computing their
results.
The first player to get
to zero wins!
Measurement
Name and
Location/Source of
Activity
Materials Needed
Brief Description
of Activity
Flying Airplanes!
Paper Airplane
Ruler
Pencil
Recording Worksheet
Have the students
make a simple
paper airplane
before going
outside to fly
them!
http://talesofateachaholic.bl
ogspot.com/2014/04/fivefor-friday-saturdayedition.html
When the students
are outside, they
will be in groups
of 2 or 3 and
measure the
distance in how
far the airplanes
Relevant
Standard(s)
of Learning
(SOL)
2.1 (a)
Relevant NCTM
Process Standards
Evaluation/Suggested
Modifications
Connections – The
students will have the
opportunity to not only
explore concepts of
math, but also science
as well. While the
students are taking
turns flying their
planes, the teachers
can talk about the
concepts behind speed
and gravity!
This is a great activity
for students to learn two
subject matters. Also,
students may be
interested in science and
not math, therefore
intriguing them to
engage in the activity.
travel. They will
take a ruler and
measure the
distance and
record on their
recording
worksheet (in
inches and feet)
Geometry
Name and Location/Source of
Activity
Materials Needed
Brief Description
of Activity
The Hexagon Fill!
Hexagon
worksheet with 6
hexagons
Pattern blocks
Students will
determine how
many ways they
can fill in a
hexagon using the
pattern blocks.
Students will be
placed in groups of
3 or 4 and the
person to complete
all hexagons first
wins!
http://www.kindergarten
kindergarten.com/2012/02/mathproblem-solving-week-7-2dimensional-geometric-shapes.html
Relevant
Standard(s) of
Learning (SOL)
K.11
Relevant NCTM
Process
Standards
Problem Solving –
Students are
applying different
strategies in order
to fill in the
hexagon. Each
student will most
likely use different
shapes in each
hexagon in order
to completely fill
the hexagon.
During their
discussion time
after the activity,
they can explain to
one another how
Evaluation/Suggested
Modifications
Students can also
determine the winner by
counting the amount of
patterns blocks they
used within the hexagon
to see who used the
most shapes in the
amount of time.
This can also be
modified for other
shapes, not just
hexagons!
they were able to
fill in their
hexagons.
Probability and Statistics
Name and
Location/Source of
Activity
Materials
Needed
Brief Description of Activity
Card Probability
Deck of
cards
Announce to both players
that, in the first round, all
cards are positive integers.
Have one of the players
shuffle the cards.
Deal three cards to each
player. The first and third
card should be dealt face up
and the middle card should be
dealt face down. The middle,
face-down card is the mystery
card. Have the players discuss
probability as it relates to the
mystery card. What are the
chances that it will it be a
value between the two other
cards?
Each player should predict if
his mystery card is higher or
lower in value than the two
face-up cards.
If he guesses correctly, the
player keeps the cards. If he
Relevant
Standard(s)
of Learning
(SOL)
3.18
Relevant NCTM Process Evaluation/Suggested
Standards
Modifications
Communication –
students can talk about
the probability chances by
discussing what the
chances are that the
mystery card will be a
value between the two
cards already shown.
Make this game more
challenging by
having the red cards
represent negative
integers and the black
cards represent positive
integers.
guesses incorrectly, he must
return his cards to the bottom
of the deck.
Continue dealing the cards
until one player has amassed
all of them.