Springtime and warmer weather is the perfect opportunity for kids to use almost-real objects in math. It is time to gather all the garden goodies as we explore seven different ideas for some spring math fun! These particular activities are great for kindergarten through third grade students.
Set up a station with ladybugs! Have students roll a dice and gather that many ladybugs. Then have students roll a dice again and gather that many ladybugs. Students then decide which amount is greater and which is less than. Have them write what they found!
After students have created a flower garden scene with this sticker kit, they can write a math spring story about what is happening in the scene. For example: 2 lovely pink butterflies flew into the tree. 2 more lovely blue butterflies joined them. How many butterflies are in the tree?
Set up this math station which allows students to practice making parts from a whole. It is a perfect example of making fractions visual. Students divide a circle into different equal parts.
One of the great things about a butterfly is their shape and how symmetrical they are. It allows for a student to see how combinations of two numbers can add up to a bigger number. This is the beginning stages of fractions and one concrete step which shouldn't be overlooked. Check out my post below to find out more.
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Students practice addition and subtraction number equations with the toss of dice. Play "Race to Zero" or "Race to ____" In either of these games, roll one dice and either add or subtract that number from the number you are either starting with or trying to get to. Use the insect erasers to keep track and make the problems concrete.
Since paint strips are the same base color but gradually change, practicing skip counting can provide a visual to see how numbers increase or decrease yet keep the same pattern. Check out my post below to find out more!
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This is such a colorful activity! Since we know color helps retention of skills, practicing fractions with rainbows can not only be fun but also very effective.
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