Number Sense Activities

In a zip lock bag I put a place value mat (just a piece of paper 8 1/2 x 11 divided into 2 section with heading "tens" "ones"), 100 popsicle sticks, 10 elastic bands. Students play in pairs so each one needs the above kit plus a dice. They take turns rolling the dice and place that many sticks in their "ones" column. As soon as they can make a "ten" they bundle 10 sticks in an elastic and move it to the "tens". The game continues until one of the pair have 5 tens. The game can be played in reverse - start with 5 tens and subtract the amount shown on the dice. Helps students to understand regrouping. Another variation is to play to 100 with a ones, tens, hundreds game board.

Have students write a 2 digit number on an index card. Then have groups of 4 put themselves in order. Once each group is in their own order then I have 2 groups combine and put themselves in order. Eventually we are all in order. A student will check and see if they think we are right and if not what we can do to change.

More Place Value Activities from Mathwire

Comparing Numbers

The alligator wants to eat the BIGGER, JUICIER number!

Use the analogy of alligator mouths for the symbols. The hungry alligator wants to eat the biggest number. "haha, I'm bigger than you"

Start the lesson by introducing the signs, and then sketch an alligator around it so they could visualize it. Then switch to just the greater than or less than signs, w/o any alligators.

Another idea that's really helped my students AND helped them form the < and > symbols because some of them have a lot of trouble with that! We put two dots next to the bigger number and one dot next to the smaller number (they learn that the bigger number gets more dots) and then they connect them to form an arrow.

Skip Counting

Basketball Toss- To reinforce counting by 2’s, hold a pick-up game of basketball right in your own home. Get an empty trashcan, several pieces of paper and a couple of pencils. Wad up two pieces of paper as if you were going to throw them away. Use the remaining paper to keep track of your score. To play, line up a short distance away from the trashcan and throw the wad of paper into the trash can. If you make a basket, add two points to your score.

A Square Deal- Get a box of Wheat Thin Crackers or another square snack. Tell your students that you are going to use the shape of the crackers to help you learn to count by 4’s. Take a cracker and place it on a piece of construction paper. Have the students count the four corners and write a number 4 underneath the cracker. Place another cracker beside it and add those corners to the previous four and have them write the number eight underneath that one. Continue counting by 4’s.

Sparkle- Have the students stand in one large circle/oval around the class. You will go around the circle counting by 3's. The first student will say 3, the next will say 6, etc. You tell them that the Sparkle number is 24. So when a student says 24, everyone says "Sparkle" and the person that said 24 sits down. Counting then begins again at 3, then 6, etc and the class says "Sparkle when the next person says 24. It goes on till there is one student standing.

If you like these ideas I do have some place value games for sale at The Teaching Oasis.
http://www.teachingoasis.com/math.htm
(Check under Math games)