After a few months into the school year, after teachers already have their rules and procedures established, academic data starts to come in. The next step is figuring out "What do we do next?" and "How do we fill in those gaps?" Since data drives our instruction, our plan has to be intervention! Intervention doesn't need to be a scary word in the classroom! All you need is data, a plan and some targeted tools to help show those skills in a new way. This can be done with hands-on manipulatives, dry erase tools, etc. The most important aspect is to host a one-on-one or small group setting to have a leveled review on the missed skills. I'm showcasing FIVE amazing Math intervention tools to add into your upper grade classroom that will make all the difference in the world.
Most of the gaps in math instruction for upper grade students stem from them not being able to memorize math facts. Math facts are so important in developing number sense, which is the foundation of complex math. Students NEED to know their times tables with immediacy in the upper grades in order to do fractions, long division and for real life experiences. To make review of multiplication more fun, my students in intervention groups LOVE this Multiplication Building Blocks game. Does it looks familiar? That's right, it's very similar to Jenga! You stack the tower 3x3, all the way to the top and each player takes turns moving blocks in a tricky manner in order to have your competitor misstep and make the tower fall. The only difference in this Multiplication Building Blocks game is that on each block is a different multiplication fact that students must answer. This game is so much fun to include into any intervention group.
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Next up is Order of Operations! This is such a tricky skill to master for upper graders. It looks simple, BUT there is an order to it. Reviewing this skill for intervention is simple, however, thanks to Dry Erase Order of Operations Card Set. This set has helped immensely with my students' algebraic thinking. I make it into a game by dividing the class into two teams. The students are WILD about it. This set is amazing because it has 50 different cards to review that the students can write on with 16-Color Expo® Dry Erase Markers. These cards have been a game changer! My intervention students are engaged and they love spotting common mistakes or talking about their thinking with each card.
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Let's be honest, fractions are HARD for some students to grasp because they're so conceptual. Repetition helps with fractions, but these Fraction Dice make it fun! With just a roll of these foam dice, you can easily review naming, comparing, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions. In fact, there are endless possibilities with how you can use these in your intervention group.
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A BIG skill for upper graders is taking their basic multiplication facts and using them for multi-digit multiplication. This is a complex feat for even those students who have mastered their math facts. Add in an algorithm, and if there is a lack of number sense, nothing makes sense! What has dramatically helped my students are these Multiplication Dry Erase Boards. They help teach and reinforce multiplying with more than one digit by providing support with color-coded boxes. The colored boxes help students process each step they'll need to take while multiplying. Plus, they are double-sided white boards! So, just write, wipe and repeat with our favorite 16-Color Expo® Dry Erase Markers! They come in a fantastic 10-pack which works great for intervention.
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To piggy back off of the Multiplication Dry Erase Boards, are the Division Dry Erase Boards! Similar to the Multiplication Dry Erase Boards, they practice the standard algorithm of long division in a dry erase format. This lessens students' anxiety by providing built in support with the colors and steps already outlined. These Division Dry Erase Boards are a PERFECT addition for my math intervention group to practice and apply the standard algorithm of long division.
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